How to Make 808s Like Metro Boomin: Complete Sound Design Guide

What Makes a Metro Boomin 808?

Metro Boomin's 808s are defined by three characteristics: pitch movement, harmonic saturation, and precise dynamic control. Unlike static sub-bass that sits underneath a beat, his 808s behave like melodic instruments — they glide between notes, carry distortion artifacts that cut through phone speakers, and duck cleanly around the kick drum.

The foundation is always a pure sine wave tuned to the key of the track. Metro typically keeps 808s in the C1–G1 range (32–49 Hz) for maximum low-end weight. The pitch envelope creates the iconic 'bow' sound: the note starts 1–2 octaves above the target and sweeps down over 200–400 ms. This movement is what makes the 808 feel alive rather than robotic.

Building the Sine Sub Layer

Start with a single sine wave oscillator set to the root note of your track. In Serum, initialize the patch (Menu > Init), set Oscillator A to Basic Shapes with the wave position fully left (pure sine), and disable Oscillator B, the sub oscillator, and the filter. This gives you the cleanest possible foundation.

Set the polyphony to 1 (Mono) and enable Always in the Voicing tab. This prevents overlapping 808 notes from creating phase cancellation and muddy low-end. The amplitude envelope should have a fast attack (1–3 ms), full sustain, and a release time of 300–600 ms depending on how long you want the tail to ring.

1. Initialize Serum and set Osc A to pure sine
   Menu > Init, Osc A = Basic Shapes, wave position 0% (full left). Disable Osc B, Sub, and Filter.
2. Set voicing to Mono with 1 voice
   Voicing tab: Poly = 1, enable Always. This prevents note overlap and phase issues.
3. Shape the amplitude envelope
   Attack 1–3 ms, Decay 0 ms, Sustain 100%, Release 300–600 ms. The long release carries the bass between notes.

Pitch Glide: The Signature Movement

The pitch glide is what separates a generic 808 from a Metro-style 808. In Serum, enable the pitch envelope in the OSC A section (the small envelope icon next to the pitch knob). Set the envelope to a fast attack and slow decay: Attack 0 ms, Decay 250–400 ms, Sustain 0%, Release 0 ms. Set the pitch range to +12 to +24 semitones.

When you play a note, the pitch starts high and drops to the target frequency over the decay time. For longer glides, increase the decay. For sharper, more percussive hits, keep it under 200 ms. Metro's earlier work (2013–2016) used longer glides (350–400 ms); his later productions tighten this to 200–250 ms for more punch.

1. Enable the pitch envelope in Serum
   Click the envelope icon next to Osc A pitch. Set Attack 0 ms, Decay 250–400 ms, Sustain 0%, Release 0 ms.
2. Set the pitch envelope depth
   Drag the pitch envelope amount to +12 to +24 semitones. +24 gives a dramatic drop; +12 is more subtle.
3. Fine-tune glide time by genre era
   350–400 ms for classic Metro (2013–2016); 200–250 ms for modern, punchier productions.

Distortion and Saturation for Harmonic Cut

Pure sine waves have no harmonics, which means they disappear on small speakers. Metro's 808s cut through because they add controlled distortion that generates upper harmonics without destroying the sub-bass foundation. The trick is to process the distortion on a parallel channel, not the main 808 bus.

Create a duplicate of your 808 track and insert a distortion plugin. FabFilter Saturn 2 in Tube mode with Drive at 25–35% adds warm even harmonics. Soundtoys Decapitator on the Heavy setting with Tone pushed slightly right adds aggressive grit. For a free alternative, use Vital's built-in distortion (set to Diode) or the TDR Nova dynamic EQ to add harmonic excitement in the 1–3 kHz range.

1. Duplicate the 808 to a parallel track
   Route the MIDI or audio to a second channel. This track will carry the distortion while the original stays clean.
2. Add distortion on the parallel track
   FabFilter Saturn 2 (Tube, 25–35% Drive) or Decapitator (Heavy, Tone slightly right). Keep the original track clean.
3. High-pass the distorted layer at 80–120 Hz
   Use an EQ to remove sub-bass from the distorted track. This prevents phase cancellation with the clean sub layer.
4. Blend the two tracks to taste
   Start with the distorted track at –12 dB relative to the clean sub. Adjust until the 808 cuts through the mix without sounding harsh.

Sidechain Compression: 808 and Kick Relationship

The kick and 808 must share the same low-frequency space without fighting. Metro's mixes achieve this through precise sidechain compression: every time the kick hits, the 808 ducks for 20–40 ms, creating a pocket that lets both elements breathe.

In FL Studio, use Fruity Limiter on the 808 track. Set the sidechain input to the kick track, Threshold to –20 dB, Ratio to 4:1, Attack to 0.1 ms, and Release to 40–60 ms. In Ableton, use the Glue Compressor with Sidechain enabled, or Xfer LFO Tool for more visual control. The goal is transparency — you should feel the pocket, not hear the ducking.

1. Insert a compressor on the 808 track
   Fruity Limiter (FL Studio), Glue Compressor (Ableton), or any compressor with sidechain input.
2. Route the kick as the sidechain trigger
   Set the sidechain input to your kick drum track. The compressor listens to the kick but acts on the 808.
3. Set fast attack and medium release
   Attack 0.1 ms, Release 40–60 ms, Ratio 4:1, Threshold –20 dB. Fine-tune until the kick punches through cleanly.

Adding the Transient Click

Metro's 808s have a sharp attack that you feel in your chest before the sub arrives. This comes from a transient click — a short burst of noise or a high-frequency sample layered at the start of the 808 note. Without this click, the 808 sounds soft and loses impact on club systems.

Layer a short click sample (5–10 ms) or use white noise with a fast envelope. In Serum, add Noise Oscillator B with a short amplitude envelope (Attack 0 ms, Decay 10 ms, Sustain 0%). Filter the noise to 3–8 kHz so it adds snap without hiss. Blend this layer at –15 to –20 dB relative to the main sine.

Quick-Reference: Metro Boomin 808 Settings