How To Choose The Right Beat
All rap artists need to understand how to choose the right beat when creating their rap song. Literally thousands of different beats exist out there, so how does a rapper choose the best beat that will make his song sound awesome.
How does a rapper process which beats might work and which beats will not work.
How To Choose The Right Beat
Experienced rappers who have been in the music game for a long time
have created their own system of choosing what beat or rhythm is the
right one for their song. They have listened to many different
instrumentals over time, and an experienced musician or rapper will
tell you that something about the beat, the rhythm or a particular
instrument just speaks to them. A musician knows exactly what this
statement means, however someone with very little musical experience
may not understand exactly what this means at all.
This is all very well, but not all musicians are on the same level musically, some have been in the game for years and others are just starting out. Therefore an inexperienced rapper might not know a good beat for his or her song when they hear it.
This article has been written with the beginner in mind, once you have read the information here, you should have a better idea of how to go about choosing a beat for your song.
This article aims to show the beginner:
1… Actual methods for choosing rap beats
2… How to distinguish between different types of instrumentals
*****Actual Methods for Choosing Rap Beats*****
When choosing your rap beat, there are two main methods. The first one is:
The concept of your song and the instrumental element*
When you first get an idea for a rap song, this is where you should be
thinking about the kind of beat you would like it to have. Think about
what the song is about and also consider what you want to say in your
song, are you singing about something specific. Perhaps your song is
about the bad day you just had or how your girl upset you.
So in using the first method, you need to decide what the concept is, i.e
what your song is about and then hunt down the instrumental which
matches the emotion of your song and what you are trying to say.
You are trying to capture the meaning of the song as a separate entity,
and also portray the feelings and emotions within the song. So once
you have figured out the emotions, you look for an instrumental that
gives the song the emotions you are trying to portray.
The second method of choosing a beat that some rappers like to use is:
They go through the catalog and wait for a beat that speaks to them*
Not all rappers are trying to say something specific with their music.
Many rappers just go with the flow and what they create in the process
is how the song is made. If you are like these rappers who are not
necessarily trying to impart a message, then the second method is for you.
Go through the catalog and listen until you hear the beat that resonates
with you musically and emotionally. When you hear the beat that is right
for you, you will know instantly. This is not something that can be explained
in words, but you will feel it the second you hear it.
What Does It Mean to Pick The Right One?
If you are in the process of going through a catalog, at the same time you are
feeling something, you are experiencing some kind of emotional feeling.
You will eventually select a beat that is the same as what you are currently
feeling, you will pick this beat simply because it is speaking to you. You might
be feeling a whole range of things, but the beat you select will be the one that
best represents what you are feeling at the time. If the beat that you have
chosen invokes the emotions you were feeling, then you have chosen the right one.
*****How To Differentiate Between Different Instrumentals*****
Some musicians don’t know a lot about the concept of emotion in music.
Therefore it is difficult to figure out which beat is right for their song.
It is pretty obvious when we are hearing music that is mellow or music that is
aggressive because these styles are the opposite of each other. When an aggressive
piece of music also has a humorous or strange tone to it or a beat that has a
serious feel, a beginning rapper might find it difficult to distinguish the differences
and feel the emotions that this same beat might invoke in other rappers with more experience.
The best and simplest way to distinguish the emotions of the beat is to take into
account the instruments being used. When you think of each instrument as a
separate person, with all of their own characteristics, it becomes easier to feel the
emotion. Perhaps the sound of a flute gives you a sense of peace, or the sound of
the guitar could make you imagine someone young and spirited, with a recklessness
about them. The best way to become experienced at this is to listen to as many
instrumental pieces as you can. Go through each piece of music and try to identify
the emotion within that piece of music.
Why You Should Do This?
Once you can feel what a certain instrument is really saying, you will know whether
the beat you have chosen is appropriate for what you are trying to say with your song.
You will also have a better idea of what instruments will fit with the emotions your song
is portraying. You need to know what you are looking for before you venture out there
to find it. You might have decided to have a custom beat designed for you, or you could
be searching the Internet for the right beat for your song. You need to be clear on what
it is you want or the message you want your song to impart will not be clear. The most
important element in any song is what the artist is trying to tell his or her listeners.
Good luck & have fun looking for the right beat to your next song!!