How To Make Your Own Beats: Welcome to all Future Hit Producers
Knowing how to make your own beats is crucial for any music producer. Beats are the basic ingredients for any hit track and can make or break your song. In the last 10 years I have experimented a lot with making my own beats and I now want to pass to you some of the information I gathered over the years.
All of the tips I am talking about here can be used for any music genre (well, they need to have beats of course :-)). These beat making tips can be used for making beats for hip hop, R&B, electronic dance music or pop music.
This is my first lens on music production and I plan to do a lot more (music production tips, use of VST plugins, ...). If you like this lens, don't forget to rate it and drop a comment below.
Now let's get into the groove!
All of the tips I am talking about here can be used for any music genre (well, they need to have beats of course :-)). These beat making tips can be used for making beats for hip hop, R&B, electronic dance music or pop music.
This is my first lens on music production and I plan to do a lot more (music production tips, use of VST plugins, ...). If you like this lens, don't forget to rate it and drop a comment below.
Now let's get into the groove!
1. Get The Right Beat Maker Software
Going the software route
Using the right tools for the job is important when making your own beats.I assume that you already have chosen your DAW (digital audio workstation such as Cubase, Logic, Ableton, etc ...). If not, don't worry, I'll make a lens shortly about choosing the right DAW for the job (you could also drop me a comment below and I'll answer it).
When selecting the software, you have have a couple of different options: classic drum machine emulators, acoustic drum simulators, complete groove workstations, etc ...
It's difficult for me to tell you which direction should go, because it depends a lot on the style of music you will be making.
I'll review a couple of the best software instruments and try to give you some direction.
Best Beat Maker Software Programs
Here's a list of the best software to make your own beats. Each one of those tools is top rated and used by the best producers.
- Guru from FXPansion
Number one groove maker for electronic dance producers. Used by many top djs in the house and techno genre. The VST instrument has a massive library of drum sounds and a very user-friendly and productive user interface to create your own beats. Features many effects, groove quantization, slicing, etc ...
Very much recommended.- Toontrack EZ Drummer
Without a doubt the most popular and cheapest acoustic drum sampler on the market. Excellent realistic sounds, a wide range of preset patterns and unlimited expansion packs.
Ideal for producing pop and rock music. As well as fattening up your hip hop beats with real accoustic drums.- Spectrasonics Stylus RMX
The God Machine for hip hop and R&B producers. Used by countless grammy award winning producers. Don't forget to edit the sounds a little or you might sound to much like a copy cat.
Tip For Beginners Wanting to Make Hip Hop, Rap or R&B Beats
If you are just starting out and would like to start making beats on your own in a matter of minutes you should check out this all-in-one beat making software right now. It's packed with sounds and has an extremely simple user interface.
Check out Sonic Producer here
2. Buy A Drum Machine
Going the hardware route
Some producers swear by hardware instruments. They say they sound better and feel better. It's a personal choice. What can I say. Personally, I am more into software instruments because they're so handy. But it's a fact that playing with a drum machine stimulates a lot of creativity (especially those cool Akai MPCs) ... and to be fair it's much more fun. Popular Drum Machines
Here's list of popular drum machines.
- Akai MPC5000
Akai's flagship MPC drum machine. The latest and greatest in the mother of beat production hardware. Favorite tool with hip hop and r&b producers.- Akai MPC500
The little brother of the MPC5000, the MPC500 is a portable beat production system that also works on batteries. The ideal musical compagnon on the road.
Vintage Drum Machines on EBay: TR909
Vintage drum machines such as the Roland TR909 and TR808 are killer instruments and much sought after.
EBay is a great way to find those old gems.
Fetching new data from eBay now... please stand by
How to Make Beats Tutorials On YouTube
Here's some cool Youtube videos on making beats.
Secrets of How To Make Beats In Ableton Live with GForce Beats Creative Beat Making Tutorial
Learn the secrets to beat making with this new instruction video from producer Art G of GForce Beats. This beat making tutorial shows you in an easy step-by-step method how to make beats in Ableton Live recording just a simple tennis ball and implementing sounds from GForce Beats latest beats package release Mix Injections Club House Construction Kit. Take advantage of ground breaking techniques that guide you making beats like the pros using just about anything around the house or studio ...
automatically generated by YouTube
How To Make Your Own Beats Easily?
Get started with beat production using this amazing easy-to-use beat production tool.
Check out SonicProducer and start making beats in no time.
3. Listen to the best - Copy Them - Improve
Sometimes it can be simple
Indeed, sometimes life can be simple. How do you think humans learn? Huh? Well, they just copy someone/something and improve it. That's what we did for last thousands of years ... and it's working.Here's some tips for making beats then:
- listen to your classics: James Brown, Chic, Stevie Wonder, Miles Davis, ...)
- listen to the masters of electronic music (where do you think Timbaland got his latest sound?): Derrick May, Juan Atkins, Kevin Saunderson, ...
- listen to the current hit producers: Timbaland, The Neptunes, ...
"Learn from the best. Listen, copy and improve."
Get Some Inspiration
Learn From The Masters
Here's some records to give you some beat making inspiration
Gold (Rm) (2CD)
Amazon Price: $16.99 (as of 01/01/2010) 
C'est Chic
Amazon Price: $8.96 (as of 01/01/2010)
Innovator
Amazon Price: $17.98 (as of 01/01/2010)
Loose
Amazon Price: $11.99 (as of 01/01/2010)
Circus
Amazon Price: $9.99 (as of 01/01/2010)
4. Use Samples!
Everyone does it and using samples in a creative way actually gives your track that extra edge. However, try to be unique. Shape the loops you're sampling: add some effects, chop them up, recycle them. Just be creative. In the end we don't want just another producer abusing James Brown's Funky Drummer. Sample CDs with pumping beats
Here's a list of the best sample cd publishers to get you started.
- Loopmasters
- One of the best publishers of sample cds in a wide range of genres (from hip hop tot electronic dance music). Widely regarded as top resource for quality samples.
- Sample Magic
- Manufacturer specialized in top quality electronic music samples such as minimal house, minimal techno, electro and rave. They also have unearthly funky tech-funk and funky house grooves that can be used in any contemporary Hip Hop and R&B song.
Highly recommended! - Modern Beats
- The number one resource for hip hop and R&B samples. Used by the top producers of Madonna, J-Lo, Britney Spears and many other hit artists.
5. Get Some Music Education
Huh? You thought I was going to hand you the magic formula? Wake up! There is no magic formula. Just hard work :-)Go read music production magazines, books, music production forums and most important of all: go make your own beats rights now!
Learning how to play an instrument is also an asset you can't ignore, as well as learning how to read music. Playing an instrument will help your musicality and help you become a more complete producer (did you know that Prince plays all instruments in the studio?)
Great Books about Making Beats on Amazon
Here's some books I recommend. They'll give you information on making your own beats and general music production tips.
How To Make Your Own Beats Resources From Around The Web
Here's some beat making production news from around the web:
Fetching RSS feed... please stand by6. Beat Production Tips
Alright, you have waited long enough. Let me give you some production tips for making your own beats.
I invite you to add your own production tips to the list and vote for the ones you think are coolest.
Layer Drum Samples
In order to make your unique and full drum sound, more...0 points
Use Gltich Effects
Glitch effects are great to get some special fx pe more...0 points
Add a high-passed sample loop to your beats
Classic trick but still valid to give more dynamic more...0 points
New-York Style Compression
To this to get solid kick drums. Mix your kick wit more...0 points
Here's my favorite link:
Drop me some feedback!
Let me know how I am doing with my lens. What did you like? How can it be improved? Just shoot!
submit
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Reply
- likeitgrowsontrees likeitgrowsontrees May 27, 2009 @ 5:31 am
- I love your lens it's jampacked!! I made a lens about the basics of beat-making.
http://www.squidoo.com/howtomakeahiphopbeat
Check it out if you get a chance. I'd love tips from a fellow musician!
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Reply
- cagalindo cagalindo May 5, 2009 @ 6:59 pm
- wow nice stuff man.
a week ago i used this to make some of my beats
http://www.makemyownmusic.net
check it out bro
thanks
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Reply
- Zion Zion Feb 2, 2009 @ 10:24 am
- Wow! Your lens is fantastic! I really like it so I gave you 5*. Keep up the god work!..
Please try to stop by my Top 3 Home Based Businesses lens. I would really much appreciate if you could rate mine too!
Thank you so much!
Zion
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Reply
- CharoLaRock CharoLaRock Feb 2, 2009 @ 4:48 am
- Good start! I think tip 3 is the best and most overlooked by a lot of beginners. Great work, I hope you manage to start on your new lenses. Once you've mastered your techniques, have a look at making some money from your music through writing production music.
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Reply
- CharoLaRock CharoLaRock Feb 2, 2009 @ 4:47 am
- Good start! I think tip 3 is the best and most overlooked by a lot of beginners. Great work, I hope you manage to start on your new lenses. Once you've mastered your techniques, have a look at making some money from your music through writing production music.
- Load More
Beat Production Links
Some Links to Other Beat Production Resources
- Hip Hop Directory
- Directory of hip hop related websites, including hip hop production web resources.
by loicbarda
Hi, I'm Loic Barda, electronic music producer and fan of the internet :-) Hope you enjoy my lenses about making music. (more)
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