Simple is better

Totally agree about simplicity in beat making. Seems to be alot of reference to hip-hop and rapping over a beat but id like to expand on this a bit.

If you can take just a few minimal sounds and generate a well mixed sequence that is diverse enough to stay interesting but keep the pace and feel of a tune together, youve set the backdrop for a definite hit, sometimes a great beat can be inspiration enough for a producer, and everything else falls into place from there.
 
Kno is one of my fave producers and ive been gettin alot of his beats recently and his loops seem so out of this world its crazy lol or is it simple and im a noob? lmao
 
i know this is off topic but i cant figure out to stop gettin emails everytime someone posts in the same thread i post in lol someonone tell me how to plz

also is the forum on tapatalk?
 
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My philosophy is that everything depends on the sample ,the melody and the instrument layers you have.If i have a full sample with many instruments and great mellody i would go with a simple beat,and when i have a complexed beat/break i try to be simple with the samples\instruments!But i don't use it as a rule ,i like to write and listen to what fits together!
 
Simple beats are obviously the best. That's why some of the greatest songs of all time were made on relatively limited hardware (think SP1200)

As a rapper, give me some drums and a loop and that's fine. The point is quality components. I see people try way too hard to get all tricky with stuff that in the end still doesn't sound good. I've said this numerous times on this board. Hip-Hop is NOT complicated. It's dope beats + dope rhymes and THAT'S IT. No need to tamper with perfection.

The point is, do simple drum patterns, BUT use a dope kit that really knocks. Same with the loop, just use a really dope loop. Sometimes I like them a little dusty for nostalgia sake. Just don't skimp on your ingredients... we're cooking some real gourmet shit here.

Last but not least; when the hook comes in put some cuts on it. NOTHING makes a song doper than some ill cuts.

$.02

Peace

-Vert
 
It's all about the producer putting the ego aside and doing what's best for the song. You may want to prove you're the shit and make intricate patterns with 15 instruments going off at the same time, but sometimes a song doesn't need all of that. Same with a guitar player for instance. Sure you can play 20 note per second solo's and it's impressive, but is it the best thing for the song? BB King could play a solo with 4 notes that could bury any of that shit with feel alone. It's about serving the song.
 
Inverted314 said:
Simple beats are obviously the best. That's why some of the greatest songs of all time were made on relatively limited hardware (think SP1200)

As a rapper, give me some drums and a loop and that's fine. The point is quality components. I see people try way too hard to get all tricky with stuff that in the end still doesn't sound good. I've said this numerous times on this board. Hip-Hop is NOT complicated. It's dope beats + dope rhymes and THAT'S IT. No need to tamper with perfection.

The point is, do simple drum patterns, BUT use a dope kit that really knocks. Same with the loop, just use a really dope loop. Sometimes I like them a little dusty for nostalgia sake. Just don't skimp on your ingredients... we're cooking some real gourmet shit here.

Last but not least; when the hook comes in put some cuts on it. NOTHING makes a song doper than some ill cuts.

$.02

Peace

-Vert
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well said!!!!
 
(ms fat booty is not really simple and shook ones is maybe the illest sampling technique i ever heard or seen)

I'll explain my opinion in a Madvillain example: Listen to "Accordion" and then to "Great Day". Accordion is a simple loop and Great Day is Madlib freestyling on his Fender Rhodes. I guess Accordion was way easier for Madlib to produce but it's still way more popular.

But on the other hand there is the question: Which one is better? It's like asking if a Miles Davis song is better or a Beatles song.
My opinion is... simple and complex are not better and worse, just different.
 
Boogie Bear said:
(ms fat booty is not really simple and shook ones is maybe the illest sampling technique i ever heard or seen)

I'll explain my opinion in a Madvillain example: Listen to "Accordion" and then to "Great Day". Accordion is a simple loop and Great Day is Madlib freestyling on his Fender Rhodes. I guess Accordion was way easier for Madlib to produce but it's still way more popular.
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Aight I feel what you're saying. I still don't think either of those songs I mentioned are complex though- I would say that Ms. Fat Booty is simple, but tracks like Accordion are super simple. Shook Ones is prob a little more complicated now that I think about it

I agree with your other statement though; complex tracks have their place. Organized Noize is easily in my top 3 production entities, and their stuff can get pretty wild like that
 
I agree that simplicity can be a good thing when you are talking about certain artist but look at producers like kanye west or pharrell they, most times, have a very complex beat and they always have deep shii to say...i think simple beats can be good with the right artist but complex beats are sometimes great when made by the right producer...you can just stack sounds and play anything to seems to have a rhythm with the beat and not think about how it sounds or the instrumentation side of things
 
Neticz said:
I agree that simplicity can be a good thing when you are talking about certain artist but look at producers like kanye west or pharrell they, most times, have a very complex beat and they always have deep shii to say...i think simple beats can be good with the right artist but complex beats are sometimes great when made by the right producer...you can just stack sounds and play anything to seems to have a rhythm with the beat and not think about how it sounds or the instrumentation side of things
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Kanye West is NOTORIOUS for looping.
 
It is amazing at times when you hear a hit on the radio such as Kelly Rowland's Motivation and turn around and listen to how simple the instrumental really was will blow you away! Realistically, simple works best at times for the genre type of music you are working with and the vision you want to paint in your audiences head.

---------- Post added at 10:19 PM ---------- Previous post was at 10:03 PM ----------

Sometimes less is more in music because within sound there are so many messages that speak to the ear when combined into motifs and chords. That's not even getting to the point of harmony, patterns, and the addition of a vocalist or rapper. Finding balance as a producer will always be what makes a break any beat or song.

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