Hip Hop is one of the most popular music genres in the world. Here are 6 tips on how to make Hip Hop beats with video tutorials included.
The art of beat making, while complex, can be learned by anyone with passion and persistence.
Whether you’re a music enthusiast wanting to dabble in music production, an aspiring hip hop producer, or simply curious about the magic behind your favorite tracks, this guide is for you.
We’ll unravel the artistry that goes into creating a hip hop beat, demystify hip hop production, and provide you with essential tips to help you create your own beats.
So, get ready to immerse yourself in the rhythmic world of hip hop music and start your exciting journey in beat-making.
The 3 basics you need to make beats:
- Gear: Music Equipment
- Software: Free Music Software
- Sounds: Free Hip Hop Drum Kits
Related: Music Production Courses Online
How to Make Hip Hop Beats
1. Select the Right Tempo
Hip Hop beats are between 75 and 100 beats per minute ( BPM ). Trap beats usually have higher tempos.
2. Start With Drums
Music producers usually start a beat by creating a drum pattern. Hip Hop beats usually consist of kick drums, snares, and hi-hats.
Choose quality samples. Quality drum samples are the building blocks for any professional-sounding beat.
You can also start a beat with a sample or melody. Follow whatever inspires you the most.
3. Add Melodies
The melodies are the instruments that are played over the drums. The instrument can be a piano, synth, bass, strings, live instruments, and more.
Add multiple melodies to make the song sound fuller.
If you don’t have real instruments, you can use VST instruments.
Related: Free VST Instruments
4. Add a Bassline
The bassline is another melody or riff at a much lower tone that plays under the main melody.
The bass in a beat can be synth bass or bass guitar.
Bassline Tutorials:
- Hip Hop Basslines for Beginners
- Tips for Creating Basslines
- Bassline Tips & Tricks
- Metro Boomin Shares Kicks & Bassline Tips
5. Create Variations of Your Beat
Create different patterns of your beat that can be turned into the intro, chorus, bridge, and verse.
Related: 30 Best Websites to Make Beats Online For Free
6. Arrange Your Patterns
Arrange your different beat patterns into a full 3 to 5-minute song for music artists.
Here are the most common Hip Hop song structures:
Intro – Verse – Hook – Verse – Hook – Verse – Hook – Outro
or
Intro – Hook – Verse – Hook – Verse – Hook – Verse – Hook – Outro
Those are the very basics of making a Hip Hop beat.
If you listen to most successful Hip Hop beats on the radio, you’ll notice that they’re not necessarily complicated.
Hip Hop is mainly about vocals, so you will want to leave enough space in the beat for the music artist’s vocals/rhymes to shine.
Additional Beat-Making Tips
- Don’t make your beats monotonous. Add a drop after every 2 or 4 bars. You can always change this later on after you’ve added your synths.
- Another important aspect that you should take notice is not to overcrowd your mix with too many sounds. You should regard the spaces between sounds with the utmost importance.
How to Make Hip Hop Beats Tutorials
How To Make A Hip Hop Beat (FL Studio )
This tutorial is by Ric of RicandThadeus, showing you his process of chopping a sample as well as making a Hip Hop Instrumental.
Sikwitit Making a Hip Hop Beat in Reason
How to Make a CHILL Hip Hop Beat ( Ableton Live)
In this video, Chris Punsalan makes a Chill Hip Hop Beat using Ableton Live.
Piano Hip Hop Beat Making Using Native Instruments Maschine
Traumah Makes a Beat In Reason
Music Artists Who Can Produce
Bruno Mars, Tori Kelly, Omarion, Tinashe, T-Pain, Justin Timberlake, Pharrell, Ryan Leslie, Phil Collins, J. Cole & Kanye West.
Related: How to Make Beats
In conclusion, understanding the fundamental elements of hip hop production is key to creating your own hip hop beats.
From setting the right bass line to selecting unique drum sounds, every detail contributes to the final track of the beat-making process.
It’s also essential to remember that each hip-hop beat you make is a reflection of your creativity and individuality as a music producer.
Bonus tips for making hip-hop beats:
1. Study and learn from your favorite tracks: Examining the structure of hip hop music you admire can help refine your own beats.
2. Experiment with different sounds: Diversity in your drum kit and other sounds can make your beats more interesting. Don’t be afraid to step outside of what you think sounds cool – sometimes, the best results come from experimentation!
3. Use a beat sequencer: This tool can be a great choice for structuring your beats, making it easier to visualize and modify your drum patterns and bass lines.
4. Start with a strong drum groove: Hip hop beats typically start with a strong rhythm, usually centered around a kick drum and hi-hats.
5. Play with the bass track: Adjusting the bass sound in your beats can have a huge impact on the final sound. Don’t be afraid to experiment until you find the perfect fit.
6. Practice chord progressions: Understanding how to create compelling chord progressions can significantly enhance your hip hop production.
7. Use a MIDI controller: This can help to make a hip-hop beat feel more natural and human, as you can play out your melodies and rhythms in real-time.
8. Learn your DAW: Each digital audio workstation (DAW) is different. Spend additional time learning your ins and outs to maximize your beat-making skills.
9. Keep making music: Like any skill, the more you practice making beats, the better you’ll get.
10. Add subtle variations: When making music, don’t just loop the same sequence over and over. Add in subtle variations to keep the listener engaged. After all, a good beat is one that maintains interest and keeps the listener guessing.
Remember, modern hip-hop is a diverse genre with countless sub-genres and styles. Don’t be afraid to bring your unique flavor to the table as a hip-hop producer.
Do you have tips on making a Hip Hop beat?
If so, please share in the comment section below.
Related: How to Make R&B Beats
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