Tips for Making a Hip-Hop Beat

July 5, 2020

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Hip-Hop music achieved worldwide popularity in the mid-1980s. The genre came from humble beginnings, from groups such as The Sugar Hill Gang and Run D.M.C. The origins of the music came from soul, jazz, and funk, and Hip-Hop in some senses is an amalgamation of all of those things. Hip-Hop music is now more popular than it has ever been, and while it has given birth to genres such as drill, rap, and grime, which have become much more popular, it still shows little signs of fading away. And, not only has the music birthed contemporary genres, but it has birthed a culture that has permeated through the entire world.

It is no surprise you should want to make a hip-hop beat, considering it is one of the most listened to, if not the most listened to genre in the world. Here are some tips making a hip-hop beat.

Find Your Style

Those who do not listen to the genre all claim hip-hop music sounds the same, with nothing to differentiate one artist from another. This, however, is wrong. For the avid listener, a single melody can distinguish between artists, and it is this single melody that defines their style. You, as a budding hip-hop music producer, must find your style.

Taking influence from other artists is completely fine, but there is a line between borrowing and stealing. If you are trying to create a hip-hop beat and do not have your own vocalist present, then you will likely borrow from a song that already exists. Most often in hip-hop songs, female soul singers are sampled, and instead of using a sample that has been recycled a million times, try to find an obscure, somewhat unknown song that you can use in your sampling.

Online Drums

A very important, if not the most important part of the beat making process, is the drums. It can be a lot easier to use online drums as opposed to physical drums connected to your computer. An online drum kit is unquestionably the easiest tool to use, and when you become familiar with it, you will not be able to distinguish between real drums and digital drums. The drums provide you your beat, and it is this beat that will captivate your listeners and have their heads bobbing up and down. Most often, music editing software will come with its own set of drums for you to use, and you will not need to go out looking for them.

Use Royalty-Free Songs

As mentioned in the first paragraph, you will likely wind up sifting through obscure and ancient soul songs to find a unique beat. Unfortunately, when you begin to take off and grow popular, that obscure song could prove to be your undoing. Using licensed music without permission can end up with you sitting in court being sued for everything that you own. You can find a library of royalty-free music online, and it is probably for the best that you stick to these royalty-free songs for your samples to avoid any potential legal action.

Build Your Beat

The best way to show your DJ prowess is to build your beat. When you create a beat, build it so it is ever-changing, and so the vocalist can change flow a few times on the track. Changing the beat in a song can show you are a technical wizard, and the fans will love it. Many high profile and professional music producers do this three or four times a track to show off their skills. If you want to show off your skills, then build a beat and go wild with it!

Have a Vocalist

If you have a vocalist available to you, then use them! A vocalist can give you recognition and popularize your beats for you. As a good majority of beats made feature sample tracks, having your own vocalist create unique recordings can be a real asset.

A vocalist will enable you to reach stardom, and you will find that many big-name producers and music giants all have their own vocalists, rather than sampling older songs. Being unique is the best way to distinguish yourself from the million other hopeful music producers. Having a vocalist is a must-have for anyone who wants to shine.

Stay Positive

Making hip-hop beats can be very gruelling, and when you feel as if you are not getting the recognition you deserve, it can be easy to want to throw in the towel. You mustn’t ever feel this way, and you must persevere.

Now you know some ways that you can create your own unique hip-hop beat. The sooner you get started, the sooner you can become a music giant!

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