Finding the tightest beats when you are a rapper or producer working from your own
home studio can be a challenge. Do you search through the thousands of sites promising
royalty-free beats that dudes are making in their basements with tin cans and cheap
synthesizers? Or do you shell out big bucks in the hopes that you will stumble upon
that tight beat that will get you radio play TODAY? But if it fails, watch out ‘cuz you
might go broke.
Luckily, there is a happy medium I have found to work by providing me with a
plethora of beats and instrumentals that fit the mood of the kinds of songs I
like to write (mostly dark, twisted lyrics with dark humor or stories).
Google is a want to-be rapper’s best friend. By using the search engines,
I have been able to stumble upon a few sites promising beats that work
with my style. Take some time to look for “instrumentals”, “beats”, and
long-tail keywords such as “how to create songs at home” to really
zero in on what you want, which is: AFFORDABLE beats that get your head
nodding and your creative juices flowing.
Now, what’s really in is all this southside, “dirty dirty” crunk beats, etc.
This may be your thing, but because the rap market is so saturated,
you have to stand out, both lyrically and conceptually. That is why
it is soo important to focus on gathering your beats from only ONE or
TWO producers. This will give you more of a unified sound. When you
go all over the net looking for “free” this and “free” that, you are asking
for a discombobulated demo or street album that will come off as
unprofessional and corny.
There are a lot of guys out there selling their beats. How do you know if
they are any good, or worth the price? Look for producers who are selling
LOTS of beats but who aren’t just GIVING them away. The problem with
free beats is that EVERYONE and their momma is using them. Instead,
get quality beats, preferably for a ONE-TIME fee so you have all the
time you need to remix them, alter them, speed them up, slow them down,
etc. without worrying about buying more or paying some monthly
subscription.
And finally, DO your research. Always remember that writing and performing
is where the real money is at, so keep honing your craft. Focus on keeping
those heads ringing and you will soon be blinging, playa!
Source by Ben Rosario
