The Process Of Making A Beat

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Kaminota

Kaminota

Kanye West's Ego Online
How I make Beats/Instrumentals​

I made this list for my little brother, who just bought a version of FL Studio 8 to a week ago.

Okay as you know, I use my Yamaha and my Akai to start all my tracks and then I transfer everything to Pro Tools. I use Reason, Cubase, and FL too. Because an idea is an idea, no matter what you use. My best advice to you would be to read your manual or guide. It’s not about having the most or best equipment. It doesn’t hurt, but garbage is still garbage… no matter what it comes out of. You want to be able to translate you idea to a tangible format in an easy manner that does not consume time. So learn your software and equipment like your life depended on it. Also, learn about music theory and how musical instruments are played/arranged in music. Learn how to play an instrument!!!!! Learn how to mess with midi on hardware and software. The more you read and learn …..THE BETTER and EASYER the process will go.

Here I go…………


  • I usually have a drum pattern or an idea of how I want my notes to play in a loop or sequence (4 bars). I take that idea and try to play it out on my equipment the best way I can. Alternatively, if it’s a sample I go through the sampling process to get that out as my base for the beat. (I’ll go through sampling later)
Note: One rule, I have is …. Anything I can B Box, hum, whistle, bang out, clap or sing can be translated to equipment. Any 2 year old can do all of that, it’s just a matter or knowing how to put it in the machine.

  • Once I lay down the base, I move on to adding to the sequence what I think it needs to become a hot beat in my opinion. I usually only make 4 bar beats but 8 bar is better for move changes to happen within a loop and 16 is even better and if you are doing 32 then WOW! It doesn’t matter if it’s one bar or 4 ….just make it how you feel. If you good you can actually use this time to make break patterns too. (During this time I tweak my individual sounds to give a unique sound to the instruments)
Note: These first 2 steps usually take about less than 30 minutes if you are grooving or have any musical talent at all.


  • Once I have my beat rolling, I actually remove parts of the pattern that make it so unique and I add new instruments or play the same instrument differently. I do this until I can’t do it any more. Ideally I would do this to at least every sound 2 times. And make at least 3 different patterns So, your beat doesn’t sound like a big ass loop that everyone can get tired of hear after 16 bars of the same thing repeating. It’s not about being complex … it’s about entertaining and keeping the listeners attention. So don’t be lazy. The Neptunes for example aren’t complex at all but they construct songs … not just the beat… that keep the listener entertained.
Note: This can take anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour or days… if you are constructing a symphony or don’t have any skills or experience.

  • I personally go straight to arrangement after I have all the different patterns. I lay out how I want the beat to change over the course of the song. Intro, Chorus, Verse etc. Sometimes I actually end up adding new instruments and making my breaks during this process. I do recommend having your parts already done, but just like any art, there is no one way to achieve your goal. As long as your satisfied with the result.
Note: This too can take anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour or more if you are constructing a symphony or don’t have any skills or experience. Study up on arrangement, and listen to a lot of good producers to learn about arrangement. Funk music has some good arrangement.


  • Once I’m done arranging, it’s time to mix it down. I start mixing my drums first and move on to the lower end sounds and move to the high end sounds. Last I mix in my percussion and SFX.( It’s a bit more in depth but I’ll have to get with you to explain) If you got a Vocal mix the beat around the vocal ….meaning start with the vocal then the drums….so on!!!!


Note: Mixing can take all day and could actually involve you doing multiple mixes. This will only get easier with time. So don’t get discourage cause your music doesn’t sound like the pros, just study up on mixing and listen to the greats and study how their music is mixed. On the other hand, hire an engineer to do it for you…. LOL!

I don’t recommend making and mixing the beat in the same day if you do this by yourself, cause after a while of listening to the beat your ears will wear out and you will start to gray out. This means no sound with be unique like the colors of the rainbow and you’ll start to hear ever sound with in a box like manner. This can throw off your mixing. So once, you have arranged the beat move on to something else but don’t mix anything down. Save mixing for a when your ears are fresh.




I hope this can help someone get their ideas out in an organized manner. God Bless!!!!
 
I can't say I read that because I'm not sure if I really care how anybody else makes their beats step by step (dont know if I speak for anyone else?) but nethertheless that was a nice thing you did for your bro but why didn't you just talk to him or show him? You're not in the army are you? oh gosh you are, look at your user description. At ease soldier.
 
LMAO.... Nah ... I live another state and he wanted me to give him something that was like a formula. I told him there isn't a formula and when I thought about it ...I was like ... Damn it took me a minute to figure out what worked for me.... A method of making beats that was quick enough for ME to get my ideas out. So I just came up with this to help him out....


Even if no one wants to know .... they don't have to read it ...but if some newbie pops in and never made anything in his life and my steps can help...... So be it. That's why it's posted in the Getting Started section and not the other many sections I could have choose from.

And my production crew has two other producers in it .... WE all made different types of beats and decided to come together as one.

We call ourselves Triggamen after the popular beat that is and was used in New Orleans Bounce music... it has nothing to do with Violence or guns... I feel it connects us to the music in our city, but you got to be from New Orleans to know what it means... It's a lil unknown bet us and the N.O.

Anyway I was just trying to help.... If not people can find it on my blog.
 
Then you should not have read ...or entered the post. If you were not interested then there wouldn't be a reason to view or respond. Cause this post was not intended for you .... but I'm just repeating myself....
 
Thanks for this post, it was very interesting to see how another beatmaker compose a beat.
 
I'm glad y'all getting uses out of this thread.... for a minute I had lost hope for my intention.... But about 150 views later and a few "thanks" down the road and y'all have proved me wrong. Matter of fact ... Thank you all for taking time out to read. Wish y'all the best.....
 
Kaminota said:
Then you should not have read ...or entered the post. If you were not interested then there wouldn't be a reason to view or respond. Cause this post was not intended for you .... but I'm just repeating myself....
Click to expand...

Some folks are just so negative... The post was very informative, keep posting more because I'm learning alot more. It's all about finding yourself through trying different things, and that's what I'm experiencing right now...Thanks
 
Kaminota said:
How I make Beats/Instrumentals​

I made this list for my little brother, who I just gave a version of FL Studio 8 to a week ago.

Okay as you know, I use my Yamaha and my Akai to start all my tracks and then I transfer everything to Pro Tools. I use Reason, Cubase, and FL too. Because an idea is an idea, no matter what you use. My best advice to you would be to read your manual or guide. It’s not about having the most or best equipment. It doesn’t hurt, but garbage is still garbage… no matter what it comes out of. You want to be able to translate you idea to a tangible format in an easy manner that does not consume time. So learn your software and equipment like your life depended on it. Also, learn about music theory and how musical instruments are played/arranged in music. Learn how to play an instrument!!!!! Learn how to mess with midi on hardware and software. The more you read and learn …..THE BETTER and EASYER the process will go.

Here I go…………


  • I usually have a drum pattern or an idea of how I want my notes to play in a loop or sequence (4 bars). I take that idea and try to play it out on my equipment the best way I can. Alternatively, if it’s a sample I go through the sampling process to get that out as my base for the beat. (I’ll go through sampling later)
Note: One rule, I have is …. Anything I can B Box, hum, whistle, bang out, clap or sing can be translated to equipment. Any 2 year old can do all of that, it’s just a matter or knowing how to put it in the machine.

  • Once I lay down the base, I move on to adding to the sequence what I think it needs to become a hot beat in my opinion. I usually only make 4 bar beats but 8 bar is better for move changes to happen within a loop and 16 is even better and if you are doing 32 then WOW! It doesn’t matter if it’s one bar or 4 ….just make it how you feel. If you good you can actually use this time to make break patterns too. (During this time I tweak my individual sounds to give a unique sound to the instruments)
Note: These first 2 steps usually take about less than 30 minutes if you are grooving or have any musical talent at all.


  • Once I have my beat rolling, I actually remove parts of the pattern that make it so unique and I add new instruments or play the same instrument differently. I do this until I can’t do it any more. Ideally I would do this to at least every sound 2 times. And make at least 3 different patterns So, your beat doesn’t sound like a big ass loop that everyone can get tired of hear after 16 bars of the same thing repeating. It’s not about being complex … it’s about entertaining and keeping the listeners attention. So don’t be lazy. The Neptunes for example aren’t complex at all but they construct songs … not just the beat… that keep the listener entertained.
Note: This can take anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour or days… if you are constructing a symphony or don’t have any skills or experience.

  • I personally go straight to arrangement after I have all the different patterns. I lay out how I want the beat to change over the course of the song. Intro, Chorus, Verse etc. Sometimes I actually end up adding new instruments and making my breaks during this process. I do recommend having your parts already done, but just like any art, there is no one way to achieve your goal. As long as your satisfied with the result.
Note: This too can take anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour or more if you are constructing a symphony or don’t have any skills or experience. Study up on arrangement, and listen to a lot of good producers to learn about arrangement. Funk music has some good arrangement.


  • Once I’m done arranging, it’s time to mix it down. I start mixing my drums first and move on to the lower end sounds and move to the high end sounds. Last I mix in my percussion and SFX.( It’s a bit more in depth but I’ll have to get with you to explain) If you got a Vocal mix the beat around the vocal ….meaning start with the vocal then the drums….so on!!!!


Note: Mixing can take all day and could actually involve you doing multiple mixes. This will only get easier with time. So don’t get discourage cause your music doesn’t sound like the pros, just study up on mixing and listen to the greats and study how their music is mixed. On the other hand, hire an engineer to do it for you…. LOL!

I don’t recommend making and mixing the beat in the same day if you do this by yourself, cause after a while of listening to the beat your ears will wear out and you will start to gray out. This means no sound with be unique like the colors of the rainbow and you’ll start to hear ever sound with in a box like manner. This can throw off your mixing. So once, you have arranged the beat move on to something else but don’t mix anything down. Save mixing for a when your ears are fresh.




I hope this can help someone get their ideas out in an organized manner. God Bless!!!!
Click to expand...

Dope shit :p
 
Kaminota said:
Then you should not have read ...or entered the post. If you were not interested then there wouldn't be a reason to view or respond. Cause this post was not intended for you .... but I'm just repeating myself....
Click to expand...

I'm sure a lot of people, me included, thought this thread would be a question about the beat making process.. (because we get those a lot around here.) The title didnt specify it would be a tutorial or formula, so there is alternate reasons for why someone would view/read this post. & if afterwards they expressed an opinion about the relevancy or lack of relevancy of the post to their own music production, said opinion shouldn't be taken offensively.
Im sure a great deal of people found it informative, & at the very least, I thought it was an interesting read!
 
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