How to Make Pi’erre Bourne-Inspired Beats in FL Studio

A Pi’erre Bourne-inspired beat can sound simple when you first hear it: a bright synth melody, heavy 808, Trap drums, a few unusual effects, and plenty of space. The difficulty starts when you try to build one yourself.

Add too many notes and the melody loses the playful quality. Program too many drums and the groove becomes generic Trap. Push the kick and 808 too hard and the low end turns into a wall instead of moving with the rhythm.

The sound depends less on copying a specific preset and more on getting a few production decisions to work together.

Pi’erre has spoken about studying video-game soundtracks and has listed both Fruity Loops and Ableton among the tools he used for production. His early work also became associated with bright game-like melodies, heavy 808s and selective double kicks.

This tutorial takes those ideas into FL Studio and turns them into a practical workflow. We will build the melodic foundation, program the drums and 808, look closely at Pi’erre Bourne-inspired drum patterns, create arrangement changes, and mix the beat without removing the space that makes this production style work.

If you want the background on why these elements became part of his recognizable sound, read the HexLoops guide to Pi’erre Bourne’s production style first. Pi’erre Bourne Production Style: What Makes His Beats Sound Different?

How Do You Make a Pi’erre Bourne-Inspired Beat?

Start with a short, bright synth melody that leaves space around the notes. Add a rhythmic 808 rather than a bass note that simply holds under every chord; establish a stable clap or snare, then build sparse kicks around the bass.

Keep the hi-hats relatively simple and use double kicks, rolls, percussion and effects as accents rather than filling every available subdivision.

In FL Studio, the Channel Rack is well suited to drum sequencing, while the Piano Roll gives you detailed control over pitch, timing, and velocity. Arrange the resulting Pattern Clips in the Playlist and create movement by removing or changing elements between sections rather than rebuilding the entire beat.

[SCREENSHOT 1: Finished FL Studio project showing melody, drums, 808 and arrangement]

Caption suggestion: A complete Pi’erre Bourne-inspired beat arranged in FL Studio.

Alt text: Pi’erre Bourne-inspired beat arrangement in FL Studio

Start With the Melody, Not the Drum Kit

The melodic idea carries a large part of this production style.

You can spend an hour programming kicks and hats, but if the musical layer sounds like a generic dark Trap loop, the finished beat will probably retain that character no matter which drums you add.

Start with one synth. FLEX, Sytrus or another synth you already understand is enough. You do not need a specific third-party plugin to get started.

Look for sounds with a clear identity but enough empty space around them. Useful starting points include digital plucks, bells, synthetic keys, short leads, and slightly unusual mallet-like sounds.

Avoid choosing a patch simply because it sounds huge by itself. A wide synth with several unison voices, long release, heavy reverb, and strong low-mid content may sound impressive during browsing, but it can leave very little room for the vocal, 808 or another melodic element.

The first question is practical: Does this sound still leave somewhere for the rest of the beat to go?

Write a Short Motif Before Adding Chords Everywhere

Open the Piano Roll and write a short melodic phrase. FL Studio’s Piano Roll lets you edit pitch and timing directly, and the grid resolution can be changed depending on how much rhythmic detail you need.

For this style, start smaller than you think. Four or five memorable notes can do more than a busy two-octave melody.

Try a four-bar idea where the first three bars establish the phrase and the fourth changes one detail.

You could:

move the last note
remove the final note entirely
move one note an octave
change the rhythm at the end
let one note ring longer

The variation does not need to announce itself. You want the listener to recognize the motif while feeling that something moved.

[SCREENSHOT 2: Simple four-bar synth melody in FL Studio Piano Roll]

Caption suggestion: Start with a short melodic motif and create a small variation at the end of the phrase.

Alt text: Pi’erre Bourne-inspired melody in FL Studio Piano Roll

Leave Gaps in the Melody

Space is part of the composition. If the synth plays continuously across every sixteenth note, the drums have fewer opportunities to create rhythmic contrast.

Try removing notes until the phrase starts breathing. Then listen to the spaces.

Those gaps can later contain an 808 attack, kick, vocal phrase, effect or second melody.

This also helps when a rapper enters the track. A beat that sounds slightly sparse before vocals often becomes much more complete once the vocal rhythm occupies the open areas.

Do not try to make the instrumental sound finished by filling every gap before anyone records over it.

Add a Counter Melody Only When the Beat Needs One

Once the main melody loops comfortably, play it for several repetitions with no second instrument. If the musical idea already feels complete, leave it alone.

If it needs contrast, add a second sound with a different role. A high bell answering the main synth can work better than another full chord layer. A short pad appearing during the hook may be more useful than a pad playing throughout the entire song.

Another option is a single texture or effect every few bars. The important distinction is that the second layer should change something. If you mute it and barely notice the difference, it may not need to be there.

Build the Pi’erre Bourne Drum Pattern From the Backbeat

Once the melody works, move to the drums. The easiest mistake is beginning with an elaborate kick pattern. Start with the clap or snare instead.

In a typical double-time Trap project, you might place the main clap or snare so the groove creates a half-time feel.

Treat that placement as the rhythmic anchor rather than a rule you must follow in every beat.

Now loop the melody and clap together. Does the backbeat feel natural against the synth phrase?

If it does, the kick and 808 have something stable to move around.

[SCREENSHOT 3: Basic clap/snare pattern in Channel Rack]

Caption suggestion: Establish the main backbeat before adding detailed kick and 808 movement.

Alt text: Trap snare pattern in FL Studio Channel Rack

Pi’erre Bourne Drum Patterns: Why Simple Often Works Better

A Pi’erre Bourne-inspired drum pattern does not need constant rolls and percussion. The movement usually becomes more effective when one part stays simple while another changes.

Think of the drum pattern as several different rhythmic jobs. The clap or snare gives the listener a reference.

The kick creates accents and momentum. The 808 provides low-end rhythm. The hats provide continuous motion. Percussion adds occasional detail.

If all five layers try to create complexity simultaneously, the groove becomes difficult to follow.

A useful starting pattern might contain a stable clap, straight hats and only a few kicks. Once that groove works, add one unusual event rather than five.

That could be a double kick, one hat roll or a percussion hit before the next bar. The surrounding simplicity makes the detail noticeable.

Program the Kick Around the Melody and Bass

Do not fill the Step Sequencer with kicks before hearing the 808. Start with only the most obvious accents.

Try one kick at the beginning of the phrase, then another where the melody creates space. Listen to how each hit changes the groove.

If removing a kick makes no meaningful difference, you may not need it.

The Step Sequencer is useful here because FL Studio gives each channel its own sequence within the current pattern, and you can later move into the Piano Roll when you need finer control.

[SCREENSHOT 4: Sparse kick pattern in Channel Rack]

Caption suggestion: Begin with a few important kick accents before adding faster variations.

Alt text: Pi’erre Bourne-inspired kick pattern in FL Studio

Use Double Kicks as an Accent

Closely spaced kicks are one documented feature associated with Pi’erre’s early production language. The important part is not simply placing two kicks next to each other.

They work because they interrupt a simpler pattern. Imagine a bar with only two or three strong kick events. A quick double hit near the end suddenly changes the momentum.

Now imagine double kicks appearing every few steps. The pattern no longer has contrast. Place one double kick where the rhythm needs a short burst of energy, then play it with the melody and 808.

The second hit may need a different velocity or may work better when the bass does not retrigger at exactly the same time. Judge the complete low-end event rather than the kick in solo.

Build the 808 as Part of the Drum Pattern

Now load an 808 one-shot into the Channel Rack and open its Piano Roll. FL Studio’s Sampler supports normal pitch control, and the Piano Roll lets you sequence different notes from the same sample.

If a Sampler stops responding normally to pitch, Image-Line notes that the sample’s time-stretch settings can affect this behavior. Selecting no time stretching restores normal sample transposition when appropriate.

First, make sure the 808 is tuned correctly. Then write the bass rhythm. Do not begin by copying every kick.

Try letting some kick and 808 notes hit together while other bass notes happen without a kick.

This makes the low end behave like a musical rhythm instead of one large combined drum sound.

Kick and 808 Do Not Need to Hit Together Every Time

This is one of the most useful production decisions in the entire beat. Play the kick and 808 together. Then mute the kick on one bass note. If the 808 already has enough attack, the groove may become cleaner. Restore the kick.

If the combined hit becomes stronger rather than simply louder, keep it. When the two sounds fight, check these things before inserting a sidechain compressor:

relative level
kick length
808 attack
808 decay
note timing
sound selection

Two sounds that naturally fit together usually need less corrective processing.

[AUDIO EXAMPLE OPPORTUNITY: Kick and 808 together versus an edited pattern where one kick is removed]

Keep the Hi-Hat Foundation Simple

Add a closed hat and create a basic repeating rhythm. You can use the Channel Rack or Piano Roll. FL Studio also exposes per-note properties such as velocity, note shift, and repeat, which makes small hat variations easy without changing the basic pattern.

Start straight. Then create movement. Lower the velocity of a few hits. Remove one hat. Add a short repeat before the clap. Shift one hat slightly. The pattern does not need a roll every bar.

A roll only feels fast when the surrounding rhythm gives it something to contrast with.

[SCREENSHOT 6: Basic hi-hat pattern with a few velocity changes and one roll]

Caption suggestion: Keep the main hat rhythm readable and use rolls as accents.

Alt text: Pi’erre Bourne-inspired hi-hat pattern in FL Studio

Use Velocity Before Adding More Notes

A common bedroom-producer habit is trying to make a pattern feel less robotic by adding extra hits. Try changing velocity first. Two hats can occupy identical grid positions from one bar to the next but feel different when the emphasis changes.

The same idea works with secondary snares and percussion. A quieter hit can create movement without becoming another focal point.

Listen at a lower monitor level after changing velocity. If every hat still feels equally aggressive, the differences may not be meaningful enough.

Percussion Should Fill a Specific Gap

Do not scroll through hundreds of percussion samples simply because the drum pattern feels unfinished. Play the loop. Identify where something feels missing.

Maybe there is a long gap after the clap. Maybe the second half of the bar needs one short accent.

Choose a percussion sound for that position. If the new sound forces you to turn down the melody, change the kick pattern and EQ several instruments, the percussion probably created more work than value.

One unusual sound used sparingly often fits this production style better than a full percussion loop.

Sound Effects Can Become Part of the Rhythm

Short effects can help make the beat feel more animated. Try a synthetic hit, reverse texture, vocal-like effect or digital sound before a transition.

Do not automatically place the effect at the beginning of every four bars. Use it once, then let the listener forget about it.

When the sound returns later, it feels intentional rather than repetitive. You can also pitch or reverse an Audio Clip directly in the Playlist.

FL Studio’s current Playlist supports pitch changes, reverse operations, clip variants, and detailed Audio Clip arrangement.

Build the First Eight Bars Before Mixing

Once the melody, clap, kick, 808 and hats work together, stop adding sounds. Move to the Playlist.

FL Studio’s Playlist can hold Pattern Clips, Audio Clips and Automation Clips, so this is where the loop becomes an actual song arrangement.

Create eight bars.

For example:

Bars 1 to 4 contain the main melody, drums and 808.
Bars 5 to 8 keep the same foundation but change one or two things.
Maybe the second melody enters.
Maybe one kick disappears.
Maybe the hats add a roll.
Maybe the final bar contains a short pause.

You do not need a new pattern for every bar.

[SCREENSHOT 7: Eight-bar arrangement in FL Studio Playlist]

Caption suggestion: Small changes across an eight-bar phrase can prevent repetition without rebuilding the beat.

Alt text: Pi’erre Bourne-inspired eight-bar arrangement in FL Studio

Turn the Loop Into a Verse and Hook

Duplicate the eight-bar section. Now create contrast by removing material.

For a verse, try:

removing the counter melody
simplifying the kick
reducing the hi-hat variation
muting an effect
leaving the main synth and 808 exposed

For the hook, restore the fuller version. You might add one extra melodic layer, a stronger kick accent or a transition effect leading into the section.

The hook can feel larger simply because the verse was smaller. This is a more reliable arrangement technique than putting a limiter on the hook and making it physically louder.

Use Pauses Before Important Sections

One beat of silence can create more impact than another riser. Before the hook, mute the drums.

Or remove only the kick. Let the 808 stop early. Cut the melody for half a bar.

The listener has become familiar with the repeating phrase. Breaking that expectation creates tension.

When the complete beat returns, it feels larger even though you have not added anything.

Mix the Beat From the Faders First

Once the arrangement works, route the important sounds to separate Mixer tracks. Do not begin with EQ.

Lower the melody until the drums and bass have room. Set the 808 against the kick.

Bring the clap forward enough to establish the backbeat. Then listen again.

Many apparent frequency problems change once the basic levels are right.

FL Studio channels can be assigned to individual Mixer tracks for level and effects processing.

[SCREENSHOT 8: Mixer with melody, kick, clap, hats and 808 routed separately]

Caption suggestion: Establish the balance before building a long processing chain.

Alt text: Trap beat mixer setup in FL Studio

A Complete Pi’erre Bourne-Inspired FL Studio Workflow

If you want one repeatable process, use this sequence:

Choose one bright or unusual synth.
Write a short four-bar melodic motif.
Create one small variation at the end of the phrase.
Leave intentional gaps between notes.
Add the main clap or snare.
Program a few important kick accents.
Tune the 808 and write a bass rhythm around the groove.
Decide which kick and 808 notes should actually hit together.
Add a simple hi-hat foundation.
Use velocity, missing hats and one short roll for movement.
Add percussion only where you can hear a specific rhythmic gap.
Create one or two effects for transitions.
Build an eight-bar arrangement in the Playlist.
Make the verse smaller by removing elements.
Restore or slightly expand the pattern for the hook.
Set Mixer levels before reaching for EQ and compression.
Process the 808 only as much as necessary for translation and character.
Compare the finished beat against the original simple loop and make sure every addition improved something.

Using Pierre Drum Kit in This Workflow

If you want original source sounds for experimenting with this production approach, Pierre Bourne Drum Kit is the HexLoops pack built around the futuristic and melodic side of modern Trap associated with Pi’erre Bourne-inspired production.

Use the pack as raw material rather than a finished formula. Choose one drum because it fits the beat.

Tune or pitch it. Change the envelope. Move the rhythm. Layer it only when the layer contributes something useful.

The goal is to end with a beat that sounds like your production, not a collection of sounds labelled with another producer’s name.

Frequently Asked Questions

What BPM should I use for a Pi’erre Bourne-inspired beat?

There is no required BPM. Choose a tempo that gives the melody, 808, and drums the movement you want. A faster project tempo can make detailed hat and kick programming convenient while the beat still feels slower through half-time drum placement.

What kind of melody works for a Pi’erre Bourne-inspired beat?

Start with a short melodic motif played by a bright or unusual synthetic sound. Bells, plucks, digital keys, mallet-like tones, and game-inspired synth textures can work, but note choice and rhythm matter more than finding a preset with the right label.

How do you make Pi’erre Bourne drum patterns?

Start with a stable clap or snare, then add sparse kicks around the melody and 808. Keep the main hi-hat rhythm relatively simple and use double kicks, rolls, and percussion as selective accents. The pattern should leave enough space for the bass and vocal rather than filling every grid position.

How should the kick and 808 work together?

They can hit together on important accents, but they do not need to trigger at the same time on every bass note. Listen to the combined envelope and remove unnecessary kicks when the 808 already provides enough attack.

Does Pi’erre Bourne use FL Studio?

Pi’erre has publicly listed Fruity Loops and Ableton among his production tools. He told The FADER that his setup included a MacBook, Ableton, Fruity Loops, and his sound library.

Do I need third-party plugins for this style?

No. You can build the complete workflow with FL Studio’s sequencing, sampling, synthesis, and mixing tools. Third-party plugins may offer different sounds or workflows, but they are not a requirement for understanding the production decisions behind the style.

Should Pi’erre Bourne-inspired beats have complicated drums?

Not necessarily. A sparse drum pattern can work well because it leaves the melody and 808 exposed. Complexity is more effective when it appears as a short contrast, such as a double kick or hat roll, rather than running throughout every bar.