Discuss the various methods you use in music production, from compressor settings to equipment type.
Byrickgut2004 Wed Sep 08, 2004 12:08 am
Okay, I just picked up a MPC1000 and learend how to use it. I'm having some trouble constructing beats though. For those of you who are pretty good at makin' beats, how do you layout a track?

So far this is what I have: intro
Verse 16 bars
Hook 8 bars
Verse 16 bars
Hook 8 bars
Verse 16 bars
Hook 8 bars
Hook 8 bars
Outro

Does this look about right? Or am I going about this **** the wrong way?
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By beets Wed Sep 08, 2004 3:22 am
Yea, thats pretty standard homie. But, you dont always have to go by the book ;)
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By MattMatiks PG Wed Sep 08, 2004 3:42 am
That's fine, but some of the best sh*t breaks the rules...

You can do this or you can go the Madvillain route and spit 40 bars with no hook and around the 34th bar just throw in an interlude or something for no reason...

It's fine that you wanna know the basics, but understand that there are no rules whatever sounds right works...
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By theassfathasescaped Wed Sep 08, 2004 6:45 pm
You're missing your 4 bar intro. lol

Why don't you find your fav tracks and count that stuff out. You'll find some interesting variations. No magic formula but it gives you an idea. In my limited experience Biggies tracks are working often on 18 bar versus. Which I was blown away by at the time.

Oh, and maybe a bar or two 'break' after the second chorus.

Edit: you have the into. How about starting with the chorus. New school style.

Byrickgut2004 Wed Sep 08, 2004 7:04 pm
Many thanks for the words of wisdom.. Now, back to the lab... peace.
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By dudum Wed Sep 08, 2004 9:31 pm
glad i could help, actually got the idea from an old 80's book on how to program your drum machine but it's useful for me to keep a log of some of the patterns for my older machines that don't show.
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By binger0 Wed Sep 08, 2004 9:45 pm
yeah thats what they call a gen midi drum map. General midi is on every pc and is the standard format for basic midi drum maps on channel 10 on most midi devices. This is cool cause i can plot out more ish with timign and step edit and get more nasty with the programming.