Instrumental Beats Hip Hop

Hip-hop was initiated as a cultural movement by inner-city youth, mostly Latinos, Hispanics, and African Americans in New York City, in the early seventies. The word "rap" was derived in the sixties, from a slang word that meant conversation.

Hip-hop has two main historical eras, the old school hip-hop era from 1970-1985 and the golden age hip-hop era from 1985-1993. The golden age of hip-hop began only when it entered the mainstream of music and it consolidated the sounds of the West Coast and the East Coast.

The origin of hip-hop music is from African American and West African music. Contributions of griots like The Last Poets, Jalal Mansur Nurriddin, and Gil Scott-Heron were significant in a big way for the advent of hip-hop in the 1960s. Hip-hop had originally begun in the Bronx. Funk and soul music were played a lot in block parties. In the beginning, the DJs at these parties began separating the percussion breaks from hit songs. They started realizing that these breaks were more entertaining and groovy. This technique had become widespread in Jamaica and had spread considerably in the New York community via the Jamaican immigrants.

Kool DJ Herc and Grandmaster Flash were the pioneers in the hip-hop industry and other DJs had extended the short percussion interludes of funk records and created a more danceable sound. As a result, remixes had become popular with the advent of mixing and scratching techniques. Many styles of hip-hop had developed in the golden age of hip-hop.

At present, hip-hop is enjoyed all around the world. In spite, of all the controversies created by hip-hop artists they are still growing in number. Hip-hop music is sold all over the world in stores and even online.

The whole notion of making music always scared me. I always thought you had to be born with a gift, and I was born with none. When I was young the triangle was the only instrument I wanted to play in music class, and I still had trouble staying on beat.

I grew up in the 80's so my musical tastes vary. I grew up listening to all kinds of music from Michael Jackson, to Madonna to Guns and Roses. I am also a fan of hip hop listening to artists like Run DMC, LL Cool J, and Rakim. These are the artists that wet my appetite for music.

As the time past my musical tastes have evolved to what they are today. A variety of different artists from Green Day, to Soulja Boy as well as a lot of independent artists. My friends and I usually attend an open mic down the street from my apartment every week. We love to check out the new up and coming artists and poets who come by every week. None of us are musicians just music lovers.

At the end of the night just as the MC was closing up the show my friend gets up and takes the stage. To all of our surprise he performed a song that was so powerful, touching, and moving it left us all in awe. I asked him where did he find a song like that to cover because I never heard it before? I wanted to download it immediately when I got home. We were all blown away when he told us he made it himself.

My friend gave me the name of the software that he used to make the beat and I was really skeptical. I never buy anything online. There are too many scams and people making false promises about their products. However I couldn't get the song out of my head, and I had so many emotions inside me that I wanted to let go of. I decided to give it a try.

I was floored by how easy it was and required no extra equipment. The interface was extremely user friendly so it wasn't hard to learn. At one point I got a little stuck and couldn't figure out what to do next. I just looked at a tutorial they provided and it walked me through the process. I finished my first beat in an hour, then I used the software to export it to Mp3.

After that I sat in my room and wrote the lyrics out. Exactly one month after my friend performed his song I performed mine for the first time. It was about the first girl that I have ever loved and how she exited my life. There wasn't a dry eye in the house, and I felt so accomplished.

The whole purpose of my story is to let you know you can do it too. I'm not a musician but I make songs and I make beats online from my heart. If I can do it, why can't you? Never limit what you can do in life. If there is a will there is a way.

Till some years back, one had to buy complicated music apparatus or get a technical degree from a music college or spend tons of money learning music and instruments. The introduction of this software has made things simpler and even a novice can create new tracks and sounds, if they follow the instructions given in the software. Moreover, the creators of the software have ensured that the language used is simple for even a layman to understand and comprehend the notes. Go through the software and once you are comfortable with it, you can begin your journey of creating magic with your sound tracks and music. You are definitely going to get a lot of attention as well as envious looks from friends and your associates.

It looks too good to be true, but it is a fact that the software has enabled music lovers to create new sounds by accessing a whole host of sounds by just clicking the mouse button. Even the toughest of tasks has been made possible with the help of the internet genie. The new generation can now have access to a new form of hip hop and rap music. The software enables us to combine music and give it an altogether different look or appearance. The generation hereafter would have access to different forms of music and not the traditional music which was enjoyed few years back.

If you are a music lover and have a penchant for creating new music, then you could join the bandwagon by creating new music. Use this software and create magic in your music by blending beats and sounds and become a professional DJ. There is no other joy than listening to your own composition and the satisfaction derived from it is matchless.

Last but not the least; if you have the desire, nothing is impossible. You would find the software easy and straightforward. Experimenting with sounds would be adventurous indeed and you would have a ball trying varied sounds. Once you have gained expertise, you could create a CD or an album and download all the contents into it.

A song can reflect how a person feels, it can also change the way someone feels. If a person is feeling down and blue, listening to uplifting songs can put them in a better mood. Adults and teenagers are not the only people that enjoy a good song. Babies and children love songs too.

Some pregnant mothers even put headphones on their bellies so that the baby can hear the beautiful songs in the womb. As parents we sing to our children when they are sad. We sing to them when they are happy. We sing songs to help our children fall asleep at night. When our kids get hurt we sing to them to make the pain go away. We sing children's songs with our kids just to make them smile, even if the song is driving us crazy. We still sing just to see that smile.

Every where you go there are songs being played. There are songs played at weddings, funerals and birthday parties. Music has been around for many years in some form or another. It is constantly changing over the years. Tribes use to play songs on drums while they danced around fires.

Along with music there are also dances. There are different dances preformed in different countries. The same song can mean something different to fifty different people. You may listen to a song one day and feel something completely different about that song the next day. Your mood can determine what you get out of a song.

Classical, opera, and instrumental can be quite moving. However, this type of music is something you have to feel instead of just listen to. If you are feeling the music, a piano solo can bring tears to your eyes. Classical songs can make you want to weep or smile.

Songs can make us feel a number of emotions depending on how we listen to it. Of course there are kids today that blare their songs and they enjoy it but they are not really feeling it. Have you ever been moved by a jazz solo or mesmerized by a classical pianist?

Music is a part of our culture. It is a part of every culture. Do you remember the first album or tape you every got? Of course we have CD's now and most kids do not even know what a record is. You could make mixed tapes with a tape player but today we have come so far that we can burn CD's. With the internet right at our fingertips we can find any type of song we want. You can go online and buy classical, rap, jazz, hip hop, alternative, heavy metal, country, and even techno.

As a drum teacher to students starting at age 4, I get asked if these will really work. The answer is yes, provided you get something that you can really use. Here are a few tips on what to look for.

What is Your Level?

You want to look for a DVD or book that starts where you are at. If you are a rank beginner, look for something that shows you how to set up the drum set, hold the sticks, and hit correctly.

A lot of people who learn on their own use improper technique. This can lead to slow playing, pain, and possibly injury. If you use poor technique, your playing won't improve as quickly as it might, and you'll get frustrated and quit. You won't sound as good, either.

This is where having a teacher is perfect. A teacher will correct your mistakes early, so you learn good habits from the start.

Almost every drum instructional DVD or book out there will start with rock and roll grooves. It's what you hear all the time in the music on the radio and tv. If you already know those basics, look for something that will give you more grooves, like jazz, swing, reggae, or hip hop.

Look Around You

Don't limit yourself to what you hear on the radio, or what is popular. Explore other genres. Look at different cultures and countries. Try soca, polka, or klezmer for some upbeat, sweat-inducing fun.

Once I began to listen to world music, I was hooked. I love using odd time signatures. We are used to hearing music with four beats. Some Bulgarian songs go up to 11, 13, or 22!

Don't Be Illiterate

If you don't already know how to read music notes and drum notation, make it a point to learn. It's not as hard as you think, and it will open up the whole world to you. If you want to be a working drummer, you'll need to know how to read charts and music.

Most drum instructional books are written in drum notation. Find something that will explain it to you, then dive in and go slowly. You can do this!

Give Yourself a Chance

Of course, no matter whether you get books, DVDs, or music lessons, you won't learn very much if you don't set aside time regularly to practice. How much time? Start with ten minutes a day. Everyone has ten minutes a day to spare. That's two commercial sets during your favorite tv show. The next time commercials come on, pick up your sticks and practice the groove on your leg.

Most kids can learn to play drums because they don't censor themselves like adults do. If you're an adult wanting to learn, be easy on yourself. Get something to learn from, go slowly, and realize this is hard to do. After all, you're playing four instruments at once: your left hand, your right hand, your left foot, and your right foot!

Give yourself a pat on the back for each accomplishment, no matter how small. With persistence, you too can learn to play drums from DVDs and books.

When using reverb, the first thing to do is consider how you want the listener to picture the vocalist during the playback. Remember that the reverb is used to enhance and not upstage the vocals.

You need to understand the basics of "arrival time gap." Reverb is generally used to provide what is seemingly an echo on the vocals or whichever you want to be enhanced on the track. If you want percussion to be given attention, you can use reverb as well. The time between the original sound heard by the listener and the reverberation that reaches the listener is called the "arrival time gap."

Study sound very well and learn how it travels so that you can get a clearer picture of how reverb works. Reverb needs to be balanced well as too much and the track may sound unattractive while too little reverb may make the track sound hollow.

Keep experimenting until you get it right. Remember that the track is a representation of your art. If you create a mediocre track, your fans will notice. Try to develop an ear and an instinct for finding out just how much reverb is needed. You can do this by having enough practice.

With upbeat songs, you would do well to use plate reverb. This is because plate reverbs have a vast selection of sounds. Some if the sounds are dark, some are bright, and some decay much longer than others. The advantage of plate reverb is that it can enhance effects without getting "washy." Plate reverb is good to use with brass instruments, acoustic instruments, vocals, and percussion.

If you are worried about your demo or track and you feel you need something to make it special, you can buy exclusive beats at many sites online. Just keep in mind to choose the sites well as anyone can easily set up a website in this day and age, there are many sites that are not reliable.

It would be awesome to create some new, ingenious style of music, but that probably isn't going to happen for most of us. The smart thing to do is concentrate on your genre and enhance it as best you can... trying to make it better than everyone else.s work. You want to be considered a master in your style of music. Once you accomplish that, you will have the skills and knowledge to incorporate beats from other styles and you'll be on your way to some really unique, creative sounds.

Modern technology has come a long way with amazing tools that you can use to make your own beats. The technology has also made this process easier and much less costly. You will find that linking baseline to midi drum patterns and audio loops is easily done. You will find that beat makers all vary in some ways, but you want to make sure you have these basics included.

Of course, the foundation of your entire sound will be your bass line. The bass line alone starts to create the mood of your beat. You will usually create this before moving on to any other sounds. Once you find the one you think is perfect, create a repeating loop and you have a great foundation to build upon. Hip hop and rap both have the audio loop as a foundation. Loops can be created from instruments and any other sounds that you like. Compressing and/or stretching these sounds will have you tweaking the mood or "feel" of your music.

The final step will be adding your midi drum patterns. You can have multiple patterns playing at once, but make sure they are compatible with each other. you don't want your midi drums fighting with each other. When you create your drum loops, you can place them over your bass line.

Once you have all of these elements mastered, you will have all you need to make your own beats for years and years to come!