Browsing Category
Beatmaking
BeatTips List of Sample-Based Songs to Study: Madvillain – “Fancy Clown”
I’m a strong advocate for MusicStudy. In my book The BeatTips Manual, I describe the importance of…
DJ Clark Kent on Beats, Creativity, and the Big Smoke Screen in Music
20 years ago, I interviewed legendary Brooklyn DJ/Producer DJ Clark Kent. Sadly, today, October 26,…
The Sample Clearance “Tax” and the Primary Beneficiaries of the Sample Clearance System
When the music industry first took notice of sampling, their burning question had to have been: How can…
Q-Tip Needle Dropping, As Kanye West and No I.D. Look On
“By 1977, many DJs had followed Kool Herc’s lead, none more notable than Grandmaster Flash and Afrika…
What’s a Loop Really About?
Here's a very important point: No song "comes with" a loop in the way that most people think. Instead,…
Can You Beat The Clock? How Long Does it Take to Develop a Skill For Beatmaking?
How long did it take me to develop a real skill for beatmaking? The beatmaking know-how? That took me…
Sa’id Music: “Shin Bone”
My song “Shin Bone” was one of those cases where everything was just already there in the sample. As a…
BeatTips MusicStudy: Three Times Dope – “Funky Dividends”
Three Times Dope - “Funky Dividends”
One of the best flips of the Skull Snaps - “It’s A New Day” drum…
BeatTips MusicStudy and Source Material: Gwen McCrae – “90% Of Me Is You”
I learned more about how to create drums and drum patterns from this song than I did listening to any hip…
Don’t Over Cook The Beat: Overproducing and How to Avoid It
Picture this. You’re in the lab making a new beat. You’re nodding your head, the beat is dope —…