The 12 styles of our Create feature might seem mysterious at first glance.
But, they’re very deliberate and, like everything from Splice, designed to amplify your creativity.
Head over to our Create feature, and the first thing you’ll be prompted to do is pick a style. You’re met with 12 choices, including Disco Fever, Industrial Lab, Live Set, and Hit Hop (no, that’s not a typo). While these might seem somewhat unconventional—compared to genre norms like rap, EDM, rock, and pop—they’ve been devised specifically to lead you to more inspirational places, more of the time.
When we designed the Create experience, we wanted to guide your creative process in a general direction, rather than taking you straight to a specific genre and a selection of familiar sounds. That’s because, by starting from this more zoomed-out viewpoint, the experience is one of creation through the act of discovery, where you explore your way to new ideas—rather than staying in your comfort zone.
Thanks to styles, our Create feature leads you to unexpected and inspiring sounds that you might not otherwise have considered, by incorporating surrounding genres that expand the variety of sounds in the mix. In other words, by serving sounds from the Splice catalog that are matched to sound great together (instead of simply being grouped by tags), your song-starting journey is so much more inspiring.
We’ve updated Create mode since this article was posted—find out what’s new here.
AI-powered sound discovery
Create’s not-so-secret weapon is its AI-powered tech, which matches loops from all across Splice by analyzing its harmonic content, rather than filtering by tags and keywords like ‘trap,’ ‘kick,’ or ‘808.’ The end result of this AI-powered sample discovery is an endless stream of new musical ideas, and a place to experiment freely without having to learn how to create new genres from scratch. Ever wanted to branch out of your big-room-house safe space, or boom-bap sanctuary? Create will help you broaden your horizons.
What are the 12 styles of Create?
Each of the 12 Create styles uses sounds that span several genres. Here’s a primer on each one, and an intro to what you might expect.
1. Chill Lounge
This drumless style takes you on a journey through the world of percussion-free, melodic sounds. It emphasizes the power of melody over beats, featuring ambient guitars, smooth basslines, and organic keys for an immersive and otherworldly listening experience. Whether you’re a fan of ambient, cinematic, or chillout sounds, Chill Lounge has something for you to discover and enjoy.
Reference points: ambient, cinematic, downtempo, classical, chillout, experimental, IDM, atmospheres, organic, textures
2. Dance Pop
Access a wide variety of sounds that are perfect for creating dance-leaning hits with drums that emphasize the back beat. This style features an array of massive synths, epic melodies, pounding beats, and high-energy classics, all paired with vocals to provide you with the sounds you need to start your next hit song.
Reference points: pop, R&B, soul, gospel, funk, live sounds, synth pop, indie electronic, riffs
3. Disco Fever
Step back in time and discover the classic sounds of the ’70s and ’80s with Disco Fever, a style that offers a wide range of funk, indie dance, and groove-infused melodies, rhythms, and motifs. Catered to fans of twangy guitars and upbeat basslines, this style combines modern production techniques with the vintage engineering techniques of yesterday to create an authentic and unparalleled funk and disco creation experience.
Reference points: funk, disco, indie dance, nu disco
4. Drum ‘n’ Breaks
Discover a fusion of garage and jungle rhythms with liquid sensibilities. This style is designed for fans of UK garage, dubstep, and other hard-knocking, uptempo genres. It offers a syncopated journey into a realm of high-energy beats, perfect for producers, composers, and DJs looking to add a unique and dynamic touch to their music.
Reference points: bass music, breakbeat, breaks, drum & bass, tearout dubstep, jungle
5. Hit Hop
This one catches lots of y’all out. Deliberately familiar, yet way broader than hip hop, Hit Hop (not a typo) references a vast collection of sounds, designed for enthusiasts of hip hop, R&B, soul, trap, and more. Pair bass, drum kits, keys, and other staples from those genres to unlock happy accidents and take yourself in new creative directions.
Reference points: hip hop, pop, trap, grime, neo soul
6. Industrial Lab
Industrial Lab is a style that explores music’s aggressive and psychedelic side, delving into cyberpunk and science fiction realms. At its core, this style is all about bold moods and vibes, featuring a wide variety of genres that share a common ethos of breaking away from mainstream conventions and pushing the boundaries of sound design. It’s perfect for fans of experimental and entropic audio experiences.
Reference points: industrial, psychedelic, experimental, leftfield bass, modular, drones, minimal techno, cinematic, textures, IDM, glitch, techno, science fiction, dubstep, deep dubstep, aggressive
7. Live Set
Unleash your creativity with this diverse collection of sounds that includes a wide range of acoustic twangs, electric slides, and live drums. Perfect for the musician, producer, or composer looking to add a live, organic touch to their music, this style is genre-agnostic and offers endless possibilities for your next project. Whether you’re looking to add a cinematic touch, a rock edge, or live instruments, this style has everything you need to bring your music to life.
Reference points: live sounds, acoustic, orchestral, cinematic, electric guitar
8. Lo-Fi Wave
Lo-Fi Wave is a style that embraces the nostalgia of lo-fi aesthetics and sounds of the past with tape-deck beats. Its unique lo-fi aesthetic caters to fans of all things chill, groovy, and relaxed. Whether you’re a late-night cafe enthusiast looking for the perfect beats to share with friends, or just relaxing and unwinding, this style delivers endless delights.
Reference points: lo-fi, lo-fi hip hop, vinyl, downtempo, soul, electric, hip hop, synth, sub
9. Night Rave
This style features the essential elements of modern dance music, drawing from the best elements of house, techno, and mainroom subgenres. The style aims to connect driving rhythms with uplifting vibes to offer a versatile selection for fans of classic dance beats.
Reference points: house, techno, trance, EDM
10. No Filter
No Filter is for those who crave the unknown and want to test their luck with the most diverse collection of sounds. With no rules or boundaries on mood, vibe, or genre, this style offers unrestricted access to every eligible Splice loop. Gamblers beware.
Reference points: N/A
11. Retro Synth
Designed for synthwave and chillwave die-hards, this style is perfect for creating driving, melodic tracks. It features a variety of loops and samples inspired by the sound of late-night drives through the city, so buckle up and hit the gas—the road is yours.
Reference points: synthwave, synth pop, chillwave, disco
12. Soulful Beats
This style is designed for creators who are seeking to explore variations within the hip hop, trap, and grime realms. It’s primarily focused on neo soul, R&B, and mainstream jazz beats, with some hip hop elements. Think of it as a mellower version of Hit Hop, but with richer chord progressions that lean into soul and more.
Reference points: hip hop, trap, grime, drill trap
Pick a style and create a Stack
So, now you know what’s behind the curtain of the 12 styles of our Create feature. If you haven’t already, try them for yourself using the link below, and don’t forget to save your Stacks when you’ve made something that inspires you!
Find inspiration with our new sample discovery feature:
August 10, 2023
