Describe the Stages of Your Beat-Making Process

C

Crown J.

New member
Describe your beat-making method and the program/hardware you use at each stage, and please be as specific as possible. I don't really have a set method yet but here's an example of the kind of answer I'm looking for:

Record the sample using xxxx program at xxxx sampling rate and wutever else you do when recording.
Alter the sample (i.e. EQ, Filter, FX or wutever) using xxxx program.
Chop the sample using xxxx method and using xxxx program.
Map the samples to a controller/keyboard using xxxx program.
Play and record all the components and put the whole song together using xxxx program.

Obviously if how you do stuff is different then say so but this is the way I have in my head of doing things so i'm just wondering how you do it. Thanx in advance.
 
well if Im sampling I find the sample.
load it onto pro tools, take out all the parts I want.
Then I go thru all the parts I removed and put together a bassline/or my main sample....
I make a BPM....
Then I add other samples like horns, guitar riffs/licks etc....
or I may go to the fantom or triton to help the bassline...

Next I throw like 3 or 4 different drum patterns to the beat....

Next add your bells and whistles...
I always mix the track while Im creating it...
So when I get done add the bells and whistles the track is done put my engineer always puts another mix down to it....
 
It all starts in my head, i could be eating, sleeping, or just chillin when an idea comes into mind.
Then i open up FL, open a paino sound and put the idea down from there.
I seperate each part then assign the instrument the song feels for.
Then I either lay a beat down on fruity, or pull out my mpc or keyboard and record on Protools with a sample rate of 96.
I export the drum tracks into FL and copy them thru the song.
I automate any drops, etc, in FL. Export it all as wav.
Open up Protools again.
Import the beat.
Then with the keyboard, I add any lil instruments i want to come in during the song.
Export it all.
Done.
 
1. - Dig for a sample

2. - After finding what I want to flip I load up the original track in goldwave (wav editor) and I chop out what I want as different wav files and save them into their own folder.

3. - I load up F Studio 5 with my preset template of 16 drum sounds.

4. - I add a new sample channel or add in a Slicer channel if I will be chopping.

5. - I make my loop or begin to play around and create my chops.

6. - After I have the loop down or the chops I begin to do the drums and I begin with the drums and snares.

7. - Once that is sketched out so far I match my chops to the drums or loop and make sure everything is time with each other.

8. - I then repeat steps 4-7 to make a chorus and switch ups for the beat.

9. - I mix everything and make sure all the levels are fine and then I export each part of the beat as it's own loop.

10. - I reopen up goldwave and string together all the loops to create the full beat. Then save and export to file.

Thats bascily what I do more or less . . . Thats my basic run down
 
Sit down relaxe think of something and when i got the think i just lay down the think
 
1 . I get up from watching whatever movie that motivated me. When I was watching Hustle and Flow I got mad good motivation. Or stop whatever im doing thats motivated me.

2. Move over to the computer studio.

3. Open up either Reason or Cubase.

4. Make a quick simple drum loop.

5. Start playing with the keyboard making my sounds. Usually the Bassline first or some horns or strings.

6. Make a extreme loop of a song.

7. Copy that loop and take some parts out for a verse section.

8. Structure the Intro, Outro, Verse & Chorus from what I created so far. Sometimes a bridge also.

9. Go play with my drums so its not the exact same the whole time and so it even mutes at parts I wanted it to.

10. Export to Protools and throw other real instruments on it like real guitar, bass, harmonica, flute, congas and vocals then call it a day.
 
1. dig for the sample.

2. sample it to the SP, edit the loop

3. Transfer the smaple to PC so i can chop it up, pitch shift, timestretch, and perform bpm changes in ACID

4. Lay the drums over the sample

5. add bass

6. when finished with the 1st pattern, find effects, synths, pianos, horns or sounds that flow with the sample.

7. make patterns 2,3,4,5 etc. different from the 1st

8. make the switch up in the beat

9.put all the patterns in the correct order

10. EQ and effects

11. track out for lyrics
 
I think of, or happen upon, some melody or drum beat in my head. Put it down in a piano roll in FL studio or Reason, most likely Reason nowadays.

Then stuff just comes out after that. I export loops and sequence and mix them in Acid, add whatever little tricks I want, render as wavs, listen. Rinse and repeat.

I don't bother much with mastering now because I'm not too familiar with compression and all that, though I could use it heh.
 
roll uppp,
sip some henny..
chicago 2 p the blunt
start freestylin, go ooooh and owww
open up ableton live, reason, logic whatever and start jamming live playing with different samples
sip some more henny
make it sound wavy
upload to youtube.
 
1. I remind myself there's no order to making music
2. I don't sample... so I sift through instruments, drums, and synth sounds until I find something I like.
3. Set loop points and metronome
4. Press play
5. drink water (or alcohol... same thing lol)
6. start playing until I like the rhythm
7. lay down what i liked
8. build from that.
 
00. Water, juice, snack, meal...alcohol|smoke or sober. Get them wants and desires out the way first. (All preferred and not a make or break)
01. Think about how I want it to sound or pump up with some music for quick inspiration or go in with no plan and let the randomness take over.
02. Gather my instruments and drums, make sure they all mesh right. Find a comfortable tempo.
03. Go back to step 1.
04. Record...Record...Record, as much as I can...with extra melodics...kinda over done for more options later.
05. Line this up linearly instead of a 4/8/16 bar loop.
06. Shoot for counter melodies, alternates, switch-ups.
07. Same as step 4 this time with drums over the melodies laid out in sequence.
08. Touch-ups to notes, try different octaves, incorporate chords if called for.
09. Duplicate melodics on instruments that sound odd and don't work well, try to find better ones. Delete other if I find better.
10. Touch-ups to any amp/filter envelopes, lfo, portamento...remove or adjust preset mixing effects on vst instrument.
11. Audition all melodics in different key...usually -1, -2, or -3 semitones or +1, +2, or +3 semitones for darker or brighter mood.
12. Tune drums.
13. Add automation, gaps, drum fills, transitional sfx.
14. Gain-stage everything audible.
15. Route instruments, synths and drums to buses for more control over mix. Set my send effects if called for.
16. Begin mixing or save it for another day...usually ear fatigue kicks in already.
17. Take a break and listen to other songs to determine where my mix stands against others. Hear it in mono.
18. Once I finish mixing I usually leave it how it is. Theres no point in using mastering effects on master if I'm satisfied with the mix here.
19. Fade out.
20. Export with the rest of em.

A lot of steps, but thats not even detailed. Thats what I usually do that I can think of off the top of my head. I'm interested into hearing more from ppl on this topic!
 
I use Reason.

I decide what kind of track I'm gonna go for.

Put down a very basic drum loop in that style. I.E. trap hats and 808 drums for a trap beat.

Write a bass track or main melody first in that style.

Add a filling element that adds an ambiance for the type of track it is.

Add an instrument that adds a groove with the track.

Add build up instruments

Add a hook lead.

Finish the drums and dropouts and transitions.

Anything else I usually do after vocal recording. I like for the vocal recording to be part of the production process. A necessity when doing pop.
 
Use Ableton Live - Start off in Session View

1 - Create drums (seperate chanels for Kicks, Hats, Snares and Percussions)

2 - Create 2 Basslines - 1 for a really low rumble in your bellow effect, and 1 to work off it in a slightly higher tone

3 - Create some Stabs and Bleeps .... Works very good for House / Electronic Tracks

4 - Work on a Melody or 2, sometimes make a couple to see what works

5 - Add in my Ambients / Sweeps etc

6 - Master my volumes for each item just now

Move into Arrangement View

6 - Start putting together my mix, obviously starting at the intro and working through

7 - Any final tweeks .... and thats pretty much it.
 
AndyMcG said:
Use Ableton Live - Start off in Session View

1 - Create drums (seperate chanels for Kicks, Hats, Snares and Percussions)

2 - Create 2 Basslines - 1 for a really low rumble in your bellow effect, and 1 to work off it in a slightly higher tone

3 - Create some Stabs and Bleeps .... Works very good for House / Electronic Tracks

4 - Work on a Melody or 2, sometimes make a couple to see what works

5 - Add in my Ambients / Sweeps etc

6 - Master my volumes for each item just now

Move into Arrangement View

6 - Start putting together my mix, obviously starting at the intro and working through

7 - Any final tweeks .... and thats pretty much it.
Click to expand...

In short and summed down of my post I pretty much work the same way, but im better with melodics first before drums. Use Ableton as well. I might mix in another daw depending if I feel like tracking everything out and cleaning the project.
 
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