808 glides and slides
Answer in brief
An 808 slide is a glide between two overlapping notes on an 808 set to mono or legato. Set the glide time for the feel you want, overlap only the notes that should slide and keep slides for the moments that need them.
Set the 808 to mono or legato
Switch the 808 to mono or legato so only one note sounds at a time. In most synths legato mode makes the second of two overlapping notes slide from the first without a new click, which is the classic trap slide. In plain mono with glide the pitch still slides but each note starts its envelope again, so the slide arrives with a fresh hit.
Write the slide in the piano roll
Drag the end of the first note so it overlaps the start of the next one slightly. In legato mode only overlapping notes slide, so you choose exactly which moves glide. Leave a small gap between notes you want to strike cleanly.
Choose the glide time
- About 30 to 60 ms for a quick scoop into the next note.
- About 80 to 150 ms for a clear slide of the kind trap 808s often use.
- About 200 ms or more for a pitch dive, which works at the end of a phrase.
- A glide synced to the tempo, if the instrument has one, so the slide keeps its feel when the song speeds up or slows down.
Slides that stay in tune and on time
Slide between notes of the song’s scale, most often from the root up to the fifth or the octave, or from the octave back down to the root. A slide takes time to arrive, so start the second note slightly before the beat or shorten the glide when the pitch lands late. An octave jump is a safe slide because it lands on the same note name it left.
Glide with samples and distortion
A sample-based 808 glides by changing its playback speed, so the tail stretches as it slides. That is part of the sound, though a long slide can blur. Distortion on the 808 itself follows a slide without any extra work, because it adds overtones to whatever pitch is playing.
Sources for this page
- Studio 56: Studio 56’s official website, the publisher of this reference.
The practical advice here is our own. A maker's description of its product is not a test of how it performs.
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Cite this page
Best 808 Plugin. “808 glides and slides.” Studio 56 Reference. Content reviewed November 8, 2026.
https://best808plugin.com/808-glides-and-slides/