Shopping Beats....

When shopping a beat CD, what length should I let my Beats record for 1min 3min, or put 1 16 bar and 1 8 bar hook?

No loner than 1:20 sec, and NO long ass intros!! (very important) If you have drops and other breakdowns, put them in too.

How do you edit the length? Seeing you have the full beat? Do you use software?

Yes sir....

thematterlp wrote:How do you edit the length? Seeing you have the full beat? Do you use software?

how do you edit the length?
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let answer the question with a question:

how do you sample?

It's easy to just reload the track into your computer.Cut the time down and resave it as whatever.Just don't save it as the same name because you'll overwrite.

if you dont know how to edit the length of your beat, you definatly don't need to worry about selling it.

i think 2-3 mins. is plenty to feel out the beat and have drops/chorus/breakdowns etc..

shalemb wrote: you definatly don't need to worry about selling it.

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some real a$$ talki right there shal

Snippet CD's are effective. 45 sec.-1 minute 20 sec. is sufficient depending on the track. It is generally a good idea to fill out the 'SR' forms with the DC copyright office to protect any work before submitting material to any interested parties. It takes a few months to get the forms validated, but when the process is complete, an 'SR'(SRuxxx-xxx) registration number is assigned to the designated material and the copyrights are official.

who will be listening to the cd? If your selling them on the streets, I don't think anyone is gonna appreciate shelling out 5-10 bux for 45 seconds of a song.. especially if they like the beat. If your going for A&R's etc, then yea, 45 seconds is fine.. make sure you have a good manager first tho or your just wasting your time making the cd in the first place. Your best bet is to frequent the local hip-hop spots and get known by some of the major minors.. example.. underground groups that are grindin'.. doing shows and get media exposure. When you have them personally calling you, you won't need a manager, or any of that bulls#it. So, go out tonight, enjoy the hip-hop scene (women) drink a brew, and give your beat cd's to anyone you'd like to hear on your tracks.

I agree with Roxstar. But I don't agree with the 45 sec thingy. Put yourself in their shoes. If you was a rapper and a producer came to you with a CD and said "I got a beat for you"...You want to hear it all... If they have a hook, the 16 bars broken down, and the only thing the song is missing is them, they will be all over it because it sparks freshness, unlike "just a beat"....Rappers need direction in such a competetive market and who can guide them better than a "producer"(the title aint for nothing). When I rapped I hated writing when I got a beat because I didn't have anything different to talk about becuase I had to think and be creative at the same time. So I found a niche. Also produce music in phases. First 4 months make as many beats as possible, second 4 months produce those beats, by adding choruses, singers, effect, mixing, etc. Third phase, plug your songs with undgroundaz, managers, BMI/ASCAP conventions & press as many copyrighted CD-Rs as possible,(Shouldn't be more than 7-10 songs, don't want to overdue it) but make them profeesional looking with all your contact info on it...Keep this cycle rolling till you get a phone call from someone saying "please let me stop hearing about you"...Work like an Artist would work selling their act