1750 word music class

2/25/2021 Tools of the Producer/Beatmaker: MUS 17 - Hip-Hop - Green [WI21]

https://canvas.ucsd.edu/courses/24336/pages/tools-of-the-producer-slash-beatmaker?module_item_id=690380 1/5

Tools of the Producer/Beatmaker "Traditional Instruments"

We have discussed how the earliest era of recorded Hip Hop was played by bands. The disconnect between the type of sound your heard on recordings like Kurtis Blows' "The Breaks," and what was being heard at Hip Hop events, had an impact on how Hip Hop makers would view the involvement of instrumentalists in Hip Hop track making. During a NPR interview, producer Marly Marl described in detail what the problem with bands were, in comparison to using drum machines and samplers.

The pioneers...They made a lot of records...The earlier Sugar Hill songs and a lot of the earlier — like the Fat Boys (http://www.allmusic.com/artist/the-fat-boys-mn0000066743) and a lot of the earlier Kurtis Blow (http://www.allmusic.com/artist/kurtis-blow-mn0000116388) productions were great songs and great hooks. But it wasn't really touching what made me love rap, and I'm sure it wasn't touching what made people fall in love with rap...When you got the rap tapes from Harlem back in the day and the Bronx you would hear scratching, echoes, beat-boxing and just the element of breakbeats...You gotta think: It wasn't on the radio. There was tapes that people would record right from their box, straight off the microphone, and those tapes would resonate throughout the city. That's how most of the people who loved hip-hop in the early-'80s, late-'70s — this was our smoke signals, those tapes, those early tapes coming out of Harlem and the Bronx.

However, many producers/beatmakers either employ instrumentalists to play on tracks, in addition to using drum machines or samplers, like Dr. Dre (Andre Young), while others like Zaytoven (Xavier Dotson) arrive at Hip Hop production after learning instruments (while producing for Future, The Migos, etc., he continues to play organ for his church in Georgia).

Task: Listen to an instrumental version of "Break Your Neck." It is mixed and produced by Dr. Dre, with Mike Elizondo on guitar and Scott Storch on keyboards. Stop at 1:40

Break Your Back (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5yugK-MuZeE)

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5yugK-MuZeE)

Can you distinguish the parts that Mike and Scott are playing when listening? If not, what is making it difficult to do so?

2/25/2021 Tools of the Producer/Beatmaker: MUS 17 - Hip-Hop - Green [WI21]

https://canvas.ucsd.edu/courses/24336/pages/tools-of-the-producer-slash-beatmaker?module_item_id=690380 2/5

"Traditional" Hip Hop Music Making Tools

Read: For this portion of the lesson, please read Edwards_Concise Guide To Hip Hop (pp.111-129)pdf (https://canvas.ucsd.edu/courses/24336/files/3095588/download?wrap=1) (https://canvas.ucsd.edu/courses/24336/files/3095588/download?wrap=1) I also discovered a good concise definition of the term "sampling" in a Hip Hop Glossary_of_Terms 1.pdf. (https://canvas.ucsd.edu/courses/24336/files/3095592/download?wrap=1) (https://canvas.ucsd.edu/courses/24336/files/3095592/download?wrap=1)

Task: Listen to and watch these examples. They give you an idea of the sounds being described in the Edwards reading. Try your best to internalize these sounds. Reread the Edwards after listening if needed.

Vocals Beatbox- "La Di Da Di" (1985), Doug E. Fresh and Slick Rick

La Di Da Di (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q5LkADdZFB4)

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q5LkADdZFB4)

Drum Machines The Roland TR-808

2/25/2021 Tools of the Producer/Beatmaker: MUS 17 - Hip-Hop - Green [WI21]

https://canvas.ucsd.edu/courses/24336/pages/tools-of-the-producer-slash-beatmaker?module_item_id=690380 3/5

(Watch from 0:00-2:20)

The Oberheim DMX-DX

11 Oberheim DMX-DX Hip Hop Beats (https://www.youtube.com/watch? v=p8vQq0oeU7M)

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p8vQq0oeU7M)

(watch from 0:00-1:13)

Samplers

Sampling became central to Hip Hop music making starting in the mid-1980s. It is not easy to hear which sampler is being used by listening to the music. This song, produced by The Bomb Squad, uses a sample collage technique that is rarely used

Building the Beat: Inside Legendary Roland TR-808 TracksBuilding the Beat: Inside Legendary Roland TR-808 Tracks

2/25/2021 Tools of the Producer/Beatmaker: MUS 17 - Hip-Hop - Green [WI21]

https://canvas.ucsd.edu/courses/24336/pages/tools-of-the-producer-slash-beatmaker?module_item_id=690380 4/5

anymore (clearing samples, or asking permission and compensating the original songs copyright holder can be expensive).

Night of the Living Baseheads (https://www.youtube.com/watch? v=RCPSrHBNRIg)

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RCPSrHBNRIg)

Digital Audio Workstations (DAWs)

Screenshot examples of different DAWs

Almost all producers and beatmakers use a DAW somewhere in their creation process. A DAW is a software program or app, running on a hardware device, used for recording and editing sound. Garage Band is an elementary level DAW. Most DAWs are compatible tactile controllers, which allow you to control the program without touching the screen or computer keyboard.

The DJ and producer 9th Wonder (Patrick Douthit) came to national attention as a member of the group Little Brother in the mid-2000s. He was known for creating soulful beats using the DAW Fruity Loops, which was somewhat marginalized for being a non-professional program.

2/25/2021 Tools of the Producer/Beatmaker: MUS 17 - Hip-Hop - Green [WI21]

https://canvas.ucsd.edu/courses/24336/pages/tools-of-the-producer-slash-beatmaker?module_item_id=690380 5/5

Task: Watch this entire video of 9th describing his process when creating the beat for Kendrick Lamars' "Duckworth" (2017). The DAW he seems to be using in the video is Maschine (I can tell by the controller on the desk in front of him).

Take Note: If Hip Hop production seems interesting to you, think about ways it could be framed as a research topic. Below are some additional optional sources to read.

Sampling 101 (https://medium.com/@jhallwrites/sampling-101-the-basics-of- flipping-samples-for-hip-hop-production-dddd4bb4428d) Sonic Genius: Hip-Hop Producers Who Defined the 80's (https://www.rockthebells.com/blogs/articles/80s-hip-hop-producers)

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