Tips for Rappers and Singers when looking for and purchasing instrumentals/beats online.
1. As music is relative to the taste and preference of the individual listener then we will assume that you have found beats that you as an artist, like for your style or songs. Now with that said, you will want to make sure that you are fully aware of whether or not the beats you wish to buy are fully owned by the person/company selling/leasing them or if they contain un cleared samples from copyrighted works that would prevent you from being able to legally distribute your finished songs on the beats. Some samples are obvious and some not so, to avoid any later surprises or cease & desist letters From label lawyers, find out before you buy, exactly what you are buying.
2. You will want to know if you are purchasing the exclusive rights to record on the purchased beats
Meaning the beat will only be sold to you for your song then no longer be for sale to the public unless as part of your recording. You will usually pay a much higher fee for an exclusive rights beat however there are instances where beat makers list exclusive beats for non- exclusive prices so find out which you Are buying as well as get any terms/restrictions in writing, even e-mail and save it for future reference. When purchasing non- exclusive rights you must realize that you are purchasing a copy of said beat and the permission to record your vocals on and display to the public. Different beat makers have different terms some allowing sales to be made and some not on leased non- exclusive beats so find out and get in writing.
3. Whenever possible, request an original.wav file of the beat, not an mp3 converted to.wav but an actual.wav of the track and record your song onto this higher quality version. If you purchase exclusive rights to a beat you should request a tracked out (separated tracks for full mixing options) of the beat to yield the best results from your song.
4. Find out if the beat maker will/can offer any production guidance on your songs using their beats and if they will provide feedback on the song and possibly use your song as a beat demo on their own site. If you Are an artist with exceptional skill and marketability, you may find a beat maker that will also help produce your project providing tips and critic on your vocal tracking, mixing & mastering in order to have a better finished song utilizing their beat. This can be valuable to the artist and should be another point to consider when choosing beats and/or beat sellers.
5. Try to find beats from a beat seller who has a name that will sound good on your project and even better if their name is well branded. This will provide you one more extra advantage later on when promoting your finished songs on the purchased beats. Remember that finding Hot high quality beats is very easy online as there are thousands of beat makers selling beats. Use these tips to make the best beat choices for your own songs and set yourself up with a greater chance of success from your finished recordings.
Source by Brian Griffith
