Odds are, your beat is quantized to a particular timing. This basically means that your sounds are aligned to a precise timing, giving the beat a very unnatural and technical feel, most likely lacking “feeling” and “groove.”

Quantization is defined as the process of aligning a set of musical notes to a precise setting. This results in notes being set on beats and on exact fractions of beats. Most software programs come equipped with a Quantization feature, so that you can align recorded MIDI notes perfectly with a click of a button.

For example, let’s say that you have manually recorded the hi-hats to a beat through your software program and a MIDI controller. After recording, you notice that the hats are not perfectly on-time to the beat. Some notes are a bit off. The quantization feature on your software will allow you fix these timing errors with the click of a button, snapping the mistimed notes into the right timing.

The quantization feature is very useful for certain styles of music. Trance and techno music has a definite, repetitive groove in which quantization is used on most instruments. Some modern electronically produced Hip-Hop and R&B music may used a quantized kick, hats, or snare. But what happens when we want to electronically record music with a more natural swing to it?

There are a couple ways to achieve a more natural sounding groove. The first way is to simply record your track as precisely as you can, and disregard the Quantize feature. You see, when you make a recording, even if you think you performed it perfectly, there are very minute, natural human errors in velocity and timing that help contribute to a natural-feeling production. You will have a developed a groove that would be non-existent if you were to quantize.

The second way of establishing a more natural groove is to record the notes, quantize them, and then move each note VERY slightly with your mouse to the left or right (be sure to turn the “snap” feature off!”). This will enable you to make a customized groove, allowing you to have control over each note to establish the exact feel you want.

I hop you understand a little bit more about note quantization and can apply the concept (or unapply the concept!) from your beats!

So long for now,

Tim Adamek
Open Minds Entertainment LLP

If you are a producer, you have more than likely asked fellow producers, artists, friends or family for some feedback of your beats. You would like all of the feedback you receive to be positive, of course, but this is not always the case. Your friends and family will most likely compliment your work to spare your feelings, but a fellow producer or artist is bound to be critical of your work, offering either a derogatory comment, a simple “I don’t like it,” or some kind of valuable criticism.

I remember when I first started posting my beats for review on the internet, I would sometimes get hundreds of positive remarks (on forums, instant messenger, email, etc.) about a beat, but if I got just ONE negative comment about it, I would be hard on myself and lose confidence. Through the years though, I’ve learned to accept the fact that you can’t please all the people all the time! Once I grew as a producer and understood this concept, I no longer stressed over pleasing every single person with one piece of music.

To put this into a simple perspective, just consider this: Take 10 different people you know personally, and think about what kinds of music they prefer. Odds are, everyone doesn’t listen to the same artists. One may prefer classic rock, one may prefer hip-hop, another may prefer country….and so on.

Well, this same exact concept holds true for your beats….

Some people may love your piece of music, while others simply do not like it because it is not their taste in music. To make this example even more targeted, let’s look at just the Hip-Hop genre. Let’s say you make a Club-style hip-hop beat. Artists and producers who enjoy club hip-hop may love your beat, but those that listen to raw, gritty hip hop may hate it. It’s just one of those things you’ve got to accept, and move forward.

So remember this: If you are getting a lot of positive feedback from valuable sources (fellow producers, artists, sound enginners, etc.), do NOT lose confidence in your music if you receive a few occasional criticisms or negative comments!

In the next motivational article, I will talk about Utilizing Feedback about your beats.

Until Then, Thanks for reading!

Tim Adamek
Open Minds Entertainment LLP

One important aspect that a lot of the time gets overlooked by artists looking for beats is the mixing quality of the beat. If you’re serious about introducing your music to the market you should be serious about the quality of your production. You want your music to sound great in every platform from your car radio and your mp3 player all the way to the clubs. An ingredient to success in this music industry is how you present yourself. Using a beat of low quality or with a poor mix will have you coming off amateurish. By purchasing a beat that has been mixed well people will recognize you took the time to pay attention to sound quality and will in turn take you more seriously as an artist.

Another important aspect when beat searching is making the process cost-effective as possible. Most up and coming artists are typically working with a tight budget and don’t necessarily have the money to shell out for instrumentals. You should look for beat websites that offer non-exclusive beats or beats you can lease. Think about it. If you’re putting together a project whether it be an album, mixtape, or demo you are going to want to record a lot of material and then have the opportunity to chose the best out of the bunch. Most quality beat websites lease their music for only $30-$50. Most producers or beat websites sell their beats exclusively as well however most can range from hundreds to thousands of dollars.

An important factor that a lot of artists overlook is whether the beat they have purchased contains any un-cleared samples. Most producers leave the responsibility of clearing samples contained in their beats solely up to the artist. Clearing samples is a hassle and can be costly so most artists don’t bother when including these sampled beats on their music projects. This could cause serious legal problems for you further down the line. Save yourself the headache and look for original compositions.

This leads me to one of the most important aspects of your beat selection process, the music itself. You may be searching through beat libraries looking for a beat that sounds like that new Young Jeezy song or that new Chris Brown for example. While there is nothing wrong with these artists and their respective music there IS something wrong with this kind of approach to selecting the right beats. It can work to your disadvantage to pick beats that are trendy and sound like the same old songs you hear on the radio. If you really want to make it in the music business you have to develop your own sound. Today the music industry is very saturated. If you want to have a shot at any tangible success you must stand out and apart from the crowd. People respond to music that is refreshing and appealing to the ears. You may be a good lyricist or song writer but remember that means little if you do not have the instrumental to back it. Typically the instrumental is what starts the song off so it has to catch the listener’s attention and give people reason to continue to listen to the rest of your song. Find an instrumental that compliments you as an artist while giving you a unique sound that separates you from the pack. Take the steps necessary to get heard and find yourself original music production.

If, after considering all of the things discussed so far, you have chosen a beat before continuing on and purchasing this beat ask yourself a few questions. In addition to a professional sound quality you should make sure the beat website carries their business in a professional manner. Are the terms of purchase clearly stated? Are there any grey areas that leave you with an uneasy feeling about making a purchase? Understand the terms of agreement when purchasing a beat as some producers may try and take advantage of you. Also make sure there is an easy and safe beat delivery process after you’ve purchased the instrumental. Make sure the producer takes themselves and their craft seriously and professionally.

I also should emphasize that the top 10 beat websites or producers that show up in your Google searches or on the soundclick charts are not always the best of options. They may contain some of the aspects that have been discussed so far but they rarely hold the total package. You’re looking for websites that offer leases with the least amount of limitations, highest professional quality, most affordable prices, and a legitimate and easy purchasing process. Finding a website that offers all of aspects is hard to come by, but they do exist.

Our website, Open Minds Entertainment, is sure to provide you with all of the good qualities mentioned above. If you are an artist looking for hip hop, r&b, pop, or rock beats, check us out! You will not be disappointed!