Question from questien...

Q

questien

New member
Sup fam,

I work a 6 to 6 shift and during that time i think a lot about crazy stuff...

Today i was wondering whether a good instrumental is always a good "beat."

For example I think "DAnce" by Nas is my favorite instrumental, however, I dont think that its really a good beat.

I dont know if anyone has thought of this before...
 
The difference between an instrumental and a beat is that a beat is designed to be rapped/sung over - it is designed to help bring the vocals out and give a desired feel to it. An instrumental is a piece of music played only by instruments so doesn't have any vocals - this is where the main difference comes in: a beat can be repetitive and simple (or at least simpiler than an instrumental) because the vocals are going to make it interesting. And instrumental doesn't have that so needs to be made interesting on it's own - its designed to be listened to without vocals, therefore adding vocals isn't necessary and in some cases would work horribly because that's not what it was designed for. Sometimes instrumentals can be flowed though the MC normally has top have some wicked skill - most of the time though, the instrumental can't be flowed or it can but it always competes with the vocals and doesn't work.
 
Im not thinking of an instrumental like the jazz sort of instrumentals...
Im talking about songs from rappers that just dont sound as good with vocals in it...

"We gon make it" sounds good with or without an emcee
"Dance" I dont think it sounds as good with NAS on it, and im not knockin NAS in anyway...

I think "Spit these bars" isnt a great instrumental, but I think its a very good beat...

I know i Sound crazy to all of you now



Crossed Up...
 
there is an instramental at the end of Mos Def's CD. not a great beat, but a great instramental.

there was also a great beat used as an instramental on one of Cypris Hill's CDs. I think its the one with 'insane in the membrane' but I'm not sure.
 
questien said:
Im not thinking of an instrumental like the jazz sort of instrumentals...
Im talking about songs from rappers that just dont sound as good with vocals in it...
Click to expand...

Maybe when a track is considered a good instrumental, but not a good beat it is because the track more closely resembles a jazz (or any genre other than rap for that matter) instrumental than it does a hip-hop beat.

Just a thought.

Stray
 
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