Have you always wondered how to be a top rap music producer? Do you look at Dr. Dre, Pharell, DJ Khalil and Timbaland and wonder if you could reach the heights they have attained? While there is no specific path towards becoming a big name producer, there are certain steps and things you can do to increase your chances of becoming a household name, or even a working producer. Keep in mind that few people reach such heights, but there are thousands of people making a living producing music and therefore doing what they love. If you have the passion and unbridled desire to create head bobbing beats then nothing will stop you.
If you are new to rap production then I recommend you go the software or virtual route. You have the option to buy hardware, such as an MPC, keyboard, sampler etc. but you will find yourself spending several thousand dollars in short order. The type of rap beats software you will need in order to start creating rap beats is a digital audio workstation, or DAW for short. This type of software has been around since the late 70s and early 80s, but really became more viable in the late 90s with Cubase hitting the market. Nowadays, there are dozens of different DAWs, with tens of thousands of loyal users, including many top rap producers. I will mention a few of my favorites throughout this article, and realize that I am keeping simplicity, quality and price in mind when I do recommend a DAW.
Keys to Becoming a Producer
Master your tools: Before even thinking about becoming a rap producer you have to master all of the basic beat tools, such as the keyboard/piano, drums, sampling and sequencing. If you have a solid grasp of how to utilize the basic, but all important beat making tools then you will be heading in the right direction.
Do you know how to play piano? If not, you should at least learn about chords, keys and tones. There are plenty of free online videos that will teach you how to play piano, and I suggest you take the time to feel comfortable with the piano and keyboard. Your drum machine will be your best friend if you know how to use it. Become very familiar with laying down drum patterns and bass lines, which will come with practice. Using a virtual drum machine is fairly straight forward, but being able to lay down compelling rhythms and patterns is where your time will be spent.
It is up to you if you want to learn how to sample records. You will need some specific software (Kontakt, HALion and MOTU Mach Five for example) and of course records, instruments, voices etc. to sample. In the beginning you may want to stick to pre made samples that come with most DAWs, or purchase samples online. The use of your sequencer should become like your cell phone, easy to use and like second nature. Some producers, such as Chad Hugo from The Neptunes are known as master sequencers, and built a lot of their reputation on that aspect of producing.
Find the right DAW: As I mentioned before, you will need a virtual workstation on your computer in order to make beats. Your budget, amount of time you have and how quickly you want to complete a finished beat will dictate which DAW to choose. DUBturbo is a solid choice for price conscience people (only $39.95) who want to master the basics and not get stuck learning how to use the software. FL Studio ($49 – $299) is another option that has more bells and whistles, making it more time intensive to learn and a bit pricier. You can always move up to a more feature rich DAW in the future once you have got the hang of the basics.
Use sick samples: There is nothing more obvious than a rap beat that has its underpinnings in weak samples. The drums don’t hit as hard and aren’t as crisp and the entire song is missing that extra quality. Your DAW should come with quality samples to begin with, and if you decide to add other samples make sure they sound solid and come from a reputable source. There are more than a handful of websites where you can find solid samples
Be clever: Inject ingenuity, originality, forward thinking and cleverness in every aspect of your rap production career. The more you are on your toes when meeting people, working on your beats and marketing yourself the better chance you will have of making a living at making rap beats.
Network: One of the most important strategies you can use to further your rap producing career is to network with as many people as possible. Whether you make connections online or offline, building relationships with other producers, rappers and anyone in the music industry is critical. You don’t ever want to be fake, or just get to know someone for their potential contacts, but instead be genuine about your interest in what they have going on. Collaborate with people and put your experiences together to help one another out.
Maximize Social Media: There are numerous examples of rappers, singers, actors and producers using social media to build a reputation and a loyal following. YouTube has proven to be key to up and coming entertainers, and the service is completely free. If you have not yet created a YouTube, Twitter or Facebook account then definitely get started. You can instantly connect with fans and let them know what it going on with your music. Producers should especially make videos about their beat making process and give tips or pointers to other up and coming producers. Also use Twitter and Facebook to get negative and positive feedback about your beats, which may help you to improve your beat making skills.
Enter beat competitions: Did you know that there are online beat contests or competitions, usually on forums, beat selling websites and some blogs. You can utilize the far reaching capacity of these online destinations to get your name out to the public. Winning a few contests can help you garner some recognition and help you to receive feedback on your beats too.
Become a DJ: Being able to spin records, or MP3s, is an essential skill to have for any producer. Knowing how to use DJ software will definitely help you with your producing, and the exposure is not too bad either.
Create an image: As you work on your production skills, share your beats online, build a social media following and get your name out to the hungry rap fans you will need to create an image. Your image depends on what you want to portray. Do you want to be considered laid back, tough, quiet, punctual, professional, serious or some other characteristic? Use all the aforementioned tips to build your reputation and image.
As I mentioned before, there is no exact path to becoming a successful rap producer, but following these guidelines could help you carve out a place in the ever evolving music industry.