Hook/Chorus Techniques

Step away from the beat for a day or two and without listening back to what you've done load up the APS but not the ALL or SEQ and make a totally new one, they'll work together.

good idea, dos^^^^^^^^^^ but do you keep the same tempo?

Science wrote:good idea, dos^^^^^^^^^^ but do you keep the same tempo?

Totally upto you Science, just mess about and see what you come up with, i'd probably stick to a similar tempo though.

thanks for all the tips yall!!!!!!!!!!!

sometimes a time signature will work.
i sampled a 3/4 song. made a beat in 4/4 with it. then dropped a loop in 3/4 for the hook but at the same tempo. worked dope.

Iceberg-Slim wrote:Just got done with the verse for a piece of music I was doing, problem is the verse is so hot it really doesn't leave much room for none of my usual just add **** in the hook, so I figured I'd start a thread for people who run into this problem as well, would help improve all of us

What technique/formula's do you typically use when your beat just calls for something different in the hook?


(I'll post a few in another post)

Turn it upside down man. If the verse is really hot then make it the hook/Chorus. Work backwards and come up with a new verse that is good then when you bring in the hot Chorus (that use to be the verse) you will own them.

Try filtering the main sample/loop for the verse, pan it, chop it, whack some reverb on there, and use the original sample for the chorus... just something I've been trying.

GET A DJ TO CUT OVER IT!!!!!!!!!! Ever since the 'hook' you barely get to hear a DJ flex his skills. More cuttin', less hooks. Like in the ol' days, the DJ should be the hook.

^^^^ lets start panning bass over 25%, drums over 50% again ,so we can blow peeoples speakers

good lookin on yall bringing this back

yo....i noticed with alot of beats....the loop actually breaks its self down.....so you can just ride the loop all the way.

example: like ill make a two bar loop thats nice. Then i will copy the loop to 4 bars....then i get a wormy lead, or pad and play it over 4 bars....so it makes the 2 bar hook not so repetative, because you listen to the 4 bar loop over it. use that lead for the chorus.

Basically build it up: if your OG loop is 2 bars....put a 4 bar instrument over it....then over that 4 bar loop.....put a stab every 8 bars....then every 16 do a drum fill or drum drop.

NOW....you dont have to do it exactly mathamatical like that ^^^^....but apply that concept. Think about it....you can loop a 1 bar "boom bap" but put a 4 bar bassline over it, and you dont think the boom bap is repetative?!! right! so do that with instrumetns then dont worry about change ups.

Think of your OG loop as a piece to a bigger pattern/loop! do like a-a-a-b variations.....

All the best beats are looped and the emcee just rides it the whole way....the emcee changes it up.

I like to think off 50 cent because his mc skills work that way....he raps, but for the hook, he adds a little melody to his rap so it changes the way the beat feels.

its all about building patterns and the rhythm.....and knowing how to "hook" the listener. I think dre is so good because he drops cool sounds very sparingly...so its intresting the whole way. Just because the hook is hot, doesnt mean you always have to have it going. If your ear waits for the hook to drop, thats good.

or you can play mind tricks...build loops that naturally lead into them selves......like a vamp. or even like basic boom bap (pure rhythm type melodies).

ive found that if i stick to the dummies music theory trick, my melodies win and i can ride them forever: the relationship between C and G..........i start my bassline with C, and end it with G (maybe add a 'connecting' note) if i do this, i can play just about whatever in the middle with some good dramatic rhythm and it will work. FRom beginning to end...the loop feels finished.....but i anticipate it to repeat again.

one important thing here, tht every one seemed to forget is that it all depends on the genre of music to be honest. 1/32 or 1/64 snare rolls in my opinoin would not work for reggae.

A good example of a verse choruse change up.....

Lets get retarded in here Black Eyed peas....

I dont like the new album.....But there lets get retarded has a drum dropout and buildup for the chorus...

The verse stops the drums singly hit

like boom boom boom boom boom

So they kinda make the drums speak there chorus sith them....
Ive done these drums type shit before..
But its just a good example of changing it up

Freedom wrote:A good example of a verse choruse change up.....

Lets get retarded in here Black Eyed peas....

I dont like the new album.....But there lets get retarded has a drum dropout and buildup for the chorus...

The verse stops the drums singly hit

like boom boom boom boom boom

So they kinda make the drums speak there chorus sith them....
Ive done these drums type **** before..
But its just a good example of changing it up

good example

I usually drop the kick and bass out for one bar before the hook, and then on the hook I usually add strings or something that flows with the main melody and makes the melody stronger, like someone else already said, but I've done different little things that helped too like adding a tambourine, or a clap on the snare, an fx sound, anything to make it get liver on the hook and prevent any monotony, also making the beat start and stop a few times right before the hook can make that shit hit hard, all these techniques work in different situations you just gotta fuk with it and see what sounds good