Friday, 21 August 2009 07:41 Last Updated on Tuesday, 01 September 2009 15:35
Yo Yo, what's good Dynamic Producers. We're kicking off a multi-part series that will chronicle the evolution of the beat and basically will investigate some of the crucial steps involved in the evolution of one of your tracks. Initially, I was in the frame of mind to start with your actual beat, but after thinking about it for a few minutes, your beat is birthed so far before that, so it's make sense to address the building blocks of what your using. When a contractor is hired to erect a structure, it's imperative that he select quality materials to build that which he is building. No contractor who wants to maintain a business will go get terrible materials; old worn beams of wood, tattered and frayed insulation and low grade metals.
This isn't any different from your production process. You want to employ the best materials when your making your tracks. So, it is imperative to start with the highest quality of drums and sounds available to you. In my travels with Dynamic Producer, I've been fortunate enough to learn the techniques behind some of the best producers in the game right now. One thing that struck a chord with me was about a producer who just took an entire week every so often and custom designed great sounds. Not only that, but he halted his production process again just to sit and stack drums. That kind of attention is paramount to the building process. You have to ensure that your materials are the best. One of the greatest track killers are the sounds that are overused, uninspiring, and uninteresting. Secondly, when the drums are run-of-the-mill and ill-fitting, it really takes away from the product.
The people that you're sending your music to, they DO listen to these elements. The good ones go through hundreds of beats at a time, so those elements really stick out. Take your time and construct unique, interesting sounds. Scrutinize your drums: are they interesting, do they go well with this mood that I'm trying to create, could I mute everything else and the drum track has enough interest by itself? These are all excellent questions to ask yourself.
Personally, when I get a track with great, well-mixed sounds, it's like a colorful explosion. You want to inspire your listener to ask, "What is that sound, it's amazing?" as they sit there trying to isolate and understand what it is that they're hearing because they love it. Spend time shaping and playing with your instruments. With today's tools at your disposal, there's are infinite ways to blend and tweak instruments to come up with something creative.
If your sampling and the sample is your instrument/sound, ask yourself if your cutting a good piece of the record. Don't just chop just to chop, make sure your getting a hot piece. Often, i'll be listening to sampled beats and the loop or is so average and uninspiring that I click for the next beat. Just like constructing sounds, it's imperative to select sample pieces that are great and interesting before you put them together. It's very difficult to take a mundane piece of a record and make it interesting. A boring loop in will most likely make a boring loop out.
When it comes to those drums, this is another element that can make or break your track, just like that. Next to sounds, there's nothing like an exquisitely programmed drum track, but not only is the programming essential, the sound and character of those drums is crucial. When there's just something about that kick or the snare that is unique, or the hats that have a particular flavor to them, it really boosts the strength of the track. Spend time blending and stacking your drums, manipulate attacks and decays and adjust the punch of certain kicks. One of the immediate indicators of a producer's ability is in the drums. You want to convey to your listener that you are of that quality, so it will inspire them to call you for more.
Last but certainly not least is the melody. This is a too often ignored part of the track. Now that your sounds are great, are you putting down a memorable melody? Will I hum that melody four hours later and not know where it came from. I remember I was at my mother's house in Chicago playing a Stevie Wonder record that my mother walked in on and told me she hadn't heard in 25 years. But she started whistling the melody. It was automatic. When feasible (all tracks won't require a heavy melody), strive to create something memorable. It can be just a few notes, but those melodies resonate with your customer, the fans. That's what we hum, what we whistle and what we remember.
Scrutinize your building materials. If what your using to construct your beats isn't on point, your beat isn't on point.