Beat Making Theory (how do you do it?)

Just curious to know how you beat junkies out there make the music..
Do you try to build a whole beat from start to finish or do you save a sequence that is the meat and potatoes of what you're tryin to create
or do you just build off a sample???? Me personally, I rarely save an entire beat, I'll just save a sequence that is the main part of the beat.
I don't have a mixer or anything to make tracks with yet, but in the future
when I get that stuff, I'll just play the sequence and then collaborate with the artist/MC and come out with the finished product. Drop your thoughts
on how you lay it down in your studio..........

complete trial and error…

I’ve had the MPC for maybe 5 months now..(not even)…and What I find myself doing is just sampling for like an hour…just taking bits and pieces, loops, etc. from everywhere. Ever since I got this expanded memory on my joint…I have complete freedom…no longer am I limited to short samples.

Basically I’ll load up an entire drum bank w/ diff. samples, and then just sit down with them and play with them. What I usually end up with is many variations of the same beat…or I’ll just end up with 2 or 3 completely different beats all in one program. You can tell, because they have similar samples similar drums, but diff. tempos, and flavors. (its like the beats are cousins).

But sometimes, for fun, practice…I’ll chop up some drums….lay those down.and sample shorter notes and just make simple sequences…for emcees to flow over.

JAYZ- 9th wonder “the threat”….wooooh. that sht is hard.
-

First off, I lights up a "Nag Champa" insence (excellent brain tickler) just to set the mood in my room ...Then, I load up my drums and other sounds into the different banks, and then I tune up each sound with the MIXER funciotn (shift 7)...beat on the pads for a bit...my MPC is right next to my computer, (I can watch DVDs on my comp)so around this time I throw on a porno (yes, you heard it, a porno) this just puts my mind somewhere else LOL...then I program a sequence of hit hats, kicks, and snares...then I tweek the NOTE VARIATION to modify the sounds a bit...Ill hum a melody and memic it with the samples I got on the MPC...let it play for a bit...then figure out if I wanna add or delete sounds, then I decide where I want the breaks and how long I want the breaks to play for...depending on if Im gonna rhyme over the track or someone else, determines if I have my boys (DJ Myron, D-BOI, or DJ DVS) scratch on the track ...peace...

NOTE: This is not always the same formula, different formula for different moods...this is one formula that I do use though...

Porno??? Thats to intense for me to do beats at the same time, maybe a penthouse video centerfold or something. ha! your crazy mang.

As far as my process, i dont have one, build of the beat or sample, it varies, whatever comes out at whatever time, whatever gear i feel like using, etc. thats how it is. Certain beats i'll mix down straight to a stereo track, others I'll do track by track to PT. Depends.

BUT, a technique Ive noticed myself doing is loading up a whole drum kit get some samples going, and do like 10 sequences and pick 3 I like and save em with the new program. Sometimes I leave my MPC on for 2 days just to build of a program i know has potential.

I dont really have a technique I use all the time. I try to do every track a little different from the last. When sampling I sample into the mpc sometimes if its a simple sound, and into the computer if it needs immediate tweaking. Sometimes I program the drums first and find samples to chop over them. Sometimes I just loop or chop samples and lay the drums over the samples. For basslines, I usually add a little reverb, chop em up into notes then play them, occasionally using the 16 levels thing for variations. Sometimes I'll sequence on the computer and program just the drums on the mpc. Other times I use it as a stand alone piece. When Im done I record each track individually into the comp, mixing them and adding fx and compression as I go (its the best way to go if you dont have the 8 outs). I like to try something new with every beat keeps me interested. Im also known to get sidetracked playing drums with the pads, I'll sit there and just play for hours.

I'll do a hardhittin 4 bar sequence first.
Then copy several times and change/switch
up into many different mutes and breaks
between all the sequences.

For the chorus I usually go with a whole
differenet beat but it still fits nicely.

For the basslines, depending on how I feel that day I might
make it on Triton or ASR, I've made basslines with sinewaves
on the mpc colored with effects and no one could tell if it was being played from a keyboard or MPC..

My favorite intro/outro, piano string and bell solo's. I rarely do them nowadays but it can get pretty ugly (meaning good).

Basically I turn the timing off after loading my samples. Then I start hearing sounds in my head in paterns so I play them on the pads. I ussually end up with some complex drum paterns at about 95BPM,2 bar to 4 usually. Then I tighten it up a bit adding bells and whistles and sh*ts in that nature. Afterwars I hook up a keyboard or sound module (if available), or I may find a sample from a record, place it on 16 levels, create a dope melody than I might extend it to like about 60 bars. The rest goes to the studio for mixing or I may mix it myself but ussually my own mixes be sounding wack to me so I avoid doing it.

I ALWAYS MAKE SURE I USE INDIVIDUAL TRACKS FOR EACH SOUNDS. VERY VERY IMPORTANT.

beets you wild mane

LOL

I usualy start from scratch. First I will find a kick I like, then I will find a snare. Once I lay out the basic backbone of the beat, I will then move on the high hats, crash, and other various percusion. Now, once I have the basic rythem down, I will throw in a bass line from my keyboard.
Now that I have a solid foundation to work with, I can copy, edit, and place variations of the beat work. I would say the very last thing I put into a track is the sound fx, hits, vocals, scratches ect.

just get a girl to blow on ur wang while u tap on those pads- and regardless of your form of inspiration the product will be rewarding

en2 wrote:just get a girl to blow on ur wang

Jim Morrison, lead singer of The DOORS also used this method, and his songs are on point, so it must work LOL

How about a nice hot naked woman to bounce her jugs on the pads?
I wouldnt mind how bad is sounded!