LEARN TO MAKE RAP BEATS

Now lets move up to around 2005. A lot of hip-hop beats enthusiasts are hearing about well known hip-hop music producers who produce their music with just one musical software. I will not reveal which producers they are or which hip-hop music software they make use of. Hip-hop beats fanatics, know who I am referring to. But these rap producers started a new tendency in the hip-hop music production world: making hip-hop beats on of good sound quality, with a tiny budget.

Today, you do not need to get a single piece of software. It is possible to make your beats online for free after you pay a onetime fee. This is great especially if you are just getting started in music production.

This is a good way to hone your beat making skills. Like I said earlier, you don't need to buy expensive equipment. You do not need to have a super performing computer with a big memory bank. You do not have to have experience in beat making. All you need is a ordinary PC and an online connection. Save your hard earned dollars for later.

If you are interested in such beat making tool, make sure you look for one that will only charge you a small onetime fee, and no recurring fees. A good online beat making membership website should have at his disposal most of the software version of typical hardware equipment. You want to be able to sequence your music; track and mix different instruments; play with a virtual keyboard; have access to a multitude of high quality sounds and most of all, be able to record and save you music in mp3 format.

As someone who might be new to making music, or might look for an economical way to create and learn music production, it is preferable that you find a site where you can make beats online that also offers instructional music and piano lessons and video tutorials to assist you in the music process.

Once you become a member to such online beat making site, you will be creating music you like, at tiny fraction of the cost I paid when I first started.

Common tools for the task include audio editors and wave sound compatible sequencers and plugins. There are free audio editors like Audacity that you can download at a moment's notice. These types of programs are usually a snap to install, so if you haven't used one, don't worry; you'll get it installed within seconds in most cases, even if you're not all that comfortable with computers. Editing in a program like this, although very powerful and accurate, is not as hard as many make it out to be. There are usually some simple operations that need to be performed to trim and crop, nothing more!

You can also develop your drum samples in programs like Propellerheads' Reason and FL Studio. Simply make the changes you want in the programs using the in-built editors, effects units and reverb before exporting just the channel for that one sound and its associated effects. Then crop it up if you set the length to be the whole song, otherwise export just a single bar or beat if the sound occupies that amount.

Sampling is another popular method that has helped DJs, music producers and beat makers find quality drum samples for the last 20 years and even earlier than that. Extracting these sounds from records from the 60s, 70s, 50s and earlier also is good for locating uncompressed drum samples, as these decades did not have the loudness war that is evident in every chart-entering song of the modern.

Synthesizing drum samples is another option for the budding music sample connoisseur. The machines with this capability also date back many decades, including old Roland and Korg drum groove boxes with synthesizer functionality. Usually, a number of parameters are there to be modified by the user, and the traditional sound offered by that particular box usually remains with any changes, generating a nice mix between the structure of that sound and the special characteristics assigned to it.

When it comes to then sculpting your own sounds, you can use many processing techniques. Equalization and compression are two common choices for professional and amateurs alike. One tip sometimes given by those with experience is to limit the effects to sculpting and not loudness. Changing the tone of a sound is different from changing its level indiscriminately.

If you're interested in getting a beatmaker, the best advise I can give to someone who is new to the beat making game, is to get a beat maker that works well and doesn't take a lot of time to learn. Here are the five reasons you don't need and don't want to spend a lot when buying a beatmaker for the first time.

You're New To Making Beats:

The thing about inexpensive beatmakers, is that not only do they work well had have every feature you need to get started in one quick package, but they also don't leave you scratching your heard for three months before you finally figure out how to make a beat. The fact of the matter is that you don't want a beatmaker with a ton of bells and whistles because you won't know how to use half-of them, and the other half you don't need anyway.

It's About Having Fun:

An expensive beat maker also means you will be frustrated when trying to figure out all the plug-ins and effects that usually have a pretty high learning curve. Just enjoy yourself and have fun, and this is exactly what a cheap beatmaker will provide for you.

Plug and Play Baby:

Another nice thing about inexpensive beatmakers is that they are plug-in-play. This means you simply purchase the software, download it or use it online with their servers, and presto! you're making beats in just minutes. Just minutes! Believe me, if you buy expensive hardware and software with all the bells and whistles, there is no such thing as 'plug-n-play.' Yes it is easier than it used to be, but you'll find yourself frustrated and let's not forget that expensive beat makers require expensive computers. Not so with the inexpensive beatmaker solutions available today which you can use perfectly as long as you have a good internet connection.

The Beatmaker Basics:

A good hip hop beat only has a few simple ingredients. A bass drum, hi-hat, sneer and cymbal part. That's it. So why spend a ton of money to make this type of sound when you can spend much less and do the exact same thing. Also, the more expensive beatmakers will require some sound mastering experience, and unless you have experience with mixing hip hop beats with 8 to 16 tracks, you're going to be in for a very big surprise.

It's About Talent:

If you have musical ability and inspiration you don't need an expensive hip hop beat maker. All you need is some perspiration and some beatmaker software that won't require a crazy learning curve. This is because talent comes from within, and you can't buy talent with expensive beatmakers. This is the fifth and most important thing to remember before you break the bank on a beatmaker you may later decide you don't have the talent to use and you could have learned that by spending under fifty bucks.

When you're in the market for any beat making software, there are a few requirements that you should consider - It should be inexpensive (especially if you're a beginning in beat making), easy to use right out of the gate and lastly, should come loaded with everything you'd ever need to help you get up and running right away.

Don't be fooled by any beat making software that is inexpensive. Price doesn't always mean that something is better. If you're a newbie to making beats, the last thing you should be concerned about is buying high end equipment that you don't know how to use, which is why I would advise that you find something that can fit your budget.

Once that requirement is fulfilled, you should find software to make beats that is simple and easy to use. Buying high end equipment that is made for more seasoned beat making veterans can consume a lot of your time (big learning curve), and that time could be better spent with easy to use software that has you cranking out hip hop and rap beats, one after another!

With the last requirement, you should make sure that the program or software you're looking at buying comes preloaded with everything you need to make beats. Some pieces of software or equipment only do certain things. Finding one that is loaded with everything you need will enable you to literally produce beats right out of the box.

So, if you're in the market and want to find the best hip hop beats software, make sure you take the 3 requirements I mentioned above. Do that, and you'll be well on your way to becoming the next top hip hop and rap producer out there!

We ourselves are discouraging our children from opting for arts, culture & music as a career. Envious of the progeny of our nearest & dearest ones studying medicine, engineering or IT, we force our children to pick the same career, which they may be least interested in. We don't want our children to be what they wish to be, and where they can excel; rather we wish them to be, what they don't want to be and remain average. We want to create doctors, engineers and managers at the cost of our fine tradition of arts and culture. This is a catastrophic development.

We are ignoring music, arts & culture education at the primary level, secondary level, and undergraduate level. In India music is provided very little support as an academic subject, and music teachers feel that they must actively seek greater public endorsement for music education as a legitimate subject of study. Hence, music advocacy is to be promoted significantly. It is our collective responsibility to preserve our inheritance and to develop it into a rich legacy for future generations.

Modernity does not make tradition redundant. We are the offspring of a complex and rich culture, and music has played a crucial role in synthesizing it. It merits more than a disinterested glance by the authorities in colleges and universities. One is amazed at their callousness and quite dumbfounded at their ignorance when they talk of abolishing the subject from their syllabus. They argue that 'unnecessary' subjects require monetary props and they want to save their beloved country some much needed cash. We are not the victims of any financial crisis but of pure, unalloyed prejudice. Who will take up cudgels on behalf of us musicians who languish on the dusty shelves of modern education in India?

Of course, a new education policy has been announced by our Govt. Sadly, only technology, polytechnics, industry linked training centers, medicine, management etc. have been the point of discussion. What about our culture, arts and music? Philosophers and pedagogues variously define education. This is said to be the sum total of a man's character. Education in the Indian tradition is not merely a means of earning a living; nor is it only a nursery of thought or a school for citizenship. It is initiation into the life of spirit, a training of the human soul in the pursuit of truth, and the practice of virtue. However in the present context it is a means to earn one's living. Education should not merely be treated as a means of empowering people to get jobs for livelihood. The Indian Education Commission (1964-66) asserted that education ought to be related to the life, needs and aspirations of the people and thereby made a powerful instrument of social economic and cultural transformation.

Music has also remained the victim of State Govt.'s horrendous apathy and neglect. As the result of the deliberate, inexplicable intentions of the Punjab Govt. posts of lecturers in music from various Government Colleges like Govt. Barjindra Collge, Faridkot, were abolished. They declared that such subjects were an unnecessary surplus and a drain on the treasury. Later on, following an agitation by the Student and Teacher Unions of Punjab, and keeping in view the upcoming elections, the Govt. of Punjab changed its mind and a few posts were reinstated.

Our academia in India has failed to attract students who are genuinely interested in music. Life has changed in the last decade. We cannot apply the same decadent vision to our education system. Our educational institutes are offering the same old fashioned, hackneyed, outmoded two/three year courses & examination programs in arts, culture and music. A revision is mandatory and it should be accepted without any raising of eyebrows. We will have to design new state-of-the-art curricula to urge students towards the study of art & culture, especially music.

The United States of America and some of the European Countries have outlined National Standards for arts Education to be followed by every student and teacher at the primary level, as well as the secondary level art education.

• Students should be able to communicate at a basic level in the four arts disciplines-dance, music, theatre, and the visual arts.
• Students should be able to communicate proficiently in at least one art form.
• Students should be able to develop and present basic analyses of works of art.
• Students should have an informed acquaintance with exemplary works of art from a variety of cultures and historical periods.
• Students should be able to relate various types of arts, knowledge, and skills within and across the arts disciplines.

There is a set of national standards in music education also, which most teachers adhere to:

• Singing alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music.
• Performing on instruments, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music. Improvising melodies, variations, and accompaniments.
• Composing and arranging music within specified guidelines.
• Reading and notating music.
• Listening to, analyzing, and describing music.
• Evaluating music and music performances.
• Understanding relationships between music, the arts, and other disciplines outside the arts.

The Indian Government and private institutions should also include these musical standards in their Education system. Teachers should establish these standards in classrooms beginning in a kindergarten general music class, and ending in undergraduate level general, band, choral, or orchestral classes.

In today's 'global village' scenario, the higher education system of developing nations like us must seek integration with universal learning. The concept of internationalization of higher education in syllabi, teaching and research should be implemented. Our institutes must introduce some new ultra modern courses in music.

Small duration Courses:

Music playing and performance courses should be offered at college level, e.g. Guitar/Sitar/Tabla Intermediate (duration 3 months), Music performance, Flute Ensemble etc. 3 months duration Courses in different instruments like Sitar, Tabla, Harmonium, Sarangi, Flute, Violin, Guitar, Synthesizer, Drums etc. Different courses in different genres should be offered e.g. Classical, Folk, World Music, Fusion, Bollywood, Light Music, Western including Middle Ages, Renaissance, Baroque, Romantic, Opera, Operetta, Zarzuela, Rock, Grind core, Heavy Metal, Punk, Pop, Rhythm & Blues, Rap, Jazz, Electronica, Break beat, Drum & Bass, Ambient, Electro, Down tempo, Electro, House, Trance, Techno, UK Garage, Reggae, Calypso etc.

We must host in our college, graduate and undergraduate programs in musicology, evolutionary musicology, ethnomusicology, bio-musicology, music technology, zoo-musicology, music therapy, musilanguage, and music education.

Courses in Musicology (Socio-musicology, Zoo-musicology and Evolutionary Musicology): including:

Music Archeology, Music Appreciation, Introduction to Musicology, Methodology (research methods) of Music, Philology of Music, Orchestration, Counterpoint and Fugue, Acoustics of Music, Aesthetic Philosophy, Composer or Genre, Topics in Music Literature, Introduction to Music Bibliography.

Courses in Zoo musicology: including:

Fundamentals of Sound and Music of the World, World Music Theory and Musicianship, Musical Cultures of the World, World Music Performance Organizations, Psychology of Music, Experimental Research in Music, Anthropology of Music, Music of different countries, Music and Mind, Historical Readings in Ethnomusicology, Material Culture of Music, Interpretive Theories and Music.

Courses in Music Technology: including:

Degree Course in Creative Sound Engineering & Music Technology, Degree in Audio & Music Production, Live Sound Courses, Music Writing, Music Business, Music Publishing.

Music Therapy Courses:

A university in Australia is offering a course in Music Therapy which includes: - Applications of Music in Therapy (child clients, adult clients, contemporary contexts), Research in Music Therapy, Music Psychology Research, Music Therapy Skills (guitar, voice, groups and verbal counseling skills, improvisation skills, working toward performance and songwriting, vocal improvisation, receptive methods), Clinical Training in Music Therapy, Guided imagery and music (therapy that combines music and deep relaxation states to explore and guide thoughts and feelings).

Music Education courses:

This program should be designed to enhance the knowledge, skills and understanding of both current and prospective music educators. One can learn through academic study and practice within an international context.

Institutions must start offering courses which are universally recognized and acclaimed. Each course must provide an opportunity for all different kinds of musicians to pursue their own work. A student should also learn about the wider context of music. One of the primary aims of the course should be to facilitate students' understanding of their contemporary musical world, in short its wide historical and contemporary context. At the same time, Music Degree pathways should offer considerable crossovers and opportunity for collaboration, so that a student is enabled to explore and use the most advanced techniques of contemporary music. Throughout the course, a student should be encouraged to choose his/her own area of focus and identify his/her own distinctive musical personality. This personal evolution of potential will easily lead to a body of composition, performance or written work that will, in turn, open doors both to existing career paths and the creation of new market niches. A creative vocational approach arms graduates with diversity of experience, backed with a strong skill base and theoretical underpinning.

Step 1: Master the Basics There are three areas in a rap that you must deal with: The delivery, rhyme scheme and world play. Delivery - The delivery of your words includes the flow, cadence and tone of your voice. You must be able to follow a beat and create a rhythm. Speak clearly. Make sure you sound out all of the words. Be cool. Your choice of language needs to be fluid. Your words should literally flow as you transition between literary devices. Your distinct style as a rapper will be developed in part by your delivery.

Word Play- Your use of words will determine how original you sound. Enjoy yourself and be creative. Comparisons: Metaphorical: Comparing a pair of apparently contrasting things without use of the words like or as. Simile: Comparing a pair of things, including the terms like or as in the comparison. Pun: A comical way to use words and bring attention to words that have a double meaning, or words that sound alike but mean something different. Double entendre: Employing a double meaning in your language choice, generally with a bawdy intent. Allusion: An implicit reference to someone, somewhere, or something. Generally it refers to literary works, TV shows, movies or pop culture elements. Learning more about literary techniques and devices is very simple. Either search the Web or go to your local library and pick up a book.

Rhyme Scheme - A rhyming scheme refers to the rhythmic thread that runs through your rap. Internal rhyme: Rhyming with the middle of a line is a type of rhyme. End rhymes: rhyme which occurs at the tail end of multiple lines of verse. Half rhyme: the consonant sounds rhyme without any rhyme in the vowel sound. Multi-syllable rhymes (also called "multis"): rhyming between various syllables within a phrase or verse.A large vocabulary is needed in order for you to play with words. Start studying and use that dictionary.

Step 2: Begin - When you know the elements needed for a flowing rap, you can flex your ability. Train your ear by playing rap and hip-hop.

Compose. It is true that freestyling means that you do not have pre-written lyrics when you rap; but to improve, you must practice rhyming and word play by creating verses. If you commit to memory several groups of rhyming words, your lyrics will flow more smoothly. Eventually you will learn how to improvise rap on the fly. It is inevitable that you will make mistakes. When that happens, don't stop rapping. Don't pay it any attention or keep on going with what comes next - continue with your rhythm. Anticipate what you will say next. Think about what you are going to rhyme next, and try to keep the flow going.

Remember to avoid getting ahead of yourself since you risk losing track.

Select a topic or theme and then simply begin laying down a rap around it. Just state whatever you think of. In all likelihood, when you first begin you won't make a lot of sense, so practice alone. Your own style needs to be found and used. Do not copy other rappers directly, but use them for inspiration. Rap about things that are familiar to you. Choose any topic you'd like, remembering that your own experiences will ring truest. Hyperbole and creative license always have a place.Because you want to entertain others with your lyrics, it's okay to make them up as you go along.

Step 3: Rehearse - Rehearsing instills greater confidence while building skill. Wherever and whenever you can, just continue to rap. Rehearse alone. You will eliminate any awkwardness if you're alone. Rehearse while watching yourself in a mirror. Either in front of your friends or with your friends, practice rapping. Enjoy yourself and, at the end, ask for a frank critique.

Freestyle Rap Battles - Rap battles are a great means of rehearsing and sharpening your freestyle skills. In a freestyle rap battle, rappers are the contestants. The rapper with the best delivery, lyrics (boasts, insults and witticisms), and overall performance is the winner. Normally the crowd determines the favorite, so you must fight to get them on your side.

At online sites such as YouTube or in person, observe other rappers freestyling. A few filler lines need to be written. The fillers can take the place of your original lyrics should you forget them or freeze up. Make use of humor. Make good use of your sense of humor to get the crowd laughing. Perfect opportunities for humor are unexpected comparisons or one liners. Rap about your own world. Use anything you wish, such as individuals, encounters, events and clothes.

Rapping about your immediate surrounding shows that you are making up original verses instead of pre-recorded raps. Refer to current activities to make original allusions and play with words. Use another rapper to play off. Spin off of what your rival says, reverse it or state your refutation. You can stay with common or connected subjects.

Don't get your feelings hurt; take it all with good humor, even the insults. Some of the best freestyle learning opportunities are rap battles. Actually, you should feel free to apply freestyle battling strategies anytime you freestyle.

The Way to Freestyle Rap - Suggestions: Learn the fundamental literary methods, like rhymes, metaphors, similes as well as allusions. Take notice of your style of delivery. Memorize various rhyming words and compose emergency verses. Do not allow errors to prevent you from freestyling. If you make a mistake on a rhyme or verse, keep going and work it into your next line.

If you want your impromptu rap to be really outstanding, rap about your current environment and situations. Conclusion Freestyling lets you express yourself and improve your ability to rap.

The best rappers are masters at rapping freestyle. Showing off at live performances or rap battles are things you can do once you have good skills, but with these skills if you aspire to be a major recording artist with hip hop or dirty south beats, just make sure you get the best and most current sounding beats and your skills as a rapper on top of these great hip hop beats will have you sounding like a superstar and get you signed!

Having original beats makes you as an artist or producer very unique. Self-produced beats can make or break an artist. Unless you got grands to drop on a single (or even k-0k from Timbaland and Kanye), you can make your own beats just as good as pros with the right software.

When you learn to make your own beats, be it rap, hip-hop, or even R&B smooth jams, you can express exactly what you want through the whole song. Beats show your personality and convey what you're all about as an artist. It's like when a graff artist throws up a whole piece production, he wants to show you something, what he's thinking. He's putting out a message and gets respect for it.

Now, I had my share of mainstream Hip-Hop brag-o-nomics, and if you want to show that you're the best, then you gotta get some beats that have that feel. If you want to share an idea, the whole beat's gotta share it too. You know what beats you want yours to sound like-they just got that swagga you love.

Now, a couple tips from a veteran Beatmaker - Two ways to produce fresh beats

(I'm getting older so I spend less time making beats, but I used to pump out 5-10 beats a day. Now, out of those 40+ beats a week, only a handful would actually make it to full production.)

Tip #1

Inspiration comes most often when you immerse yourself into music. You can pull a grip of ideas listening to random music genres. Sometimes I'd get ideas for hip-hop while listening to Marvin Gaye or even a completely different genre like electronic music.

So first, I say you go listen to some music you like and get inspired by like Anthony Banks or Timbaland (I even listen to electronic music to catch some of the tricky elements they use to make dope dub and bass). There will usually be something that sticks out in a track that makes your brain go nuts with ideas. It might be one single sound or a drum pattern from some congas or sticks you hear in the background. Maybe the bass line or 808 hits and you say, "Dag, I want that in my music."

Anytime you feel the juices flowing, don't sit there and let 'em go away, GET UP and put it down as fast as possible. You'll start goin from one idea to the next. Next thing you know, you got five mins. worth of a fresh track (edit it later). Let that creativity flow.

Tip #2

Some of my best beats were made when I was just foolin' around tryin' to come up with new synth sounds or messin' around on the piano or MIDI. I'd get some sound that sounded so dope, the riff didn't have to be complicated at all (sometimes even just one note). On the piano, I'd hit some chord or some sequence of notes that struck my creativity.

I'm no piano expert and I wouldn't really even consider myself a musician-I'm a producer. I can sit down at a piano and play basic chords that I make up and I can pluck out some riffs and melodies with my right hand, but I've had no training. It's pretty easy to make your own beats if you got the right software-but super difficult if it's wrong.

There's tons of cheap and free software you can use to get just the sound you want, but not all are created equal. Some programs take a while to learn, few are easy. Some pump out rotten beats while a select few churn out the illest sounds and drums you've ever heard coming out of your speakers.

Having good software makes it so you can quickly piece together a complete track from scratch in no time and have it come out sounding professional. It's vital to make you own rap if your strapped for cash and ever want to go anywhere in the rap game.

First, let me get this topic out of the way. If you're looking for an entry level sequencer, there are a number of MIDI beat making software packages that most anyone can learn the basics on; and they're quite reasonably priced along side a lot of online drum machines. You can also find plenty of free sounds,free drum kits, and free beats all over the web; not to mention the tons of video tutorials on YouTube.

After applying these following concepts you should be able to create tracks that sound, and feel unique to all of the other also-ran tracks out there. People, especially artists will hear your natural distinction, and clamor after your tracks.

First, let me suggest listening to some REAL classic drum mixes, and grooves that set these drummers apart from the rest of their peers. I suggest you get familiar with their discographies, and listen to them with good headphones so you can see the true artistry in getting a good drum mix. The top session players I would suggest you Google on YouTube would be Jeff Porcaro, Steve Gadd. I also strongly suggest great songwriter drummers like Ringo Starr, Russ Kunkle, and Jim Keltner. Your searching will probably take you to similar drummers, which is fine, but this will be a start.

At this point, let me deal with the issue here of natural sounding samples, as opposed to synthesizer samples, ala the Roland TR-x0x series. Not to pick on Roland, they obviously hit on something a lot of people like. However, my approach would be that if you can sequence a natural, human sounding mix, a hip hop sound is a walk in the park. So, when you start listening, listen to the depth, and attack of the drums.

1.) For instance, with some kit samples mimicking a 60's sound you may hear a slight rattle of the snare when you play the kick sample.

2.) If you want a 70's sound listen for a very compressed, dead-pan sound on the drums. Another trait that was gradually popularized in the 70's was having a slight 12k EQ attack on the kick drum. In fact, in the best recordings, and samples today you'll contintue to hear the beater on the kick drum sound like it's "kissing the fabric" of the drum head, rather than a fake, synthetic sound.

3.) The 80's sounds had End-of-the-World snare drums as a result of the dawn of great sounding, but inexpensive digital effects.

4.) The 90's and beyond toned back the 'verb just a tad, but basically kept it the same. The exception to that is the growing trend in Alternative Rock is to simply set up some really nice mics on a really nice kit for a really nice natural sound.

One secret to remember with acquiring great sounding drum samples is that sometimes it's best to keep the samples as "dry" as possible, then add reverb to the taste of the song.

As for the cymbals, listen to some expensive real cymbals in a music store, and pay attention to their sustain, and the way they "shimmer". Then, try to find samples that sustain close to 3 seconds. I'll warn you though, with the infinite variety of cymbal sounds you can get ear fatigue rather quick. So, try to absorb what you've heard, and compare the sounds in your head with the samples in your library. For mixes, and performances that crush you into talcom powder, go to the Steely Dan mixes on Aja, and Goucho, as well as any of the GRP sessions that featured the late, great Carlos Vega.

For example, if the song you're listening to is very funky, chances are you're going to hear a slap bass guitar with a flanger that's in sync with the song tempo. It also helps to watch for dynamics in the song. Velocity is key here. If you're writing a song for a rap artist, and you're going through different rap beats, and rap loops, make sure that you're getting the rest of the mix as close to the rap beat as possible. Just like a group of singers has to sound like one voice even in harmony, your instrumental should sound the same way. And if you're working Cubase, get plugins that are as close to the real sound as possible. You can find a lot of vintage as well as free vst plugins on google. Acid Loops is absolutely wonderful to work with. But browse around, I'm sure that you'll find a lot of good ones, and you'll never be bored finding them. Go to my personal page here, and see what I'm talking about in the links section: http://www.allnolinmusic.com

There are others out there as said before, but go and take a look and see which ones work for you. These small tips I give you in songwriting in Cubase should help you greatly......

Stay Creative!!!!!

I want to emphasise the importance of a good "Hook" once again, and expand on the explanation: Have you ever caught yourself humming something under your breath over and over? And when you eventually realise it - the "tune" that you are humming, or whistling, is actually a radio advert selling soap or toothpaste or something? That is what a good "Hook" is all about - a melody combined with clever lyrics that are repetitive - and catchy enough - to stick in your subconscious long after the radio is off.

If you want your Guitar Song to reach the hit parade - it must have a mass Crossover Appeal to as many people as possible. Again - "crossover appeal" - means that your song has appeal to many sectors of the listening public, and is not specifically only rap or hard rock or rave etc. You do not want to exclude more than half of your possible buyers - and therefore negatively influence the songs sales potential. There are many beautiful and important songs that have no "Commercial Hooks" - such as Dire Straits: Brothers In Arms, that never reached the hit parades, yet their other song "Money for Nothing and Chicks for Free - " was a huge hit, simply because it had all the good hall-marks of what it takes to have a hit: A catchy tune, clever lyrics, and a very clever Hook Line that is the same as the title - that had everyone singing along. Love it or hate it - it grabs your attention! I personally prefer the "Brothers In Arms" cut.

There are various types of hooks, here is a short description of each:

Instrumental Hook: Neil Young has a great bass riff on his E-minor opening chord sequence in Heart Of Gold, that repeats itself throughout the verse and lyrics, as a signature unique to that Song. It is immediately and distinctively recognisable. There are many great songs that have an opening instrumental sequence, or an instrumental sequence in a Pre-hook that makes the tune more recognisable than merely the lyrics themselves. Think of Hotel California by the Eagles, that has a great opening and closing sequence - their live recording.

Title or Theme or Story Line Hook: So often we remember a catchy tune or great song, but not the lyrics - but are aware that it is something we would like to hear again. The group America with: "Been Through The Desert On a Horse With No Name - " comes to mind. Both the tune and the title - which is also the Chorus "Hook" is catchy and up-beat and unusual. I have always enjoyed that song - but for the life of me, I cannot remember the lyrics... or, Leonard Cohen: So Long Marianne - is another great tune and story. His number - Suzanne, is excellent and unusual as well.

Structural Hooks: This is normally where the Chorus is the Main Hook. Again, Neil Young In "Heart of Gold" - uses the title to very good repetitive effect to tie up the verses throughout with the Chorus parts: " I've been Looking for a heart of gold" - and - "I've been a miner for a heart of gold" - are good examples. Sometimes the Chorus is what dictates the Songs Structure, more than what the verses do.

Production Hooks: Think of the movie - Jaws, and the opening menacing sequence: Dum - de - Dum... Dum -de - Dum... or the brilliance of Mike Oldfield with his Tubular Bells recording, where one sequence was used to great eerie effect in the Stephen King thriller movie "Carrie". Again, a unique and unmistakable sound!

@ 2010 Copyright Peter S. Pentelbury

Look online for free samples and VSTs. There are tons of websites where you can get free samples, and free virtual instruments. Spend a weekend downloading and organizing your new sounds, and try them out.

2. Listen to different music

Personally, in the past I had never liked rock music, but then I played Guitar Hero. Playing the bass in the game made me appreciate all the melodies, and variations upon those melodies. As I played I could only think about how I would have changed the song into a hip hop beat, using a lot of similar elements, but would have made it altogether different. So now, I listen to different types of music, not to sample, but to get inspired. Whether it's the melody, or how they break down the verse and the hook. It's all different from what I usually listen to, and this gives me lots of new ideas.

3. Seven minute switch

Sometimes I have the tendency to stick with a beat for 30 minutes, and the final result may be something I don't like at all. So try this, make 3 to 4 beats, and only spend 7 minutes on each of them. For each one of your beats, try a different tempo, different sounds and different drum patterns. After you make the 4 beats, go back and focus on the one you see the most potential in. I say this, because a lot of the time, for me, the beat that I do very fast may not have all the elements I want in it yet, but it may have the right feeling I am looking for and can turn out very well.

4. Write lyrics first

Whether you are a rapper or a singer, (or even just a producer, because nowadays, a lot of beats are sold with hooks for rap songs, and rough draft vocals for R&B songs), try starting with the lyrics first. As your lyrics get laid out, the feeling of a beat should stand out to you, and give you ideas for the intro, hook, etc.

5. Do something different

Every once in a while, try to switch up your routine. If you don't sample, sample! If you only use hardware, try out software and take advantage of all the resources out there. There are a million different ways to do what ever you're doing now, but differently, and I'm saying give them a try. No one should ever be stuck in their ways, because the industry changes a lot, and you should be able to change with it.

6. Collaborate

Work with others, whether it's a fellow producer or song writer/singer. Everyone I know loves music, and can provide input on a track. If the other person has an idea for a melody, play it out, or let them play it out and vibe off each other's energy. This entire process can be fun and can be a learning experience. The other person may pick sounds you wouldn't usually pick, but work around this, and push your self as a producer and make the track work.

7. Make some noises

I honestly feel that since I can't play any instruments, my best instrument is my mouth. Humming is good for me because I can come up with endless melodies in my head. So I get an audio recorder or record directly into my computer, and hum the melody for a song. Then I attempt to remake it with my keyboard or software.

I would suggest recording yourself humming the beat before you try to start making it, because if you have that perfect melody in your head, you may hear a sound when you're searching through your sound collections that may inspire an entirely new melody. This is good obviously, but you don't want to lose your first idea either. So just record it, and you won't have to worry about this.

8. Watch YouTube (Or any other video site)

Youtube.com has millions of producers out there just like you. With more or less knowledge. Watch them, learn from their mistakes, and learn from their skills. This should be a big source of inspiration, because online you will see all types of people across the world using different equipment and utilizing different techniques.

9. Remake professional beats

Test your skills and remake a song you hear on the radio. Put yourself in the producer's head, and figure out how they got that certain sound and that certain feel. In the long run, this will make you more versatile, because when an artist asks for this producer's type of sound, you'll be able to provide them with something similar, but also to add your own style.

10. Learn a musical instrument

This is probably one of the most beneficial things that you can do as a producer. But it's probably the hardest thing on this list. It takes time and patience, but when you take some time to learn some chords and train your ears, the possibilities are endless.

In the past few decades rap has seen an incredible increase in popularity as its beats and urban themes have gone beyond the inner city and into the homes of most suburban areas. In fact, it is probably safe to say that rap is the most listened to genre now, topping other popular ones such as rock and pop. There are some rappers in fact who have become household names and some of those few will be described in the next few paragraphs.

One of the earliest rappers to become hugely famous in America was a man named Tupac Shakur. Tupac was from the Bronx in New York but moved out to the West coast at a fairly early age and became a pioneer in the burgeoning genre. In fact, Tupac has sold over 75 million albums worldwide, making him one of the highest selling musical performers of all time. However, unfortunately, what most people know him for now is the feud with fellow rapper Notorious BIG which claimed both of their lives in their mid twenties.

Another household name and notorious rapper is Eminem, who is distinct on this list due to his large following and also to his being the most famous rapper ever who happens to be white. Born in a rough part of Detroit, Eminem became famous in the late 1990's after his debut album sold millions of copies across the country.

Seemingly in the past few years, a new era has been brought on in the rap genre. Rappers who rap about violence and who try to rhyme about how they are the toughest people around appear to be a dying breed and it seems they are being replaced by more socially conscious artists who are interested in creating social change where they see fit. Leading the pack in this new kind of rappers is Kanye West, famous both for his socially aware raps about things such as blood diamonds in Sierra Leone and for once ludicrously claiming that George Bush is a racist.

While popularity of certain styles of music can fluctuate greatly within just a few years or a few decades it seems that, for better or for worse, rap music is here to stay in America.

When you create your rap beat you want to reach within you for inspiration. I'm not saying that you cannot be inspired by other producers but you don't want to copy another producer. In some cases creating that nice beat will inspire you to sample and that's okay providing you bring something new and fresh to the track.

You may find it helpful to collaborate with your artist or someone else that has a good ear for music. People are your best and worst feedback because if they know you they may always say something nice so you should try to get feedback from strangers. In the internet age this is quite easy because all you would have to do is post your track online and ask for comments. People will definitely tell you what they think. I hope you have a thick skin.

If you're wondering exactly how you are going to go about creating that nice rap beat you have many options. If money is an issue you can use a good online beat making software that will allow you to use it 24 hours a day 7 days a week. You won't believe how reasonably priced these type of software can be. And you get a lot of the same features that you will have access to in a traditional recording studio. And don't be worried about learning to use it either because you will have access to video tutorials and written instructions.

Here are 5 things to NEVER do on Twitter"

1. "T.W.I." or Tweeting While Intoxicated. If you've had a few, you can do a lot more stupid things than calling your ex - you are likely to tweet less than brilliant ramblings filled with typos or worse, you may even be tempted to tweet your ex with secret confessions - for all the world to see.

2. Automate your Social Media. The key ingredient of social media is the social part - you can't have a computer bot pretend to be you, YOU have to be you. This includes auto responders - it's obvious to poeple who get them. Got a new follower? Unless you're Lady Gaga, you DO have the time to send a quick "@_,Thanks" and demonstrate your good manners. The same applies to Repeat-Tweet, if you have a gem of a tweet that you want to put out there more than once, do it - a little differently each time. You're making a point, not beating a drum.

3. Sell and Yell. If all you do is tell people how great your stuff is and why they should buy it, you'll see your Twitter followers disappear like people abandoning a sinking ship. Twitter is for communicating, it's for commenting, sometimes it's just for carrying on - but it's not for "selling and yelling" if it's all about you, all the time, it's a safe bet people will ignore you pretty quick. Give value: tweet stuff that matter's to the people you're connected with, if once in a while you have a special offer then make it - but make sure you've earned the right, earned the trust. Always remember; this isn't broadcast, it's social.

4. Re-Tweeting without Acknowledgement. If someone you follow on Twitter posts something particularly interesting or clever and you want to pass it on, or re-tweet it, then by all means do so, but acknowledge the source either by leaving the RT up front where Twitter puts it automatically or by adding "via @myFriend" at the end. If you pretend you thought it up, it's like stealing - bad behavior! Acknowledging in the RT is the internet equivalent of applause, it's flattering to the originator and helps build your community by showing that you care and share.

5. Dropping the "F Bombs". Would you talk to your mother like that? If not, then spare Twitter foul language - nobody reads an expletive laden tweet and thinks "gee, they are so smart, I want to be like them!" (or do business with them) A possible exception is if you are a famous Rap Star or something, then you can get away with it - but you should be ashamed of yourself!

There are plenty of great things to do on Twitter, meet people, find information, learn stuff, share your expertise, build your Expert visibility, grow your connections (and your business) steer clear of these few potential pitfalls and let the Tweeting fun continue!

Mike Wolpert / Founder, Social Jumpstart

Watch the latest episodes of Social Jumpstart TV on your local Public TV station or on our YouTube Channel

This is an area where one is sitting in judgment to something that they are observing and certain thoughts come right to mind. We all have them these thoughts of rage, jealousy, envy and hate these are our own emotional addictions. You may say "No Way" but I say yes you have them. We have over time heard from either parents or spiritual leaders, to profess not to judge others. Yet we do it all the time.

Let me give you a little example, have you ever watched something on TV like some rap artist and wondered how that person who you would consider "ignorant" be living the lifestyle you could only imagine? You think, what does this person have that I don't? I'm smarter than him or her, how come I am not making that type of money. The feeling that is attached to that statement is one of self-pity. What is the difference? That person got the results he or she wanted. Why? They didn't take their eye off the ball. In there mind they are the best, they didn't compare themselves with someone else. They worked hard and perfected their craft and went on with ferocity to achieve that "Lifestyle" that they wanted.

Have you ever been in a work situation and have a fellow co-worker get a promotion that you thought you deserved? You are green with jealousy and you start to talk to others spreading rumors that this person is kissing management's butt or some such statement. Have you agreed with others that a negative statement about someone else is true? Now let us open the door.

Self-pity, denial, disbelief that someone else has something that you don't is simply a reflection of your own self image. First of all, how could you possibly miss out on something that you never had? You may have had the thought but you certainly didn't take the correct actions to bring it to being. Paradigms are very tricky in that they do surface and you are the one that needs to catch them as they arrive. There is a way to catch it when it happens. First of all, write down what you were thinking. Second, read what you wrote and ask yourself the question "Where did I get this idea from?" The next step is a research step. Get interested in this person and find out what their life was like. Success leaves clues.

In most cases what you find is that they struggled, they work hard on honing in their craft. Some of them even lived on the streets, but were persistent is pursuing their dreams. They were never going to give up. Even Britney Spears, a lot of people laugh at her misfortunes or fall from grace, yet she takes in over $ 700 thousand dollars per month. So who is laughing at whom? Go ahead and throw more stones and rocks, make fun of her "white trash" status. That white trash is a millionaire. What are your thoughts doing to you?

You end up with these hidden thoughts or feelings but all they are, is the paradigms deeply embedded in you. These judgments are part and parcel of what holds you back from achieving the life of your dreams. I always recommend not watching TV. The amount of negative reinforcement that one gets from viewing TV is unbelievable. Especially commercials that broadcast the pain or problem with the solution that lies within their product or service. It is still eliciting your emotions of being undeserving or mired in self pity. Your awareness must be elevated. These are not just passing thoughts. You must remember that you own what you think. Better yet, you become what you feel. The paradigms are conditioned within you, it is how you feel about something that renders you powerless or powerful. These lower emotions are the concrete blocks, the weights that hold you down. They are what solidifies where you are and where you will be. Don't you think it is a good idea, to change this?

Your awareness can be raised by your evaluation of things you do and the environment around you. Most people think of an evaluation as something negative. The truth is when one is evaluating all you are doing is asking questions. That is all. Learning is such an important step in anything you do. When you stop learning, you stop progress, in your thinking, in your behavior, in your life. Evaluation leads to learning something, self examination is evaluating and learning something about self.

Judging others is simply a paradigm. There is never a good reason to judge anyone. Next time something comes up and you make a statement such as "I wouldn't do that," think about "why" you are saying it. Don't ever look at others and think that they are lucky, that is always very far from the truth. It is no accident that a person comes from obscurity and becomes famous or rich. It is because they choose that direction and kept the picture in mind.

A recent event in my own life brings this to bear, an associate of mine that I had known for over 14 years, committed suicide. Here is a person that I have never known to be upset, worried, sad, or even experiencing any adversity ever. The only thing I know is that he was having marital problems. His problem was either loss of love, self pity, depression or some type of anger turned inward. His paradigm was not to ask for help it was to destroy himself; as for some reason he was no longer, deserving of life itself. This paradigm was so traumatic that his solution was to end it all. For all intent and purposes his life was ideal. No financial problems, always has great adventures and proud of his children. It was an extreme decision but a decision none the less. Watch what you're thinking about.

Anger, hate, envy, jealousy are all signs of self-pity and denial. You are only depressed because you are thinking depressing thoughts. You are angry only because your thoughts are taking you there. Your feelings of lack or limitations are just that, you are doing it to you. When you are judging others or beating yourself up about something take some time to "Think!" Why am I feeling this way, where is this coming from, who or what is in control of my results?

Your judgments reflects your paradigms, and don't believe otherwise. We are all spiritual beings, gifted with an intellect and living through a physical presence. The only difference between you and next person is in your results. Your results are controlled by only one thing and that is your own thoughts. Believe and you will achieve, I believe in you.

1) Use Good Quality Products

In order to make professional beats, you must be using quality products. Even though you may be a newbie, you should learn how to use professional beat maker software. Popular software such as Sonic Producer and Dub Turbo are some great beat maker software programs.

2) Be Unique

Your beats should be unique, and they should sound appealing. Avoid creating a flat dull beat, and make sure there are a few layers to the beat, making it sound thumping and heavy.

3) Studio Recording

You may be easily making the beat on professional software program, however, you will still need a good studio recording in order to make the music sound perfect. Installing a home studio would cost around 00, and if you are serious on embarking a musical career, this may be a necessity.

4) Upload to YouTube

Once you are confirmed that the music is good enough, upload it on YouTube for the world to see. You may get some amazing response if the music is good.

5) Make A Website

If you want a good musical career, make a professional website. Upload your tracks there and sell them to readers. Professionalism is strongly needed here and your site visitors should feel that it is worth spending money on buying your tracks. Get some great traffic towards your site and keep the hot tracks coming in! Offer them a free preview, but a purchase to download.

1. Video Tutorials. If you are new to beat making software, I believe it is essential for whichever program you use, that it includes a video of someone using it. When I first started making beats using software, I experienced a couple of programs, and the ones that did not include videos, were the ones that I did not do well in. If you're a person that learns faster by watching someone do something, then video tutorials is a necessity.

2. Refunds. I believe that if a beat making software does not meet your needs, you should receive a full refund. Now you can't use the software for a year, and then realize you don't like it want a refund. When you first purchase it, learn and use it as much as you can early. That way, if you think it does not meet your satisfaction, you can receive a refund. Any valuable service or product shouldn't have any problem offering refunds if their product is resourceful.

3. Referrals. Research online and/or with other producers that have used the software you are thinking about purchasing. The software I used was very cheap...less than bucks and I highly recommend it. But before I purchased it, I shopped around to see what other producers were saying about the product. It got rave reviews. So don't just count on the sales page of the product. Research thoroughly.

Depending on your situation as far as finances, this article deals with how to make your own beats for free, but there are many pay programs available to those for who that isn't a problem.

In matching your software also shop the features of the different ones available, and match that against your goals for your tracks. They differ in what they offer, so there may be one that offers one thing you need, and another has something else but not that, and then there may be one that has both. Knowing your music goals will help you in shopping the software.

The first brick in this wall is a good sequencer. Two popular ones are Propellerheads's Reason, and Image-Line's FL Studio.

Sound editor comes next. These you will use for editing wave files, a must when using samples. (Samples are parts of audio tracks used as a foundation for your music).

You can obtain samples from numerous places - CD samples, or old records, etc. You'll see once you start to lay your tracks how invaluable a good sound editor is when making your own beats.

To summarize, this article has given you some good general advice on how to start making your own beats.

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.

Follow LL Cool J's Advice. One of the greatest rappers of all time, LL once recorded a track where he rapped the alphabet while saying "the" in between each letter.

So it came out like "The A-The B-The C- The D, etc."

This is harder than it sounds, and is a great exercise to help you rap fast. Try going through the alphabet, saying each letter as clearly as possible, and increase the speed at which you rap it. After a week or so you will start to see results.

You can take this a step further and make several different raps based on the alphabet. For example, in one exercise you could say "A-B-C-D-E (PAUSE) F-G-H-I-J-K-L-M-N-O-P (PAUSE)..." and on the next time around, put the pause after D, G and P.

Why? Simple. If you want to learn how to rap fast, you'll also need to learn how to stop fast. It's like driving a car: NASCAR drivers are just as good stopping a car as they are speeding one up. By adding breaks in your flow, you're also giving the listener time to process what you said before racing onto the next lyric.

Twista has some great lines, but few people ever listen closely enough to catch what he's saying. Don't let this happen to you!

You can learn how to rap fast using these exercises, but remember- speed is only one aspect of what makes a dope MC.