How can one make scary, dark, ominous chord progressions IN HIP HOP

  • Thread starter Thread starter Robot Sunset Extreme
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Robot Sunset Extreme

Robot Sunset Extreme

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So I have this book called popular chord progressions and when ever I play them on the piano they always sound so pretty and uplifting which is pretty much useless when I am trying to make a grimy track.

They examples they have are like of old songs and they are all old jingles and happy songs. What kinda chord progressions do they use on those juelz Santana/Wayne - Mick boogies' Blow mixtape or those hard ass Dipset beats from like 06 and Sh1t.

I namely remember thinking Blow had a lot of scary killer music type ambiance and stuff like that... Thats what I am trying to get a handle on..

is it going downscale?

Is it about diminished chords thrown in with normal chords?

Is it just the chords chosen are ominous? Diminished chords? Or the combination and order is ominous?

Is it just the instruments and harmonics that make them like that and thy are not scary chords?

Are they not even chords but rather simple melodies?

FOOT?
 
you're thinking about it way too hard. trial-and-error some stuff until you get the sound you're looking for.

You mention those Blow mixtapes. I'm very familiar with those, **** I still have a few on my iPod and listen to a coupla songs daily. A lot of those beats are mad simple and it wouldn't surprise me if those 'dark' leads or chords you hear are nothing more than VST presets. I doubt the producers on those beats were goin in as hard as you are right now with the theory-thoughts. no offense...just sayin' ...

but mess with the lower scale black keys on whatever you're using. check for some synth leads with high attack and high sustain
 
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lol I'm gonna listen to some stuff from Blow on my walk to lunch now. I thought i was the only damn person who was still listenin to that. **** is a classic IMO... but seriously...go back and listen to a lot of those songs and think about what you typed in your initial question. A lot of those beats are 5 tracks at the most. Kick, Snare, Highs, a dark, slow-rising lead and maybe a piano or synth.

If you're really focusing on the progression of your melodies and you don't come from a 'classically' trained background, caugh up the dough for some piano lessons. Trust. 10 lessons could teach you way more than any of those books.
 
some examples of what's on my mind and wondering... How did they make that vibe? Is it just finding scales with lots of sharps that sound evil? Lol



 
T-MAC said:
lol I'm gonna listen to some stuff from Blow on my walk to lunch now. I thought i was the only damn person who was still listenin to that. **** is a classic IMO... but seriously...go back and listen to a lot of those songs and think about what you typed in your initial question. A lot of those beats are 5 tracks at the most. Kick, Snare, Highs, a dark, slow-rising lead and maybe a piano or synth.

If you're really focusing on the progression of your melodies and you don't come from a 'classically' trained background, caugh up the dough for some piano lessons. Trust. 10 lessons could teach you way more than any of those books.
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I'm thinking of that yeah.

Hell ya that was a classic!

I just want to know the big picture too in theory
 
Robot Sunset Extreme said:
How did they make that vibe? Is it just finding scales with lots of sharps that sound evil? Lol
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yes... you just answered your own question. one thing i left out of my post above is..

The synth in Rep My Hood is basically a slightly-detuned Sawtooth lead that basically any synth is capable of creating, and its what, a 3 or 4 note melody? You are definitely capable of re-creating that or creating something similar and the answer on how to do it isn't in a book. mess around with what you have. and look into piano lessons ASAP if you're interested in theory :cheers:
 
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Another great example.

[YouTube]HkquOG8cqc4[/YouTube]

I'm trying to study why it's evil sounding and is it because the chord/melody progressions don't release tension?

Is it a combination of all of the above or what?
 
Use minor scales...I often make melodies which involve stepping up a half tone and not a whole tone...Of course whole tones as well, but go up half tones as well. It can still be happy but it tends to break it up a bit...The keys u jump are in the scale so it doesnt sound off, but it sounds more ominous than a lot of other ish....Or if i want to movie scoring horror stuff I play completely out of any scale. I dont think, I just jump to chords i know will not fit in a happy way... Works every time..haha
 
Axxe said:
Use minor scales...I often make melodies which involve stepping up a half tone and not a whole tone...Of course whole tones as well, but go up half tones as well. It can still be happy but it tends to break it up a bit...The keys u jump are in the scale so it doesnt sound off, but it sounds more ominous than a lot of other ish....Or if i want to movie scoring horror stuff I play completely out of any scale. I dont think, I just jump to chords i know will not fit in a happy way... Works every time..haha
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Oh ok I see yeah half tones in the melody is a great clue. I see what you're saying there. So evil does = discord. Good stuff...

Is it not supposed to release tension like traditional melodies?
 
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Robot Sunset Extreme said:
That's probably the hardest I've ever laughed all year. Man that was a great comment. Congratulations!
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I was serious though, lol. I can't make happy beats even when I try.

Not that I'm evil but all I used to listen to was Wu Tang type, Mob Deep type stuff, gritty stuff - since the early days. So the music I make is kinda for a certain crowd.

I don't think it's a bad think because the world is mostly negative now anyway. So everybody wants to "appear" hardcore, tough, not Tyga or Yung Berg-ish.

It's like Taylor Swift vs Khia - one is gutter one is not you can't ask them to swap places...

Trick Trick vs. Bow Wow... one you believe will do the ish he says... one you don't... lol

Either you're evil or you're not...

If anybody can explain chords and scales enough to make Robot pull off a scary track... you're the man. Some stuff can't be taught. Like look at Alchemist how he can pull off all of those Hip Hop classics because it's just "in" him... he doesn't used scales or chords...



NO DISS TO ROBOT! Just throwing out an opinion.
 
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I studied the Silent Hill Soundtracks for this.

I even watched the movie and followed a scene-to-track list to find specific songs. (Wikipedia deleted it, so you have to google the original forum post)
 
Like axxe said, find a minor scale that fits the mood you're looking for.


Some instrument suggestions for a "dark" vibe:

-dark synth lead (classic)

-piano (either some high notes playing a simple pattern over and over again oder some mid/low octave notes)

-bells or glockenspiel (high spooky bells are always a match)

-organ (especially if you use it for the chord progression...that oldschool dirty south zaytoven organ always sets the right mood for a dark and deep feel.)

-low pitched snare rolls (very powerful if used right).


just my personal experience with those kinds of beats.

good luck
 
Robot Sunset Extreme said:
So I have this book called popular chord progressions and when ever I play them on the piano they always sound so pretty and uplifting which is pretty much useless when I am trying to make a grimy track.

They examples they have are like of old songs and they are all old jingles and happy songs. What kinda chord progressions do they use on those juelz Santana/Wayne - Mick boogies' Blow mixtape or those hard ass Dipset beats from like 06 and Sh1t.

I namely remember thinking Blow had a lot of scary killer music type ambiance and stuff like that... Thats what I am trying to get a handle on..

is it going downscale?

Is it about diminished chords thrown in with normal chords?

Is it just the chords chosen are ominous? Diminished chords? Or the combination and order is ominous?

Is it just the instruments and harmonics that make them like that and thy are not scary chords?

Are they not even chords but rather simple melodies?

FOOT?
Click to expand...


check your PMs
 
lion-ucs said:
I studied the Silent Hill Soundtracks for this.

I even watched the movie and followed a scene-to-track list to find specific songs. (Wikipedia deleted it, so you have to google the original forum post)
Click to expand...

Lol interesting! Studying a scary movie or game.

What conclusions did you derive from your studies?
 
Aykey said:
Like axxe said, find a minor scale that fits the mood you're looking for.


Some instrument suggestions for a "dark" vibe:

-dark synth lead (classic)

-piano (either some high notes playing a simple pattern over and over again oder some mid/low octave notes)

-bells or glockenspiel (high spooky bells are always a match)

-organ (especially if you use it for the chord progression...that oldschool dirty south zaytoven organ always sets the right mood for a dark and deep feel.)

-low pitched snare rolls (very powerful if used right).


just my personal experience with those kinds of beats.

good luck
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Yeah thanks that's what I was thinking too on the instuments. If I find minor scales does it make it moreso tense if it's a minor scale with lots of sharps in it? Or is that all relative.
 
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weren't you the one saying you don't need to know music theory, just make music and fvck the rules?

Well if you learn the 'rules' you would know how. Not to mention they are not really rules, but guidelines. Guidelines would help guide you to your answer.
 
dwells said:
weren't you the one saying you don't need to know music theory, just make music and fvck the rules?

Well if you learn the 'rules' you would know how. Not to mention they are not really rules, but guidelines. Guidelines would help guide you to your answer.
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No I was the one trying to convince ppl you need theory. That was Rome saying you don't need it.
 
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