Question: How do you "learn" to make beats?

[Mr. D-Sane]

I'm not taking a shot at anybody in particular......but this is a common question in here.....and I personally think it's stupid.

I didn't "learn" to make beats. Nobody taught me shit. I just picked up a drum machine one day and started banging out beats. I learned about MIDI on my own.....I learned about sequencing on my own.....and I think it helped me to create my own style. I just took years of musical training from band and used it for something else......something that was all my own.

As most of you can tell.....I'm beginning to get sick of the wanna-be's. I'm not trying to discourage anybody from chasing their dreams.....or trying to turn people off from TRYING to make music.....but I will say this:

IF YOU HAVE THE GIFT....THEN YOU HAVE IT. YOU'RE NOT GONNA "LEARN" IT.

And 1 more thing that bugs the shit out of me......fools who have some Mickey Mouse shit that post up beats claiming it to be "HEAT"....when the shit sounds like some off-key old school 1979 crap. The words for today boys n girls are:

INDUSTRY STANDARD

Learn about it.


OK.....I'm done venting. Now ya'll can talk shit.

 

[HERESY]

how does 1 learn to play guitar?

:H:

 

[Mr. D-Sane]

I was waiting for you...........

how does 1 learn to play guitar?

:H:

So who taught YOU how to make beats? Or did you order an instructional video?

 

[HERESY]

VIDEO

:h:

 

[Mr. D-Sane]

I bet you have Darrin's Dance Grooves too.....

Let's talk moves! Like the big ones Darrin is making on his own. After being the choreographer to today's most popular artists [NSYNC, Britney Spears, Jordan Knight, etc...], Darrin is taking his skills to the streets in his DDG seminars, and to your homes with his instructional video!

 

[JStaxxx]

HAHHAHAHHAHHAHHAHHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHAHHAHHAHHAHHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHAHHAHHAHHAHHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHAHHAHHAHHAHHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHAHHAHHAHHAHHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHAHA!!!!! That was song cold shit right dere.

 

[BIG J]

You learn by gettin' Epxerience, and You get better as you practice, it does help to have a musical background. But really it all akes that "vision" of what the shit's supposed to sound like, and how it should feel.

Like I taught Myself How to play the drums, Just Like I taught myself how to make beats.

 

[HERESY]

actually i cant dance a lick. how much is darrens dance grooves? where can i get the tape?

:H:

 

[mo-x]

no doubt, if you really wanna get into making beats, invest in some equipment, if you're really serious about shit you'll invest your cash into the long term, like a triton or a motif 7, but I agree... this question annoys me alot also and sometimes I catch myself being lazy and asking stupid questions about, for example, how to mix when i know damn well all i gotta do is fuck around and see what sounds tight. heh.

 

[Sick Wid It]

You can learn how to program a drum machine. You can learn how to play an instrument. You can learn how to use a midi sequencer. So can you "learn" how to make beats? Technically, yes.

Can you "learn" to be a Babyface or a Rodney Jerkins or a Dr. Dre? No. Do all those people do the same thing? No but they all have one thing in common, they have a natural-born talent for hearing music. People need to get it through their head that making beats and being musically gifted are not the same thing. It is WITHOUT QUESTION like D-Sane said, either you were born with it or you just simply don't have it.

I see a lot of cats posting stuff like they don't have a drop of damn sense in their entire body. You might want to be the next super-producer or super-musician but don't lose focus on reality man. If you don't have it and you know you don't have it, quit trying to fool yourself (and everybody else). I always see these corny ass message-SPAMS like "HOTT BEATZ FO' SALE" and "CHECK THIS OUT. STRAIGHT FIRE!!!". I can't think of a single time when I listened to any of it and thought, 'you dude is right, that is fire'. Usually most of the stuff is off-pitch and musically unappealing.

But hey, that's just my opinion.

 

[Mr. Samos]

I see a lot of cats posting stuff like they don't have a drop of damn sense in their entire body. You might want to be the next super-producer or super-musician but don't lose focus on reality man. If you don't have it and you know you don't have it, quit trying to fool yourself (and everybody else). I always see these corny ass message-SPAMS like "HOTT BEATZ FO' SALE" and "CHECK THIS OUT. STRAIGHT FIRE!!!". I can't think of a single time when I listened to any of it and thought, 'you dude is right, that is fire'. Usually most of the stuff is off-pitch and musically unappealing.

But hey, that's just my opinion.

I agree 100% with this.

 

[bumpus]

That does get annoying, but I kinda want to see people get their hustle on... It takes more dedication than talent. Number one for those who still want to give it a shot is to read all you can. Learn music theory and teach yourself how to play. A good starting point is to listen to a beat you like until you can pick out each and every instrument and sound and understand the rhythm of the track. Listen to how the bass and drums correlate and complement one another. Listen to whether to melody goes with the bass or against it and what kind of feel does that give the beat. Often, the bassline will be going down in pitch while the melody goes up in pitch. Notice how the rhythm isn't stiff, but has 'swing' to it. Stick to one key in your tracks. Use chords to give the track a little feeling. Please don't use the same exact sounds on a synth as your favorite producer, learn to program synth patches and make your own.

And most importantly, don't post a link here to your first beat! You probably shouldn't let anyone hear your work for a *long* time...

Granted, I don't have that much natural talent for music, but those who have heard my tracks have good things to say, which I attribute to a lot of hard work and learning.


-=bumpus=-

 

[Mr. D-Sane]

Sick Wid It hit the nail on the head.

Sure.....you CAN learn the technical aspect of "making beats." But if you can't sit down and program a decent rhythm.....and then add some on-key melody to it..........YOU ARE DEAD IN THE WATER. Hang up your "beat makers" hat and call it a career.

It's just like basketball.....sure.....you may want to play hella bad. But if you can't dribble the ball or shoot it.....what's the point? You suck.....FACE IT.

 

[Mr. Samos]

You suck.....FACE IT.

lol

 

[Big Robb]

i can make a beat but making music is a different thang, i got sum tight beats but my music suckz, u cant Learn a gift, a gift is a gift, u got or u dont, best thang for a beat maker is to use sample so its sounds half way like music, best thang for music makers is to stick with whut u do best, make music and or beats cuz you got that gift.......couple more cents for yall

 

[Unkut Yola]

you learn from experience n common sense D-Sane You Right Mane i didn't learn to rap from nowhere i just decided hey i'm gon try to rap wasn't noody givin me pointerz n shit and tha same wit beats i learn sumthin new everytime i create a beat its funner that way:hurt:

 

[SPORADIC]

@Mr.Dsane.....
for a person in ur shoes,I feel you should try a little more to motivate cats that wants to begin makin beats..Sure,no ones gonna just jump up,buy a keyboard and drum machine and become a super-producer overnight.But their is a lot of cats that feel they wanna get into the game of makin beats..I'm pretty sure when you 1st started you didnt bring the heat...It takes years of practicing to get on that industry standard style of makin beats....I feel you can learn how to be sicc with it....Like forestated...Peeps like dre and timbo got the ear for this shit and knows how a melody is put together...If one really opened his mind and let his ass follow....Then maybe he can also put in heat..............But putting someone down isn't gonna do it............................Dayum I gotta go.........

 

[BANETHEMERCILES]

d has a funny way of motivating cats....he will talk shit about how shitty your production is and then you get mad and try to make some shit that is up to par (lol)....simple as that.....the first set of songs he mixed down for me were recorded on some shitty ass equipment (im not gonna say what cuz im still embarresed) but i think d will be a little surprised after he hears the next batch cuz i been fuckin with some "industry standard" gear, and i CAN make beats...plus i get the bomb ass samples

 

[PrahdukshunGod]

You probably shouldn't let anyone hear your work for a *long* time...

damn i wish i was thinking that!.....i will be back and more better than before

 

[THA RIPPA]

It's just like basketball.....sure.....you may want to play hella bad. But if you can't dribble the ball or shoot it.....what's the point? You suck.....FACE IT.

WHAT ABOUT MIKE JORDAN? HE WAS CUT FROM HIS HIGH SCHOOL TEAM