Why I Produced for Free. Why I Don't Produce for Free.

PBoyProducer

PBoyProducer

New member
This came to mind earlier so I decided to write it, maybe it will help folks. Of course this is just my opinion and it's based off of my experience. Everyone's musical journey is different, and there is not right or wrong way to accomplish the goals you set for yourself, I just felt compelled to share a few of my experiences about why I normally don't send out free beats to artists, and why sometimes I make exceptions and I do.

WHY I PRODUCE FOR FREE. WHY I DONT PRODUCE FOR FREE.

I actually didn't even touch on all the reason why and how I do send out free beats, but if you want to know about that feel free to ask. The piece was already getting long, didn't want it to turn into a novel.

Feel free to share your experiences as well, I am always looking for new ways to connect with serious artists as well. Enjoy.
 
I think this is a valid take on the subject.

This is my take on the idea
Putting Rappers over your beats and WHY it’s the smartest thing you can do. | Producer's Edge

And I think it's important to think this way at the start.
I see established rappers using music for free as their name is enough compensation. And sometimes not giving up rights and future payments.
I see unknown producers trying to charge the max as a hustle.

If the budget is $XYZ then I charge ABC per track.


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Beyond that is my pure understanding of the REALISTIC worths in the equation.
Beat Maker A doesn't want to pay for his software.
Why? Because he won't be making any money from it so it's NOT WORTH ANYTHING TO HIM.
When you are starting out, you go through LOTS of resources before making anything worthy of being used.
You burn through the most drum sounds, the most VSTs, the most...samples.......and so on...all for the learning.

If someone told you, you could spend $500 on stuff today and make $600 tomorrow, you'd buy whatever it was.

Rappers look at your music the same way. They will use many, many beats and make many, many songs before coming up with something useable or that is used.
Your music isn't worth anything to them so they expect it to be free.

The same way you use cracked software is the same way they rhyme over tags.
And the same lie you tell yourself about buying your tools when you make it/can afford it- is the same lie they tell you about hitting you off once they good.

The "Serious" producas are willing to invest a little in getting some good sounds - after spending years sifting through the free internet(s) crap.
Just like the "Serious" rappers are willing to buy cheap beats for they joints- after rapper over jacked beats early on.

I see a complete parallel.
 
ive been putting up beats for free all day every day. its because i do not know how to market my stuff, i figure if i put them out for free i will get more publicity if people choose to use them and what not.. stupid, i know lol. but its all i know how to do. i wish i knew how to sell my material but nobody listens to it as is. and it sucks because i feel like i have a pretty dope sound! but everybody acts like there poop dont stink so disregard what i say am i right lol
 
I give beats away for free only to those I know will explode or already pop. Sometimes if I see that they have potential, sure I'll send them a free beat. The thing about me is that our asian community is small, so everything we do we always do it for free. It's like we're just helping each other. Thanks for writing the article, I enjoyed reading it.
 
Any established rapper with a name, multiple million-plus views on YT, radio play (or at least an ubiquitous presence on streaming services)-HAAEEELLL YEAH I'm giving them a free beat. As long as I do my due diligence on that paperwork, that's easy money. What have you got to lose? Who's gonna say no to giving Future, Wayne, Meek, Jay, Nas, Young Thug, Drake, Rick Ross a free beat? You'll make more money off of publishing than you will from that flat fee.

Everyone else can either pay up or kick rocks in flip flops.
 
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PBoyProducer said:
This came to mind earlier so I decided to write it, maybe it will help folks. Of course this is just my opinion and it's based off of my experience. Everyone's musical journey is different, and there is not right or wrong way to accomplish the goals you set for yourself, I just felt compelled to share a few of my experiences about why I normally don't send out free beats to artists, and why sometimes I make exceptions and I do.

WHY I PRODUCE FOR FREE. WHY I DONT PRODUCE FOR FREE.

I actually didn't even touch on all the reason why and how I do send out free beats, but if you want to know about that feel free to ask. The piece was already getting long, didn't want it to turn into a novel.

Feel free to share your experiences as well, I am always looking for new ways to connect with serious artists as well. Enjoy.
Click to expand...


You're ice cream theory is nice but doesn't describe the real situation of the industry
Here is the way it really is:

Imagine every second man in the universe makes ice cream, most of them make shitty ice cream, but some of them are sooo good in human relations and marketing that people actually eat their ice cream, even though it tastes like shit
Assuming these people are 16 years old and live with their parents and give their ice cream for free...

I met Pesando in a convention a month ago, and he said "everyone is a mix engineer these days"...
Sad but true, but as long as the music on the radio was good then you had to be good too
When they shitty stuff started to get on the radio that was the end of money making for everyone who is actually a musician
 
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