A picture paints a thousand words. This cliché will never lose its essence or its truth no matter how many times it is said or used. This is a principle that visual marketing is founded on. Visual marketing is considered to be one of the most effective strategies no matter what kind of message a business is trying to send across to its customers. Visual marketing includes different elements such as graphics, images, and design elements including the brand logo. Although it is a given fact that it is more important to create the best music and service quality, the power of an intelligently designed brand logo can help a business a lot. This is why a lot of business owners invest in hiring professionals in the field to create a logo that will embody everything about their business – its principles, its objectives, and its core values. Brand Logo: The face of the company, you gotta be very careful in creating and choosing the brand logo. It is the representation of your brand’s identity. Therefore, it should have a unique design and colors used in it should give the customers a look and feel of the product or service that the brand offers. It is to be expected that this logo will be the basis of colors used for text, graphics, design, and decorative elements of future advertisements, campaigns, and possibly other marketing materials. Brand Logo: The Look The brand logo is the most basic identity of a business. It is an image that creates an instant thought on people’s minds, associating the icon that they see to the company behind it. Some business owners choose an elaborate logo while others choose to go by the minimalist approach. It all depends upon the image that the business wants to project. Coming up with the perfect logo can help improve a brand’s integrity and build customers’ trust. Brand Logo: The Design: Different brands, different logos. One logo design may be perfect for a business but is totally wrong for another. As each business, and it’s market is unique, each business’s logo should be unique too.
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I get asked the question alot about what goes into making classic rap beats. Fоr ѕоmе, thеу think thаt рrоduсing memorable music is luck and not a result of hard-word and mastery of the studio. Thе truth is thаt all those producerѕ who hаvе created hot tracks have dеdiсаtеd time аnd effort in оrdеr to come uр with not good, but grеаt bеаtѕ.
I ѕhоuld also mention thаt even the most basic beat that you саn think of iѕ a work of art, it tаkеѕ a mastery of craft and pro-level mixing skills to make a true “banger”. Mоѕt оf uѕ think thаt mоdеrn rap bеаtѕ аrе minimаliѕt sounding bеаtѕ thаt саn be created within a ѕhоrt реriоd оf timе. That can be true, but most of the time there is alot going on in the track you many not hear. Below уоu can find 10 tiрѕ that will еnаblе you tо mаkе ѕtаtе-оf-thе-аrt hip-hop bеаtѕ. 1.Use quality ѕоundѕ Regardless of hоw well structured or mixed your beat is , it will never bе a great bеаt if you dоn’t select gооd ѕоundѕ. It iѕ аdviѕаblе tо gо fоr unique samples аnd drum kits that have that “it” factor. 2.Yоu should understand thе ѕtruсturе of thе bеаt Hiр-hop bеаtѕ can hаvе syncopated kiсkѕ аѕ wеll as ѕnаrеѕ. Thiѕ саllѕ fоr the need to understand vаriоuѕ cadences thаt will apply tо vаriоuѕ ѕоngѕ. Be a rapper and listen to the beat objectively. 3. IMPORTANT: Mаkе a catchy lead melody If уоu fаil tо make uѕе ofa catchy lead melody, it iѕ less likеlу thаt уоu will come uр with memerable hiр hор beats. Vаriоuѕ rар рrоduсеrѕ mаkе use оf diffеrеnt instruments so as tо come uр with uniquе leads. Some guys start with a single lead or melody and build a hit record around it. Listen to a few hit records that get massive radio play, I promise they all are based around a simple, yet catchy melody. The tуреѕ оf sounds thаt аrе used ѕhоuld compliment thе nuances and feeling that the track conveys to the listener. 4.Mаkе a fitting bаѕѕ linе Once уоu hаvе the basic structure, melody or composition in place, it will be easy to mаkе a killer bаѕе linе. Each type of track needs a different “type” of bassline. Try to avoid using cliche’ basslines found in every other beat and try to match the vibe of the track properly. 5.Adding еffесtѕ Add effects to create an environment for the listener. There is no textbook method of what effects to add and where to add them in your mix. Your main focus is making the track interesting to the lister. If you focus on the listener, you will make heat! 6.Mаѕtеr the tracks It iѕ advisable tо еnѕurе thаt thе bеаt iѕ lоud enough (but not clipping) ѕо that it саn bе hеаrd соmfоrtаblу withоut оvеrроwеring the melody. Mastering the tracks is a method for maximum presentation value when streaming online. 7.Leave a space for the rapper Remember that you are making beats for rappers. Some of us focus on making the greatest beats and forget about the emcees that will use our beats. Your breaks and everything should be something a rapper can spit some heat on. Also the final EQ on the beat should leave some clearance for vocals to be added. 8.”Panning” is a valuable tool Most underrated tool ever. Panning and the proper use of it can make elements of your track stand out more than you think. When you bring automation of panning into the equation, it gets even more interesting. 9.Lеаrn about composition аnd оthеr genres of music Grеаt hip hор production demands an undеrѕtаnding оf all types of music. Never get in a “box” of only studying or listening to hip-hop for inspiration. Alot of beats we grew up listening to were inspired by or sampled other genres. 10.Build unique sound library Thе sounds thаt you use tо produce bеаtѕ can соmе from Anywhere. In addition to copping some good sounds from various producers and sample sites, be sure to create some of your own as well. Utilize field recording and advanced sampling for unique sounds. Nothing compares to the feeling that success brings. More often than not, success requires hard-work, blood, sweat, and tears. Therefore, it is perfectly understandable to celebrate after one’s goals are reached no matter how big or how mundane it may seem to other people. Naturally, success starts in goal-setting. Hitting one’s aim is never possible when no goal is set at all. Most people who experience success move on to work even harder on their other goals. Success should serve as fuel to the fire, not a reason to kick back and get lazy.
Aim High: Setting GoalsIn setting goals, one should ask himself or ask herself what it is that he or she really wants. When setting goals, especially in the preliminary phase, one should not think about what other people want, what other people expect, and what other people prefer. Goals should start as personal. Only in the latter part of the planning or brainstorming should other factors be taken into consideration. This ensures the person’s personal interest and stake in the goals. This will help keep motivated until the goals are reached. Name it: Choosing Specific GoalsA lot of people make the mistake of setting general or extremely vague goals. Example: “I aim for happiness in my career”. This is too general and its fulfillment would be impossible to measure. As a solution to this example, one should think of specific things that would make you feel accomplished about your career. Possible answers would be to get a record deal, to sell a specific amount of albums, or to become the greatest rapper or singer in the game. Just as goals should be specific, these should also be realistic. A lot of people may say that it does not cost anything to dream so make the most of it. This is true, but dreaming alone without action is futile. Impossible goals that are pursued for the wrong reasons could be impossible to reach and will most likely lead to disappointment. Realistic goals are possible to achieve and each success will leave a person more motivated. That is the perfect time to set a higher goal until what seems impossible at first becomes reachable. So it’s a cycle, start with realistic goals like getting out of debt, having money in savings, finishing school, or getting your business in order before trying to pursue things that are far more difficult. Take care of the realistic things first, then take over the world. Beat it: Setting DeadlinesIt would help a lot if you set a deadline for each goal. As my mentor Napoleon hill said: “A goal is a dream with a deadline!” This would keep a person motivated and would add healthy amount of pressure. Notice I said a “healthy amount of pressure.” This deadline is set by the person himself or herself. It should be realistic. Therefore, in setting it, the capability and resources of the person are considered. Just like in the process of goal-setting, setting an impossible deadline would only lead to disappointment and discouragement. Lights, Camera, Action!After the goals and deadlines are set, it is time to put the wheels in motion. Of course, brainstorming and creating an action plan are prerequisites of a successful process. Put it in writing! Writing down your goals is a must. Therefore, it is very important that you keep a clear and open mind during the planning period. Once an action plan is established, act on it. It is very important to keep track of your progress and stay focused on the set goals. Measure your success as you move forward. The human mind is a very powerful thing. It can make a person move mountains and it can also make you feel like you are under one. However, the same effect becomes a problem once a person decides that he or she has had enough and it is time to quit or give up. Although this is the correct course of action in some cases, most cases require a change of heart and a change of mind and the whole situation may be turned around. The sad thing is when one is imprisoned by his or her own mind. I seen a ton of artists in the music game held back by their own negative attitudes and ultimately fail. The most dangerous part is when you fill your own imaginary prison with visualizations of doom. Success rarely comes easy – this is even more true in the music business. More often than not, it requires a great deal of sacrifice. However, by taking the wheel and being the captain of one’s own ship, failure may be used as stepping stone to success.
Satisfaction Guaranteed: Say no to fear of failure While most people give up when they get tired of trying just to be faced with rejection and failure, there are also some people who give up because of satisfaction and the fear of failure. These are the people who have decided to settle with something else when they cannot get what they originally wanted. This is a very unhealthy mindset. To overcome this mentality, you should think about what you stand to gain compared to what you already have. This will give you the motivation that you needs as well as something to look forward to if he or she decided to continue towards the goal. Falling once, twice, or numerous times is never considered as a failure as long as the person keeps getting back up. It is only failure when you decide to lay on the ground and quit trying. You may not succeed at making the best beats or being the best rapper instantly. There are times you may fail, but never give up. Learn from the experience: Be Educated Life has funny ways of teaching each of us valuable lessons. This is the reason why resourceful artists never go wrong – because they are always prepared. Experience with failure can help prepare you for larger challenges. It is also true that experience is the best teacher. That is a cliché that will never lose its essence no matter how many times it is said or written. A lot of experts and music industry gurus believe in the effectiveness of learning from experience. This is apparent in any artist’s career no matter how talented you are. When you learn from an experience, it is not easily forgotten and you can use those lessons and apply to future situations. Therefore, in times of failure, it would always help to look at the bright side. How can you use a failure to your advantage and come back even stronger? Hope is an advantage You really can never afford to give up on your dreams and goals. No matter how rough it gets, no matter how many things or people close doors in your face, there is no valid reason for giving up. Yes, pain and suffering are understandable as these are integral parts of humanity, but thats life fam. However, you gotta accept that some things will be difficult, you may fail at times, but move on. There will always be a promise of a better tomorrow that should be enough to keep a person striving. This hope will eventually materialize to something great eventually. It is something that you will never accomplish if you give up in the event of experiencing failure tho right? Success. how do you define success? Well I will tell you what success is not. Success is not reaching the pinnacle of your work then “enjoying” it. This is a destructive mentality that will rob you of future successes. You must continue to stay working during times of success. Do you think Michael Jordan practiced less than his teammates? No. Success alone does not make you great. Success alone does display excellence. Real success is being consistent and dedicating hard work towards your craft or purpose in life. Certain forces are at play in the universe and are bound by universal laws.
The moment you take your success for granted and rest on you achievements, LOOK OUT! There is someone working harder and wants success more than you that will gladly take your spot. When you have huge achievements match them with even more relentless work ethic and you will see even more success. You see successful people like Jay-z, Bill gates, Oprah, they are really wealthy right>? Why haven’t they sat back and taken it easy? Once you develop driven work ethics you enjoy working and being even more successful. you realize there is more to your pursuits than personal wealth and accolades. Maybe what you do is an inspiration…We all play a role in this universe, be sure to find yours and never stop playing it!
As a young, aspiring hip-hop producer, I remember saving every paycheck from my after school job to buy the new Akai MPC 2000xl and the Korg Trinity. The thought of saving over two grand to build my dream studio seem like pure fantasy. Once I attained this dream studio, who was going to teach me how to utilize it all? I wish then I had the options available today! The old days of getting the latest music equipment catalog and salivating over a piece of gear are no more. The new generations of hip-hop producers have a serious advantage today…. SOFTWARE + THE INTERNET!
You can do anything you can imagine with Fl studio or Reason. These apps, in combination with online tutorials, can produce sonic marvels once reserved only for hit-makers with thousands of dollars worth of hardware, and years of study. Use Google.com to your advantage: need a new set of drum samples? Need to learn how to chop samples? “Google” it! There are literally thousands of resources to teach you skills to advance your craft. Youtube.com for instance has a plethora of tutorials to help you step your game up in every aspect. From basic pointers, composition techniques, to advanced mixing and engineering, it’s all online and free. What about the software? Bite the bullet and get your main program, I recommend FL studio or Reason. I suggest FL studio for the best bang for the buck and functionality. FL studio allows you to integrate 3rd party VST/DX instruments and tools inside it, and it’s the least expensive and most expansive of the two. Reason is a full-featured workstation, yet is limited due to being totally self-contained. To put it simply, what you get in Reason, is all you get with Reason. You can integrate more tools and instruments by different companies in FL studio. Another bonus is that you are not limited to the internal effects in FL studio. You can theoretically integrate a $2000 Waves Diamond plug-in package with lil’ old Frooty loops! Incorporating synth workstations such as Ik Multimedia’s sonic synth, Steinberg’s Hypersonic or Sampletank XL can produce amazing results. The Edison in FL studio is an awesome editor for chopping up your samples. Enough said. Don’t get me wrong; reason is very powerful, fully loaded with lush instruments and samples. You can make stellar productions with it, no question. The only problem is expandability as far as 3rd party plug-ins. There will be a point where you will want to add more instruments from different sources. If you prefer an all-in one approach however, go for it! There is always the option of playing with combinators and reason’s proprietary expansion format called “refills” to get more variety in Reason. There are tons of refills out there. I have fully mixed and mastered tracks in FL studio for an elite level of hip-hop projects. Fl studio with a host of freeware plug-ins can create a formidable arsenal to rival any top-flight producer, regardless of their equipment list. Yellow tools’ Independence 2.0 is a great, free plug-in that has over 1 gig of free sounds. Do a Google search for free VST and DX plug-ins; you will be amazed at the high quality of free stuff you’ll find. Search youtube.com and Google.com’s video section like a demon for tutorials! Don’t go at it alone, letting others (with more experience) give you pointers can save you lots of time and up the ante for you in the skills department. Join producer communities to interact with other producers as well, futureproducer.com is highly recommended. These are some keys to success that I’ve discovered along the way and they will take you to a new level. Visit Joeycutless.com for articles, tutorials, and hip-hop samples. The world (wide web) is yours! |
About Joey CutlessJoey Cutless is a Music Producer, Composer & Engineer that has been a pioneer in online beat sales, TV licensing, and marketing of all things production related for over 15 years. Archives
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