MAKE BEATS FOR RAP

This is mainly due to three main advantages that come with using a beat maker online.

1. It's Extremely Inexpensive - Most newcomers and even the more seasoned producers, just don't have the finances to keep up with constant upgrades in equipment and software that are necessary to stay competitive. This is why a large portion of producers are converting to using a beat maker online. They come equipped with all the same features at a fraction of a fraction of the price. It's just a better and wiser business investment.

2. Simplicity - If you have been making beats long enough, then you know how important this feature is. When you have a beat in your head, you need to be able to put it down before you lose it. And a complicated sequencer interface will only frustrate you and kill your creative momentum. This is the beauty of using a beat maker online. There's one in particular, on their home page there's a video with a guy making a beat using the software. Now he managed to bang out a fire beat in about 4 minutes, but the part that really stood out to me was the fact that he would say what he had in his head and how he wanted it to sound. Then he would lay it down right on the sequencer. It was just that easy, you don't need to be a engineer or really have any experience to use a beat maker online. Which leads me to the next feature

3. Education - Most people that buy expensive equipment and software never learn how to use them, beyond the basics of the sequencer. Partly because they don't come with anything but a manual, or some help instructions, which are usually written in some technical language that only an actual engineer would understand. But when you use a beat maker online, at least the one that I'm thinking of, you get step by step video tutorials on how to use the software. Not just to make beats, but how to mix them and use complementing effects as well.

Now there is one program that has been deemed as the #1 program in the industry. This particular online beat maker has tutorials that are actually taught by the creator of the software. Who is a real producer, not just some software programmer. It's sequencer interface is super simple and user friendly, so even a rookie could use it and make a professional sounding beat in minutes. Trust me, it's earned it's title.

The Pimp Factor

Recording labels have even been known to contract with an artist, so that they can own the rights to their music - and then refuse to promote it - why? To control what you and I listen to on the .radio and keep the type of music that they want to promote in the forefront. In any other arena this action would be considered as "pimping". This may seem like a harsh term - but what is a Pimp? According to the website EduQna "What Does Pimping My Ride Mean?", the explanation fits pretty well "'Pimp my Ride'' is a phrase meaning the modification of (something), usually, impractical but very flashy way (think pimp-like). (making) modifications, etc. (something being) altered to achieve the appearance (something more media than real)". I really love EduQna's Rough translation: "Please sir, if you would kindly pull the cash from my pockets to make my (possession) appeal to my need for compensation." If the word fits, recording labels should wear it. Many artists have complained that they feel "pimped out" due to the types of contracts they innocently sign just to break into the industry - the signing may be innocent, but the wording of the contract is by design - to control the music and the artist who creates it.

The music industry is really shooting itself in the foot and hemorrhaging slowly by not joining with online music sites whereby both can profit. However, in its effort to control the industry as it has in the past, they are missing out on a large opportunity to sell a larger variety of music to their demographic target - 13 to 18 year old listeners. But those listeners are growing up and due to their computer and internet abilities, they are "hacking" into an online market of music that the mainstream music industry can't touch - Online Streaming Music.

Gently Down the (Music) Stream

In 1999, an 18-year-old college dropout named Shawn Fanning changed the music exchange forever with his file-sharing program called Napster. His idea (not the 60 hours of creating the computer code it took to create it) was simple: a computer program that allowed computer users to share and swap files, specifically music, through a centralized file server. His response to the complaints of the difficulty to finding and downloading music over the Net was to stay awake 60 straight hours writing the source code for a program that combined a music-search function with a file-sharing system and, to facilitate communication, instant messaging. Napster was born. But was Shawn patted on the back for his ingenuity? Are you kidding? The Recording Industry Association of America filed suit against Napster charging them with tributary copyright infringement, which means Napster was accused not of violating copyright itself but of contributing to and facilitating other people's infringement. However, Napster argued with some success that because the actual files are never in Napster's possession, but transferred from user to user, that Napster is not acting illegally. The issue in P2P applications (Peer to Peer) is that if Napster is guilty of copyright infringement, then the consumers of Napster are guilty too. Likewise, if the consumers are not guilty, then how can Napster be held responsible?

So Shawn and his tiny company of 50 employees in Redwood City, California was up against media empires like Universal, Sony and BMG. But what the music industry failed to see is that whatever the outcome of the Napster lawsuit, Napster had opened a proverbial window of possibility on the Internet and more companies would and did spring up over time. After a protracted legal battle the site would eventually be shut down. Years later, after being bought by Roxio, it would reemerge as a popular digital music service. Since that time, there are thousands of sites worldwide, that have grown from and perfected what Shawn started moved through the controversy, and now provide quality music to its online customers through a process called "streaming". "Streaming" is a generic term in the computer world. It basically means that the data being transferred can be used immediately, without having to download the song in it's entirety before it can be used. Audio (music) and video (that is a topic of another article) can be streamed successfully, and with a high quality result.

One of the most popular providers of streaming audio and video, of course is Apple Computers. With the introduction and popularity explosion of the I-Pod, which was created for downloading, transferring and playing music and now video, Apple created I-Tunes, a service where you can purchase individual songs or full albums, from an extensive library - from any genre you can think of - where customers can purchase tracks online for a nominal fee. This is due to the fact that I-Tunes and other streaming music companies have created partnerships through licensing agreements with some artists and some music labels. And now with the I-Phone gaining popularity, there is no end to what "streams" of media can be had by anyone with an media player.

Though technological progress has been made in this area, megalomania is still pervasive. There is still a large population of record labels and companies who have chosen not to partner with digital/streaming music companies. Why? Control - the music companies want and have control over the majority of music and artists of the music that you listen to.

Where the "Buck" Stops

A large majority of the music industry's record labels still own around 75% of the world's most well-known recordings, yes the world's! All streaming music companies are clamoring for new media to sell its customers, and offers the recording labels licensing agreement opportunities that would allow wider distribution of legal music downloading and streaming - without a license for every single song they offer to the public - they now, after the successful ligation brought on by the Napster controversy - companies can be successfully sued. When the record label refuse licensing agreements, those songs or records cannot be offered for consumers like us to listen to or purchase online. This is the sole reason why you cannot find many of the most popular artists or songs you have come to love on streaming music sites. It is because the major recording labels have still not gotten around to agreeing to license these sites to offer their music. Who suffers? Really everyone. With declining CD sales, the music label suffers, we the consumer suffer and the artists as well, because they are missing out on the opportunity to be heard on the largest media network in the world - the internet. Though money is a major factor in why the music industry is not partnering up with streaming audio and video companies - more so it is about control. Fear of losing it, has compelled many to act unwisely, and unfortunately music labels are no exception.

So, until the major recording labels wake up and smell the MP3 (a fancy word for music file); and until artists either insist on contracts that include their right to sell their product through other mediums OR artists peddle their music online on their own, as many new artists are doing, and until the consumer stops purchasing music from the labels that don't support the streaming music industry, our ability to increase our library of music selections will continue to be limited. The technology is here - but the music is being held hostage - with the ransom being a purchase of a CD wrapped in cellophane. There are thousands of new artists popping up every year, with new and exciting music of every genre, and hopefully these new artists will work with record labels who actually live and work in the 21st century and create a powerful partnership to distribute their music online.

So in conclusion, I guess that in one case at least, the Gangsta Rap artists did something positive, and delivered a line that fits this situation in a limited sense - until we "fight the powers that be" in the music industry, we will be forced to keep listening to the same song - with a different beat - over and over again.

Well first up you need some DJ gear. While back in the day the ultimate DJ gear set up consisted of two Technics turntables and a mixer but now things have become somewhat more sophisticated. The industry standard is now Pioneer whose CD decks and mixers are the weapons of choice for most DJs and nightclubs with many features on offer. Multimedia inputs, midi mapping and special effects like 'phase', 'trans', 'delay', 'filter', 'crush' and 'roll' a sampling repeat effect that can add a new dimension to tracks.

These effects can be applied to existing tracks to make new sounds and interpretive versions of the original music. These days DJs only have to turn up with a USB stick, a pair of headphones and they're ready to rock a crowd. Furthermore you are now able to synchronise up with software programs like Traktor and Mixvibes to create personalised sets and remixes. But wait a moment; we are getting ahead of ourselves. How do you go about securing the best value DJ gear available? Cheap DJ gear might not always be the best option but on the other hand expensive top of the line gear might not always be the best immediate solution either. Do you stick with a brand name like Pioneer or perhaps look at other more affordable brands that may offer similar features like American Audio or Gemini. If you are looking to buy DJ gear then you will need to do some research and this is where you can really save money.

First up however the type of gear required is often dictated by the type and style of music are you playing. This will determine what type of equipment is needed. If you love hip-hop and rap perhaps a scratching set up is warranted. Are you playing vinyl or CDs or other types of digital media? The mixer of choice for scratch DJs will usually have a bulletproof cross fader with curve adjustment. Perfect for scratching up a storm and dropping beats. For those playing house or trance a mixer with effects and high sound quality is usually most desired. Whatever DJ gear is needed whether in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane or Ibiza, more research is required. There are plenty of DJ forums and websites out there that prove invaluable when buying any type of DJ gear, from 'old school' (Technics turntables) through to 'new school' state of the art equipment (Pioneer CDJ2000s).

The old school crowd regard turntables as being the highest level of art using 2, 3 or sometimes 4 turntables to produce staggering layered mixes. Carl Cox was well renowned for his 4 turntable 8-hour sets. Scratch DJs on the other hand like Q-Bert typically use 2 turntables and construct new sounds from existing vinyl sound bites. Q-Bert even went on to design his very own Vestax QFO turntable complete with built in mixer. Digital DJs tend to stand more in the producer end of town having more control over variables, and as such are able to get more technically creative in the mix. A lot of the challenge in using turntables has been taken away in the digital world, even for something as simple as beat matching. Digital DJs experience the luxury of having sampled sound bites automatically beat matched, pitch shifted and synchronised all at the touch of a few buttons. This enables DJs to really get inside their gear and use a vast array of effects and transitions to create mind-boggling world-class mixes and mash-ups.

Having some knowledge of the types of media i.e. vinyl versus digital, the style of your music and how you are going to deliver your set now allows us to discuss the all amount selection of DJ gear. First I would advise to set a budget. While a minimum quality level is recommended you need to set a budget that sits within your skill level. There are some terrific set-ups out there for well under 00. At the other extreme two Pioneer CDJ2000s, a Pioneer DJM2000, software package and laptop could easily crack the ,000 mark. Even the more affordable setups can offer you the same features and functionality of the higher priced name brands. There are plenty of DJ businesses that offer rehearsal studios (DJ booths) where you can practice with professional gear or you can attend a DJ school and pick a course that most suits the direction and style of music that interests you.

There are stories of underground DJs that labour in their bedrooms or in DJ booths for many hours before coming out to wow the crowd at the DMCs or other similar competitions, thus catapulting them to the top of the talent pool. Ideally playing experience provides skill and it might be case of working your way up the set list to get better and better gigs. Of course it helps to have a good few hundred friends on Facebook as crowd pulling power incentivises promoters to book DJs for gigs.

Forums are the best place to start looking. DJ gear manufacturers also have their own forums such as forums.pioneerdj.com by Pioneer. While these are obviously going to be slanted in a positive light, posts will often reveal first hand knowledge about the whys and wherefores of the various types of equipment. Features, benefits and how they relate to you the end user. Remember if searching on Google or similar make sure you use intuitive search topics. And remember a search engine like Google offers paid keywords for retailers and manufacturers wanting to appear at the top of the searches as sponsored advertising. In other words try and ensure you are reading neutral information as opposed to sponsored information.

If a website is more about paid advertising links and out of date posts you are probably on the wrong site. Before purchasing any gear, try and make sure the outlet has a good reputation in the market and make sure they have been in the market a decent period of time. If they carry most of the major brands such as Pioneer, Technics, Numark, Gemini, American Audio, Vestax, Allen and Heath, Traktor, Mixvibes etc, then they should be OK. Discuss with the sales person all of the points mentioned above with regard to the music you are playing, vinyl vs. digital, software etc and get some options. Remember knowledge is power so the more research and discussion you undertake, the better informed decision you will make and leading you to ultimately become the superstar DJ you want to be.

First of all, is your music as good as it can be? Are you 100% happy with your songs? If not, so you better think twice if you should start spreading the word around. Because once the word is out, it's out. You can only do first impression once and if that fails, it's no good. So listen to your tracks and beats, give them some thought and maybe get few opinions elsewhere before doing anything.

Many people rush into things and maybe even release unmixed tracks and beats and then just tell people: "The better, fully mixed version will be out soon". I mean c'mon, a proper mixing/mastering can do wonders to a song and you should NOT release unmixed tracks, ever, period. Only release songs that you are satisfied with.

Second of all, you've probably been to Myspace at some point in your life? If you've been there so i'm sure you've seen the next thing there what I'm about to say. Don't send huge amount of "spam" messages to people telling them to check out your beats/songs. In example:

"YO DUDE, I GOT SOME SICK ASS HIPHOP BEATS, SOME REAL DR. DRE SHIT!!!! ONLY 5 BUCKS TO LEASE!"

No, no, no and no. Would you check out his beats? Because I guarantee your inbox is full of these kind of messages. Here's some reasons this message sucks:

1. You can see clearly this is meant to hundreds of people, clearly a spam message who nobody reads.
2. All letters are capital letters, shows that the guy wants to stand out, it never works.
3. The message doesn't show any kind of professional attitude whatsoever.

So what could you do to make a message like this better? Personalize it for the specific person you're sending it to. People appreciate you checking them out first and commenting/asking something about them. I guarantee they will more likely read your message and get back to you.

What would you do, send 100 "spam" messages and get 0-5 replies. Or in the same amount of time send 20 personalized messages and get 15-20 replies? You can see it now too, huh?

It's all about connecting on a personal level, look professional and use common sense. Do this and you will gain more exposure for your music, underground beats, hiphop beats and what not.

Underground beats

If you want to position yourself apart from the tight playing field of rappers, hip-hop artists & other would-be artists, you've GOT to make good tunes. It requires a set structure. It must occupy the listeners subconscious & stay there after they are done listening. To do this, you have to have killer beats.

In an industry where a fresh beat rules, you can not afford to use just any old hip-hop instrumentals, rap beats or R and B instrumentals. You have to have pro beats. There are online services that can provide you with the major label sound - from to 0 per. OUCH! Double-check that what they give you is a superior sound. You require Pro underground beats and nothing less.

Recognize from the start that you should have a sharp understanding of what sort of instrumental beats you desire.

Initially, you probably need to conduct experiments. This involves downloading a series of different rap beats. You could also download software and make your own beats. The software is usually a one time purchase, between - 0. BUT! Once you have it you can make unlimited number of beats for free. Stay away from the free beat makers - they are usually crap. Just remember, you get what you pay for. Start small and work your way up. Choose from a wide range, musically & stylistically. Simple, is sometimes more potent, particularly in rap or hip hop. The question mark here is which mode or style you need.

If you like the west or east coast styles of Rap? Is your strategy to R and B-based or jazz in flavor? The genres do blend & there are several sub-genres, but it's important that you choose for your own recognisable personality. Make sure before you start messing with the rap beats, you know your personal musical style. Your rap beats must reflect this aspect. This way you can keep it real.

Still, there are added dynamics to consider. You must splice the beat to many other factors. These consist of the makeup of the texts or vocals you want to use, the wants of the listeners & the marketability - or not, of the complete composition. If you can not come across hot rap beats to fulfill those requirements, you wont be able to present music on tape or live in a convincing way. This is about identifying with & claiming the beats & make them your own.

Once you've decided on the factors & arrived at a decision, begin the process of compiling a comprehensive rhythmic package. Don't download & use just any ol' dusty beat. Select them according to your own, recently accepted criteria. The outcome will make it easier to blow away your audience.

The last part of the puzzle is practise. You need to perfect your composition, sharpen your skills. Take the hip hop beat & work it. Rearrange it when it's needed from section to section to make it work. Structure & restructure it. Be ready, even when it works, to go back over it all over again. Working that much harder will help give you a competitive edge. By continually working to polish your sound, your personality & your expertise, you'll stand out from others with the same goals for the prime spot in the music world.

There is no better way to progress as an artist than by making hot sounding beats for instrumentals - after all, the notable artist all pay money for beats for a reason & see the importance of first-rate hip-hop beats & rap beats. (Of course they can afford it too, but you can make your own beats to start with.)

When deciding upon what specific type of music you are interested in, there are only a few variables you should have to deal with. Most of you probably do rap / hip hop, house, reggae, jungle, and other well known urban music. So let's begin by establishing focus on these areas and explore creating some heart thumping beats.

The best approach is to take a little time, go through and look at some of the more well used beat builds and what they should indicate to you. I will also explain some design structures and expand upon them during our discussion. In addition, you can check out a great video with pictures located in the resource area in order to follow along as we go. if you so desire.

Rap / Hip Hop - Although rap and hip hop can be all over the place with a variety of tempos, the majority usually stay with 75-105BPM. The drum kits and samples used are all from the classic 808's too slick new multi-drum sounds like Timba / Neptune. But one thing is certain - the pattern of the drums themselves are usually off the wall and can easily be broken down. After you get started this will make much more sense and is something else for you to look for.

House / Trance - If you are serious about bar building and repetition, get ready! House tracks usually begin with uncomplicated patterns in the 120-140BPM range and typically build and drop a few times until a chorus or bridge. House is simple and fun to make, and often you do not need more than a few nice 16's looped with a selection of bridges and change ups. anything and everything goes with house and the drum kits and samples are getting more and more mash up style. The house scene is now being recognized and broken into by the big hip hop artists - mainly because of increasing popularity and the niche has largely been untapped until now. Ya just gotta love to grove to a great new track with a couple of beers in the club, I certainly do.

Reggae / Reggaeton: Reggae - There are some exceptions of course, but this genre generally holds the same tempo Hip Hop / Rap (75-105). Sick baselines coupled with hard hitting kits are contrasted with the drum kits and samples and their usually light keys. If you can build a wicked rhythm with the right patterns and drops, nothing comes close. Reggae is very similar to reggaeton in the patterns and production area anyway. The keys generally have an offset three quarter loop, then all you need is a few tweaks
to double up the kick and snare per bar.

I think once you absorb the videos and maybe go over a few more genres, you'll agree that it's relatively simple to take your bars, change them up, duplicate them, tweak, and bam you can go from one genre to the next with a few EASY steps.

Cool fam, glad you have stayed with me so far. If you already know most of this stuff, you are ahead of the game but I also want the newest of noobs to a receive a full understanding of our world in as little time as possible here.

Next time we go in the sampling and how to make your own sounds, drums, keyboard and more categories in Turbo beats do get a few clicks...

Keep making those hot beats until then!

Weekday monotony is brutal. Weeks come. They go. Every week I look at myself in the mirror and promise to be more organized, more actively engaged in learning activities with the kids, more productive with my home business, more on top of chores, more like Wonder Woman (including her figure). I have a traveling husband so after my Calgon bath and bon bons in front of Oprah, I'm the nanny, maid, accountant, treasurer, cook, chauffeur, personal assistant and any other duties needed to run a house and live sanely. I can't do it all. That's right - you read it here. But I can prioritize and then I can accept things will go undone and that I will have to do things I don't want to do.

My weekday survival guide:

• Wake up an hour before the kids. My 8 month old thinks waking up with the roosters is perfectly normal. Someday I know he'll sleep later. Even my 3 year old insomniac sleeps until 7am now. So I dig deep when that alarm clock goes off at 5:30 and get up. By doing this, I can get dressed peacefully. I get lunch made for my 3yr old, coffee dripped for me, breakfast ready for both of them.
• 40 for you. Barring "crazy" days, schedule 40 minutes for you during morning nap and afternoon nap. This is like drop off and pick up. It has to be done. Period. You can't leave them at school right? If they aren't napping anymore, quiet time. They can do it for 40 minutes. A walk helps get them engaged. But time in their rooms with books and toys is a minute for you to read a magazine article, make a phone call, maybe get in a 30 minute workout...it's a healthy thing for everyone.
• Preplanned Activities. You don't need subscriptions to every parenting magazine out there. The internet is money. Search it for age appropriate activities. Noggin has some great ones: go to http://www.nickjr.com. Sometimes you need supplies. I do this research and shopping on the weekend when the hubby is home. Have 2 activities a day, one for morning and one for afternoon. Don't worry about new and exciting. Kids love continuity and predictability. Many of these activities can be changed up just by counting from 10-20 instead of 1-10.
• Outside play. Every morning and every afternoon, inclement weather not withstanding. You can pack them up for the park or just hit the back yard. Here's the deal, you have to run it out with them. They'll only run around by themselves for so long (and that's not very long). So put on your superhero cape and run and jump and climb trees. Hey, you can count this as your workout.
• Story time. Read, read, read every morning and afternoon. Libraries are awesome resources for new books without putting in the monetary investments. Many libraries also offer free group classes that can help break up the day.
• Enlist the troops. My 3 year old likes to say he is my "supa helpa". I wouldn't call it help so much but it does keep him engaged when I'm doing the mundane acts of life. I get his play vacuum, turn up the kiddie music to concert decibel (not really but you get me), and we dance and vacuum our way through the house. Every chore has a "supa helpa" parallel that lets you work without listening to crying or whining babies.
• Preplanned meals. What question is worse: what's for lunch or what's for dinner? They are both dreadful. Beat the rap and start the planning early, like Thursday. Write down meal ideas, lunches and dinners for the next week. Shop on the weekend or whenever you can get some help. Freeze, freeze freeze. See my other articles: 'What's for Lunch? Easy, fun, edible for the Lunch Box Crowd' and 'What's for Dinner? Dinner Impossible for the Busy Family'.
• Fun Goals. Everyone deserves rewards for good behavior. If kids know that towing the line will get them something good later in the week, it's remarkable how compliant they can be. So plan a fun goal every week: a picnic at the park, a trip to the museum or zoo, a movie (if they are older). And follow through with your promises. Kids are savvy and know when they just got hustled. With kids, they'll play fair if we do.
• Call It a Day. Pick a time, 7, 8, 9, 10 and stop. Make sure that time is at least an hour before you have to get into bed in order to be functional the next day. There's no joy in working all day until bed, dropping, then getting up and doing it all over again. Give yourself an hour or more to - read, take a bath, surf the web, watch TV, whatever gives you joy (outside of your family, of course).

The reality is a great majority of independent artists do not end up with record deals period. The truth is the music industry doesn't want you or your music until you can start your own buzz. It doesn't matter how good your music is. If they don't know about you they don't want you.

The dream factories like 'American Idol' are a long shot for an artist to get discovered. Having an A & R person from a major record label end up at the live show and offering you a deal is another long shot.

You're probably thinking, "Hey I thought this was going to be about taping my live show", we will be getting into that later in this article. I just wanted to set the stage for how important a marketing tool a promotional video is to an artist.

Thousands and thousands of unsolicited CD's are sent off to record labels by hungry artists every month. They range from the submissions that are labeled by hand that always end up in the trash to the more well packaged CD's that include artwork or maybe a press kit.

An awesome way to make your CD submission stand out and get noticed is to include some footage of you performing live. I guarantee it will make you more appealing to record labels as an artist. Music videos are a different animal all together, but in this article I want to focus on sharing with you how to shoot a promotional video for next to nothing.

Maximize the opportunity you have to perform at a venue in front of a live audience to the absolute fullest by taping your performance. A performance lasts for one night, while a promotional video of you crushing your set lasts a lot longer.

Regardless if you're the opening act or headliner you're taking the stage to rock the show. You know you're the next big thing. Unfortunately, many talented artists do not have major music labels or sizable marketing budgets behind them when they start to have a professional camera crew tape their show and capture behind the scenes interviews.

I taped live shows for a music management company. Sometimes I had a camera crew of four, but most of the time it was only me as a one man camera crew. I learned a lot and saw a lot covering these shows at clubs all over Southern California.

Some artists make the mistake of having a friend or family member tape the show on any camcorder with nothing more than the infamous words, 'just point and shoot' as guidance. The performance captured is often grainy, out of focus, or you get dizzy from the zooms in and out.

You've just lost a powerful marketing tool when you didn't have to. Be clear in what you want. It's easier then ever to tape a show for next to nothing that looks good. I avoided getting into specific video equipment, software, and other non-essentials. This is all about the shoot. Now let's get to it.

Tip #1: Plan. Planning the shoot yourself doesn't cost anything but some footwork and energy. Who cares more about your career than you? Let whoever is running the show know you're going to have your performance taped. This will keep your camera crew from being hassled, be it one person or more. Know the layout of the venue and get there early. Be realistic. If you have one person behind a camera do not expect them to be everywhere at once. Work with within your resources. The most important images to capture are of you on stage in the moment. Let your camera crew know how long you're going to be in the spotlight. Nothing worse than running low on tape or battery power.

Whoever you have running the camera won't be a professional, but that doesn't mean you can't plan like one. Hand out a simple shot sheet telling them what you want. If you want tight mostly close-ups of yourself or wider shots with all the performers on stage let them know. They might not be able to get all of it, but they won't waste tape on useless footage either.

Be positive that whoever is taping your show knows how to work the camera. We've all heard someone ask, 'What button do I push to record'. I would have them practice. It might seem stupid, but doing a walk through rehearsal of your show with them taping it will be a big help. You can shoot it in your living room, garage, or backyard. The key is to act like it's the stage and let your natural movements come out. It's like a director does when he has actors walk through a scene so he can plan where the camera needs to be. It's called blocking. Anything can happen in the moments on stage, but your camera crew will be ready to roll with you because you've planned.

Things are going to be very chaotic at the show. You will be focused on doing what you need to do and that's performing. If you take the time before the shoot to plan as much as possible will payoff huge when it's show time.

Tip #2: Two is better than one. Hustle to get a second camera for the shoot. Go online and look for college kids advertising themselves as videographers or filmmakers in your area. Visit the local colleges and post flyers. Sell them on how hot the show is going to be, the beautiful people, etc. Be straight away that you can't pay them. But would they rather be at home or out taping a rising music force? They need the experience and resume filler, you need the extra camera.

If you find someone always provide them the videotape, for gas, and your deepest thanks. Sometimes believe it or not your friends or family will bail on you. This backup camera person might be all you have to cover the show. If they agree early enough make sure you get them your shot sheet and outline of what you want just in case they do end up covering your ass. I worked for free in college sometimes when a show was supposed to be hot. Those were good times I had. No money, but I saw some amazing shows and mixed with some very cool people. Sell them on that.

If you come up short finding someone you don't know to work for free, hit up everyone you know to lend you their camera, hopefully with them as a human tripod. I was doing a show hip hop show at the Santa Monica Pier and the crowd was going to be huge. I begged a friend to come with and bring her camera. She stood in the middle of the crowd with her camera and didn't move. She was my human tripod. I was able to move around more and get better shots because I knew she had the master of the show pretty well covered if I got in a pinch.

Tip #3: One person and their camera. If you only land one person to tape your show don't trip. When the first lyric or sound from your performance explodes from the stage have the camera far back enough to capture you or the entire group. No matter if you're all over the stage you will always be in frame and on camera. This will also allow the crowd to be taped in the foreground filling the frame with energy.

Make sure the camera is above the crowd. Not towering over the crowd, but enough where the performers on stage are clearly visible. Each venue is different, that's why during your planning stage take a look at what your up against. Will you need a small step ladder? Will a chair work? Use this master shot to get a majority of your footage.

One thing I like to do is start back in this master then walk in to a closer shot mid-way from the stage, not zoom, walk. You captured the entire shows vibe from the back now you're moving in to make it more intimate. You don't need to get fancy here. You have to be steady.

I was working a show alone covering the background musicians. The headlining artist had their own three person camera crew.

They were all over the place and looked real professional laying on their backs, crouching, and striking all kinds of camera crew poses. I followed my master back and walk in formula. After the show these guys clowned me pretty hard about the way I taped the show.

They asked me if I got this, did I get that. One described in detail how he started on a extreme close-up of the guitar players pick while he was playing then zoomed out. A camera crew at a bar after a show always talk about the footage they got. I listened and actually felt I did a bad job covering the show compared to what these guys did.

Later I get a call from the music management company praising me on the footage I got. Apparently the other guys wanted to direct a music video and it showed in the footage they taped. All their trick shots and gimmicks were mostly unusable. The artists record label actually used most of the footage I shot that night for a promotional video. I was just their to cover the background musicians, but luckily my simple formula captured the whole show.

That's what you want to do. Capture your whole show. Trust me a mostly master shot won't get boring at all. The key is to use this footage later as a promotional video of you as an artist. It's not meant to be some slick MTV style music video with quick cuts and crazy shots.

Tip #4: Forget in camera effects. Avoid using any in camera effects. You will be stuck with them and can't remove them from the footage if they look bad. I would stick with shooting the show in the normal camera setting. Let the performance and venue speak for itself. Plus the in camera effects will make it look like a total home video.

Later on if you feel the need to add effects do it with some over the counter editing software.

Tip #5: Do not use zoom or whips. Start off by putting tape on the zoom button or control so it can't be used. Nothing viewers hate more than dizzying zooms. How often have you watched a home movie where people went zoom happy? I for one can't watch videos like that. Think of the reaction you will get when you send out your promotional video to a record label or to anyone you're contacting to further your music career.

If you want to move into a closer shot always slowly walk in to the subject. If the crowd makes it hard to do this cut the camera off and fight your way to the spot you need to be. Don't sweat turning the camera off. The footage you got would have been useless shots of the ceiling, floor, and body parts of the crowd. When you're in the best spot you can get fire up that camera and shoot away.

Don't whip the camera to some action on the stage then whip to something crazy that happens in the crowd. The footage will be all over the place and have less impact. The fight in the crowd might be pretty cool, but are you there to get footage of an artist performing or taping a reality video? Stay focused. You can follow the action and adjust. Just make sure every move you make has a reason and is not over done.

The bottom line is to shoot in the performance in blocks. Get a master of the over all performance with closer still shots mixed in. Watch other promotional videos or the news and you'll see it's a series of locked down shots.

Tip #6: Wear headphones: Almost everyone has headphones already.If not they are inexpensive to buy. It's a must that you plug them into the camera when the show is being taped. The audio you capture when shooting a live show will not always be pristine, but it helps to know what audio you are getting.

Stay with using the cameras built in audio mic. You do not need to make the audio set up more complicated at this stage by adding an a external mic or plugging into the venues sound system. I can't stress it enough stick with the camera's built in mic for all your audio needs related to the show including behind the scenes interviews. People say whenever you can use an external mic and avoid the built in camera mic. For your situation of shooting a promotional video for next to nothing you'll be fine with the in camera mic.

If you get distortion or the audio is too loud where you're taping at you'll know by wearing the headphones. Then you can adjust and move your filming position. I am not audio expert or sound mixer. I use common sense and my ear to gauge the audio of the video I'm shooting. It seems to work.

Tip #7: Keep the camera steady. If you can absolutely buy or borrow a tripod for the camera you will be using. Shaky camera work will take away from the performance on tape. Nothing is better than footage that is well framed and steady. The beauty of a tripod is you can set your shot, lock off, and let the camera roll. A good rule of thumb is to hold shots for at least 20 seconds before moving the camera angle.

If you can't get a tripod lean against something to support yourself if possible. You can also lock your elbows close to your body with your eye firmly in the viewfinder to reduce camera shake. I have on more than one occasion been forced to turn myself into a human tripod. It beats the heck out holding the camera with one hand.

Tip #8: Dealing with stage lighting. I've never met stage lighting that I liked as a camera operator. In fact you will hate it. Mostly because you're the only one that will be concerned with the lighting. Everyone else in the place will give two shakes about your lighting issues.

It doesn't hurt to ask the lighting person to turn up the lights a little for the performance. Low moody light is good for the live crowd watching, but bad for your video.

I was taping a rap artist at a small club in Los Angeles. The house lights were turned down to almost nothing and the stage was lit with a few lights. I asked the lights be turned up a little and was told no. Another time the artist requested that the lights be turned up slightly while they performed and "presto" they made it happen. An artist always carries more weight than a grunt camera operator.

I will avoid going into a technical rant about gain levels etc. But I'm figuring if you're having a non-professional or fairly inexperienced person tape your show that will only add to confusion. I want to keep it to the basics that anyone can handle to improve the quality of footage being taped of the the show. If you have a more camera savvy person taping they will already know the deal on gain etc.

It's not a bad idea to buy a light for the camera. You get these at major electronic retailers for as cheap as . They can even be used off the camera in some situations. I was in a jam once near center stage and had to cradle the camera while sticking the light closer to the artist with my free hand. They're small size makes them great on the move. These small lights won't give you a huge light boost, but it will help.

If you can use the Auto-Exposure this is a great time to do it. Outdoors camera's adjust much better to lighting. Indoors you need to adjust to the lighting you're dealing with. This goes back to planning stage. If you were able to practice using the camera Auto-Focus will not be intimidating to you. Low light means you will have to open the eye of the camera up as much as possible. This should get you through.

Tip #9: Be low key. The crowd is unavoidable at shows. They will cross your in front of your camera when you're taping. They'll look into the camera and all the things we've seen people do when they know a camera is present. Try to be as low key as possible. Be the fly on the wall. You do not want the artists on stage or crowd distracted by you.

This is where it's to your advantage to not have a full blown professional camera crew coming into the venue like a bull in a china shop. People become keenly aware of cameras and act differently. You want the footage to be as natural as possible.

Start by turning off the red light on the camera when you hit record. Cover it with tape if you need to. I have found at live shows the light is distracting to those around you. Earlier I talked about getting a light for the camera. The same thing applies here. If you do not need to turn on the light don't.

When people see that camera light they cover their faces and other things. They're doing everything but acting natural when they see the light. Pick and choose the spots where your camera light needs to be used.

Tip #10: Always get a backstage interview. As soon as your done with your show take time to give an interview backstage to your camera person. You'll be pumped up and that will comes across on the video. You might even be able to get other artists to talk about your performance giving you more credibility, especially if they have a name already.

A real interview away from the phony studio setting or well rehearsed interview by some news person is much more interesting. Here you are fresh from performing backstage at some venue speaking with emotion about your music. You have to be your number one salesmen.

The editing of the footage is something else all together. With the information I've shared you will have better footage to work with in post-production. One last tip I can give is that if you do not have access to editing software to cut your footage into a promotional video look for college students or people looking to break into editing. Sometime they will do it for free to have something to show and build their resume. Could be good for both of you. Best with everything. Maybe you can your music video or live performance shown on Americana VOD.

If you take a moment to think about it, most of the music we listen to today revolves around, and thrives simply on the presence of a beat alone. The music being created is in need of that instrumental if it hopes to succeed. In this day and age especially, a'capellas will not cut it without supporting music behind it, especially if it is a rap mixtape or album. Rap will only survive on a capella status if it is the basis of battle rap, and even still, most battles lately use some sort of instrumentals for rap that the dj is spinning on his or her radio.

So why are beats so important? Mainly, they set the stage, fill the ambience, and deliver the emotion to the listener and the artist alike. Can you imagine a thugged out rapper doing an a'capella on an entire album? Picture the Mobb Deep album Hell on Earth without any instrumentals... would you enjoy it as much? I'm going to guess probably not, especially given the album. And if you've listened to that album, you'll know just how horrible it would probably sound without any hip hop beats to back up the artists.

Beats are important on any hip hop artist's album because they help brand that rapper. With the rapper choosing the types he wants on his album to write for, the choices alone that are made will identify that rapper with his or her own style the more of these types of rap beats are being used.

Instrumentals for rap are also important as they simply set the mood for the listener. They help create a variety of different emotions or moods simply with the instrumental itself. An a'capella telling a story on a rap track may deliver some harsh lyrics, yet the words and content have to be pushed even more to try to evoke a mood. With an instrumental on that same track however, the aggression is triggered, and automatically, you'll feel like you were there as well.

Given the above explanations, you can pretty much gain an idea as to the impact beats give to the music they become a part of.

By setting the mood, elevating the message of the rapper, and helping to set the styles of the hip hop artists using them, instrumentals for rap are very valuable, and almost a requirement for the artist planning to distribute, and market their album releases to generate sales. Without them, most artists would sound like other artists, and it would be very difficult to brand yourself as a rapper or singer if you sounded like the next several people. Instrumentals help change that, and show why they should be a part of your next mixtape or album release.

We are going to talk about three ways that you can get some ideas that will help you to mix your own unique beats so that they have their own sound, a sound that will brand you. You see, you don't want yours to sound like everyone else's beats. The key is to use your creativity to make something sound different.

Secret #1 - Familiarize yourself with lots of different kinds of music

Have you ever listened to music by Brahms, Beethoven, or Mendelssohn? Are you familiar with the music of Nat King Cole, Duke Ellington or Sonny Rollins? Have you carefully listened to the artists like the Beatles, Michael Jackson or the Eagles? Have you spend some time listening to Lee Ann Rimes, or George Strait or even Dolly Parton? Why have I mentioned these artists? If you have noticed, all of these artists represent some different genres of music? Become familiar with various types of music, and you will be able to take your own beat creation abilities to the next level.

Secret #2 - Use Your Ears

We spend a lot of time using our eyes and not enough of our ears. Spend some time listening to what is going on around you. Drive down a country road with your windows open and your radio off. Listen for some unique sounds. Take a walk in the park. If you live near a beach, walk down the beach and listen to all of the various sounds. As your walking in the park, notice leaves rustling, the wind as it blows through the trees, the birds singing and the children playing.

Secret #3 - Work With Those That Are Better Than You

If you want to improve your own skills, you want to work with others who are better skilled or more knowledgeable than you. By doing this, you will learn what and how others create their beats. You never know what you can pick up from others by just watching and listening.

First, think about these sounds first:

* Kick drum and snare - these will be the main sounds in your beat,

* Rim shot - a softer, higher pitched sound,

* Hi-hat, open hi-hat,

* Various cymbals,

* Toms or melody drums, claps,

* Human made sounds and,

* Recorded samples.

Kick drum

The drummers would use some 'portable' or simple drum kit he had available. It might be a trash can, ethnic drum or simple drumsticks etc. So think about it for a second, and first, choose the right sounding, almost 'classic' drum kit you have available in your software. Use low kick - sometimes with an exaggerated bass sound. So called 'release' can be quite long as well - as later in your composition it can blend well with your bass instrument. Don't overdo it though, as the final result can be too muddy in the final mix.

Snare drum

Your snare should have a lot of meat to it. It has to really contrast the lows of the kick drum, and it has to be distinctive enough to stand out from the rest of the sounds. Try a classic snare drum, claps or a nice rim shot. Obviously you can mix all those three together or if your beat maker doesn't allow you to, use them in another layers and then adjust the volume of each one so the overall mix sounds nice. Don't let any of the particular sounds stand out too much in the mix and blend them nicely together.

Hi-hat

Again use your best judgment here, but keep the closed hi-hats sharp and crisp (more breath and volume is possible with the open cymbals). If you don't have that kind of particular samples and you software allows you to - use the noise gate to adjust the length of your samples.

Other sounds

Now comes the most interesting part, when you take full control of your music. Have you encountered any special samples you would like to use? Maybe it was a nice vocal shot; maybe some sampled beat boxing recorded somewhere on the street or at your friend's house? Add this to your creative process and play around with it. You can adjust these new samples in any audio editing software, just have a look around the web, some of them are free and can be really useful. Besides a little 'human' element in your beats will punch in some life into it, and it will make it sound more unique and entertaining. If you don't have any of the above at hand, use your imagination. Everybody now uses a cell phone that allows you to record sounds - use that to your advantage.

You want to have more credibility and originality in your productions, that's why it's good to have your own samples. Many of the music making programs out there don't allow you to use your own samples, and this can be quite limiting for you as an original and fresh sounding artist. Another step is to learn from the Pro's and imitate them, but remember about adding your own twist to it. Software, that comes with a lot samples and kits can be of a great advantage to you.

1.  For starters you will want a reliable computer because a computer will allow you to start the beat making process right way.  Once you start learning how to make rap beats on your computer you'll find it easier than ever before.

2.  On the  technical side of things you'll have to become familiar with MIDI, know how to best use a sequencer, get and test for yourself the proper keyboard and sythesizer equipment best for making your own beats.  Making your beats on a computer allows you to do these things quicker and easier with better sound.

3.  Audio loops, rex loops, rex drums, and many different beat samples are a few other basic beat making resources that you will need to become familiar with. Closely mixed with these is your ability to properly structure your own hip hop beats with your computer software.

4.  This is how an underground rap producer explains the process of making rap music beats, "Getting a grip on music theory is a big part of a DJ's and rap producers success when it comes to making beats."

Once you know how to produce and Make Beats on Computer of a professional quality with the skills you get from the top 4 tips, like knowing music theory and how to get good at sampling, you will find that becoming one of the best producers is just a few beats away.

Many contacts within the rap music producers world have different styles and techniques that they use at some point or other. Here are just a few comments they have about what they say in general about the Rap Beats Manual and why they make beats on computer and off of the computer....

"If you're not utilizing a computer or don't know how you need to be and you need to get the knowledge on how to produce rap music beats from the Rap Beats Manual."

"Make beats on computer or not you should have the Rap Beats Manual. You better be using a computer though or you'll get smoked!!"

"I started to make beats on computer along with my older techniques and the sounds get sicker every day. The Rap Beats Manual and the knowledge it covers is stuff I use daily when I'm making rap music beats."

The most fundamental aspect of this kind of rhythm composition is to understand that the track revolves entirely around percussive sounds. Even though the song may heavily feature a bass guitar and the obvious vocal track, these tonal elements are still used in a percussive and syncopated way.

The human mind interprets and processes rhythm in an interesting way. When we listen to rhythmic music, the gestalt principles of anticipation and completion come into play and create some of the subjective experience. A skilled composer will play with these expectations, filling gaps that were expected to be open or leaving holes in the rhythmic structure in unique ways.

Essentially, it all boils down to the drum and bass. These two instruments working in unison are referred to as a rhythm section. They are the backbone of all hip hop tracks, and if used correctly they can actually make people physically move their bodies.

Over the years, the approach to the creation of hip hop drum rhythms has changed. At first the dominant paradigm involved the turntablist, a musician who cut and scratched existing tracks in order to create a fresh montage. In more recent years the shift toward a live band with a real drummer has gained momentum. Sometimes these musicians complement the disc jockey rather than replacing them.

There are some important aspects which cannot be discussed in this way, unfortunately. Questions of personal flavor, individual style, and innovation are entirely up to the musician. When you create your own rap beats, you can decide for yourself how fast, slow, intimidating, or gentle you want it to be.

Not any more. With a little help and the right tools, anyone, even with no prior knowledge or experience in beat making can put together impressive sounds that's uniquely theirs, professionally produced, and in any style, from Jazz to Rap.

Music that that you can share with friends in mp3 format, burn to a CD, even sell online.

So if you're trying to break into the world of Hip Hop or Rap, or any kind of music for that matter, you can now start surprisingly quickly from scratch and create something that a lot of people will love. Even become the next Dr. Dre.

And just where do you begin?

First of all, in order to pluck something out of your head and turn it into something for the world to enjoy you must have the right tools to help get it right. Depending on where you are or where you're heading, a good quality beat making software is all you may need, preferably something Internet-based. A stand-alone, 'one-stop studio' with multi-track sequencer and with mp3 transfer that'll enable you to produce and export studio grade sounds but without studio grade prices.

Fortunately Internet-based beat making systems can cost as little as 40 bucks so getting started is now easier (and cheaper) than ever. Perfect for beginners, they're also ideal for the pro or for anyone looking to add professional flair to their existing audio projects, with a chance at even becoming the next big hit!

But it all begins with an idea and the right tools. You may already have some lyrics and simply want to add some sounds that'll have everyone going wild. Start there!

You may or may not have a particular beat in mind, though. Here's where your beat making machine comes in. If it's Internet based, more likely than not, it's part of a membership site with a huge database of pre-programmed audio tracks, all royalty free, that you can use as a guide or starting point --THOUSANDS -- from Spanish guitar, piano, drums, to timbales, and many, many more, ready to be dropped into any project!

Their beat making software will also guide you on how to structure your beats. But it's always a good idea to start with some percussion or drum first to create a little bounce, then add a hook, which may include a bass-line, guitar, synth-sound, etc. You'll even be given keyboard access so you can add all kinds of "jingles". If you're good at playing the piano, so much the better. You'll undoubtedly be able to create better chord progressions, better sounding melodies and generally do far more with your beats.

Having a good ear for listening to different type beats and sounds is also a good thing. But that isn't essential. Importantly, start with something that you're familiar with or something that reflects you. That's important or you might end up with a beat that you can't even identify with or something totally alien to you.

The system will also allow you to experiment with your beats such as mixing-in any number of sounds, etc. And allow you to save you work as you go so you can check your progress (even offline) and make any necessary changes later.

Some membership sites will even link you up with other like-minded beat makers so you can share ideas, beats, download each other's samples and get feedback.

NOTE: Do not make your beats too complicated. Also try to put something catchy in there (lyric or sound) to encourage listeners or fans to keep on listening.

And what can you do with your finished tracks?

1. Burn them to a CD and take them with you everywhere!

2. Share with friends!

3. Use them as background music for your Web site to create more happy customers!

4. Create a service to others!

5. Add professional flare to online video or multi-media projects. It's a chance to become the next featured YouTube.com success story OR, getting an Audio Podcast all the way to the top of the iTunes Podcast Directory!

6. Sell to fans and others offline in MP3 or on CD!

7. Find artists looking for new beats. Even send a CD to all of the record labels you can find.

Or sell online. Rap and Hip Hop beats get searched for (on Google, other search engines and elsewhere online), millions of times per year! That essentially means millions of potential customers not just in the USA, but worldwide.

Simply upload samples of your work to the Internet and make them available for listening to OR, upload them for sale on sites such as Rocbattle.com.

Never has it been this easy to achieve so much in the music industry without a huge price tag, not to mention the opportunity to sell your music to millions of potential customers worldwide, many for life.

Finally, do not rush when creating your first beat. Focus instead, on delivering that good old hook that everyone's dying for. Importantly, treat it as a first product that sets the stage for the next, hundreds more in the weeks, months or years ahead, or where ever your dreams lead.

Read everything you can get your hands on

When I was first starting out in producing, I literally read everything I could on how to make beats. One of the first things you should do is make an account with Future Producers Forum. The first year I started making beats, if I wasn't actually making music, I was living in this forum. It will literally answer pretty much any question you could ever want to know when it comes to making beats. It has an array of seasoned veterans that have helped thousands of other beatmakers get started. The great part with this forum is the search function. If you have any question at all, chances are someone already asked the same question which you can find by searching. Whatever you use to make beats - whether its hardware of software, you'll find a plenitude of information on it at Future Producers Forum.

I would also suggest getting a few books on producing as well. There are a ton of books that specialize in Fruity Loops or Reason if you are using those platforms. One of the first books I read when I just started was "Beat Tips Manual" by Sa'id. That manual has helped thousands of producers understand the basic technical aspects of making rap beats to help them get started.

Listen, Listen, Listen

This is probably the most important, yet most overlooked advice that successful producers always shed to those just starting out. If you want to get good at music, you have to have a deep understanding about the craft. You need to be actively listening to your music when you're listening. You should set a portion of your day to just sit down and really listen to some classic records.

For example, listen to the Thriller album by Michael Jackson. Take a track and first listen to just the drums, try to zone in on the drums and figure out why they were laid down the way they were, what effects did they add in with the drums, notice the placement of the panning with the drum sounds, etc. Dissect songs piece by piece and write down what you find. This will vastly improve your own production.

Step #1: Use the 1-2-3-4 formula

If you want to learn how to rap, then always follow the 1-2-3-4 phase formula. You can turn every hip hop song into a 4 step beat formula. Every time there is an emphasis in the rap, that is one of the 4 numbers.

An easy way to use this formula is to use your hand and move from left to right every phase. That will make it easier when to make your flow rhyme. You want to usually rhyme on the same phase of the formula.

For example, you want to rhyme every 4th phase. So the next 4th phase you want to make your word rhyme with the previous 4th phase of the 1-2-3-4 formula.

Step #2: Rap with other friends

Another secret on how to rap better is to freestyle rap with your friends. It is much more fun to freestyle rap with friends than to do it yourself. But you can make it a playful competition by freestyling against each other for fun. This will make your freestyle rapping skills to improve much faster than before.

If you can't find anyone to rap with, just go to an online voice chatroom and look for a chatroom that has a lot of hip hop fans. You will easily find people who are willing to freestyle rap with you or battle. Just have fun because the more you have fun, the more you will get better at freestyling.

Step #3: Create your own "Emcee Identity"

Another tip to learn to rap is create your own rapper identity. A lot of hip hop emcees try too hard to be someone else. They want to be like the next big hit so they make their hair look like the latest hip hop artist or rapper. But when you do that, you lose a lot of your own originality.

Instead of trying to be someone else, take some time to reflect on who you are. Look into your own life experiences and find out what makes you unique. Whatever that is, add them up to create your own unique emcee identity. Once you create your own rapper identity, you will have more ownership to it and thus you will have much more conviction and power when you rap.

Step #4: Use a rhyming dictionary

To improve your rhyming skills, just get yourself a rhyming dictionary. A rhyming dictionary is a dictionary that gives a list of rhyming words. This is a very helpful tool to help you incorporate words to make your freestyle rhyme and sound better.

Step #5: Focus on your own skills

A lot of rappers focus too much on other rappers. That is not good because you can end up being discouraged if you see other hip hop artists do better. So don't focus on other people's lives or their rapping skills. Instead, focus on your own skills. The more you focus on your own freestyle rapping skills, the faster you will improve as a hip hop artist.

While hip-hop is known to have originated in the East Coast, particularly the Bronx, New York, the roots of gangster rap are accredited to the West Coast, particularly, Compton, California. Gangster rap is a subset of hip-hop music that originated in the 1990s when rapper Ice Cube and his former group, NWA.

Many lyrically-inclined rappers are likable when consumed in small doses, but they can also get mind-numbingly boring while trying to hold down an entire album. Rap music is hated by many people that believe in the stereo type that only blacks make rap, and it's always about shooting cops, drugs, money and sex. However, the truth is that music originating from the underground probably has more meaning to it.

30 years since, Hip-Hop has evolved in many directions, from the Alternative Rap sounds of A Tribe Called Qwest, to Surge Knight's gangster roster on Death Row Records, to the huge commercial success of 50 Cent and talented newcomers Blackalicious. It has also for the very first time this year been the number one act at Glastonbury with Jay z bringing the house down with his entrance singing the oasis song wonder wall.

Making your own free beats has taken the net by storm. Networking for amateur beat makers is turning out some great talent that may never have been heard otherwise.

Before laying down your own beats, it's a good idea to listen to some professional beats. This will give you some insight for putting together the beats that are in your head and translating them better when laying your own tracks.

Some people buy beats online, then take parts of those beats and use them in their beat instrumentals. A caution - be sure to get 'royalty free' beats if you don't want to pay out any cash, otherwise you will be trying to use a copyrighted work which is illegal-so don't do it!

Music producing is fun, and can also be lucrative. Choosing software correctly for making your beats is serious. There are plenty out there, both expensive and inexpensive that you can take advantage of. Be sure you match your style of music with the software that it calls for.

Use samples. Then add, twist, and create it into what you want it to be. Some good sample CDs can be had at 'Loopmasters', 'Sample Magic', and 'Modern Beats'. Plenty exist, but these are good. These tips will kick off your knowledge of how to make your own free beats instrumentals.

1. Pick a style- Know the style of beat you want to make before you start making it. Like rnb,rap,pop, etc. There have been plenty of beats that I made and could not figure out what style it was.

2. Pick A Major Artist- Think of a known artist that you would want to make the beat for. Like if you chose a style a rap, think now what rap artist do you want to make the beat for. Try to imagine that artist on your beat. This will make your hip hop beat-making experience a whole lot easier.

3. Listen To Their Song- Take a listen to the rap artist you are making the beat for songs. See the style. Get a feel for the kind of hip hop beats the artist raps over.

4. Formatting The Song- Very important. formatting is, the intro, verse, chorus, verse, bridge, etc. That's all it is but basically you just change the order around however you feel like it. Turn on the radio and see how your favorite artist formats there song. When instruments come in, when they drop out. The most basic form to start with is, 2 or 4 bar intro, 16 bar verse, 8 bar chorus, 16 bar verse, 8bar chorus, 16 bar verse, 8 bars chorus. This is the most basic beat-making song format. This is very common in rap. If you want an even simpler way, you can create an 8 bar loop and keep it the same throughout the whole song. I have seen this done a lot.

5. Laying down the beat- I have learned that for starters, it's easier to start with the drums. Kick, Snare, Hi hat, are always a good start. Record a pattern for four bars with those first. Then layer that with maybe some toms, cow-bell, symbols, etc. Whatever you want to use. THE DRUMS ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT IN MAKING HIP HOP BEATS! Your drums must hit and hit HARD. The best way to get your drums hitting hard is by not using "pitty pat" free kits you downloaded from the internet for free. If your drums are weak, then your beat is going to be weak.

6. Laying Down A Melody- This is where most hip hop beat-makers have the most trouble. Because most eat makers can't play the keys. For starters, you might want to learn basic keyboard skills. The major thing you need to learn are, major and minor scales. After you learn that, try and do different combinations and patterns with the drum beat you have made. Use an instrument like, a lead guitar, horns, clav, something that will stand out. Your melody can be however you want it, but for starters, you could do a 4 bar melody, or an 8 bar melody.

7. Layering The Beat- What is done a lot in beat making is layering. If you have your whole beat finished. You can go and make it sound bigger by layering. All you do is fill in some gaps, do the same pattern you did with one instrument with another instrument. Do this throughout your beat. This will make you beat sound a lot fatter.

8. Pan- Panning is basically having an instrument all the way to the right, all the way to the left, and anywhere in between. You pan for all kinds of different reasons. It gives each track its own little space in the stereo field. There are no rules for panning, put you have to do it. So just try it out and see what you like best.

9. The Mixdown- Very important! Very Important! Very Important! If you have a poor mix on your beat, then you have pretty much wasted your time. When mixing a beat, start with each track individually. Solo each track and make sure it sounds good by itself. EQ it if you have to, but if each track sounds good by itself, the whole beat will sound that much better. DO NOT DISTORT! If your master levels are in the red before you bounce to disc or .mp3, your distorting. Don't worry about if its not loud enough. You never ever ever want to distort. If you are distorting, check any instrument that has boom or low end, Like a kick, bass, sub, etc. these tend to distort more often.

10. The Bounce- Now that you made you're beat, Its the hottest hip hop beat ever, you want to put it on cd or upload it to the internet. When you're exporting a beat for cd, Use .wav file. 44.1 16bit. If you want to upload to the internet use, 320kbps (the highest .mp3 quality) or 128kbps. Most websites wont accept 320kbps because the file size is too big. So go with 128kbps.

These are all just guidelines to help you get started. There are millions of ways to make a beat, But this is just to help you get your feet wet if you don't know where to start.

Buy Only from Credible Producers

Like other things on the Internet, the world of commercial music is also filled with scams. You would be surprised at the number of individuals who sell pirated or stolen music to unsuspecting individuals. You could get in trouble if you will use stolen music for your creations even though you didn't know it was stolen in the first place. To avoid such a nightmare scenario from happening, you must only get music and beats from credible sources. Before you buy beats online, make sure that the site is run by a legitimate producer. How to do this? You could do some background research on the site owner. Most legitimate sites have information about their creators that is readily available.

Stick With a Budget

With some beats going for as low as a piece, it is very easy to overspend when you buy beats online. This is not a problem, of course, if you are an established musician already with money to spare. But if you are just an aspiring artist, it is wise that you be more mindful about where and how you spend your money even if its is for your craft. One of the best ways to save money when shopping for beats for sale is to be on the lookout for websites that sell beats by bulk or as packaged deals. Before you even plan to buy beats online though, you must determine your budget first.

Exclusive vs. Non Exclusive

There are basically two types of beats for sale, exclusive and non exclusive. Knowing the difference between the two before you buy beats online is important. When you buy a beat that is exclusive, it means that you are the sole owner of that piece of music. After the purchase has been made, the owner of the website will take it down from his site. Non exclusive beats, on the other hand, can be owned by a number of individuals. Understandably, exclusive beats are much more expensive. If you are on a tight budget and don't mind sacrificing uniqueness, then you can simply get non exclusive beats.

Get a Printable Licensing Agreement

One of the most important thing that individuals who want to buy beats online must do is to make sure that they will get a printable licensing agreement after they make the purchase. The licensing agreement says what you can and cannot do with the beat that you just bought. If, for instance, another party questions you about your use of the said piece of music, then you can always show him or her the licensing agreement.

1. Most people who would never swear or use foul language would not mind listening to some of the most influential musicians in the hip hop rap genre, just because they like the beat and the artist, never mind the essence of his message.

2. Music goes beyond just liking the musician and his music; some naive fans will go on to adopt even that particular musician's views about life in general. What is dangerous about that is the fact that this musician may be on a destructive path of broken marriages, drugs, addiction to incarceration and general lawlessness and radical views about establishments, Christianity and so forth. This I believe is detrimental to a "going somewhere individual", particularly a member of the body of Christ.

3. Music is spiritual; its lyrics don't need to be. You'll hear them say this song has so and so's feel to it. The anointing on the fingers of the man who plays that guitar and his heart will influence the listener.

4. David sitting in Saul's palace would play an instrumental of music for Saul when he was under attack from some devils and they would go away

5. It can be a force for good or for evil. I am a musician and I understand the power of music. It can move the crowd and change moods.

6. You can't escape music, it is everywhere. When you get into your car, the shops, the restaurant, in the office, at home, but most times you can choose what you listen to.

7. There's plenty of choice. You can choose to listen to music that is descent and encourages you or you can subject yourself to popular stuff whose content is detrimental to your well - being at best. I am talking about music with heavy sexual innuendo or profane lyrics that cannot be played at a family reunion on Sunday

8. As Christians we need to renew our minds, so we need to be critical of some of the stuff we subject ourselves to in the name of entertainment.

9 Music, once recorded is not a respecter of time. It lives long after the singer has passed away. We need to be careful of the kind of values we are passing on to the generations through music.

10. Music transcends, culture, language, status, religion, political affiliation and conviction and even one's gender. It's a uniting force. I. It can psyche somebody up to do something they would not normally do. Sometimes we would like to think that we control what we listen to but I believe what we listen to can control us.