The Important Factors In Rap Beats
The earliest forms of human music incorporated the drum and voice as the only two instruments. Any sort of tonal instrument would not be created for hundreds of years. The basic combination of rhythm and chant has once again become one of our most popular forms of musical expression. To create your own rap beats, certain concepts are important to understand.
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.
