Rap Music Beats - 6 Rap Beat Making Tips

When it comes to making rap music beats, I get a lot of questions about where to begin, what software and hardware to use, and how everything comes together. Below are 7 essential tips to consider when making a rap music beat:
1. Invest in a midi-compatible keyboard: Some producers try to program their beats using their only their mouse and keyboard. While this can work, you will find that it is much easier to use a midi-compatible keyboard when making rap music beats . Having a keyboard will enable you to test loaded sounds easier, play chord sequences, and program natural-sounding note sequences. Without it, everything must be done by tediously programming every single note in by hand.
2. Take time to learn your software program. Whether you use Fruity Loops, Reason, Logic, Cubase, or any other software program for beats, I cannot stress how important it is to thoroughly learn to use your music software. Read the manual, watch videos on Youtube, read articles, and perhaps most importantly experiment with the beat software hands-on. Once you learn the ins and outs of your software, you will eventually be able to translate any musical idea you have onto the screen and into your rap music beat.
3. Never underestimate good sounds. It is crucial that you steer yourself away from the factory preset sounds in your software and spend some money on good sounds for your rap music beats. You can buy sounds for just about any music software program, whether it be Reason, Fruity Loops, Cubase, etc. A lot of websites even have samples of their sounds, so you can hear them before you purchase.
4. Learn good mixing techniques. When making rap music beats, NEVER underestimate the importance of good mixing technique. Your mixing skills can make or break your beat. You could have laid down the greatest melody of all time, but if the beat is mixed poorly it will sound bad. As a producer, your job isn't necessarily to make a "final" mix of the music beat, because the vocals will still need to be added and the studio engineer will still have to tweak a few things once the vocals are finished. You should however, do the best you can with your equipment to make a solid, presentable mix for your rap music beat.
5. Listen to many styles of music. In order to be a well-rounded producer, please do yourself a favor and listen to different kinds of music. Listening to music other than hip-hop will open your brain up to new kinds of note sequences, drum patterns, mixes, and overall song composition. This music will be embedded into your subconscious, and whether you realize it or not will have a positive effect on your ability to make rap music beats.
6. Make rap music beats because you WANT to! In today's age, it is evident that a lot of producers make beats because it is now possible to make money selling them online. You will find that as soon as you drop the association of money with music, you will have a lot more fun making music beats. If you are talented and make music out of passion, the money will come!