I'm a rap artist about to start a new album. What mic do I use?

[CIRO]

Now i know that this thread is kinda heated over the soultan guy, but there is no need to stereotype a whole genre of music based on what certain people in that genre do. I myself am a rapper and i don't rap about bad/degrading issues and i keep a clean mouth. That statement was very offensive to me. What you said is like me saying everyone in Elton John's genre of music is gay and in a gay marriage. Is that true?

Gay but not black , and it seems a big problem in all the world (maybe less in poor countries), a Black artist ,sucessfully, talentous and rich.
I don´t like this genere of music (HIP HOP/ RAP), and agree many guys (like me) that pass years learning theory, scales, chords sctructure,...don´t like hip hop/rap.
But it seems to me racial questions appears in some replyes as more relevant than music itself.
Am I wrong?

 

[studiomaster]

Gay but not black , and it seems a big problem in all the world (maybe less in poor countries), a Black artist ,sucessfully, talentous and rich.
I don´t like this genere of music (HIP HOP/ RAP), and agree many guys (like me) that pass years learning theory, scales, chords sctructure,...don´t like hip hop/rap.
But it seems to me racial questions appears in some replyes as more relevant than music itself.
Am I wrong?

I second that. 95% of rappers don't know music theory. I'm not being biased here, but confess it.

 

[jibran]

But the people respected by true hip hop fans do.

J. Dilla, for example, was proficient with multiple instruments and brought a beautiful soul-feeling to his music. Also, The Roots have multiple instrumentalists. Mos Def can play instruments and his group Black Jack Johnson is a full-scale Rock and Soul group.

There are many more examples of hip hop artists with general musical skills.

 

[Bonafide]

I second that. 95% of rappers don't know music theory. I'm not being biased here, but confess it.

Hey bro, in my experience... 95% of non-rappers don't know music theory either.

But it is also good to remember that RAP isn't based around 'melody' anyway, but based around beats or rhythm.

Remixing has been around for 30+ years. And in my experience, there is nothing (as in absolutley nothing) original about any pop or rock music either.

 

[CIRO]

But the people respected by true hip hop fans do.

J. Dilla, for example, was proficient with multiple instruments and brought a beautiful soul-feeling to his music. Also, The Roots have multiple instrumentalists. Mos Def can play instruments and his group Black Jack Johnson is a full-scale Rock and Soul group.

There are many more examples of hip hop artists with general musical skills.

Jibran

You´re right...
I don´t like hip hop, but nothing against the RAPPERS ...It´s only my musical taste.
I write my last post to talk about racial questions , and a kinda of "angry felling" I felt against rappers here...


(I will search J dilla in web).
Who knows I will like him?

 

[jonnyc]

Hey bro, in my experience... 95% of non-rappers don't know music theory either.

But it is also good to remember that RAP isn't based around 'melody' anyway, but based around beats or rhythm.

Remixing has been around for 30+ years. And in my experience, there is nothing (as in absolutley nothing) original about any pop or rock music either.

Thanks for trying to join in but you're wrong. Most musicians in my studio understand theory better than me and I've been in music for 15 years. However, every rapper I've worked with couldn't even make their own beats.

 

[jonnyc]

Jibran

You´re right...
I don´t like hip hop, but nothing against the RAPPERS ...It´s only my musical taste.
I write my last post to talk about racial questions , and a kinda of "angry felling" I felt against rappers here...


(I will search J dilla in web).
Who knows I will like him?

If you read some of the "angry rapper" posts, you'll find that quite a few of them are actual the racists and the first one to bring up race. Around here, we'd treat a white rapper the same as a rapper of any other color, race doesn't matter, but talent and musical ability do.

 

[CIRO]

If you read some of the "angry rapper" posts, you'll find that quite a few of them are actual the racists and the first one to bring up race. Around here, we'd treat a white rapper the same as a rapper of any other color, race doesn't matter, but talent and musical ability do.

Johnny, that´s why I ask in my first post:" Am I wrong?"
Then, you´re asking my question.
I´m only supposing tha "racial question", cause a member of forum was extremelly agressive with the rapper, but
I´m brazilian and don´t know american rappers... except Eminen, that´s a very famous guy (even in Brazil) and I don´t like him(that´s not a musical opinion, it´s a personal question

 

[studiomaster]

Thanks for trying to join in but you're wrong. Most musicians in my studio understand theory better than me and I've been in music for 15 years. However, every rapper I've worked with couldn't even make their own beats.

I second that.

Bonafide, are you really dumb enough to say that? Rappers don't know theory or basic notations for shit. They might have some beat sense for rapping but when it comes to fixing up an arrangement, they die out. Rappers are NOT musicians. They are just rappers. Musicians are people who practice instruments with basic/intermediate/advanced theory in their head.

 

[Bonafide]

BTW, by introduction my name is Rodney Gene...I must have joined this forum years ago if my handle is 'bonafide'..

I second that.

Bonafide, are you really dumb enough to say that? Rappers don't know theory or basic notations for shit. They might have some beat sense for rapping but when it comes to fixing up an arrangement, they die out. Rappers are NOT musicians. They are just rappers. Musicians are people who practice instruments with basic/intermediate/advanced theory in their head.

Apparently I am dumb enough to say that because I just said it.. I don't mind being dumb in the least if it means basing my comments and judgment on my own experiences.

I have worked with alot of musicians in my life, both as a professional musician and as a producer. 'Theory' is not well known amongst rock or pop musicians in general... IN MY EXPERIENCE. Classic guitarest joke..."How do you get a guitar player to shut up?.."Put sheet music in front of him". That is funny because it is true.

And... since I never mentioned anything about 'rappers' knowing music theory, I wonder what you meant to say? Maybe you could clarify.

It's cool if you have a blanket opinion about R&B/ Hip Hop / Rap artists, I just know better based what I have experienced myself so the reality is different for me.

On a note close to home, I have a friend here in Austin Texas (Yep..home of honky tonks, biblethumpers and rednecks...booh..ya!!) who is an excellent producer... His name is Magic. His group is http://www.unifiedtribe.net They play anything from old school R&B to Dirty South. They ALL play, they ALL write and they are contributing members to the local and national music scene as well as spiritual and support voices for the community.

But the reality is that they aren't alone. There is a big family of unique artists in the 'hip hop' arena.

The list and depth of talent in R&B and Rap is unmeasurable. It is unfortunate that so many people look at the 2% and make such radical judgments. It is a wasted opportunity to expand an already narrow and worn-thin social predjudice.

BTW... I don't play hip hop or rap or even relate to the 'culture'...I am a mutli-instrumentalist though as an artist I focus on a national steel guitar and sing soulful blues based gospel rock and down home bayou music. As a producer the sky is the limit.

Much Respect,

Rodney Gene
AKA Sound Preacher
http://www.soundpreacherstudios.com

 

[Daniel Reichman]

Can I ask a really stoopid question?

If the original post was about an album of childrens christmas songs, would the question have seemed any less ridiculous? Here is a guy saying that he really likes the work his engineer does for $40 an hour, but that he was told to look for some different mics. Note that he didn't say what the problem was with the TLM103 'knock off' he was using. He then says he's found something in his price range, and posts a question as to whether he should try it.

Now, I don't see why it is unreasonable to suggest that he should spend $40 for an hour of studio time recording some quick takes to see if he likes the microphone/studio, and base his decision on that. If you are recording an album, and you are too tight to take a gamble spending $40 to see if it will improve it, then, quite frankly, you aren't serious about your album. I wouldn't dream of recording an album with the equipment I have, even though most of it is pretty good quality and I can record some great sounding demos. Honestly, $40 compared to the total cost of producing the album??? The post did seem more like an ad for the album (2 links in one post - like we don't know how to use scroll bars if we cared enough to listen?) than a genuine question.

As seems to be the case whenever someone mentions they are a rapper, the point immediately dissolves into whether rap is/isn't a valid art form. Who cares??? The point is that the question is simply the typical 'is this microphone going to work for me' post that people use to get out of doing something for themselves. When I wanted to buy a mic, I lurked here for ages, searching through posts and getting opinions. I read reviews from magazines and from users, forming an idea of what people overall thought was good value and what to steer away from. I then did the unthinkable - I went to a music store and tried some out to get a feel for what suited my voice. I then made a purchase and have been very happy with it. Equipment choice is always going to be a personal thing. If you don't try it yourself, you won't really know.

In all honesty, I wish that my voice was so good that a TLM103 didn't do it justice. Okay, I'm going now.

 

[tone_aot]

Alright. Here i go. I can't say that all rappers know about music theory. That would be a lie. But, you can't say that all hip hop music isn't based on music theory. I gotta admit. Alot of the crap they make now sucks and it has no music theory. For example, the song called laffy taffy. I was ashamed of the music industry when i heard that crap. Now, i've been makin music since i was 3 years old. I play piano by ear, drums, saxophone, a lil guitar, and anything i can get my hands on to learn. I know tons about music theory and i can replicate any style of music in any genre. I also rap too and i don't match the stereotype that people put rappers in. I've listened to all types of music and there are rap songs that have good music theory. Most of those rap songs with good music theory will never be heard because of how scandalous the music industry is. It's all about money now. If it was about quality, alot of so called "producers" would not have a job. I respect alot of real producers in the hiphop industry like dr. dre, mannie fresh, timbaland, neptunes, darkchild, J dilla, etc. I can't think of all of them right now but there are alot of excellent quality producers that use music theory in their beats.