How to Create Your Own Beats at Home
Music is the language of the soul. There’s something about the marriage of frequencies and the timing of the instruments that project a range of emotions that even human words cannot. It’s universal. It’s mathematical. This is true of all music. It doesn’t matter if it’s a Baroque concerto or a cypher beat. It’s all tremendous. Have you ever heard a great beat and thought: “How can I make that? How can I do what Dre does? How does one make a Swizz Beatz?” Fortunately for us, technology and accessibility can have us all on the way to producing the next great track, all from the comfort of our own homes. Here’s how.
Hardware
The first thing you’re going to need is the proper hardware. Tools of the trade are what separate the dreamers from the doers. So if you’re going to start making beats, it makes sense to have a proper synthesizer. Some of the well-priced and high-performing equipment are found (no surprise here) on the internet. As seen on DailyAnalog.com, good deals and high functioning synthesizers can be found in every kind of condition. If you’re willing to roll the dice on something that may or may not be functional, you can go on Craigslist or even eBay. There’s a whole lot of options anywhere you go. All it takes is a bit of research, and you’ll be fine.
Software
Your next step is to find the right software. Software is, quite possibly, the most important tool in your arsenal of beatmakers. It’s the difference between hitting personal deadlines and arranging your compositions. It makes your work concrete with ease. Back in the day, you’d have to shell out hundreds, if not thousands of dollars for a professional program that can fit all your needs. Now? You can get high performing software for the cost of brunch. So bring a sandwich to work a few days, and you’ll have enough to pay for a program that packs a punch. All the features you see in popular artists like autotune, the ability to layer on a massive scale, include add libs— all of it, can be found in even the most common of software.
Sample Resources
When you’re looking to make professional beats, you need to be able to sample. Samples can be tiny clips that you find in popular songs, or they can be purchased as a pack online. Samples were made popular by some of the greatest hip hop producers in history. We’re talking about No I.D. And his protégés Kanye West and DJ Whoo Kid. We’re talking about The Alchemist and Just Blaze. All of them have used clips and samples to create the atmosphere and sound that they wanted.
More: Visit Gemtracks to buy beats
A word to the wise: find your style. How? Copy first. Deconstruct, from scratch, some of your favorite songs and find the process. Once you do and do it well, you’ll be able to switch in your style to the process you mastered. With the right hardware, software, and samples, you just might be among the names Nujabes, RZA, and the eternal J Dilla.
