How to lay down a hook

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gafadi

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hey guys , im am trying to produce some beats. I am fairly a noob at this beat production. I am not just a wannabe but i want to do this the right way. I am taking piano classes in august , it seems piano plays major role in making beats.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5zPWNXcVl1U

this is one of the beat that i made, not so good.

What i'm still confused or not able to learn is how to do the hook. I use reason 4 for making beats.

Also i am not so good at making beats either, what are some good resources to learn making beats in reason 4.

Thank you
 
warning - the following is 1 guy in 6.5 billion's opinion:

I've always hated the concept of a "hook". I think it's total bullshit and I don't think musicians think like that.

Here's my take:

Some great musicians, say Lennon and McCartney have an inspiration and a magic song comes out, let's say "She Love You".

Then the bean counters go "There, there's the hook - YA! YA! YA!" It's got a hook!" And they think that somehow in one tiny observation they've got a handle on what makes people like a song.

You can't plan hooks. "Stairway to Heaven" doesn't have a hook. "We Won't Get Fooled Again" doesn't have a hook.

If you try and make hooks the song will end up sounding like "That's the Way, A-huh A-huh" or "TiK ToK".

So my advice is : don't think that way. don't give a fuck about a hook. write songs for yourself that you really, really like and people who have similar tastes as you do will like them. Otherwise you'll come off as phony.
 
i agree, if you got a really sick 8 bar pattern, that's all the song really needs to be, especially if you're doing hip-hop. Of course some drops and instrument changes and stuff are nice too.

If you are going to put vocals over them, that changes a beat a lot as well. If you make a beat without a hook, a rapper can still put a hook in it and the beat will seem different. it depends on the beat too, sometimes you'll just feel when something that might resemble a hook needs to happen, learn a little about music theory and that will help you a lot.
 
I'm with Dinty.

Most of my songs Don't really have a hook - and I wouldn't consider them too catchy.

But once in a while I come up with one and there in the chorus - there's the hook! I've never set out to write one.
 
Scratch the hook i guess, yes i want to produce hip hop beats , Hiphop rap and RnB possibly.

Ill take one step at a time instead of jumping in things, look over tutorials on how to use Reason.

And most importantly ill take that Piano class at august, im a teen and they've got free piano classes at Laguardia college NYC :D for summer. I guess i should take advantage of it.

Its just that i want to start out doing it right not jump into stuff , mix random shit and when the time comes i cant do shit on my own. I want to be able to play my own instruments. :rolleyes:

Ok anyone here experienced with Reason 4 ? any good links or tutorials on how to use Drum computer better or how to utilize the Drum computer. Currently i use the drum computer but mostly i make random patterns lol.
 
piano class will be great for you =).

I suggest you play around with a keyboard/piano alot. just mess around with it - see what sounds good.
 
that piano class will definitely help you play the piano, which is a good instrument to understand, especially if you're making beats, you;ll probably get some basic music theory which will be useful too. That piano class won't help you make better drum patterns though.

I use reason 4, i don't know of any tutorials cuz I just figured it out on my own, but do you not know how to use the drum machine? or do you have trouble getting a good beat? and when you say random patterns, what do you mean?
here's a mini-tutorial: If they your beats are random like I imagine they might be, try and make them more repetitive, like a bass drum on every 1st beat, a snare on every 3rd and a hi-hat on every other beat. That is a super basic drum beat that is definitely not random. Try and build off of that basic structure when you're making your beats. If you already know a little about the drum machine, there are a few things that can spice up your beats:
-play with velocity
-use the regroove
-layer hits like the snare, or have multiple cooperating hi-hat patterns
-use cymbals! but be careful where you put them
-use fills, generally at the end of every 4 or 8 bars.
-choose the right drum sounds, this is very important.
-listen carefully to beats that you like and see what is in them that makes them so good.
If you don't know about the regroove or velocity, just google or youtube them I'm sure there are tons of tutorials. You'll get tons of tutorials if you just youtube "propellerhead reason"

How do you make your patterns, do you play them with the keyboard into the sequencer, or do you mouse the patterns directly onto the drum machine? I would suggest you do the first, it allows for more fluidity I feel.
good luck
 
What I would do is copy the best people in whatever type of music you're in. Tear their songs apart and see what the details are.

Copying somebody that can do something is the fastest way I know of learning anything.

Don't worry, without even working on it your own style will emerge. :)
 
jlewis said:
that piano class will definitely help you play the piano, which is a good instrument to understand, especially if you're making beats, you;ll probably get some basic music theory which will be useful too. That piano class won't help you make better drum patterns though.

I use reason 4, i don't know of any tutorials cuz I just figured it out on my own, but do you not know how to use the drum machine? or do you have trouble getting a good beat? and when you say random patterns, what do you mean?
here's a mini-tutorial: If they your beats are random like I imagine they might be, try and make them more repetitive, like a bass drum on every 1st beat, a snare on every 3rd and a hi-hat on every other beat. That is a super basic drum beat that is definitely not random. Try and build off of that basic structure when you're making your beats. If you already know a little about the drum machine, there are a few things that can spice up your beats:
-play with velocity
-use the regroove
-layer hits like the snare, or have multiple cooperating hi-hat patterns
-use cymbals! but be careful where you put them
-use fills, generally at the end of every 4 or 8 bars.
-choose the right drum sounds, this is very important.
-listen carefully to beats that you like and see what is in them that makes them so good.
If you don't know about the regroove or velocity, just google or youtube them I'm sure there are tons of tutorials. You'll get tons of tutorials if you just youtube "propellerhead reason"

How do you make your patterns, do you play them with the keyboard into the sequencer, or do you mouse the patterns directly onto the drum machine? I would suggest you do the first, it allows for more fluidity I feel.
good luck
Click to expand...

till now its been the clicking and making patterns.

I do have midi keyboards and i have tried making by playing but it doesnt come out right.

And its quite funny because i didnt like FL studio for the very reason , i thought there was way too much clicking and stuff but i wasnt learning anything. So i started using Reason 4.
 
If you're having trouble playing a beat on the keyboard, be sure to use the metronome and also click the box that says "quantize during recording" under the play button. this will line up your hits to be on beat if you accidentally play them a little off. If you still can't make drum patterns search your sound bank for Dr. Rex drum loops, some of those can be useful and you don't have to play anything.
 
i get the drum patterns and synth a lilttle bit but i cannot laydown some kind of Rhythm or tune to my beat at all , i guess i need some piano for that ?
 
Go get a 2-octave USB keyboard. I love my AKAI LPK25 and it was only 60 bucks. You can get a Korg Nanokey for $40 but they are far inferior in my opinion. I'm a very poor keyboard player but it's far, far better than manually inserting notes as far as stimulating new ideas.

Now, ready for the secret to writing a hook? There is no secret. One thing you can do is just steal something you like and change a few notes. You might feel dirty at first, but it's a good way to focus on the things you really, really like about your favorite artists and making it your own.

Once you've got your keyboard, loop your chorus, bridge, whatever you want to be "hooky" (as has been said, the word hook is overused, thoroughly misunderstood, and doesn't apply to a lot of musicians.) Your goal is to just freely experiment with note selection and phrasing (the intensity, frequency, and timing of your attack). It's okay to reject idea after idea, this should be a learning process for you at this point.

For me this has always been very easy and natural, but some people never, ever get it. You can get blood from a stone by just hacking away, but I recommend a different approach:

You need to familiarize yourself with at least enough music understanding to know what chords/notes go well together. Almost all hooks are melodic, so if you don't understand how musical notes work together, you're reduced to being a monkey trying to write Shakespeare. You should learn at least the major and minor scales. If you're new to keys, start in the key of C major (all the white keys). Any note you hit that's white will sound somewhat good with a C major chord.

Sometimes a simple key change can result in a "hook" sound (God I hate that word). I would start there, just change your key from G to C, D to A, C to D, etc. You may hate this band but the end of Bon Jovi's "Livin on a Prayer" is a great example of how compelling this type of change can be.

Keep in mind your goal is about as easy as drinking coffee while standing on your head if you don't have any musical knowledge. Your question was basically "how can I be a more compelling/entertaining songwriter" and there is no easy answer.

Nibb High fooball rules!
 
Timbaland producing hits is like second nature because hes timbaland.
If I wrote "Apologize" instead of Timbaland then I dont really think the song will be as big as a hit simply because Im not Timbaland and people would simply say "nice music" or "keep it up".
These days everyones trying to make hits buts only a select few who actually reach the wider audience by getting lucky, bribing or just by sheer brilliance, make it.
 
kratos said:
Timbaland producing hits is like second nature because hes timbaland.
If I wrote "Apologize" instead of Timbaland then I dont really think the song will be as big as a hit simply because Im not Timbaland and people would simply say "nice music" or "keep it up".
These days everyones trying to make hits buts only a select few who actually reach the wider audience by getting lucky, bribing or just by sheer brilliance, make it.
Click to expand...

i dont know how this is relevant in all this but thanks i guess

I am taking about making a good beat so i can make good music , i never even mentioned anywhere being a super hit :eek:
 
I think you should just "JUMP" right in. You'll be surprised on what you teach yourself through the experience of just trying.

Don't wait for that next great piece of gear, or learning that next style....

Get after it. It only gets better with time and experience, education is also a wonderful tool to throw into that mix, but don't wait.
 
gafadi said:
i dont know how this is relevant in all this but thanks i guess

I am taking about making a good beat so i can make good music , i never even mentioned anywhere being a super hit :eek:
Click to expand...

Im just sayin that coz you dont need superb piano skills to come up with a great beat. Every things electronic and digital these days and any old fool who can play 4 chords can become a hit overnight just like that.
But ofcourse learning the piano should improve your sense of musicallity and ability to come up with new/different tunes on the spot when making beats.

About your beat ofcourse it needs work and it does sound a bit lifeless.
Id say the next thing in your to do list should be learning how to mix and master your shit or get some qualified engineer to do it for you.
Even the most simplest of tunes can be made to work like magic with proper mixing and mastering:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xFYQQPAOz7Y

The main instument essentially just plays two chords throughout the 5 mins but the way its been properly mixed, mastered and delivered by the artist is one of the reasons why this tune is massive hitttttt.

Also this is probably a beat as simpleeeee as you can get:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UODX_pYpVxk
:D
 
kratos said:
The main instument essentially just plays two chords throughout the 5 mins but the way its been properly mixed, mastered and delivered by the artist is one of the reasons why this tune is massive hitttttt.

:D
Click to expand...

actually - The MTV is probably one of the reasons it was a massive hittttt. (although I don't listen to hip hop) so I've never heard it =0
 
Hey, IMO, I think FL STUDIO would be easier for you to start off with. Also, search you tube for tutorials on whatever program you do decide to use.

Over all, it will come with experience. Just keep at it over and over till you can get it out your mind and onto the computer.
 
People should realize that the only, single reason songs are big hits nowadays is because someone paid for them to be hits.

It's exactly like Pepsi paying for their ad to be on the radio every hour so they can sell soft drinks. Exactly 100% the same. People are still talking like it has something to do with the song like it did in the 60's, 70's and 80's. It doesn't.

It has nothing to do with hooks, loops, phantom power or the Sweet Baby Jesus, it's 100% because someone paid for that song to be played over and over so they could sell CD's and downloads.
 
Opivy said:
actually - The MTV is probably one of the reasons it was a massive hittttt. (although I don't listen to hip hop) so I've never heard it =0
Click to expand...

or maybe its because its one of the dopest songs of our generation by one of the finest artists of our generation:spank:
 
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