Beats Made Per Week vs. Regimented Practice

Which is the Better Developmental Path for You?

By AMIR SAID (SA'ID)

Making a set number of beats per week has long been an activity well-represented among many beatmakers. Indeed, in the numerous interviews that I've conducted with beatmakers, many have told me about the sheer number of beats that they use to (and in some cases, still do) make or attempt to make per week. Moreover, the beats-made per-week quota has become so commonplace among beatmakers that it is now widely seen as a natural link to the development of beatmaking skill. But does the sheer maintenance of a specific quantity of beats made per week actually guarantee a deeper skill for beatmaking?

I suspect that a commitment to such a formula does generate a legitimate level of proficiency—not necessarily great skill—in beatmaking, particularly in terms of actually completing a beat. However, I wonder if this proficiency in “beat completion,” if you will, actually translates to a higher quality (and better understanding) of beats. For some, I think so. Still, for most, I’m not entirely convinced that it does.

Hear me out. Let’s say you make 20 beats per week. If you maintain that level of output, by year’s end, you will have made over a thousand beats. Does this mean that at year’s end, your sum total of beats made is an accurate measurement of your development as a beatmaker? Well, of course, in some ways it does. But I've never been comfortable with evaluating my development based on the quantity of my production output, but rather the quality of my production output, and more importantly, the individual breakthroughs (conceptual understanding, method mastery, etc.) that I experienced amid regularly scheduled practice sessions.

In fact, in regards to a developmental path for beatmakers, I believe that maintaining a strict per week beat quota raises more questions than it answers. For instance, does a rigorous schedule of beats made per week correct your beatmaking deficiencies? Let’s say you have difficulty with programming drums. Will making 20 beats per week correct that problem of yours? It might, but then again, not necessarily. For me, the most effective way to correct any deficiency, whether it be drum programming or any other process, is to hold isolated practice sessions wherein you work on nothing but correcting that deficiency. Such a dedicated drum programming practice session could be 30 minutes of studying the drum programming (patterns) of those beatmakers (producers) whose beats you admire most. And this could be followed up by another 30 minutes of sketching out your own drum patterns, using the ideas and understanding that you've gleamed from your study. I find that this kind of dedicated practice offers more promise than arbitrary beats-made-per-week quotas.

And what about those things that you do well as a beatmaker? Does a beats-made-per-week quota help you recognize the things that you do best? Again, for some, I'm sure it does to a certain degree. After all, one advantage of completing an arsenal of beats each week is that it allows you to survey, study, and audit your own style and sound. Still, I also believe that regular regimented practice sessions also help you to identify the better elements and characteristics of your beatmaking style and sound.

Thus, in my final analysis, I'd say that there's value in both approaches. I do believe that maintaining some sort of beats-made-per-week quota is beneficial. However, I caution that the maintenance of any such quota, without regular regimented practices, is far less beneficial. Indeed, practice in beatmaking, as with any other music process, is always necessary. No matter how developed you may be as a beatmaker, it's important to continue to sharpen your skills. And by this I mean, practice without the intent of always creating a new beat, but instead, the intent of furthering your skill and understanding of the multiple processes of beatmaking as well as music in general.

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The BeatTips Manual by Sa'id.
"The most trusted name in beatmaking and hip hop/rap music education."

Comments

[TheMnBeat]

To take skills, yes you can have a lot of sessions.. with nice beat included too. But, if you're looking them with détails, you'll see that there is something, but they need to be worked more.

For me, use your heart, your ears and take you time ! Sometimes, it'll be created really fast, or slow an another time. Just build your sound with clearly processing, like you don't lost time to go back...

Don't forget if you create some projects, to go back on and determine if you really want to keep them. ;)

[TheMnBeat]

Said, do you process at any sessions in same time or you wait to finish it before ?

[Daysun]

This is a great point. I am not one of those producers/beatmakers who makes 5 songs a week or a day. I make music when the inspiration hits and I try to do things that I have not done before. Music can get boring when you do the same thing over and over.

www.youtube.com/civilillent

[maviyan]

Thanks for this. I really like what you've posted here and wish you the best of luck with this blog and thanks for sharing.
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[Kregan]

I'm right with you on this one! There's a great book called the "The Talent Code" which is basically about learning and mastering any type of skill.

One of the things mentioned is that progress can be made quickest with something called "deep practice" which is essentially what you just described. Focusing on specific segments of the skill and having designated practice sessions focusing on just one aspect.

Nice work Sa'id, your a great mentor to have!