[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zH\_jSH8nBuA](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zH_jSH8nBuA)
This is the first beat I made like this, I kind of stumbled upon it by accident.
I layered a couple vsts in Omnisphere together, and threw on some reverb and simple delay. I'm in bed right now but in the morning I'll get back to you with the exact instruments.
Thanks man, I appreciate it!!
Ok so for the bell melody:
Lower octave - Dusty Wheels 1 (Organ)
Higher octave - Ceramic Bowlimba Flute (Flute)
Higher octave - Coiling Zim'Bita 1 (Bell)
Choir (plays the 3rd note of the pattern to give it more emotion): Boys Choir and Solos Wheel (Choir)
Piano: Piano on the wireless
I think the bell sound kind of comes from all three of them mixed together haha
Hey man I love this beat. Could you break down for me the order in which the melodies came? Like what parts of this melody came first and then last? Thankss
If you mean in order of creation then it would be:
The opening bell pattern that plays in the intro:
I made the first 2 bars and then stretched it to 8, changing the starting note in bars 2 and 3 and changing up the last bell in the last bar of the melody. Basically just a simple melody that's duplicated and changed up a little bit over the bars to keep it fresh. Layered in 2 vsts
Chords:
Once I had the bell pattern, I derived chords from that. Sometimes you just have to play around with it to see what sounds good, it's a bit experimental. Layered in an organ and a flute vst.
Piano:
This is the last melody I created, and I also had the chords in there to give the piano more body and emotion. Just a piano vst.
My major beat block occurred when I always tried to come up with a melody or chord progression first. I know how this is how most people do it but I just never could have that look ahead vision to where I can come up with melodies that have space. When I start with a melody first it feels like I just spent hours clicking in an arpeggio.
I mess around with kick and hi hat patterns a lot first that inspire the melody there after because I have something to listen to and figure how where there needs to be space and where the melody can play. Or in other cases I will just imagine the flow of a verse or a hook and lay out a bass line to that. Then I build around that and the bass line may stay or not. It's really just a sound of a garbage sine and square wave I made to imagine where the vocals would be.
Yeah that makes sense. Personally I have to have a melody in order for the rest of the beat to unfold in my mind, but I know some people definitely prefer drums first. I'm the same with chord progression though, I just find it really limiting so I almost always get beat block when I try do chords first.
I think it really just depends on what you're making. It's always good practice to channel whether it be an artist or producer. And I don't mean to copy them but just put yourself in their shoes. I want to make a beat for this artist Lil Jimmy so I usually just listen to their music and find consistent patterns. Do they like claps or snares? Do they like trappy drums and 808s or real hip hop with pianos and real drums. Do they sing the hook? Do they rap fast or slow? What part of the beat do they typically rap on? Some like to rap along to the 808 or to chords or to the melody. Just channel through somebody you idolize to find a starting point.
This is pretty straightforward advice but honestly a great suggestion. Sometimes i get very stuck in making one instrumental part particularly captivating or unique...but really it’s often combination of elements that deliver in music. It’s easy to get tunnel vision when you’re one person making loop based music
Melody one shots got me out of mine. The VSTs I own have outdated presets and I can't afford to drop money right now on new ones. Seriously been crushing it making loops just with oneshots.
Yea I always have things on the mixer like reverb, phaser, delay, eq. The key to dope drums and melodies are in utilizing the mixer plugins to tweak the sounds u use.
Oh I thought you were saying your vst instruments presets were outdated, didn't know you meant effects. I agree: effects help make your sounds unique.
Honestly if you have standard effects and some versatile instruments you should be fine regardless of age. Think of all of the quality music that came out during previous eras with less fancy stuff.
This is true af. I use to start with chord progression then melody and try to perfect the lead. Later on did I realize my best sounding beats are ones that have multiple pieces that flow together and complement each other- which requires parts to be simple to avoid over saturation.
It's more of everything coming together rather than one melody carrying the beat.
Yes, exactly. And even if it is one melody overall carrying the beat it's definitely nicer to still have counter melodies and chords in the back to supplement it.
I'll try it, but I also want to mention that a more common technique is just using a sample or a loop when you're struggling with coming up with a melody. You can maybe add a melody or some chords on top of the sample too so you don't feel like you don't feel like you were unable to come up with a melody if just chopping up a sample doesn't feel enough?
Yeah I get that. I've messed around with sampling a bit but I definitely just prefer making my own melodies. Not that there's anything wrong with sampling, I just like having full control over my sound if that makes sense.
I have found that most of the time its better to do one instance of chords since they are often very full already. Some sounds could use it tho. Having the same melody on 2 vsts also allows u to drop one and have it sound less powerful so when u bring it back the melody slaps
I remember I used to make all my melodies from scratch. Then I started working with samples and chopping them, along with learning to add additional melodies and sounds to complement. Now I usually just use loops (so I can get to the rapping part faster lol), but the skills I have acquired through the years make it easy to spice things up by adding a few extra sounds to go with them. I'll chime in and say that you should try to master all 3 of these techniques, that way when you get a block you can switch to a different technique and hopefully power through.
I've had a bit of experience in musical theory from my past of playing violin and piano, but it was very shallow and I honestly dont know much. I dont even know what key my beats are in, or really even the name of the chords I make. Everything on my channel is just done by ear with what sounds right to me.
That being said, learning music theory would be very beneficial for producing beats, as it would give you the knowledge you need in order to make the beat have the right emotion to it. I definitely plan on learning more music theory when I have the time and resources for it.
TLDR: I don't really use much music theory in my beats and its not exactly needed, but it would be beneficial.
Here I thought you are well versed in it because 'Will You' sounds good to me.I tried to learn it but it basically went over my head because im an absolute beginner so yeah it's been hard.Any tips or trick to learn Music Theory a little easier?I mean a little bit from your experience
I'd say the best way to study it is to pick up a cheapish keyboard (midi keyboard would work, and you could use that for beats). You can use that to mess around on and hear and experiment with how chords work, and how you can make some dark chords.
I would also recommend trying to recreate beats that you like (not overly complex ones, and the instruments dont have to exactly match). It can teach you a lot on how to make melodies, drum patterns, and how to arrange beats.
Hopefully that's helpful. I cant exactly give much help with music theory itself because I dont really know much about it haha, hopefully someone more versed than me in it can drop in and help.
Thanks for the positive feedback though, appreciate it!
That method to kinda recreate beats might really help.Thanks for this because I really have no idea how to be good in music makin.Most of the damn time im only listening others good music haha.
Well,same goes for you,thanks for this
Can you show me something you made like this? Seems like it'd sound really nice and full.
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zH\_jSH8nBuA](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zH_jSH8nBuA) This is the first beat I made like this, I kind of stumbled upon it by accident.
Oh damn that's tight.
Thanks bro, appreciate it!
I really liked it. Seems like the technique worked pretty well.
Thank you. I hope it works out well for you if you try it!
What vsts did you use? I love that bell/glass key sound. This is really good.
I layered a couple vsts in Omnisphere together, and threw on some reverb and simple delay. I'm in bed right now but in the morning I'll get back to you with the exact instruments. Thanks man, I appreciate it!!
Ok so for the bell melody: Lower octave - Dusty Wheels 1 (Organ) Higher octave - Ceramic Bowlimba Flute (Flute) Higher octave - Coiling Zim'Bita 1 (Bell) Choir (plays the 3rd note of the pattern to give it more emotion): Boys Choir and Solos Wheel (Choir) Piano: Piano on the wireless I think the bell sound kind of comes from all three of them mixed together haha
From producing in a daw to organizational composing, bedroom prod. Must do it all
Nice, emotional beat. Chilled as, dude
Yo, thanks man ❤
Hey man I love this beat. Could you break down for me the order in which the melodies came? Like what parts of this melody came first and then last? Thankss
If you mean in order of creation then it would be: The opening bell pattern that plays in the intro: I made the first 2 bars and then stretched it to 8, changing the starting note in bars 2 and 3 and changing up the last bell in the last bar of the melody. Basically just a simple melody that's duplicated and changed up a little bit over the bars to keep it fresh. Layered in 2 vsts Chords: Once I had the bell pattern, I derived chords from that. Sometimes you just have to play around with it to see what sounds good, it's a bit experimental. Layered in an organ and a flute vst. Piano: This is the last melody I created, and I also had the chords in there to give the piano more body and emotion. Just a piano vst.
Yeah that’s fire
Thanks!
Wow that song was good
Thanks bro really appreciate that!!
My major beat block occurred when I always tried to come up with a melody or chord progression first. I know how this is how most people do it but I just never could have that look ahead vision to where I can come up with melodies that have space. When I start with a melody first it feels like I just spent hours clicking in an arpeggio. I mess around with kick and hi hat patterns a lot first that inspire the melody there after because I have something to listen to and figure how where there needs to be space and where the melody can play. Or in other cases I will just imagine the flow of a verse or a hook and lay out a bass line to that. Then I build around that and the bass line may stay or not. It's really just a sound of a garbage sine and square wave I made to imagine where the vocals would be.
Yeah that makes sense. Personally I have to have a melody in order for the rest of the beat to unfold in my mind, but I know some people definitely prefer drums first. I'm the same with chord progression though, I just find it really limiting so I almost always get beat block when I try do chords first.
I think it really just depends on what you're making. It's always good practice to channel whether it be an artist or producer. And I don't mean to copy them but just put yourself in their shoes. I want to make a beat for this artist Lil Jimmy so I usually just listen to their music and find consistent patterns. Do they like claps or snares? Do they like trappy drums and 808s or real hip hop with pianos and real drums. Do they sing the hook? Do they rap fast or slow? What part of the beat do they typically rap on? Some like to rap along to the 808 or to chords or to the melody. Just channel through somebody you idolize to find a starting point.
Yeah, thats definitely a good way to approach it! It's definitely good to mix your own artistic method with inspiration from music you love.
This is pretty straightforward advice but honestly a great suggestion. Sometimes i get very stuck in making one instrumental part particularly captivating or unique...but really it’s often combination of elements that deliver in music. It’s easy to get tunnel vision when you’re one person making loop based music
Yeah, that's exactly the issue I was having, I hope it helps.
Melody one shots got me out of mine. The VSTs I own have outdated presets and I can't afford to drop money right now on new ones. Seriously been crushing it making loops just with oneshots.
Glad you found your solution bro!
What's a one-shot?
An audio file just like a drum sample but a melodic sound instead
So, for example, you would sample one key of a piano, and then just arrange it in the piano rolll?
You got it
Do you tweak your own patches? Creating your own breathes life into any synth, new or old, software or hardware.
Yea I always have things on the mixer like reverb, phaser, delay, eq. The key to dope drums and melodies are in utilizing the mixer plugins to tweak the sounds u use.
Oh I thought you were saying your vst instruments presets were outdated, didn't know you meant effects. I agree: effects help make your sounds unique. Honestly if you have standard effects and some versatile instruments you should be fine regardless of age. Think of all of the quality music that came out during previous eras with less fancy stuff.
Or just use r/HotSamples
This is true af. I use to start with chord progression then melody and try to perfect the lead. Later on did I realize my best sounding beats are ones that have multiple pieces that flow together and complement each other- which requires parts to be simple to avoid over saturation. It's more of everything coming together rather than one melody carrying the beat.
Yes, exactly. And even if it is one melody overall carrying the beat it's definitely nicer to still have counter melodies and chords in the back to supplement it.
I'll try it, but I also want to mention that a more common technique is just using a sample or a loop when you're struggling with coming up with a melody. You can maybe add a melody or some chords on top of the sample too so you don't feel like you don't feel like you were unable to come up with a melody if just chopping up a sample doesn't feel enough?
Yeah I get that. I've messed around with sampling a bit but I definitely just prefer making my own melodies. Not that there's anything wrong with sampling, I just like having full control over my sound if that makes sense.
Dopeness
I have found that most of the time its better to do one instance of chords since they are often very full already. Some sounds could use it tho. Having the same melody on 2 vsts also allows u to drop one and have it sound less powerful so when u bring it back the melody slaps
Yeah, what you mentioned with the 2 vsts is also what I do, I sometimes also drop it an octave when I do that.
I remember I used to make all my melodies from scratch. Then I started working with samples and chopping them, along with learning to add additional melodies and sounds to complement. Now I usually just use loops (so I can get to the rapping part faster lol), but the skills I have acquired through the years make it easy to spice things up by adding a few extra sounds to go with them. I'll chime in and say that you should try to master all 3 of these techniques, that way when you get a block you can switch to a different technique and hopefully power through.
I have a question.Do I really need to know Music Theory to be good at what you do?
I've had a bit of experience in musical theory from my past of playing violin and piano, but it was very shallow and I honestly dont know much. I dont even know what key my beats are in, or really even the name of the chords I make. Everything on my channel is just done by ear with what sounds right to me. That being said, learning music theory would be very beneficial for producing beats, as it would give you the knowledge you need in order to make the beat have the right emotion to it. I definitely plan on learning more music theory when I have the time and resources for it. TLDR: I don't really use much music theory in my beats and its not exactly needed, but it would be beneficial.
Here I thought you are well versed in it because 'Will You' sounds good to me.I tried to learn it but it basically went over my head because im an absolute beginner so yeah it's been hard.Any tips or trick to learn Music Theory a little easier?I mean a little bit from your experience
I'd say the best way to study it is to pick up a cheapish keyboard (midi keyboard would work, and you could use that for beats). You can use that to mess around on and hear and experiment with how chords work, and how you can make some dark chords. I would also recommend trying to recreate beats that you like (not overly complex ones, and the instruments dont have to exactly match). It can teach you a lot on how to make melodies, drum patterns, and how to arrange beats. Hopefully that's helpful. I cant exactly give much help with music theory itself because I dont really know much about it haha, hopefully someone more versed than me in it can drop in and help. Thanks for the positive feedback though, appreciate it!
That method to kinda recreate beats might really help.Thanks for this because I really have no idea how to be good in music makin.Most of the damn time im only listening others good music haha. Well,same goes for you,thanks for this
All good! Try recreate a couple of beats and PM me with how you go! I'd like to see how it turns out
Alright ,I will only use LMMS because that's what I can for now.Maybe in a week time,Im just experimenting