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How to make a bouyon beat, step by step

Making a bouyon beat is not just speeding up a dancehall beat. It is rebuilding, with today’s tools, the mechanics of a Dominican carnival band.

Step 1: the rhythm first

Start with the rhythmic grid: percussion inspired by lapo kabwit and jing ping, fast and steady drums, build-ups that imitate the calls of carnival. Work the loop until it makes you want to move with no vocal on it at all.

Step 2: the keyboard loop and the bass

The keyboard carries the melodic signature: a short, repetitive, almost hypnotic motif, inherited from the WCK method. The synth bass follows, heavy and simple. Add background vocals, shouts and responses, to recreate the crowd.

Step 3: test it dancing

The final test of bouyon is physical: dance to it, or watch someone dance. If the body does not follow, the beat is not finished. That is why so many producers launch their riddims in dance videos before the official release.

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