Oh It's You

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Jimothy Swing

ILLIEN
Battle Points: 14
Hey all. Been quietly working on my beats and trying to improve since the last time I posted here. Got a new one I'd like some feedback on. Was thinking about holding onto it for the next Beat This, but I'd rather ask for feedback now and work on another one for the competition.

(Question, though: Would this qualify for the BOOM BAP theme?)


Let me know what you think. Don't spare my feelings. I'm looking to make better music, not feed my ego.

Thank you in advance.
 
I'm was just thinking, what constitutes boombap? For me, it's definitely the drums.
I don't care how dope the sample is, if the drums ain't there I ain't messing with it personally. Drums and low end. That boom boom bap, b boom boom bap!!
I feel the best way to learn boombap is to actually listen and train ur ears and put in the hours making boombap beats. Dive deep into artist like pete rock, dj premiere, early j dilla, large professor, a tribe called quest and pay attention to the arrangement and drums. Good luck in ur journey my brother.

Edit: add some dj cuts on that bitch cause nobody's doing this anymore lol peace.
 

Jimothy Swing

ILLIEN
Battle Points: 14
I'm was just thinking, what constitutes boombap? For me, it's definitely the drums.
I don't care how dope the sample is, if the drums ain't there I ain't messing with it personally. Drums and low end. That boom boom bap, b boom boom bap!!
I feel the best way to learn boombap is to actually listen and train ur ears and put in the hours making boombap beats. Dive deep into artist like pete rock, dj premiere, early j dilla, large professor, a tribe called quest and pay attention to the arrangement and drums. Good luck in ur journey my brother.

Edit: add some dj cuts on that bitch cause nobody's doing this anymore lol peace.
I know I've listened to some of the others, but as for Tribe Called Quest, I listen to about 40 hours a week. Definitely one of my favorites.

Thank you very much for the encouragement and for taking the time to listen and write all of this up.
 

BiggChev

ILLIEN
Battle Points: 11
The drums are a bit too stiff. Swing and Some variation on velocity on the hats would help to give it a more flowing feel.

The issue with micro-chops is that they can get a bit TOO busy - such as the case here. All the chops are great, and they fit together. Maybe a slower tempo or pitching them all down to get more decay length would help to space out between chops. It could also help with the overall groove (in addition to swing).

The vocal chop is cool, but sits soo far forward. Play around with EQ, mix, and reverb to help blend elements together.

Lots of good stuff in here, just needs some refinement, which only comes through repeated practice.

Keep the jams coming!
 

Jimothy Swing

ILLIEN
Battle Points: 14
The drums are a bit too stiff. Swing and Some variation on velocity on the hats would help to give it a more flowing feel.

The issue with micro-chops is that they can get a bit TOO busy - such as the case here. All the chops are great, and they fit together. Maybe a slower tempo or pitching them all down to get more decay length would help to space out between chops. It could also help with the overall groove (in addition to swing).

The vocal chop is cool, but sits soo far forward. Play around with EQ, mix, and reverb to help blend elements together.

Lots of good stuff in here, just needs some refinement, which only comes through repeated practice.

Keep the jams coming!
Thank you for the very specific advice. This is definitely the stuff I have found the hardest to get—putting together the right mix of settings and effects to blend everything just right.

If you listen to some of my earlier beats I put up on here, you'll see I have come a long way in this area, but still a lot of room for improvement.
 

Dusty B

ILLIEN
Battle Points: 37
Hey all. Been quietly working on my beats and trying to improve since the last time I posted here. Got a new one I'd like some feedback on. Was thinking about holding onto it for the next Beat This, but I'd rather ask for feedback now and work on another one for the competition.

(Question, though: Would this qualify for the BOOM BAP theme?)


Let me know what you think. Don't spare my feelings. I'm looking to make better music, not feed my ego.

Thank you in advance.
Melody sounds a little too programmed and I don't think aligned with the drum groove. Not that it was off beat but I don't think it has enough groove to be pitched as hip hop beat. I think chops could be rearranged in a way that creates more of a melody and rhythm.

Drums also sound too programmed/quantized for my liking (the whole track sounds a bit too on step IMO, like early DAW days).

I'd say also experiment with some reverb/delay to give the elements some space too.

Keep at it!
 
It’s a catchy beat but agree with @Delta_Nine and @BiggChev on the drums needing more and a bit of swing.

Feel the micro chops work for and intro / hook but not the main.
Also those little vocal ‘oh’s’ Would benefit from a little reverb and or delay.
Slightly lower the volume on those hats as they seem a little loud for the mix.
Depends on your preference but I’m always lower my hats volume so the compliment the beat instead of overpowering, subtly is key with those for me.

Nice one man, keep up the creativity, look forward to hearing more.
 

Jimothy Swing

ILLIEN
Battle Points: 14
It’s a catchy beat but agree with @Delta_Nine and @BiggChev on the drums needing more and a bit of swing.

Feel the micro chops work for and intro / hook but not the main.
Also those little vocal ‘oh’s’ Would benefit from a little reverb and or delay.
Slightly lower the volume on those hats as they seem a little loud for the mix.
Depends on your preference but I’m always lower my hats volume so the compliment the beat instead of overpowering, subtly is key with those for me.

Nice one man, keep up the creativity, look forward to hearing more.
Thank you.
 

Iron Keys

ILLIEN MBAPPÉ
ill o.g.
Battle Points: 645
Contrary to others here, I actually really love this beat. It's got such a vibe of its own. I can't remember what it reminds me of. But I genuinely think it's really cool. And I think that owes to the chops and the way the drums are programmed, personally I wouldn't change much (other than what I did in my mix). Musically I love it.

I think it's part of what I deem your current "style" hence how after listening this only one beat of yours I knew which beat was yours in the next battle.

Keep doing your thing and trusting your own creative instinct.

Also those little vocal ‘oh’s’ Would benefit from a little reverb and or delay.
Slightly lower the volume on those hats as they seem a little loud for the mix.
Depends on your preference but I’m always lower my hats volume so the compliment the beat instead of overpowering, subtly is key with those for me.

Pretty much exactly what I addressed in my mix of Jimulacrum's track.
 
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