Articles

3 Ways You Can Find The Perfect Drum Break

There are tons of breaks out there, and many of them have been snatched up over the years either by famous Hip Hop producers, or by bedroom beatmakers. But that doesn't mean that there's no more breaks left, you just have to look....

What Is The Best Way To Create A Drum Pattern?

I always recommend that simplicity is key when making music, but what about something specific, like a drum pattern? The traditional way for Hip Hop producers is to bang on the pads of an MPC to create their patterns and loops, however, step sequencing is also a very powerful tool. So what is the best way?...

5 Ways You Can Improve Your Beats

Making beats can be repetitive. If you make beats every single day, or even just on a regular basis, it can become tiresome and that's because you're just doing the same thing. It's great to have a beat-making routine, and if it works for you then that's great, but there's always room for improvement, even if you're the best beatmaker on the planet. Here are 5 ways that you can improve your beats....

5 Reasons Why Your Kick Drum Sucks

Finding the right kick drum can be tough because if you use the wrong one it could make your beat sound either too weak or too heavy. The last thing you want is your beat to not sound good. So what's the solution? Here are 5 reasons why your kick drum sucks....

6 Ways You Can Make Your Beats A Success

Success comes in all shapes and forms. Most people tend to associate money with success, and while that may very well be a good fit, it's not the only type of success there is. If you're hitting the studio on a regular basis and you're working really hard on your beats, hoping to blow up and get some well earned recognition, then it takes hard work, and more hard work....

ILL Challenge: It's Time To Organize Your Samples

I have a challenge for you: organize your samples. I know it's a tedious task because no one wants to have to sort anything, but by organizing your files, guess what will happen? You'll work better! Too often we're used to taking a sample from whichever source, such as a vinyl record, or just an MP3 file, and we toss it into a folder called "Samples"....

In The Studio: Should You Get Rid Of Your Stuff?

When talking about minimalism, the subject of "stuff" is quickly brought to the forefront of the conversation because let's face it - most of us have way too much stuff. By stuff, I mean things that we don't necessarily need, that we've accumulated over the years. Normally, when mentioning this "stuff", we're talking about furniture, clothing, or collections - but what about a recording studio?...

Why Are Basslines So Difficult? Learn A Simple Method

Within Rap music, drums have always been at the forefront for both producers and fans of the genre. Everyone knows that without a solid drum track, a Rap song will not hold as much weight or it might just be terrible altogether. What a lot of people fail to realize is that the bassline is just as important as the drums....

Learn The Technique Of Drum Construction

The construction of drums could either be a simple or complex process. You obviously have your own way of doing things, but with the tips provided in this article, you may walk away with learning a few new tricks....

You Can Be The Best Hip Hop Producer Ever

For most of us, music is something that has been in our blood since we were young. Some of you may say that you were born with an MPC, or that producing music is something you always knew you wanted to do. However, no matter how much you want to get to the top of the food chain in the music business, there is a big chance that you might not make it there....

5 Reasons Why I Hate Sampling

Sampling is dope. In all of the years that I've been making beats, sampling is one of those things that just makes my beats sound great and unique. However, there are times when sampling can be a real pain, but it's still something I continue do. I guess it's some sort of love/hate relationship, but here's 5 reasons why I hate sampling....

Stick With What You Know And Make Better Beats

I'm always on a never-ending quest to make the perfect beat, and I think deep down you are too. With all of the studio hardware and software to choose from, it can often be overwhelming to figure out what to use and what is best for your particular setup....

Get Feedback On Your Beats (And Give Some Too)

Music producers are a special breed, forever creating productions in the lab and trying to come out with that one big hit that everyone will enjoy. Over the course of many years, I have seen many members of IllMuzik come and go, and many of them had some really good beats, but the ones that were great were the ones that sought feedback from others, and they gave some too....

Deciding Which Is The Best Method For Playing Melodies

Producing Hip Hop beats is a very tricky business, mostly because you can use a wide array of tools to create your productions. Putting together a drum loop is simple enough, especially if you're using a breakbeat, but what if you want to play something, rather than put a few notes?...

Is Producing Hip Hop Music What You Really Want To Do?

There's plenty of things you could be doing with your life besides music, but no matter what it is you do every day to pay the bills, you always seem to come back to one thing - music. Making beats, producing music and working with artists is something fun, exciting and possibly life changing. But is producing music what you really want to do?...

Make Beats For The Listener

As music producers and beatmakers, we tend to create something that sounds great to our ears but sometimes at a cost. When making beats, it's important that it sounds good to you, but you must not forget about the listener because it's them that will be listening to your beat....

Make Beats For The Listener

Some producers find a way to use a sample in the same way that another producer has, and I don't know why. Sampling is something that should be fun, challenging, and it should force you to be different than everyone else. So why is it that some producers use the same famous samples over and over again?...

Why Is Sampling Allowed For Some Samples And Not Others?

Sampling has been around for decades in Hip Hop and now it's spilled over into other genres of music, taking sampling to a whole new level. But how come it seems that you can get away with sampling some sounds and not others?...

5 Lessons I've Learned From Making Beats, Part 2

Ever since I first touched a piece of studio equipment in the 90's, I was fascinated with the process of making music. I read everything I could about studio recording in magazines and books, where all the techniques were laid out right there in black and white on paper. I read about how to overdub, how to mic a drum, and how to mix, but one thing that these magazines and books always left out wer...

Should You Give Away Your Music For Free?

This is a question that is easily debatable because it borders a fine line between promoting your music and being used. I think it's a great idea to give away your music for free, but within reason and mainly so that you can promote yourself. There are some people who think that you should never give away music for free, ever. So which is it?...