MusicStudy: Toots and The Maytals

"Sweet and Dandy" Gives Cue on Sound Blending

Toots and The Maytals are what I call "absolutely essential" Jamaican soul music. But more than that, for me, Toots and The Maytals has always been a lesson in sound blending. Out of the rich tradition of Jamaican harmony-based groups, Toots and The Maytals come with a forcefully harmonic sound. Through my study of their music, I learned a great deal about what types of sound textures can be blended most effectively.

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The BeatTips Manual by Sa'id.
"The most trusted source for information on beatmaking and hip hop/rap music education."

For Educational Purposes...

Toots and The Maytals - "Sweet and Dandy"

BeatTips Daily Favorites: "Keep It Thoro;" Prodigy and The Alchemist

A Menacing Apparatus; Song Personifies How Light and Heavy Textures Co-Mingle and Combine, Giving Beat a Powerful Sonic Impression

By Amir Said (Sa'id)

When particular names in beatmaking get tossed around with praise, it's not always easy to pinpoint exactly what all of the acclaim is for. But then, there are some names where it ain't hard to tell. For me, some names are heavy weight for a collection of songs, while others are big time for just one song in particular. Such is the case with beatmaker/producer, The Alchemist. Although The Alchemist has an impressive catalog, my favorite Alchemist beat is the joint that underscores Prodigy's (of Mobb Deep) "Keep It Thoro."

"Keep It Thoro" is an absolutely menacing audio composite. Aside from Prodigy's heavy New York slang-laced phrasings and dead-pan, masterfully confident delivery, it's the beatwork of The Alchemist that makes the song so defiantly hard. The core groove is built around a dusty, lounge-act sort of piano sample that jabs the exact same tone—in 1/8ths—for a count of 7 times, before there's a change in the phrase—a loose note kicks off, and moments before the sample loops back to itself.

For the bass parts, Alchemist doesn't go with a bass line. Instead, content with the rhythm of the hypnotic piano sample, he uses just three bass sound-stabs to anchor the groove. Two of the three bass-stabs are simply low- and high-pitch versions of the same exact sound stab; the third bass-stab—which Alchemist uses to slide into one of the others—has a slick, boom texture to it. Here, I want to point out that even though this third bass sound-stab is "different" from the others, its own texture and sonic qualities actually makes it fit perfectly with the other two bass-stabs. Alone, these other two bass-stabs are very understated. But by balancing out their spacing, and NOT overusing them, Alchemist positions them as vital pieces of the overall sonic composite.

Historical Analysis and Experience

Some beatmakers might not—at first—understand The Alchemist's arrangement of higher tones with lower ones; but reality is, this technique of clashing textures and levels is one of the most fundamental mainstays of the beatmaking tradition. Such a technique was first (necessarily) implemented with hip hop/rap's earliest DJs, who were charged with the task of mixing songs—using turntables and a DJ mixer—with varying tones, textures, and tempos. In order to mix such songs in what was then known as the "hip hop DJ style," these early sound architects learned to highlight the use of repetition in the songs they were playing and mixing, focusing specifically on the "breaks" of each song that could further be extended through even more repetition—that is to say, looping, via various turntable tricks like the "backspin" or "the spin-back."

So on "Keep It Thoro," The Alchemist is acutely aware of the fact that it is the repetitive nature of the sampled piano phrase that actually makes the bass parts sound even more pronounced; which, in turn, gives the overall track a "booming" sonic impression.

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The BeatTips Manual by Sa'id.
"The most trusted source for information on beatmaking and hip hop/rap music education."

For educational purposes...

"Keep It Thoro" - Prodigy, beat by The Alchemist

"Keep It Thoro" - Prodigy (Official music video)

Nottz’ “Shine So Brite” Illuminates Beatmaking's Impenetrable Force Field

Song Punctuates Beatmaking's Ability to Suspend Hip Hop/Rap Music in Time

By Amir Said (Sa'id)

Once the tools of creative production are democratized, that is to say, made more accessible, an interesting phenomenon takes place: More people create. This phenomenon, although seemingly simple on the surface of it, is actually more complex than one may gather. For instance, in the case of contemporary popular music, the more people who create music, the more blurry the line gets between what music consumers deem good or bad music. Likewise, the more people who create music, the thinner the line gets between professional and amateur musician.

In the case of the beatmaking tradition (of the broader hip hop/rap music tradition), accessibility to a wide array of electronic music production instruments (EMPIs), has taken the beatmaking tradition from the obscure shadows of an otherwise underground art-world, and have placed it somewhere near the front of the global pop cultural psyche. Indeed, beatmaking is no longer a secret; it's no longer a tradition inherently reserved only for a select group of individuals, (like some of those beatmakers who happened to be around right when the major recording labels first began to recognize hip hop's mainstream—pop culture—appeal and subsequent commercial viability). Instead, beatmaking is an open pathway to anyone who dares to embark on the journey. And as with all open creative markets, this journey allows (naturally) for the inclusion of various personal commitments. In other words, some will travel farther and deeper on this journey than others; and some will commit more to the beatmaking tradition than the processes of other music traditions. That is the great reward—and risk—of a swollen rank of beatmakers.

Therefore, it may simply be stated that within the beatmaking tradition (of the broader hip hop/rap music tradition), the more beatmakers who make beats, the more fluid the notions become about what constitutes a quality (dope) beat. But alas, hip hop/rap music—perhaps more than any other twentieth-century American popular music form—has the incredible power to reuse, retool, reconceptualize, and recontextualize the very fundamentals that gave rise to its existence. Because of hip hop/rap's unique musical processes—specifically, beatmaking—it is the only Western music form that can rotate in new generations of music-makers, without missing a beat. (No pun intended.)

This means that any serious student of the beatmaking tradition can reproduce any one moment in hip hop/rap's history (particularly its most soulful moments), in the exact style, sound, sonic template, feel, mood, and texture. Thus, for all intents and purposes, hip hop/rap music has an impenetrable force field, in the form of a legion of beatmakers (now and in the future) whose commitment to hip hop/rap's core musical processes, in effect, protects against its own demise. By perpetually reusing and recalibrating beatmaking's most unique processes and methods—in the finest, perhaps truest manner, these beatmakers ascend towards the graces, and sometimes ranks, of beatmaking's most important architects and pioneers. To be certain, these beatmakers that I speak of—both masters and novices—may not always get the recognition of the mainstream, or even their friends and family. However, all of these beatmakers embrace and enjoy their personal role in helping to preserve the hip hop/rap music and beatmaking traditions.

Nottz Makes Timeless Hip Hop/Rap Music

It is from the basis of this context that I was compelled to breakdown Nottz' song, "Shine So Brite." Nottz, who's music is by and large a homage to the soulful "boom bap" sound of the hip hop/rap music tradition, is acutely tuned in to the essence of using recorded music in his creative process. And his mastery of the art of sampling—as well as the art of arrangement—is on full display in the song, "Shine So Brite."

From the first note, "Shine So Brite" aims to intimidate. The "1" drops, and over the aggressive, mid-pitched guitar sample is a fist-full-of kick that makes the "twang" of guitar strum spring forward like a countdown to a nefarious missile launch. In fact, this is why the "Shine So Brite" bounces so hard: the "punch" of the primary sample phrase lands on the "1," "2," "3,", and "4." Over the top of the kick is a truncated crash-cymbal that stalks the full measure, stabbing—in lock step with the chromatic pattern of the primary sample phrase—at the quarter points of each bar.

As for changes, the organ parts that Nottz works in are absolutely stone cold! Eerie, and deadly serious, the organ phrases skip over the core rhythm, sounding like Jimmy Smith in a 1960s Harlem rib shack. Then there's the sampled vocal harmonizing, a spiritual musing that directly reinforces the soulful casing and arrangement of the beat. Finally, the "scratch-hook," (a mainstay of hip hop/rap music made most famous by DJ Premier's precise usage), is used here, in conjunction with Nottz' rapping of a refrain, which is itself doubled-up with a high-pitched vocal rendering of the same refrain. And to round out the hook section, Nottz goes with a very light (barely audible) melody synth line that glides and fades in and out, almost without notice.

In the final analysis, Nottz is not taking hip hop/rap "back" to a glory time, any less or more than he is helping to take it forward. This is the beauty and real genius of what Nottz is doing with "Shine So Bright." He is tapping directly into the energy and essence of one of beatmaking's (hip hop'/rap's) most notable schools of sounds, staying within its fundamental parameters, and giving it a fresh and entirely respectful interpolation. The result: a timeless sound that engages on its own merits and terms...a sound that both old and new beatmakers can enjoy and appreciate alike.

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The BeatTips Manual by Sa'id.
"The most trusted source for information on beatmaking and hip hop/rap music education."

For educational purposes...

Nottz – “Shine So Bright”

Nottz – “Shine So Bright” (Official music video)

Nottz "Shine So Brite" from Raw Koncept on Vimeo.

MusicStudy: MGMT - "Electric Feel"

Beatmaking's Influence in Retro Music Forms; MGMT's "Electric Feel" Demonstrates Elements Beatmakers Regularly Highlight

By Amir Said (Sa'id)

In my own self-imposed MusicStudy, I regularly come across contemporary music—from other music traditions—that feature elements that could easily be heard in a beat. One such case is a song called "Electric Feel," by MGMT.

The first thing that stands about MGMT's "Electric Feel" is the drumwork. The song opens with an 8-bar, in-your-face drum framework that includes a drum pattern wherein the kick doubles up, landing often on the "2" and the "4." The snare, which is a slim shade of a standard rock snare sound, smacks on the "2" but drops out on the "4," (because of this snare pattern, I'm led to believe that at least some of the drumwork—was electronically produced). After the intro drumwork, the core groove begins, and the drum framework switches up to what could best be described as a tribal drumming phrase, with a steady, "marching-beat" kick pattern. When the "tribal drums" come in, the velocity of the hi-hat seems to dissipate. I'm not sure if there was an intentional velocity change by MGMT, or if this was a sonic feature created in the final mix; whatever the case, it works...I know, because I often drop out my hi-hats at certain parts within my beats. Main reason? I've always found that it creates an interesting sonic composite.

The next thing that grabs me about MGMT's "Electric Feel" is its core groove: a simple 3-note, mid-pitched pattern with a rubbery—not dark or heavy-bottomed—bass line. The guitar and bass strum together in a declarative manner, yet the tone is casual, almost understated; I think this is the reason why there's so much room to experiment with several different drum frameworks throughout the entire song.

Finally, for the changes, MGMT works in an array of light-handed keyboard fare. One keyboard phrase is a chromatic glowing of synth-pop tones that dance across the top of the core groove; another keyboard phrase sounds like a syncopated ping pong, dripping across tightly wound harp strings. Indeed, MGMT knows that it's the core groove that's driving the song, so rather than smother it, they opt for more delicate phrasing for the changes, a decision that no doubt makes the otherwise understated rhythm of "Electric Feel" soar.

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The BeatTips Manual by Sa'id.
"The most trusted source for information on beatmaking and hip hop/rap music education."

For educational purposes...

MGMT - "Electric Feel"

BeatTips Daily Favorites: "Ice Downed Medallion," Royal Flush/EZ Elpee

Hungry Beatwork and Rhyme; Appreciated More in Middle of a Storm

By Amir Said (Sa'id)

My son, Amir Ali Said, asked me if I would write something about my favorite hip hop/rap song. Truth is, I have a lot of "favorites"...for a lot of different reasons. Therefore, the prospect of writing a post about a single favorite is, for all intents and purposes, impossible. So here's the solution that I came up with. For my son (and all BeatTips readers) I'll write something about ALL of my favorite hip hop/rap songs...at least one song a day. That being said, I'm going to kick off what will now be known as the BeatTips Daily Hip Hop/Rap Favorites List.

"Motion picture/analyze your world Flush'll hit ya..." That's the emphatic declaration that Royal Flush makes to open the New York hood classic, "Iced Downed Medallion" from his debut album, Ghetto Millionaire (1997). Speaking from the rapper/lyricist part of me, I've always considered Royal Flush to be one of the illest lyricists in rap. Cut from the same Queens lyricst bloodline that bled inside of areas like Corona, Queensbridge, Lefrack City, and Astoria Projects, Flush was a street-respected M.C., circa 1996-98. Unfortunately, Flush was never able to rise to the level that I feel he deserves.

Thing is, he came on the scene with the right skills, but at the wrong time.
It was 1997/98, right in the eye of Diddy's (formerly known as Puff) storm. This was when Puff was throwin' shit in the New York rap game with the shiny-suit, bubble gum-rap mystique. (Note. Puff's reign would eventually help lead to the undermining of New York's hip hop/rap structure—a near fatal blow that New York has yet to recover from.) 1997/98 would also serve to mark the beginning of Jay-Z and Hot 97s (New York's #1 hip hop/rap radio station) meteoric connection to the top. Had Royal Flush come on the scene just two or three years earlier, he would have missed what I like to call the New York Kill Zone of '97/98, and, in all likelihood, would have gained as much (perhaps more) shine as Mobb Deep, AC, and/or O.C.

Speaking from the beatmaker/producer part of me, "Iced Down Medallion" was one of the most aggressively programmed beats I've heard. Produced by EZ Elpee, the beat utilized a straight-forward, two-bar loop of a 70s music phrase (I don't name sample sources) with the bass frequency of the phrase filtered milk-smooth, and the high (mid/treble) levels left just as warm and even when let out. For the drum framework, Elpee went with a standard double-kick snare pattern. Wisely, he tucks the kick while exploding the snare with a handful of reverb; and the hat, which is truncated (no prolonged sustain), is a shaker that he politely sprinkles over all measures. It is further worth noting that because of how the bass frequency of the sample is filtered so fat and warmly, the kick—which is actually truncated short—sounds so much more rounder and boomiin every time it lands on the one, and as it sets up the two.

For Example...

Royal Flush - "Iced Down Medallion"

Royal Flush - "Iced Down Medallion" (Official music video)

Dope Music: "History" Produced by J Dilla

What's dope about any J Dilla interest is the fact that he's increasingly being recognized for: samples, ruptures, loops, and soul—hip hop. Just as with DJ Premier, Pete Rock, and Large Professor, a study of J Dilla brings you back, fundamentally, to the study of soul music. That being said, listen to this joint "History" by Mos Def and Talib Kweli—one of the best beatworks I've ever heard by J Dilla. It's subtle yet direct and defiant at the same time... And yo, as you listen to this, ask yourself: Would this song have gotten any real strong reaction five years ago and why?
—Sa'id

Here's a sneak peak of the music video...

Finally, if anyone really believes that "live" renditions of hip hop/rap originals are co-equal, check this out. It "seems" to be comparable, but notice how much the "feeling" and essence of J Dilla's beat is missing.