If you didn't know, it takes a lot of effort to create rap beats. I stress that because not only did I experience it, I watched others labor over this art. It truly is art. Your basically watching someone create rap beats either with loops or from samples and this can be as tedious as film editing.
I am in my early forties and trip over how two decades ago rap music had a bad outlook. Not today. Rap artists have become one of the most respected music artists out there and lets not forget some of the richest. The genre has caught on for music in movies, movie trailers and selling your basic products.
It's the skill that goes in to creating those rap beats is what floors me. The hip-hop beat is complex. Many are trying to get in the game by creating their own beats experimenting with all types of products or online software. It's important to take that journey and create some good sounding quality that will make that song come alive.
What I have seen is there are some basic things to do first. Find you some good software. There are many to choose from but be selective. Develop an original style. Music lovers are always looking for something fresh and new. Try to make your rap beats using loops and samples that are an unusual and start to develop your own style of beats. This helps you stand out from the crowd and the producers out there. If you have mad skills composing, then write your own melodies. If you aren't too savvy in that area, then experiment with loops and rap beats online and blend them with your project, and add your own elements too.
Next, make sure you understand the structure of rap beats. There are many genres of music so they have different rules and structure. So hip-hop beats have syncopated kicks and a snare or clap in every other bar. Often you will see that closed hi-hats are used to play 16th notes, when open hats are put in the offbeat. This is very common. It helps for a more contemporary sounding rap beats and is used in the dirty south, Crunk, techno, and glam rap, but you'll find more older beats use hat.
Create instrumental loops. It's important to have some kind of repetitive loop. Learn to use different kinds of instruments and sounds to develop a good quality loop. Now that you've written your loops, try something that augments the original loop but doesn't compete with it. They should be subtle and add to the song instead of hanging in the background. Soon you'll be a proficient rap beats creator doing your own thing effortlessly.
Pop in some effects like a recount to your snare or clap, and a bass boot to the kick. Use your effects in moderation, but don't distort the track and lose listening pleasure. Finally make your master track of your rap beats. The beat should be loud enough without outshining the melody. Your hi-hats should be quieter than the kick and snare. Keep experimenting with sound levels until you got it how you want. Suddenly you find you've become a rap beats creator dominating the game.
