| | | | | metronome. Next, depending on how funky or solid I |
| Making beats online has never been easier. There are | | | | want the rythm to be I fill in the bass kick to add some |
| so many computer programs now that you hardly | | | | rythm. If I have a melody, synth line, or bass line in mind |
| even need a drum machine or synthesizer anymore. | | | | already i'll match the bass kick to the rythm of the |
| and that gives the aspiring beat maker or producer a | | | | melody for support. Next I'll add in some hi hats (open |
| great advantage, because music equipment is not | | | | and closed) to match the fastest notes of the melody. |
| cheap. You can make your own beats with software | | | | Adding and dropping bass beats and hi hat beats will |
| that sounds just as good as thousands of dollars | | | | definitely make your pattern more funky and you really |
| worth of studio equipment, but you have to know how | | | | have to just experiment at this point. Change the drum |
| it all works in the first place. | | | | sounds too. An 808 snare might not be right but a |
| | | | | distorted sampled snare might hit the spot perfectly. |
| The first thing you should decide when you make your | | | | The same goes for all of the drum sounds - use your |
| own beats is the style of the song. Do you want a | | | | sound bank! |
| fast miami booty bass beat? A sliky slow jam? | | | | |
| Maybe you want a dirty down south banger, but first | | | | Once all of the three major drum parts are set fairly |
| you need to figure out the tempo and the time | | | | well (and you'll know when, because you won't be able |
| signature. The tempo is how fast the song is. The time | | | | to stand still) add in claps, bongo sounds, shakers, |
| signature represents how many beats are in a | | | | tambourine sounds, and other percussion sounds to |
| measure. All of this information can be adjusted in the | | | | add flavor and life to the beat. A little can go a long |
| musical software. It's all about counting. Making beats is | | | | way here. Think of the "wine glass" sounding bells |
| no more complicated than filling time slots with the | | | | sampled on Run DMC's 'peter piper'. It doesn't take |
| appropriate beats. | | | | much to make a great beat, it just takes the right thing. |
| | | | | |
| If you are familiar with how to make your own beats | | | | Another point that can't be left out is to listen to music |
| you should already understand the different drum | | | | you love and figure out what they are doing. If you |
| parts. Generally the programmed drum sounds mimic | | | | listen to Dr. Dre and try to make one of his beats (i |
| the parts of a live drum kit. The snare is usually the | | | | didn't say use one of his beats) then you will |
| most prominent drum beat and keeps the time, while | | | | understand the placement of beats and notes in his |
| the bass kick booms below to the rythm of other | | | | patterns. Listen to James Brown and notice how he |
| instruments (bass or synth lines). Hi hats and other | | | | starts a lot of his rythm parts on "the one", or the first |
| cymbals fill in the gaps with syncopation. | | | | note of the the measure. It's usaully his most prominent |
| | | | | beat, and then he uses the up beat (think reggae) to |
| I find it helpful to make beats like this: first I decide on | | | | mix in the funk. Learn from the masters and listen, |
| the tempo and time signature, then I assign the snare | | | | listen, listen. Make your own beats solid, unique and |
| hit in the same place over the course of the | | | | irresistable and you can't lose. |
| measures. This sets a basic anchor point, like a | | | | |