How to identify hooks and verses on a hip hop instrumental beat??

Moses619

New member
Most time when i hear a HIP HOP instrumental i can't distinguish the hook or verse.
Sometimes i can recognized the hook because all instruments finally play at the same time and a verse when the instruments in a song fade leaving minimal feeling. But it's not always like this.
 
Last edited:
errrrr...why does it matter?

Because here in the "Theory, Composing, and Sound Design" forum, we recognize the pursuit of knowledge in music as a worthwhile endeavor in its own right, as well as something important for the budding composer/song-writer/producer/beat-maker to understand in relation to his or her own compositions and productions.

What is usually called the hook (but not always, as the term is sometimes used loosely) is also called the "chorus" or "refrain" in traditional composition terms. In an actual "song" (something that is sung or has lyrics, rather than purely instrumental), the chorus is the part that is repeated, often (but not always) also the name of the song. The part you remember.

While I'm pretty sure that the OP already knows this, it's important to note because there is also usually a corresponding repetition in the rhythm and the harmony; a repeated section that fits with the chorus/refrain every time.

If the OP is having difficulty identifying the chorus, it could be because he/she is not yet accustomed to hearing it, but it could also be because he/she is listening to bad productions with poor composition and song structure, so the refrain is not evident.

@Moses619, can you post a few examples of these hard-to-find hooks?

GJ
 
Because here in the "Theory, Composing, and Sound Design" forum, we recognize the pursuit of knowledge in music as a worthwhile endeavor in its own right, as well as something important for the budding composer/song-writer/producer/beat-maker to understand in relation to his or her own compositions and productions.

What is usually called the hook (but not always, as the term is sometimes used loosely) is also called the "chorus" or "refrain" in traditional composition terms. In an actual "song" (something that is sung or has lyrics, rather than purely instrumental), the chorus is the part that is repeated, often (but not always) also the name of the song. The part you remember.

While I'm pretty sure that the OP already knows this, it's important to note because there is also usually a corresponding repetition in the rhythm and the harmony; a repeated section that fits with the chorus/refrain every time.

If the OP is having difficulty identifying the chorus, it could be because he/she is not yet accustomed to hearing it, but it could also be because he/she is listening to bad productions with poor composition and song structure, so the refrain is not evident.

That must be the most overly complicated way I've ever seen of explaining a simple concept. It is important to know where the hook is, to know the stucture of the song. Because when you're writing a song, you gotta know where's what. That's it. Lol.

I usually like to write as a comment under my beats how i meant the stucture to be. Something like this:

32 bars - hook 8 bars - 32 - hook - hook

That way rappers don't have to struggle with finding out about my song structure. Most people though don't do that. I wish they did. Would make song writing easier. Anyways to find out the stucture look at first if it says how many bars there are. The hook ist usually in the beginning, in the middle and at the end (maybe repeated). In between there are usually 32 bars.
If it doesn't tell you the bars: What you could do is take a written rap by you of which you know the bars. And you just rap from beginning to end on that beat and write down how many bars the song has. rap parts usually are 32 bars, sometimes 16. Sometimes there is "1 bar" in between for suspense. And the hook is usually 8 bars. So if you count the bars in total to be 88, it's probably two times 32 bars for rapping and three times 8 bars for hook.

Then as you said there is one particular atmosphere, instrument or melody in the hook that makes it stand out. However a sometimes beat producers don't make it stand out as much as they should.


Hope I could help
 
You're the best. Except you went on to write as much or more than I did without addressing the issue-- we don't know what he's listening to, so we have no idea if there's a proper hook or not. Sometimes the hook might not be obvious because the creator didn't understand where to put one or how to differentiate between verse and chorus. Simple enough for you?

So I say again-- @Moses619, could you post some examples of these tunes with hard-to-find hooks?

GJ
 
Because here in the "Theory, Composing, and Sound Design" forum, we recognize the pursuit of knowledge in music as a worthwhile endeavor in its own right, as well as something important for the budding composer/song-writer/producer/beat-maker to understand in relation to his or her own compositions and productions.

blah blah blah


GJ

LMAO... yeah and you also seem to be saying that music HAS to have these things but it doesnt... maybe the OP has been listening to dilla and there is no structure... doesnt mean its "wrong"

and that was my point dude... so chill.
 
You are incorrect. Chill yourself, "dude."

I implied no such thing, which is why I kept saying "usually."

Dilla didn't have "no structure."

Please be aware of what you're saying before you post.

GJ
 
Last edited:
BTW-- If you don't make your point clear (risking someone thinking you made something "overly complicated, lol"), then it will be easy for people to misinterpret whatever it is you think you're trying to say.

GJ
 
Or, we can try to get a proper answer to the OP's question. He seems to have disappeared though.

Any Moses619s in the house??

GJ
 
Back
Top