New to the MPC production world? Got a music production question that's not really specific to any particular MPC? Try your luck here and get help from our experienced members.
By cleansocks Mon Feb 15, 2021 8:56 am
Cockdiesel wrote:Trap beats are pretty easy.... note repeat on the high hats, kick and snare, one or two chords. It’s pretty simple stuff.

I’d suggest starting at 150, 8 bars, laying down high hats at 1/8th notes, making a melody then putting your kick and snare in to taste. Double up the sequence and erase some high hats and make 1/16th and 32nd note rolls based on the flavor you want. There’s no way dragging and dropping is as fun or even that much quicker.
You just got to find a work flow that works for you. It’s really not much different than making boom bap.
Do you have a keyboard hooked up to your MPC?



i do not have a keyboard but i took your advice and yeah note repeat really makes stuff easier in this regard, i guess its mainly the 808s im having trouble with positioning because i know the bass is critical to part of a sound and well rn it sounds kinda clunky on my machine on some of my sounds whereas u go on youtube people are loading in clean, nice no-artifact sounds and that is something that kinda grinds my gears cuz rn... that and positioning my beat like the arrangement wise - composition wise kind of thing but thats really more of a me problem. rn im jus worried about these 808s i can learn the other part.
By Papasmirx Mon Feb 15, 2021 10:43 am
1 ) Setup a longer release on your 808's with the amp env.... so they fade out and don't abruptly stop when the next pad is hit.... Doesn't have to be a long tail... just enough to keep it clean... if its too long it may get muddy(especially if pads are set to poly mode). This may help with it sounding poppy between pads.
2) Trust your ears, if a kick sounds good without much processing dont Eff and jeff with it... just use it.
3) Get intimate with note repeat....and get good at finger drumming.... Trap/drill is not too fast... ever tried drum and bass?
4) Don't worry about where you get your samples...or any stigma surrounding other people getting their beats from somewhere like vinyl or whatever..... Just use what you got, what sounds good to you..... And don't buy sample packs.... Just sign up to "splice" pay your monthly fee and download whatever the hell you want without abandon. Yes they maybe pre made samples, but.... After processing, the sound is still yours.
5 ) Crack on.....And don't feel pressured by people to make sound how they want it. Unless you are getting paid good money just do you. And if they like it then thats good, if they don't ...that's tuff sh*t for them

Nuff Luff

P
User avatar
By Lampdog Tue Feb 16, 2021 3:10 am
cleansocks wrote:
i finished the joint i was working on its ass but thx to your guys' help I was compelled to finish it

I wanna hear it!

Let's see how clean them sockz can get.
By cleansocks Tue Feb 16, 2021 10:40 am
NearTao wrote:What would you improve on it if you worked on it again?


More than anything, the arrangement. i listen to a LOT of music but it was hard picking out how to organize my sounds around especially when theres a lot going on in the song.

For Example, the song "Welcome to the Party" by Pop Smoke is something I look to for inspiration in making these kinds of beats, the song has so much stuff going on, each time I listen to it I hear another snippet of some vocal FX or a hi hat pattern i didn't notice. The beat manages to stay Fresh throughout and non-repetitive but i can't quite pick out what it is.

This threw me off because I Spent so much time trying to figure out how to keep my beat "Fresh" and non repetitive and being way too liberal with the use of FX everywhere that I didn't focus on keeping a good structured beat..

In other words, I have a little knowledge of what an intro and outro is and transitioning to a hook / verse, but that middle part between hook/verse and outro is what I am completely lost on what to do there . In that little middle area where the song is supposed to be at its most hype, but I felt as though could Not find the right sounds to piece together to make it fresh. Like you have Sequence1HiHat and Sequence2HiHat+kick sequence3Alternatinghihat+kick+snare+808 and I'm just sitting there trying to piece this shit together and If I should make a copy of sequence 3 and change the snare here al ittle bit or change the 808 pattern. I can get it sounding good as a single sequence which I guess is progress, but i was lost for the longest time on how to put them together, i had like 15 sequences of the same loop where there was a slight change or variation in the kick or the hat or the snare and I Spent maybe 3+ hours just trying to figure how I wanted it and How it would sound if they were put together. Anyway, this got a little mouthy but to answer your question, Undoubtedly my lack of knowledge in musical arrangement or any sort of beat structure is what held me back so I would work on that and try to maybe figure out a different workflow or find some tip in arranging similar sequences together to make it sound like a real project. My end result was clunky, I'll link it in another reply
By cleansocks Tue Feb 16, 2021 10:44 am
Lampdog wrote:
cleansocks wrote:
i finished the joint i was working on its ass but thx to your guys' help I was compelled to finish it

I wanna hear it!

Let's see how clean them sockz can get.


Sure thing boss. https://soundcloud.com/shawyan-tabari/repent . I would greatly appreciate any constructive criticism as I know there's a lot to be said for this clunky mess but I'm happy I finished it.
User avatar
By NearTao Tue Feb 16, 2021 1:20 pm
This is just my random thoughts... take them or leave them... some of this may not lead you to the type(s) of tracks you're trying to make...

I listened to the track a couple of times... here's my thoughts
* Regardless of how you put this together... it sounds a lot like you just used some loops and samples and dropped them in.
* The chorus and bass feel like the only two parts that could lead me through the track, but they are quite repetitive.
* A lot of the random samples you added don't hook into the rhythm, and don't really sound like they fit into the rest of the track.
* You haven't provided a rhythmic dialogue to drop in your different samples... I don't anticipate them... and as they stand they confuse me
* I know you're going for a loose rhythm here... but you need *something* to lead the listener by the nose... it's too sporadic
* Everything feels like it is in a different space...

Good news... I seriously think you've got something to work with here.
* Take some ownership of the samples you've used... add FX, chop them, stutter them... pitch them... an eagle sample... yawn... a robotic eagle scream... wtf is that?!
* I'd chop up, automate some filters... or something to your chorus and bass... it needs some surprise and movement... stutters... filter gates... anything
* Yeah you've got drills... but they seem to hit at random... and then nothing happens... drill -> change up... change up in consistent measures... will get your head nodding
* Carve out a rhythm... you don't need boots n cats... but drop a snare or clap in to hold it together... make a pocket to drop in your misc/random samples
* Again... you don't need a kick hat snare hat... but you could go kick rest rest rest rest snare rest drill or something... then you've got space on rests for your other sounds
* Adding some light reverb to the samples sound help add them into an environment and settle them in the mix more.

I think my overall advice is to focus on mastery of something in the track. You don't need to do everything... and in fact... when I do these types of things I like to just focus on one thing. If it were me... things I would consider:
* Take the track and chop the heck out of it to make a new track... use pitch shifting and chops to build up energy and tension.
* Lean into the random noises you've got for samples and just go sound design crazy... effects chains, EQ, compression, resample them to madness
* Think A/B... You've got a reasonable A track... take the same components and play them differently to make a B track
* Just cut it down to a 30-60 second track. Optimize what you're doing and get to the core/critical components... drop intro/outro... just drop right into the core of the track.

Good luck man, and keep at it!
By CharlesRandolph Tue Feb 16, 2021 1:33 pm
cleansocks wrote:or any criticism really. i like a little banter


The truth: You're all over the place. We call that a TRAIN WRECK. Delete and Start Over.
Tip: Listen to some trap/drill beats you like and practice remaking them.
Cold Facts: Everyone is wack when they start.
Cold Truth: PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE until you're not.
User avatar
By NearTao Tue Feb 16, 2021 2:19 pm
Colder Fact: Most of us are still wack even when we've been doing this for a long time...

Always be willing to ask others for their thoughts... and know which ones to accept and are true to you and your music... and which ones are way off and you can choose to accept as information... but not something you necessarily have to do anything about.
By Cockdiesel Tue Feb 16, 2021 2:35 pm
I think if he keeps a steady rhythm, like 1/4 or 1/8th notes, finds a lead sound that sticks out to dance around whatever groove he finds, and does some change ups he might have something.
If I were handed that to work on, I’d take something to automate that choir sample, have a mono synth lead and high hats dancing around eachother and find something to really change it up every once and awhile.
User avatar
By Lampdog Tue Feb 16, 2021 2:51 pm
TR-808 has no glide function, lol.

You could on your 808 sample, loop a single/double cycle of it, adjust adsr, filter, lfo and
make your own modulation and not have to rely on a sample to make it have movement.

Also assign it to a q-link fader to “move” the pitch of it manually if you want.

Don’t rely on the sample for the movement you want. Make the movement yourself.
By CharlesRandolph Tue Feb 16, 2021 6:12 pm
NearTao wrote:Colder Fact: Most of us are still wack even when we've been doing this for a long time...
ICE TRUTH: If that's the case it's time to give up or start working with people who are good. :lol: We're only as good as the people we surround ourselves with.

NearTao wrote:Always be willing to ask others for their thoughts... and know which ones to accept and are true to you and your music... and which ones are way off and you can choose to accept as information... but not something you necessarily have to do anything about.


This is true.. Best advice I was given

1. Never put out anything that you wouldn't buy or listen to yourself.
2. When putting it out, don't make excuses.
3. Keep it simple and don't over think it.
4. If you can't accept criticism, you can't accept praise.
5. Make it, Save it, Listen to it tomorrow with fresh ears. Then fix it or delete it.