repetative, menotinous samples

......are 1 bar loops okay? for hiphop tracks?

Just wondering if anyone has some good input...or some ideas.

Cause ive got a few hot loops, but they are 1 bar. I dont want them to be too repetative, but im having trouble chopping them further or finding samples to match up with them so i can extend them.

I dont really want to scrap the samples, but im really stuck on waht to do. Filtered bassline isnt working either.

how do you cure them? like if you guys find a really nice 1 bar loop sampmle, loop it up, get it to bang, how do keep it from being to repetative.

ive created a filtered bassline, but it doesnt bang as hard, so i dont know what to do with the sample.




Please, and ideas would be appreciated!

Just use it in the chorus or verses.

Premier does it all the time and I don't really find his tracks repetitive. I just think there's a certain vibe you have to give to the loop that makes it seem like it's something new every time even though it's the same exact loop. It's hard to explain. The loop has to have some sort of balance. That's as much as I can put it into words.

Edit: Now that I listen to these gangstarr tracks, I think making a 1 bar loop sound fresh has a lot to do with the sound effects and other things you put on top of it. Plus you can't forget that a repetitive track can have a lot of flavor with simply the addition of a voice. I always forget that when I'm working on my beats. Sometimes they seem repetitive to you, but really, if you had somebody rapping over them that feeling would go away.

Most percussion is repetitive by nature, especially with dance & hip hop. I know when im listening to a tune its more ya sub concious that locks on to the drums & ya concentrating more on the MC or melody. Alot of the time it just takes adding or taking out a hat or ride or put in a rewind here or there.. Its really up to you & what ya think sounds good.. I hear what ya saying though, especially when ya start with ya drums cos until ya got the samples, riff or whatever it can sound repetitive.

I agree. It's hard to come up with a creative drum loop before working with the sample, especially since the drums usually affect how the sample is played (if it is chopped). I wonder how you can overcome that. But to get back on topic, I really think it has to do with the balance of the sample. Where the emphasis is placed. I've actually never really heard a song that was just simply a loop with no sounds on top of it. There's always other sounds that make an impression.

If you check out the illmatic cd. Alot of his songs were just a looped sample with a break every once in a while. But his voice keeps the song interesting.

sometimes you'll have to play keys over a sample or use bits from another sample...alot of 1 bar tracks were hits though

good points.

I just made some shit the other day with a one bar loop. I got the loop for the verses, and then for the hook, it's basically just drums and some chopped up guitar shit I added. Of course I had to add some other things there's a vocal sample or two but the shit still sounds good just the 1 bar loop. I'll post it soon.

Listen to the entire song. See if there another part of the song similar to the part you looped. Then, try substituting one for the other. Or, if you know how to play keys… try to match up the instruments and replay the loop and add your own variations. Or, if all else fails just make sure your drum track changes up enough to take the emphasis off of your redundant sample.

yeah. Actually one of em, ive interpolated the bassline, then i filtered out the original bassline, and added mine under neath. So far it sounds pretty good, now im tryin to shape the bass sound so it sounds more like the original quality wise.

Mavurik wrote:I think making a 1 bar loop sound fresh has a lot to do with the sound effects and other things you put on top of it. Plus you can't forget that a repetitive track can have a lot of flavor with simply the addition of a voice. I always forget that when I'm working on my beats. Sometimes they seem repetitive to you, but really, if you had somebody rapping over them that feeling would go away.

exactly right. even when using a loop, 1 bar or not, you gotta add your own flavor to it. dont just throw that with some drums and call it done you know? throw some keys on top of it. a synth or something. a lot of times i would have a sample thats repetitive, but i would make several sequences with different bass lines. that helps a lot! it at least keeps the feel of the beat different even though the sample didnt change. but mavurik is absolutely right

Off top, there's nothin wrong with rockin a one-bar loop even if it's repeptitive. Cats like Alchemist get away with that kind stuff all day. Also, mad classics have been nothin more than a one-bar loop+drums. Recent example: Why? by Jadakiss. Havok ain't do sh** with that break really just some small drum change ups. My 2 cents on the matter would be try some old stop-and-go chop tricks. Since the whole loop doesn't need to be heard in its entirety to be flavor that's the easiest way to stretch more life out the piece. Or freak it like them other cats said, add more to it on the break with your own played keys or more samples (like RZA did with Ice Cream by Meth.).

grimaybeats555 wrote:If you check out the illmatic cd. Alot of his songs were just a looped sample with a break every once in a while. But his voice keeps the song interesting.

Man, I disagree with this here. Illmatic had some regular loops, but that album was more freakers than just loops. Memory Lane(freakers), The World is Yours(freakers),It Ain't hard to Tell(so so break, but still freakers-remix was freakers too),NY State of Mind(freakers),Halftime(freakers), Represent(freakers), the loop songs were: Life's a ****(still classic use of a classic break),Genesis(self-manifesting title/use of break) and One Time for your Mind. Illmatic is a bad reference for albums with nothin but loops and lyrics. Eric B. & Rakim's 4th album 'Don't Sweat the Technique' was more of a nothin but looped breaks type album. I ain't bring this up to argue or counter anyone's point for sport, just not an accurate reference, nuff respect.

im not sure if this was said but one way to not make a one bar sample repetitive is to loop it for 4 to 8 bars and program the drums with changes on em.. that way cats listenin try to break it down but the drums change up on them...

yeah george!

ive listened to some dudes tracks tryin to break them down, and Get confused sometimes and like "WTF!" until i realize its not me **** it up, its the drums changing up that throws me off.

Actually ive been thinking, maybe the average listener doesnt really care about bar lenght. Theyre not like "thats only one bar" theyre more like "that sounds good.........or that sounds annoying" if it sounds anoyying, chances are its cuase its a 1 bar that doesnt change up enough. Ya feel me? I dont think most people can tell how long a loop is........even if it is completely obvious to a producer.

I noticed alot of RZA tracks, and MethodM. tracks are 1 bar........but his flows keep you going along. By itself it would for sure be repetative.

I personally just usually try to shoot for 2 bar loops cause to me its less anoyying, but to someone else with flows and good change ups over it, it might not be.