The History of Rap and Hip Hop Music

Instrumentals Beats Rap :

The origin of hip-hop can be traced back as far as the ancient tribes in Africa. Rap has been compared with the chants, drumbeats and foot-stomping African tribes performed before wars, the births of babies, and the deaths of kings and elders. Historians have reached further back than the accepted origins of hip-hop. It was born as we know it today in the Bronx, cradled and nurtured by the youth in the low-income areas of New York City.

The History of Rap and Hip Hop Music

Fast-forward from the tribes of Africa to the ghettos of Kingston, Jamaica in the late sixties. The impoverished of Kingston gathered together in groups to form DJ conglomerates. They spun roots and culture records and communicated with the audience over the music. At the time, the DJ's comments weren't as important as the quality of the sound system and its ability to get the crowd moving. Kool Herc grew up in this community before he moved to the Bronx.

During the late sixties, reggae wasn't popular with New Yorkers. As a DJ, Kool Herc spun rhythm and blues records to please his party crowd. But, he had to add his personal touch. During the breaks, Herc began to speak to his audience as he had learned to do in Jamaica. He called out, the audience responded, and then he pumped the volume back up on the record. This call and response technique was nothing new to this community who'd been reared in Baptist and Methodist churches where call and response was a technique used by the speakers to get the congregation involved. Historians compare it to the call and response performed by Jazz musicians and was very much a part of the culture of Jazz music during the renaissance in Harlem.

Herc's DJ style caught on. His party's grew in popularity. He began to buy multiple copies of the same albums. When he performed his duties as a DJ, he extended the breaks by using multiple copies of the same records. He chatted, as it is called in dance hall, with his audience for longer and longer periods.

Others copied Herc's style. Soon a friendly battle ensued between New York DJs. They all learned the technique of using break beats. Herc stepped up the game by giving shout-outs to people who were in attendance at the parties and coming up with his signature call and response. Other DJs responded by rhyming with their words when they spoke to the audience. More and more DJs used two and four line rhymes and anecdotes to get their audiences involved and hyped at these parties.

One day, Herc passed the microphone over to two of his friends. He took care of the turn table and allowed his buddies to keep the crowd hyped with chants, rhymes and anecdotes while he extended the breaks of different songs indefinitely. This was the birth of rap as we know it.

Hip-hop has evolved from the days of the basement showdowns to big business in the music industry. In the seventies and eighties, the pioneers and innovators of the rap record was the DJ. He was the guy who used his turntable to create fresh sounds with old records. Then, he became the guy who mixed these familiar breaks with synthesizers to produce completely new beats. Not much has changed in that aspect of hip-hop. The guy who creates the beat is still the heart of the track. Now, we call him the producer. Even though some DJs work as producers as well as DJs (quite a few start out as DJs before they become producers), today's title "DJ" doesn't carry the same connotative meaning it did in the eighties. Today's hip-hop producer performs the same tasks as the eighty's DJ.

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Anatomy of a Rap Beat in 2011

Instrumentals Beats Rap :

The rap beat like the majority of genres of popular music is comprised of the fundamental instruments in music. You have the Drums and bass carrying the rhythm of the track. Harmonies can be comprised of a variety of different instruments such as keyboard, piano, strings, guitar, synthesizer etc. One of the things that are unique about rap beats is the fact that there are no real boundaries as far as what instruments are used in the record. For example, in Rock music, you have Drums, Bass, Guitar, and possibly keys in nearly every track. Granted rap beats tend to have a constant emphasis on the drums and bass, harmonies are always arranged by a variety of instruments.

Anatomy of a Rap Beat in 2011

Historically speaking you would typically find the following in a rap beat. Drums (possibly from a break beat loop), bass line, sample. The sample could consist of any number of different instruments ranging from piano, keys, horns, strings, horns, bass, etc. This format still lives on but is usually only in the underground hip hop community, as it has been nearly impossible to clear samples for use on the radio anymore.
Fast-forward to 2011 and you are in the age of synthesized sounds making up the vast majority of sounds that you are hearing in Rap Beats. Every producer has there own personal preference in instruments, while some rely on solely on analog synths, some tend to lean toward digital synths. Others, like myself use both. More specifically I tend to use digital emulations of the analog synths as I can't afford the real analog synthesizers. Analog synths and their emulations are known for their warm and rich sound. Digital synthesizers tend to produce, harsher biting tones that cut through the mix. Both have a purpose and these characteristics are just generally speaking. You can make a digital synth sound warm and you can make a analog synth bite depending on how you program it.

If you listen to a rap beat these days you will notice that there is a lack of live instrumentation. Even the brass and string sounds that you hear are created from synthesizers. Keyboard workstations such as the Motif XS by Yamaha and the Fantom G by Roland are 2 go to devices for sounds like these.

What is interesting about music in this style is that it creates an opportunity for people without that many resources to compete with the professionals. All you need to compose rap beats is some software, and a midi controller. You can find a keyboard for fewer than 100 dollars and it is very easy to find bootleg software on the Internet. What is really interesting about this is that it has created an environment for composers that encourages technical prowess than musical talents. Aspiring producers used to have to really study music in and out, learn a instrument, or 2 before they were able to get the opportunity to get in the studio and "produce" a record. Now one day of work can provide you with the funds required to purchase the equipment to get started.

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Music Producer Pro Review - Learning Music Production Online

Instrumentals Beats Rap :

Why Not An Audio College?

Music Producer Pro Review - Learning Music Production Online

Learning music production at a college can be extremely costly. You could easily spend thousands of dollars at such a school. Not only that but you may have to meet other criteria to get in. For most people who want to learn music production this is not a suitable option. And I'm glad to say it's completely unnecessary.

An Alternative: Music Producer Pro

Many of the biggest music producers (especially in the hip hop world) never went to any sort of audio college, they simply learned on their own. Many of them used something like Music Producer Pro in order to learn how to produce music themselves.

Music Producer Pro Features

(1) Includes hundreds of easy to follow video tutorials.

(2) Includes information on every aspect of music production.

(3) You will learn how to produce your own music.

(4) Teaches you how to write your own hit songs.

(5) Includes a free beat maker program.

(6) Includes free music lessons (for piano, drums, bass, & guitar.)

(7) Music industry listings are included which can help you make important contacts in the biz.

(8) You will learn how to use samples effectively.

(9) All materials can be downloaded online instantly.

(10) 100% satisfaction is guaranteed.

(11) 60 day full money back refund period which means there's no risk in trying it.

(12) Free rap battle recording system is included.

(13) You can learn how to score music with Music Producer Pro.

(14) You will learn how to do MIDI editing.

(15) You can learn how to record live instruments.

(16) Includes information on reading music and tablature.

(17) Learn how to compose & and produce in any style of music you want.

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Rapping Beats - MP3 or WAV When Buying Rap Beats? Make The Most of Your Money!

Instrumentals Beats Rap :

It's important to make the right decision when shopping for rapping beats. It will help you be seen as a professional who knows what he or she is doing. When you're buying rap beats and instrumentals do you go for the MP3 or the WAV? Are MP3s good enough to make professional music with? Read the rest of the article below to learn how to make the right buying decision to make the most of your money!

Rapping Beats - MP3 or WAV When Buying Rap Beats? Make The Most of Your Money!

This article is part of a series called "Urban Music Business Tips" which is all about how to work at being a successful independent Urban Music Artist. I hope that I can help out some of the new up-and-coming rappers and singers start their urban music career off right. If you follow the tips in this series, you'll be a BIG step ahead of your competition! Most music artists never think about this kind of stuff!

Q: When buying rap beats and instrumentals online should I get a WAV or MP3 file?

A: This questions is more important than more Urban music artists think. In all honesty, both types of hiphop beats and r&b beats can work. But when it comes to recording professional music, you always want to have the best possible quality at every step of the process. Rapping beats that are WAV files are some of the highest quality audio files that you can get. MP3 is a COMPRESSED audio format - that's why the audio files of the rap beats are much smaller than WAVs. This means that a TON of audio data is basically being chopped off the WAV file. And although it can still sound OK, it is not the BEST possible quality of sound. Bringing MP3s hiphop beats into the studio to do recording, mixing or mastering is looked DOWN upon. Don't get caught slipping and look like an amateur when you go into the studio - pick the WAV whether you buy or download rap beats.

That's assuming you have access to the WAV. Some hiphop and r&b producers aren't willing to give up WAV files (for whatever reasons.) But whenever possible, download the WAV file or ask your producer specifically for the WAV. Most producers are OK with sending you a WAV of the hiphop beats for a small fee if you ask. If you can't afford the WAV file or the producer you doesn't offer WAV files you CAN still use an MP3 - just make sure that the MP3 file is NO LESS than 320 kbps (your producer SHOULD know what that means.)

Remember, MP3s are compressed audio files with a lot of "lost" data. So you want to have the highest possible bit-rate (the "kbps" number) when buying your rapping beats and r&b beats. 320 is the highest you can have. If the MP3 file is any less than 320kbps, your best bet is to find another producer to download from. Remember, it's important to make the right decisions. MP3s can be OK for mix tapes and promo songs (even though they are looked down upon in the Pro Audio world), but if you're making a single or commercial album - GET THE WAVs!

Hope this was helpful!

If you want to learn more about the urban music business, look out for my other articles in this series! You can also email me anytime.

Holla @ ur boy!

DatPaki

Producer/Songwriter

PBE MUSIC

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The 3 Best 1980's Female Pop Singers

Instrumentals Beats Rap :

The 1980's were a great decade for music, and probably the first that really put the female singer front and center for a time. There were so many great female singers during this decade and while there's no doubt that the three I'll mention here were extremely successful, this list is subject to debate, as it all comes down to a matter of personal preference. I've done my best to narrow it down, but it was naturally a challenge to do so. Anyway, here's my list.

The 3 Best 1980's Female Pop Singers

3. Whitney Houston. A true diva in every sense of the word, Whitney Houston was a legendary R&B singer whose many #1 hits have gone down as 1980s classics. From more upbeat songs like "I Wanna Dance With Somebody" to slower songs like "The Greatest Love of All", Whitney belted out the high notes like no one else in the 1980s.

2. Tina Turner. This legendary singer was already a couple of decades into her career by the 1980s, but that didn't stop her from achieving enormous commercial success. Some of Tina's biggest years took place in the 1980s, and her many hits were classic 1980s music.

1. Madonna. Were you expecting anyone else? Madonna produced more chart toppers than any female singer in the 1980s, and more than any female singer in history. She truly revolutionized the concept of the female pop star, and she amazingly still produces great music over 25 years later.

While there were many others, these wonderful women make my top 3.

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Musical Notes - What is a Quaver?

Instrumentals Beats Rap :

A "quaver" is a written musical note found in sheet music. This musical note is used by all musicians and for all musical instruments.

Musical Notes - What is a Quaver?

The quaver is written as a black-coloured oval shape with a stem on the right or left side depending on where on the staff it is written. At the end of the stem, there is a tail. This tail can be written in various ways. It can be curly, making its way back to the oval shape or it can be straight and shorter, almost like a tick. If more than one quaver is written so they appear next to each other then instead of having tails they will be joined together by a line called a beam.

When the quaver is written above the middle line on the staff, the stem will be written on the left side and the tail will be written on the right side of the stem always making its way back to the black coloured oval. When written below the middle line on the staff the stem will be on the right side and the tail will again be written on the right side.

The quaver is also known as an eighth note and its musical time value is half a beat. This is because the quaver or eighth note should be referenced to the semibreve, which is worth four beats. Using simple mathematics, we can work out the value of the quaver. Use this formula:

Divide the semibreve (four) by the eighth note (eight) to get the eighth note value (half)

All musical notes use the semibreve as a reference note. A semibreve is also known as a whole note. Using simple fractions you can work out what different types of notes are called. We have already explained eighth notes, using the above formula you can work out note values for quarter notes and half notes.

Also related to the quaver is the quaver rest or eighth rest. This is a musical silence worth half a beat.

Another relation to the quaver is the dotted quaver or dotted eighth note, which is worth three quarters of a beat. A dot written on the right side of any musical note increases that notes value by half as much again. So for the quaver, half of half equals a quarter, add the quarter to the quavers value of a half to get three quarters of a beat.

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