BeatTips MusicStudy: Elvis Helped Me Become a Better Beatmaker

Homage to Black American Music Tradition: Part of the Secret to Elvis' Success

By AMIR SAID (SA'ID)

For the better part of the last 15 years, I've encountered people who either adore Elvis or hate him. This has always struck me as an odd scheme of understanding. I mean, how and why can one individual cause so much polarization? Of course, you never hear anyone say (publicly at least) that they hate The Beatles. And at last count, Michael Jackson's album, Thriller, still seems to draw favorable consensus. So what is it about Elvis that causes such disdain, especially among purveyors of hip hop/rap music?

Maybe it's because Chuck D declared him a racist two decades ago; remember the Public Enemy song "Fight the Power," where he Chuck D rhymes: "Elvis was a hero to most/But he never meant shit to me you see Straight up racist that sucker was
Simple and plain..." Or perhaps the disdain for Elvis by some in hip hop/rap stems from the misperception of Elvis as some sort of "culture vulture," who stole his sound from black American musicians in the Mississippi Delta. Wrong! That's a bogus argument even on the face of it. Less one forgets (or doesn't know), Elvis is from the Mississippi Delta. Therefore, he has as much a native claim to any and all musical developments that occurred there as anyone else who was born and raised in the region. Moreover, it's been widely reported that the teenage Elvis spent considerable amounts of time taking in the blues scene of Memphis' Beale Street. Add to that the fact that he grew up listening to the regional radio stations like Memphis' WDIA, the nation's first radio station to feature an all-black format and on-air staff (1949). (Stations like WDIA played what was then known as "race records.") So by all serious accounts, it's rather obvious what Elvis' early musical influences were: blues, gospel, rhythm and blues, and rockabilly—all components of the Black American music tradition. Moreover, these early musical influences from the Black American Music Tradition were largely a part of Elvis' success.

Thus, when hip hop/rap aficionados (or any other groups) reject Elvis, they are actually rejecting a musical icon who earned his stripes through the serious study of the musical tradition that laid the foundation for all American popular music in the twentieth century. Moreover, those who reject Elvis's musical validity, also, in effect, turn their backs on the musical scholarship that he provides. For less we forget: Every musical artist is a gateway to others...and the more critically acclaimed the artist is, the more enriched the gateway is.

By listening to and studying Elvis, I was prompted to listen to and study Big Joe Turner, the iconic bluesman who helped create the template for rock and roll (rock n' roll). Perhaps I would have studied Big Joe Turner even if I didn't take a more serious look at Elvis. But listening to Elvis' earlier work prompted me to A/B his style with Big Joe Turner. MusicStudy of this nature has been and is incredibly important to understanding of all music, not just hip hop/rap music.

Certainly Elvis doesn't need any marketing help; you don't get much higher than him in the scheme of American pop culture. And there's certainly not doubt that his career benefited tremendously from the fact that he was white; many of the Black artists that influenced him could never access the platform that he was afforded. But Elvis, who I at one time refused to listen to (for whatever reasons), does represent the complexity and beauty of how music traditions and cultures can, at times, transcend negative racial attitudes. But all of this aside, 'What can his music teach or do for me,' I once asked myself. Well, it taught me a lot and it did more for me than I could have imagined. Ironically, or perhaps not, through an honest study of Elvis, I discovered Sister Rosetta Tharpe; became more interested in Big Joe Turner and B.B. King; and I meticulously traced the business roots of rock n' roll.

Bottom line:
If you're going to contribute to any music tradition or culture, if you're going to go after a career in music, the more musical understanding that you can draw from, the more enriched your music will be, and, subsequently, the better your chances at having a career in music.

The music and videos below are presented here for the purpose of scholarship.

Elvis Presley - "Shake, Rattle and Roll" (Elvis' first televised appearance.)
Note. "Shake, Rattle and Roll" was originally recorded by the bluesman, Big Joe Turner.

Big Joe Turner - "Shake, Rattle and Roll"
The original recording of "Shake, Rattle and Roll."

Elvis Presley - "Heartbreak Hotel"
The song below is unmistakably blues.

Sister Rosetta Tharpe - "Didn't Rain"
Sister Rosetta Tharpe had a seminal influence on Elvis.

Elvis Presley - "A Little Less Conversation"
Although it's from Elvis' later catalog, it's my favorite Elvis recording. If you know Mack Davis (singer-songwriter), you can hear him in the lyrics. Also, peep the drumwork at the intro of the song!

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

BeatTips MusicStudy: Led Zeppelin's Approach to the Blues; A Lesson for Beatmakers

Committing to a Music Tradition On Its Own Terms—from Its Foundation, Perspective, and Sensibility

By AMIR SAID (SA'ID)

Considering the approaches that some new beatmakers are increasingly taking to hip hop/rap music and beatmaking, specifically, the approach to beatmaking through the guise of other music traditions, I can't help but be reminded of the brilliance and genius of Led Zeppelin. Instead of trying to change the blues to fit rock 'n' roll, Led Zeppelin used the blues as their core musical influence to formulate their own sound—a sound that helped to usher in a new dimension in rock 'n' roll in the late 1960s/early 1970s. In Led Zeppelin's musical example, I find a good lesson for beatmakers, particularly those who attempt to interpret hip hop/rap music and beatmaking not from its own perspective and on its own foundation but from the perspective and foundation of other music traditions.

A fellow musician and music history enthusiast once said to me that the "brilliance of Led Zeppelin was due to their firm understanding and grasp of rock 'n' roll." My reply was (and still is) this: Sure, Led Zeppelin had a great grasp of rock 'n' roll, but in my view, their brilliance (and genius) was, above all, due to their embrace of, and commitment to, the Black American blues music tradition. What made Led Zeppelin's music so distinguishable was, in great part, each members' affection and admiration for, and deference to, the blues. Musically speaking, the members of Led Zeppelin were less interested in early 1960s rock; they were more into 1940s and 50s blues and the aesthetic preferences that it carried with it. Led Zeppelin's unique sound was the result of their approach to playing—fundamentally—the blues; rock 'n' roll was a secondary aesthetic for them. Indeed, early on they did not draw their core ideas from rock 'n' roll; instead, they drew heavily from the blues—
it was the core musical influence and inspiration for their first couple of albums, especially Led Zeppelin I.

Since Led Zeppelin’s arrival in 1968, there have no doubt been other rock bands who have drawn from the blues (The Rolling Stones also drew from the blues, at least in their beginning). But in a lot of those cases, those bands approached the blues through the perspective and prism of rock 'n' roll rather than through the perspective, prism, and sensibility of the blues. Here, Led Zeppelin stands out again, because their approach proceeded from the foundation of the blues outward. That is to say, they approached the blues from its own tradition rather than trying to interpret it through the guise of another tradition, a common mistake some beatmakers make by trying to look at hip hop/rap music and the art of beatmaking through the lens of other music forms and traditions rather than first coming to terms with hip hop/rap music's and beatmaking's own perspective and sensibility.

Bottom Line

Despite a musician's ultimate musical goals, if he or she is intent on effectively using elements of a particular music tradition—in this case, the hip hop/rap music and beatmaking traditions—then, clearly, one should go about learning at least the fundamental elements and aesthetic priorities of that tradition. They should not settle for, or attempt to create, misguided interpretations of the tradition's fundamentals—misinterpretations, I should add, that are based on perspectives outside of the tradition they purport to use.

Finally, there's one more thing that seems appropriate to be mentioned here, it's about sampling and non-sampling. Thing is, there is absolutely nothing wrong with either sample-based or non-sample-based beats; both styles are well-represented and supported within the hip hop/rap music and beatmaking traditions. However, it must be noted that beatmakers who dismiss the art of sampling as a second-rate, non-creative process also disrespect the foundation of the hip hop/rap music and beatmaking traditions. Further, such dismissals discount the inherent value of MusicStudy that sampling offers. In fact, for many, groups like Led Zeppelin (and the music gateway that they provide) would be missed, if it were not for the curiosity in new music that sampling processes—like diggin' in the crates—provokes.

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

The music and videos below are presented here for the purpose of scholarship.

Check out Led Zeppelin's commitment to the blues tradition. Their use of repetition and delta blues-inspired rhythm and lyrics would become paramount factors in their ultra successful and influential music career. Enjoy this rare footage of a stripped down Zeppelin in rare form.

Led Zeppelin - "I Can't Quit You Baby"

Led Zeppelin -"Whole Lotta Love"

Led Zeppelin - "Dazed and Confused;" Lost Performances [early performance, ca. 1969]

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

O.C. Smith and Gordon Parks - "Blowin' Your Mind": Skill, Rhyme, and Rhythm

The Single Most Important Thing About Rhyme and the Significance of the Core Rhythm and Groove

By AMIR SAID (SA'ID)

Skill. If you’re bold enough to set out on that journey of writing rhymes, then it’s damn well something you better have. But how do you get it? When it comes to rhyme, the typical thing to do is study the rhyme-greats of the hip hop/rap tradition.

For those fairly new to rapping (and here, I’m talking 5 years experience or less), the easy starting point is Jay-Z, Biggie, Nas, Eminem, Kanye West, you get the picture. And for those willing to take it back—that is, those interested on discovering the core metrics of the modern lyrical skill set, there’s the mighty lyrical sextet of T La Rock, Silver Fox, LL Cool J, Rakim, Kool G. Rap, and Big Daddy Kane. (NOTE: there are some who focus on the trinity of Rakim, Kool G. Rap, and Big Daddy Kane to the exclusion of LL Cool J. I can assure you that such an act is utterly, ridiculously, stupendously, and but-ass-crazily foolish, as early LL Cool J is lyrical sickness! That’s "dope" for all the squares who front, or "amazing" for the part-time rap reviewers and crowd followers.)

For the extra accelerated students of rhyme, you know, those who want to know the base components of the rap tradition, the origins of it all, there’s the “originator’s class”—Melle Mel, Grandmaster Caz, and Kool Moe Dee, and the countless unsung M.C.s from 1973-1978. Anyone of the aforementioned dimensions of hip hop’s rhyme lexicon that I've laid out here will give you some level of skill. But if you want to really teleport to the essence of the oral tradition of “rap” that gave way to modern “Rap”, then you have to go off the path—way off the path…

This is where I found myself years ago, fever-thinking about how to improve my rhyme skill. Regular BeatTips readers know that I began rapping before I made beats. And for me, the goal was to capture skill and develop my own unique voice. This meant that not only did I have to study the greats of hip hop’s rhyme lexicon, I had to find a horizon that not too many rhymers had gone to before. And I found that horizon in O.C. Smith’s “Blowin’ Your Mind” from the Shaft’s Big Score soundtrack (1973).

Modern rhyme lexicon aside, nothing taught me more about how to rhyme than O.C. Smith’s rap (lyrics by Gordon Parks) on “Blowin’ Your Mind.” Smith, an acclaimed vocalist with a background in jazz, does more high-level rapping than singing on “Blowin’ Your Mind.” First, there’s the natural adlib before he begins the first verse. After the instrumental has cooked, twisted, turned, and rattled for 1 minute and 24 seconds, and after the horn section does a 4-second staccato crescendo, Smith slides in abruptly-smooth with the command, “Now, look here…,” before he begins a rhyme that doesn’t focuses on rhyme itself:

“Who twists your spine, till it feels like jelly and it heat your blood till it’s boiling wine?—/
Who splits your heart in a zillion pieces?—”

The magnificent thing about this two-line opening is that Smith doesn’t rhyme “rhyme”, he rhymes “rhythm”. That is, his lyrics go against and to the rhythm of the instrumental. Smith is not concerned with crafting a concise rhyme, he’s only concerned with putting you on to (or reminding you) just who Shaft is—a bad motherfucker! And for that purpose, the purpose of conveying in-your-face information in a heavily rhythmic lyrical cycle, Smith doesn’t even bother with a typical ABACDA rhyme scheme. Instead, in the opening verse, he runs off a deceptive AB-based rhyme scheme, where nothing “rhymes” cleanly or neat. He pulls this off with various oral techniques—vocal drags, gaps, pauses, and elongations, all of which he uses in deference to rhythm, with no emphasis on presenting a clean rhyme. It’s not until the third verse does Smith offer a clean AABBCCDD rhyme scheme:

“Wo, he’s a smooth cat/
And knows where it’s at/
A bad spade/
Don’t pull your blade/
A super brother/
A gone mother/
A cool dude/
And shovels his food—”

And even though this is the cleanest rhyme of the song, Smith’s delivery is anything but. He raps this rhyme scheme in a rhythmic breakdown, one that drives the instrumental bridge in the song. Skill.

It was upon listening to “Blowin’ Your Mind” that I made my most important discovery about the art of rhyme: Rhyming is about the rhythm of words and their relationship to the rhythm of the instrumental; that words rhyme cleanly, or even at all, is a secondary notion. This single thought, that rhyming, particularly at its highest level, is about the negotiation of two rhythms—that which the rapper brings and that of the instrumental—and words that mean what they say, gave me the basis for the rhyme skill I always sought. Not only did it give me a deeper understanding of how to master the various tropes and nuances of modern rhyme (1985-to the present), it helped me figure out everything from how to develop my own breath control techniques to how to identify those word frameworks that work best with my style and voice.

But “Blowin’ Your Mind” didn’t just teach me more about rhyming, it taught me a great deal about how to make beats. When you first hear “Blowin’ Your Mind,” you’re struck by the cinematic orchestration of it all; of course, it was a theme song for a movie soundtrack, so that’s to be expected. But it’s the nature of this orchestration that interested me the most.

Everything centers around the rhythm and the groove. The bass part, deadly repetitive and menacing, stabs over and over with a 4-note sequence that splits anchoring duties with the drums. Then there’s the rattling tambourine and spots of the shaker here and there. And no Shaft-like instrumental would be complete (or perfect) without twanging rhythm guitar passes. The drums bump and role, certainly, but the earlier described bass sequence leads the rhythm section for the most part, so the drums are grounded, content with holding a steady backbeat. And sure, there’s a big, over-the-top brass section on “Blowin’ Your Mind,” but that was par for the course when it came to 1970s film scores. Only, the brass section here, just as with the strings, dances and jabs in and out to the movement of the core rhythm.

The main takeaway from my study of Gordon Parks’ arrangement on “Blowin’ Your Mind” was how to keep the core rhythm going, while adding in changes that didn’t corrupt the feel and mood. The type of beats that I’m mostly interested in (those that motivate me to wanna rhyme the most) are those that commit to a deliberate rhythm. I can appreciation orchestral beat productions (when they’re done right), but sometimes those beats come off as an overreach with useless changes and unnecessary sounds. Instead, I dig a well-maintained groove, one complete with a solid back beat and strong rhythmic force, where the melody defers to it. This is exactly what “Blowin’ Your Mind” offers. Skill.

Oh, yeah, my infamous "Gun-shot" snare drum sound was created from, and patterned off of, the snare at the :36 mark…

The music below is presented here for the purpose of scholarship.

O.C. Smith and Gordon Parks - "Blowin' Your Mind"

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

It's Never *Just* a Loop

Truth Is, Creating a Loop is Only Part of the Equation

By AMIR SAID (SA'ID)

With regards to sampling, no statement is more misguided (and irritating to me) than someone saying, "It's just a loop." Whether sampling and then looping a 2- or 4-bar phrase of music, or piecing together spare-part phrases and sound-stabs, there's much more going on in the total creative process than some beatmakers care to acknowledge—or that some hip hop/rap bloggers even realize.

The gleaming misconception about sampling is that it's easy; that anyone can do it. While it's true that anyone can buy a digital sampler and press record, the notion that anyone can automatically acquire a skill for what goes on before and after they press record on that sampler is ridiculous. Truth is, no matter what any beatmaker samples, no matter how much or how little he or she samples, the total creative process of sampling requires any number of decisions to be made at various levels within the process. And these decisions, prompted by the residue of skill and understanding, are not always easy to make.

The Main Decisions Made Before, During, and After a Sample is Looped

What Should You Sample?

What to sample is obviously (well, perhaps obvious to those who actually make beats) the first decision to be made. And, of course, this decision depends on everything from one's mood to motive (purpose), to their style and sound preference, to their imagination and individual work ethic. For the purpose of this post, I've used the song "Heartbreak Hotel" by The Jacksons.

I chose "Heartbreak Hotel" for a number of reasons. First, it's a well-known hit—with a great groove—by a popular group. Many people are familiar with the record; so coming up with a beat and song that references such a hit, while still creating something "new" and appealing, is a bit of challenge. Second, I wanted to choose a vinyl record that could readily be found in used record shops or at online vinyl record stores, or in a relative's basement or attic. Third, "Heartbreak Hotel" has been sampled before, and I wanted to demonstrate the versioning tradition that runs deep in hip hop/rap music's roots, by offering up my version. Fourth, because "Heartbreak Hotel" has a dominant drum pattern. As such, I wanted to show how even a sample with drums can be tailored to your style and sound. (Also, any seasoned beatmaker knows the type of obstacles drums in a sample can present.) Finally, I chose "Heartbreak Hotel" because I'm a big fan of The Jacksons, and this is as good as any reason to thoroughly listen to one of my favorite songs by them (actually, it's one of top 10 favorite songs of all time).

What Section or Part Should You Sample?

Now having settled on the song, what section of the song should I sample? The beginning? The middle? Near the end? Either way, it's gotta be a part of the record where the groove is "open" (well, as much as possible with a record like this). So that being said, it comes down to either the intro, the lead-up, or the bridge. I ruled out the bridge, simply because I heard something before with that part. And the strings intro isn't the part of the song that most people are familiar with.

So I go for the "2nd intro," or what I'm calling the "lead up," as in lead up to the first verse. But exactly where in the lead up? There's approximately 35 seconds between the beginning of the lead up and where Michael Jackson's first verse vocals begin. And within that 35 seconds, there are slight embellishments on the basic groove of the song. Not to mention, at one point in this lead up, we hear one of Michael's signature vocal exclamations. No one wants that in there, right? Wrong! I do. I think it's dope; so I decided that no matter what, it had to be in the phrase that I would sample. (In my "Heartbreak Hotel Remix" below, you'll hear it.) Note: If I was using "Heartbreak Hotel" as source material for a beat for another rapper, I'm not sure what section I would've used. But since I'm rapping on this joint, I know which part of the song will suit my style, delivery, and flow.

So, How Do You Sample It?

Now that I've chosen the section of the record that I want to use, I have to decide how to sample it. Wait, what? You mean there's no one way how to sample a record? That's right! Some beatmakers sample in stereo, some in mono. Some sample wet—that is, with effects—, some sample dry, no effects. Some sample in 24 bit, 16 bit, even 12 bit.

For starters, I always sample in mono. Next, I always sample wet. I never sample any audio without its signal first flowing through my Numark DJ mixer (aside from the EQs on my mixer, a DJ mixer makes me feel linked to the earliest roots of our tradition). My DJ mixer routes into my Mackie mixing console, where I do further EQ'ing, like "beefing up" (making a sound heavier or warmer) the sample. Then I run the signal from there—the DJ Mixer's output on the Mackie—into either (a) My Akai MPC 4000; or (B) my Akai S950. For the sample below, I sampled a portion of "Heartbreak Hotel" into my Akai S950.

What about the pitch question?

Do you sample the audio leaving the pitch as is, or do you turn it up or down? This decision, like others in the creative process, mostly depends on the ultimate beat/song that you envision. For my "Heartbreak Hotel Remix," I turned the pitch up a bit before I sampled it, then I fine-tuned it as I arranged my drums (and note: NO timestretch function was used in the making of this beat/song).

Did somebody say chopping?

Of course, how to chop something is one of the big decisions in the sampling process. But I supposed the more complete a phrase is, the less difficult it is to loop, right? Not always! In fact, depending on what's actually in the phrase, getting it to loop "correctly" (according to your own rhythmic standards), it can be rather difficult finding and fine tuning the best start and end points. (In The BeatTips Manual I discuss looping, as well as composition, in greater detail.)

Here, let's remember that all of these aforementioned creative decisions have been made before the drum arrangement enters the picture. Of course, as those above decisions are being made, one should already be thinking about the ways in which to arrange the drums...

Which Way to Go with the Drums?

Even if one skips most of the aforementioned processes, he or she must still come up with a suitable drum framework. To pull this off takes a decent arsenal of drum sounds, a knack for choosing the right ones, and the ability to arrange those drum sounds into a drum pattern that works effectively with the so-called "loop" sample. So, again, decisions, decisions.

With audio that already has drums in it, you can fall back and let the drums in the sample do the work, only adding in light touches of your own drum sounds. Or you can also add your own drums to completely "mask" (cover up) the drums in the sample. Or you can match your drums with the drums in the sample; but this can be very difficult, especially if you don't posses the right kind of drum sounds.

Now, with a song like "Heartbreak Hotel," who could blame someone for going easy on the drums, that is to say, doing nothing much at all. Well, I never sample anything without a base idea of how I'm going to arrange the drums. Moreover, depending upon the extent of the groove—i.e., the feel and the level of kick and snare drums—that I've sampled and the ultimate groove that I'm going for, I will usually not only mask and match the drums, I'll flank everything with my own signature percussion. And this is exactly what I did with my "Heartbreak Hotel Remix."

*Editor's Notes:
The construction of the sample(s) is only part of the equation. Diggin' for the actual source material is another major part of the equation. Also, never forget the matter of the overall sound design. Here, I'm referring to the "color" of the sample that's achieved through sound modification techniques like filtering and EQ'ing, etc.

The music below is presented here for the purpose of scholarship.

Sa'id - "Heartbreak Hotel Remix" (Prod. by Sa'id)

Download "Heartbreak Hotel Remix" by Sa'id

The Jacksons - "Heartbreak Hotel"

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

BeatTips MusicStudy: Bobby Boyd Congress - "Dig Deep In Your Soul"

Early Funk From Obscure, Little-Known Band

By AMIR SAID (SA'ID)

One of the things that makes digging for "new" music so exhilarating and rewarding is the fact that you never know exactly what you're going to discover. Even if you're searching within a specific genre of music, the sheer number of recordings that may exist is staggering. And when it comes to funk music—particularly early funk, ca. 1965-1974—, the recorded output of music runs deep. A fact that's further made even more impressive when you consider the number obscure and lesser-known early funk bands who made only a few recordings during that time.

Bobby Boyd Congress certainly fits the category of "obscure" and "lesser-known" funk bands. To my knowledge, the only recording of the band is a 1970 self-titled album that they recorded in France. (You ever notice how France has always maintained a deep reference for quality American music, especially musics in the black American music tradition?) Still, I'm convinced that Bobby Boyd Congress, a quintessential New York funk band, made more recordings in or around New York City at the same time. Therefore, I believe (I gotta believe!) that somebody somewhere has something else of this superb funk outfit. And as long as I'm "diggin'," I won't give up trying to find it.

Finally, I'm compelled to mention that several months ago, a music professor (someone whom I hold in great regard) asked me about the relationship between the drum patterns of modern beatmaking and that of those of the early funk music typified here by Bobby Boyd Congress. Specifically, he believed that the relationship was less apparent in beatmaking in the early 1990s. I strongly disagreed. As I pointed out to him (and in my book, The BeatTips Manual, I show the link in greater historical detail), it was precisely the drum patterns of funk songs like Bobby Boyd Congress's "Dig Deep In Your Soul" that pioneering beatmakers like DJ Premier and Pete Rock drew their inspiration from.

The music and videos below are presented here for the purpose of scholarship.

Bobby Boyd Congress - "Dig Deep In Your Soul"

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

BeatTips Tutorial: Making Arrangement "Changes" in Beatmaking

Arrangement in Beatmaking is More Common than Not; Changes Often Run Parallel to Other Popular Forms of Music

By AMIR SAID (SA'ID)

One of the greatest things about hip hop/rap music is the fact that, as much as it is different from other popular music forms, it still employs some of the fundamental practices of those forms. Perhaps there is no better example of this to be found than in the area of arrangement.

Because hip hop/rap music is so steadfastly based on the groove, more specifically, the loop of a groove, the prospect of adding in changes (commonly known as "switch-ups" in beatmaking) is sometimes challenging. However, with a number of basic guidelines for adding in changes to your arrangements, you'll likely find that it's not as difficult as you might think. Thus, below I have included a number of basic (but key) guidelines that I follow, when it comes to adding in changes to an arrangement.

(1) What kind of rhyme and rhyme voice will go with the beat?

After you've established the main groove of a beat, let it play for a while. Do this for one main reason: You want to really think about what kind of rhyme and rhyme "voice" would go well with the beat. Figuring out what sort of rhyme and rhyme voice would match up well with the beat helps you determine if the beat needs any changes. Remember, even mix drops (track solos, mutes) can serve as effective changes. So sometimes, once you've established a great groove, you might not need to add any changes.

(2) Is the arrangement of the beat sample-based or non-sampled-based?

Sample-based beats often allow for fewer and less-complex changes, because of there more strict adherence to the groove. (Overly complex changes in sample-based beats tend to cause too much distraction throughout the beat.) On the other hand, non-sample-based beats typically allow more room for changes. But that doesn't necessarily mean that this "room" must always be filled up. Changes need not simply occupy space; instead they should exist to serve some purpose in the beat (e.g. to show contrast, for tension or release, etc.).

(3) What sort of changes could the beat handle? minor (e.g. an embellishment) or major ones (e.g. an "switch-up")? And how long should they be?

Having determined that the beat could indeed use a change(s), the next thing you want to assess is the kind of change that would work best with the beat. There are different types of changes that can be added to a beat, but just like with other popular forms of music, the most common change is an embellishment. Embellishment typically refers to embellishing (decorating) of a melody. This applies in beatmaking and hip hop/rap music as well; however, because of the "looped groove" dimension in hip hop/rap music, it is the groove—riffs and melodies locked in a rhythm—that is most often decorated. Thus, for our purposes here, think of an embellishment as just any musical component(s) that decorates the main groove or any aspect of the rhythm of the beat.

A "switch-up" in beatmaking can be a much more elaborate affair. Unlike an embellishment, which more often than not is simply a musical element based on something already present in the beat, a "switch-up" is often an independent musical phrase, one that isn't based on something already in the beat (specifically, the main groove).

As far as how long a change and/or switch-up should be, well, each beatmaker is different. That being said, however, anywhere between 1-4 bars will be quite effective. If you need more, just duplicate the changes you created, and take out or add an additional element to it; you can even program drops (track solos and mutes) here as well.

(4) Where should you add the changes in at?

Typically, for embellishments, it's a good idea to work them in the chorus (the hook) and near the beginning of the second verse—the second pass (the second installment of 8-, 12-, or 16-bars) of the main groove. But there aren't any hard rules; you can work in changes wherever you like. Just be mindful of whether or not a rapper will be able to effectively rhyme over these changes.

(5) How many times should you add these changes?

Generally, if you add your changes in too much, that is to say, on every pass (8-, 12-, 16-bars), the beat may sound cluttered, overworked, or too complicated. But again, this is a guide. And even though there aren't any hard rules that you have to subscribe to, do bear in mind that too many changes can disrupt continuity and undermine the feel of a beat.

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

BeatTips MusicStudy: The Police - "Walking on the Moon"

Group Offers Great Example of Style and Sound Fusion

By AMIR SAID (SA'ID)

Before Sting became a one-man mega star (in the 80s), he was the front-man and bassist for the group, The Police. The Police where an English outfit who specialized in an uptempo rock-reggae that mostly side-stepped the British ska sound of their time. Originally a punk inspired band, The Police moved towards the new wave sound, before settling on a minimalist rock-reggae hybrid that was decidedly pop (the good kind).

The collective musicianship of The Police was great, but most of my attention went to drummer Stewart Copeland. Copeland's default drum style was rooted in the reggae style, a rhythmic style characterized by accents on the off-beat. Specifically, Copeland road the "steppers" beat sub-style (itself a variation of "four on the floor"), but he was also clearly influenced by other worldly sounds and rhythms. This was perhaps one of the main reasons that he drummed on an expanded kit. I remember the first time I saw his set in a video, I couldn't believe how many mini-toms and percussion pieces it contained.

Guitarist Andy Summers was a seasoned and accomplished sessions player before he joined The Police. In fact, before he got with The Police (replacing The Police's original guitarist, Henry Padovani), he nearly became a member of The Rolling Stones. Summers play was less prominent than Stewart's drumming, but it didn't need to be. Instead, it was relaxed but insistent and never overbearing, perfectly equal to the sum-task of The Police's rhythms and sonic designs.

Sting, a former school teacher who was dedicated to the blues-rock tunes that he'd heard in clubs as a high schooler, began as a guitarist, before eventually switching over to bass. Like Summmers, Sting's bass play didn't do anything more or less than it needed to do. Compared to similar bassists, I found Sting's playing to be subtle and plush, never overworked or harsh.

The Police ran a table of successful albums between 1978 and 1983. In 1984, the trio unofficially split up. However, the "unofficial" tag was removed a year later, when Sting released his first notable solo effort, The Dream of the Blue Turtles. Shortly thereafter, Sting's solo career went somewhat viral. Sting was a great solo artist, but I've always found his work with The Police to be edgier, much more engaging, and more raw.

Side note:
Imagine what would have happened to The Police if MTV was around in 1979... I wonder how their music would have changed. Would it have changed for the better or worse? Would Sting have left for a solo career? Would he have left even sooner?

Below, I've included an example of The Police in their prime. When listening to the song, pay careful attention to the drumming decisions Stewart Copeland made; pay close attention to the repetition of the guitar framework; and, finally, pay attention to how the bass is used almost as a support for the rhythm of the drum framework. I can not stress enough how much The Police—and the song "Roxanne," in particular—helped me with my overall understanding of music creation.

The music and video below is presented here for the purpose of scholarship

The Police - "Walking on the Moon"

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

BeatTips MusicStudy: Ahmad Jamal Trio - "Darn That Dream"

Genius and the Intimate Intensity of an After Hours Lounge

By AMIR SAID (SA'ID)

I have long maintained that the beatmaking community/culture shares a number of similarities to the jazz community of the 1940s, 50s, and 60s. Both communities/cultures were comprised of what I like to call "anonymous heroes," acclaimed musicians not necessarily known by the general public or even the broader musical scene, yet fervently respected among their peers. Another parallel that I also like to draw between the jazz and beatmaking communities deals with the appreciation of the music itself.

In this video of the Ahmad Jamal Trio, you can't help but be struck by the sheer reverence and appreciation for the music. The incredible talent of the Ahmad Jamal Trio notwithstanding, one gets the feeling that performances like these were as much comfort zone, therapeutic sessions for the musicians as they were rare moments of musical genius. I find this akin to the road many beatmakers follow today.

Under the masterful leadership of Ahmad Jamal (piano), the trio, balanced out by Israel Crosby (bass), and Vernel Fournier (drums), cooked up a sort of smoky lounge blues: something intimate and certain yet more alluring because of the "3am setting" that seemed to encompass their sound. The Ahmad Jamal Trio's music was thrilling not for a number of obvious frills (often found in quartets and larger outfits) but for its various subtle challenges.

With "Darn That Dream," presented for MusicStudy, you truly hear what makes the Ahmad Jamal trio so unique. Jamal's piano is airy and roomy, his phrasing—spaced well as usual—glides more than it rumbles. But the impact of each of his notes are strong still the same. Crosby's bass is steady, swinging in time to the various ghost notes that Jamal plays. And Fournier's drums shuffle along with a perched subtlety, occasionally rapping the snare with a punch and a light jab. Indeed, the Ahamad Trio doesn't as much as soar here with "Darn That Dream" as they do float.

The music alone is a treasure, but the video footage below is absolutely priceless. In addition to paying close attention to the musicians, notice the onlookers.

The music and video below is presented here for the purpose of scholarship.

Ahmad Jamal Trio - "Darn That Dream" 1959

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

One Beat, One Rhyme, and Some Peace of Mind

How I Regained My Rhyme and Beatmaking Focus, and Connected It to My Interest In Writing

By AMIR SAID (SA'ID)

It was the end of 2001. Nearly six months before I would decide not to pursue the major label opportunities that were being presented to me (read). More importantly, it was a hectic time in my personal life. Relationship woes; chaos from "street stuff" in the past was creeping up and increasingly posing a serious threat; and a close friend of mine had just got hit with a bid, right at the moment of some of our plans. Further, my son, Amir Ali Said, was just beginning his acting career.

Notwithstanding the factors that were causing great angst in my life at that time, I had resolved that I no longer wanted a career as a rapper. I mean in hindsight, I don't think I ever really did have those aspirations. I've never liked the notion of touring (close friends know this very well). I didn't like to live in the studio like many of my contemporaries. And as far as some of the perks of a "rap career," namely money, fame, and women? Well, I've always been a more "independent," go-my-own-way kind of guy. And fame has never held much of my interest. And when it comes to women, I've done all right in that area without having to use money or fame as part of the attraction. (In fact, women was one of those "chaotic factors" I alluded to earlier.)

But more than anything else, what made me finally pull-back from carving out a career as a rapper was the realization that what I really wanted to do, more than anything else, was write. Thing is, long before I started rapping or making beats, I was writing. Rapping, which was a natural engagement for me, considering the fact that hip hop/rap culture was always in the backdrop, became just one of several conduits through which I was able to express my writing. Overtime, this was a fulfilling experience. But the closer I got to a "deal," the more disenchanted I became with rhyming—or at least rhyming as my main profession. Moreover, from the start of my rhyme journey, I had a plan: Rhyme just long enough to create a platform from which to write. But as I developed as a lyricist and, subsequently, gained the respect and admiration of my peers (something that no doubt boosted my rhyme ego), I drifted away from my plan of writing.

And so, one night in December, 2002, I'm at home in Brooklyn, reflecting on the direction things had gone and thinking about which moves I'm soon gonna have to make, when I come across an old sales receipt from Unique Recording Studios. On this receipt, there was a balance of 4 hours of unused studio time. Now when it came to studio time, I was always thorough. I prepared for and planned out sessions way in advance; and this made my time in the studio go by quickly. So I would often rack up lots of unused time, which the studio owner Joanne Nathan (a kind, wonderful person) would allow me to use whenever there was a slow night; all I had to do was pay the engineer. Well, immersed in thought of what rhyming used to mean to me and what it had become, I made a beat, wrote a rhyme, and created a song called "When I'm Famous."

In many ways, "When I'm Famous" would prove to be the most important rhyme that I would ever write. The concept of the song dealt with me imagining, or wondering out loud, how much of "me" would still be in tact after I became "famous." And the underscoring premise of this theme was this: "Fame" (or success) doesn't matter, if you don't do what you really feel, and if you don't retain the respect and love of the people closest to you. So it was in that moment, that precise time when I was writing "When I'm Famous," that I finally realized that the joy I found in making beats and writing rhymes was not something mutually exclusive to having a rap career. In other words, I had finally come to understand one thing: that for me, having a rap career was not necessarily a natural progression to having rhyme skills; I could make music without forcing myself down the wrong path.

Thus, it was from this context that I went to Unique Studios that night and recorded "When I'm Famous." I only recorded one take of the song, as the rhyme was written. I never had any intentions of ever releasing it; if anything, I made the song to help me get through a hectic time. I wasn't even in the studio more than an hour before I returned home and let my son hear what I had recorded. He loved it, though at that time he probably couldn't quite grasp everything that I was saying in my rhymes. But what stood out the most about his reaction to "When I'm Famous," was his interest in the beat and the rhyme itself. It was then that I vowed to teach him how to write rhymes and make beats. Some peace of mind had come, and within a year, I wrote and published the First Edition of The BeatTips Manual.

"When I'm Famous" - Sa'id

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

BeatTips MusicStudy: Baby Huey & The Babysitters - "Listen to Me"

Early Funk Jewel Showcases the Pulsating Rhythm and Groove Sound of Its Era

By AMIR SAID (SA'ID)

Among the earliest hip hop pioneers, Baby Huey & The Babysitters' "Listen to Me" is one of the most celebrated early funk jams. With no less than five tempo and mood changes, "Listen to Me" is the personification of its era: hard-hitting funk with rolling bass lines, side-winding rhythm guitar, and of course, steady and ready drumwork.

The music and videos below are presented here for the purpose of scholarship.

Baby Huey & The Babysitters - "Listen to Me"

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