9th Wonder’s 10 Track Commandments for Music Producers

I was a very big fan of Scratch Magazine. I bought EVERY magazine that came out. But if you were a fan like me, you know they no longer come out with this magazine. But here are 10 tips from 9th Wonder.

10 Track Commandments

# 10. Unless it’s a rare sample don’t sample the first 10 seconds. Don’t loop the first ten seconds of "Thriller."

# 9. Do you. Which means if you sample, sample. If you play keyboards, do that.

# 8. Always make beats with a MC in mind. Ask yourself, "Does this sound like Busta joint or a Nas joint?" That’s the best way to build up your catalogue.

# 7. Don’t put more than 10 beats on a beat CD. I put 30 on one once and MCs can’t absorb all of that at once. I learned the hard way.

# 6. Flippin’ Bob James’ "Nautilus" at least once is a right way of passage, even if you don’t play it for anybody.

# 5. If you make beats on a computer, don’t have Limeware or something on it. You’ll get viruses and lose everything.

# 4. Some people don’t like to record with a lot of people in the studio, butI like to record with a lot of different people there because you get a lot different feedback on the record.

# 3. If you want longevity in this game, align yourself with larger entity and be the main producer like, Marley Marl, The RZA, The Neptunes, Mannie Fresh, Organizied Noize, The Bomb Squad, Dr. Dre. They don’t just make beats, they provided the landscapes for a whole crew for years.

# 2. Forget reading the manual. You gotta break something to figure out how it works. Peter Jennings didn’t graduate from high school. It’s about natural ability.

# 1. Stick to your equipment. Don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t make beats on a bucket with some sticks.This is hip-hop. If you can drop 40 points a night in Chuck Taylor’s, do it. You don’t need Nike Shox.