Beat Makers vs. Producers
IN THE WORLD OF HIP HOP AND R&B MUSIC PRODUCTION THERE ARE TWO TYPES OF PEOPLE. ONE IS A PRODUCER THE OTHER IS A BEAT MAKER. NOW! DON’T GET IT TWISTED THEY BOTH ARE GOOD, VERY GOOD AT WHAT THEY DO. SOME PEOPLE JUST NEED TO KNOW WHO IS WHO.
NOW A BEAT MAKER IS SOMEONE WHO IS ABLE TO CREATE A HOT MUSIC INSTRUMENTAL USING THE BASIC TOOLS (MPC, SAMPLES, KEYS, ECT.) AND THAT’S WHERE IT STOPS. WHICH IS GREAT! THERE ARE SOME VERY GOOD BEAT MAKERS OUT TODAY, AND YOU HEAR A LOT OF THEIR INFLUENCE IN MAINSTREAM RADIO (ESPECIALLY DOWN SOUTH AND YOU WONT HEAR MUCH FROM THEM DOWN THE ROAD LIKE VARIOUS OTHER PRODUCERS WE’LL TALK MORE ABOUT BELOW)
A PRODUCER ON THE OTHER HAND TAKES THIER BEAT MAKING A LIL DEEPER AND ALOT MORE SERIOUSLY. THEY MAKE THE BEATS USING (MPC, SAMPLES, KEYS, LIVE INSTR, WHAT EVER IT TAKES) THEY WRITE HOOKS FOR THE TRACKS, THEY MAY EVEN SING THE HOOKS.THEY KNOW THEIR WAY AROUND THE STUDIO, THEY MIX AND DO THE RECORDING. IF THE ARTIST NEEDS SOME INPUT ON WHAT THE SONG IS MISSING OR WHAT KIND OF VIBE SHOULD THE ARTIST BE ON WITH THE TRACK, THE PRODUCER IS RIGHT THERE TO MAKE SURE EVERYTHING THAT IS NEEDED IS PRESENT IN THE FINAL PRODUCT.
A PRODUCER HAS A FULL PROTOOLS STUDIO (OR AT LEAST HAS ACCESS TO A FACILITY THAT WILL ACCOMMODATE WHAT IS NEEDED IN ORDER TO COMPLETE THE PROJECT – PROTOOLS HD SYSTEM)!! WHY PROTOOLS BECAUSE IT IS AN INDUSTRY MUST, AND MOST ARTIST WILL NOT WORK WITH CATS IF THEY ARE NOT RUNNING PROTOOLS, WHY!! LET ME TELL YOU WHY! IF I’M AN ARTIST LOOKING FOR PRODUCTION AND I FIND TWO PRODUCERS WHO HAVE HOT TRACKS AND ONE IS USING PROTOOLS AND THE OTHER IS USING CAKEWALK OR FRUITY LOOPS AND THEY BOTH WANT $5000 A TRACK. THE PRODUCER CAN TRACK MUSIC AND VOCALS INTO HIS PRO TOOLS RIG, THEN TAKE THEM TO THE BIG STUDIO FOR MIXING SAVE ALOT OF MONEY VS. PAYING FOR THE TRACK THEN BOOKING TIME AT ANOTHER STUDIO TO LAY DOWN THE VOCALS AND THEN BOOKING ADDITIONAL TIME TO MIX.
ON THAT NOTE KEEP THIS IN MIND, GOOD MUSIC IS GOOD MUSIC, NO MATTER WHO MADE THE TRACK.WHAT HAPPENS AFTER THAT IS WHAT YOU NEED TO THINK ABOUT. YOU NEED TO ASK YOURSELF DOES PUSHING RECORD OR COPYING AND PASTING SOME HOOKS & VERSES MAKE YOU A PRODUCER OR ARE YOU STUCK IN THE BEAT MAKING PROCESS.
THE NEXT TIME YOU SAY YOU’RE A PRODUCER AND FEEL YOU HAVE ARRIVED IN MUSIC PRODUCTION, NEVER HAVING SET FOOT IN A REAL STUDIO NOR PLACED FINGER ONE ON AN SSL/NEVE CONSOLE KNOB……….YOU MAY BE IN FOR A RUDE AWAKENING SHOULD SOMEONE IN NEED OF A PRODUCER COME KNOCKING!
AT THIS POINT YOU MAY STILL BE GROPPLING WITH THE PLUMMET YOUR EGO JUST TOOK AND THE SHOCK OF IT CRASHING TO THE FLOOR. BUT LEND YOUR EAR AND REMAIN OPEN TO SOME SOUND ADVICE THAT MAY JUST HELP TO PROPELL YOU TO THE NEXT LEVEL IN MUSIC PRODUCTION……….
EVERY BEAT MAKER AND PRODUCER HAS BEEN INFLUENCED BY THE PRODUCTION OR BEAT MAKING SKILLS OF SOMEONE ELSE ALONG THE ROAD, THROUGH SOMETHING YOU’VE HEARD WETHER IT WAS A SONG ON THE RADIO, A MUSIC VIDEO ECT. WHEN YOU THINK OF WHO HAS TRULY INSPIRED AND CHANGED THE FACE HIP-HOP AND R&B AS WE KNOW IT, WHO DO YOU THINK OF? WHAT ARE SOME OF THE MOST INFLUENTIAL PRODUCERS YOU CAN RECALL? DOES THE NAME QUINCY JONES, SEAN COMBS, RUSSELL SIMMONS, RODNEY JERKINS, TIMBALAND, JERRY WEXLER, RIC REUBEN, JERMAINE DUPRI, CLARENCE PAUL RING A BELL? WHERE WOULD HIP-HOP AND R&B BE IF ANY ONE OF THESE GUYS HAD GOT A HOLD OF AN MPC, KEYBOARD, LOOPED A HOT SAMPLE TO IT AND CALLED IT A DAY? HOW IS WHAT YOU ARE DOING HELPING TO SHAPE AND INFLUENCE OTHERS OR MUSIC AS WE KNOW IT? DOES WHAT YOU DO INSPIRE OTHERS TO STRIVE TO BE MORE THAN A BEAT MAKER? ARE YOU EVEN STIVING TO BE MORE THAN A BEAT MAKER?
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