# How to create transitions in your arrangements
Bring in and out sounds in pairs or even fours in order to create a more meaningful transition in your arrangement.[^1]
Too much change between sections may feel disjointed. If your sections are drastically different, introduce some elements from the new section before the downbeat.[^2]
Use a drum fill or another instrumental fill.[^3]
Use a transition cue, like a sample or a melody.[^4]
Drop an element or even the whole arrangement for a few beats before the downbeat.[^4] You can do this with mutes or filters.[^5] Doing so after the downbeat can be effective too.[^3]
Resample an instrument before it occurs in the next section. You can reverse it or chop and screw it in some other way.[^4] Reversing a cymbal is a classic effect. You can also pitch down the cymbal for a different flavor.[^3]
A classic EDM technique is to use noise and a rising filter (either a low-pass or band-pass).[^6]
Another classic EDM technique is to use a snare roll.[^7]
Yet another classic EDM technique is to create a reverb washout.[^7]
You can add modulation or sidechain compression to any transition sound to create more interest.[^6] [^5]
Use an arpeggiator and modulate the rate for a build up.[^5] A similar effect is to modulate the LFO on a synth or sampler, which is known as an LFO roll in EDM.[^8]
Impact effects are useful for downbeats.[^3]
For more, subtler effects, see [[Crafting transitions at the mixing stage]].
[^1]: [Make More INTERESTING Song Transitions with ONE SIMPLE RULE. - YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MADvn8apYlQ)
[^2]: [Writing Transitions Is Fun! (no really) - YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C3xRCSp6P2E&t=26s)
[^3]: [5 Song Transition Techniques In Ableton Live - YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ZMjnTVmngM)
[^4]: [How To Transition In Your Music Without FX - YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lbs8_8ZJJOM)
[^5]: [10 Ways To Create Lifts & Drops In Ableton Live - YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YaMf4yJA6_s&list=PL9oiyAGA6zOREkZq-JlvqmugH369pArzv&index=3)
[^6]: [Creating FX Transitions for EDM and Pop Music Tutorial - YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1DFMM2I92RE)
[^7]: [16 Hacks Pros Use To Create Variation in Their Songs - YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_mkkSSfsGlo)
[^8]: [Perfect Ear Candies That Matter - YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aOQc7B8HRx0)