| Over the years I've had a lot of beginner's approach | | | | production community based around common |
| me for advice. They want to know how they can get | | | | software. Their beat making software is what drove |
| started making their own hip hop beats. Well, we were | | | | them to fame: as part of membership to their site they |
| all beginners at one point or another, so I like to help | | | | offer access to their proprietary 16-track sequencer |
| these people get on their feet and started in the | | | | with thousands of preset samples and loops, and mp3 |
| wonderful world of making hip hop beats. | | | | export capability. This was more than I could ask for |
| What is hip hop? It started in New York in the | | | | since most of my students simply wanted to save |
| seventies as a cultural movement. It was a lifestyle to | | | | their beats as mp3s to burn on cds for car rides with |
| express freedom from cultural oppression, mostly by | | | | friends or get togethers. |
| African Americans. This expression came in the form | | | | They far exceeded my expectations however, when |
| of graffiti art, break dancing or "b-boying", clothing style, | | | | they started adding thousands of free hip hop beat |
| DJing, MCeeing, and of course rhyming over "breaks" | | | | making lessons on video with membership to the site. |
| and "loops". This movement began with the South | | | | For $29 you get access to the hip hop beat maker, |
| Bronx as it's epicenter and spread all over the known | | | | the giant preset sound and loop library, and unlimited |
| world. Today it is one of the most popular forms of | | | | free video tutorials on how to make beats. To be |
| human expression. | | | | honest, they kind of took my job from me... it's easier |
| When making hip hop beats, you have a lot of | | | | for me to tell my students to get a membership there, |
| creative freedom. However, in order to fully express | | | | watch the videos, and then report back to me with |
| that in the digital world, one needs a hip hop beat | | | | what they learned. Most of these students are |
| making program. There are many offline-based hip hop | | | | increasing their beat making skills faster than I thought |
| beat makers, however for the beginner these can be | | | | possible: a few of them have already licensed beats |
| cumbersome and overly-technical. If you want to get a | | | | to local and even bigger rap and hip hop artists. |
| head start in making hip hop beats, you have to cut out | | | | So if you're looking to get a head start making your |
| the technical fluff and strip a program down to it's | | | | own hip hop beats online or offline, Sonic Producer is |
| basics. I also suggest learning from somebody who | | | | the place to start. After you become proficient at |
| can teach you how to make beats. | | | | making beats, check back here for more tips and |
| There is one website that accidently solved all these | | | | guides. What are you waiting for? Start making hip hop |
| problems for my students and I: it's called Sonic | | | | beats today! |
| Producer. It started as the world's first social music | | | | |