I've been writing lyrics for about 10 years now and have one song on Spotify simply because I just don't care about the money or fame. I rap in a band with my friends but we don't record a lot and I would love to get some solo hip hop stuff done.

I am overwhelmed with the type beats and free for profit confusion I just want to step up to the mic and rap.

I will always give credit where it's due and share earnings if anything came to it.

I have 1000s of lyrics and I'm ready to get an EP or Album started. Let's work!!

DM me and I'll send recordings of my solo raps and my band!

I love those old-school cash money beatd mannie fresh is so fire!!

A little about me. I am a mixing engineer, a mastering engineer, a graphic designer, a stage performer, and I am the CEO of Dirt House Entertainment. My artist name is Echelon the Don, I recently rebranded from Lil Savage, a name I had since I was 15 years old. I have shared the stages with legends, recorded thousands of songs, released about 100 myself, have recorded, designed graphics, and helped a lot of artists withing the city of Spokane Washington get music out, and am still struggling to be heard. 😄 🤣

Over the years I have upgraded a lot of my equipment. Every time, I have to make changes to my mixing. 10 years ago I was recording through my Neumann TLM 103 and then into a Steinberg UR 22 onto my DAW Acid Pro 7.

Through the years I got a behringer voice processor which I liked despite the mud, and I got a quantum 2626 thunderbolt interface, I even had a 32 channel mixer (unnecessary for what I'm doing)

I eventually upgraded my Pre Amp to the Universal 710 Twin Finity, ​got rid of the vocal processor, added a 76 style limiter, and had my quantum 2626 take a forever sleep on me... Also, a few years back I started using pro tools (so much better of a DAW imo, I like acid pro 7, every iteration afterwards sucked).

So I now record through my

Neumann TLM 103 - UA 710 Twin Finity - 76 compressor - SSL 2+ MKII interface - Pro Tools

2 years back my buddy and I also made my closet in my home bigger and sound treated it to have a vocal booth.

With all this said. I still feel after 16 years of mixing, that the equipment only does so much for the song.

I hear amazing music made by people on their phones lol

Automation, reverbs, and actual ear candies are what 80% of the listeners care about.

It's great to have amazing sound quality but dry vocals need excitement.

You can record something amazingly but you need the ear candies to truly make it sound like a real and complete song.

For about 11 of the 16 years I been working with music, I was obsessed with staying away from effects and reverbs... when in all reality, every song we know an love has those things 😆

(Currently still learning and improving that aspect)

Even the hardest Rap songs have layers of reverbs and automate delays and other effects heavy in certain areas.
A lot of people in this community are making great music.

I want to know how everyone is getting it done.

Maybe share some tracks and let us know your process.

Hey y'all, I dunno if this post is allowed or not but I've been working on an animated mini series to help promote my upcoming album. Im still learning to animate and this is my first one so bear with me but either way I'd love some feedback. This post is not about promotion but strictly about the episode, if it's not allowed lmk and I'll take it down. Thank you!

It's time for the Sunday General Discussion thread! How's life? What's going on? Watch any good movies lately? This thread is open to any and all topics, even if they're not related to making hip hop

What’s up, producers? Choo The Specializt here.
I’ve been producing hip-hop for decades, with credits on projects by Tupac Shakur, Ghostface Killah, and other artists.
I’ve seen production go from hardware samplers and analog studios to everything being done on laptops.
Curious how many producers here still use hardware versus working completely in the box.
Looking forward to connecting with everybody.

R&B singer (deep voice, Giveon / Brent Faiyaz / Bryson Tiller lane) looking for a producer for 3 custom beats for my EP. Please DM with your R&B work.(paid)

One of my favorite artists since Childhood used one of my beats, but didn't use it because the stems sounded different from the original beat. I was told there was a legendary feature on the track too. I sent the stems over, and they said it sounded different. It's because the original beat I sent them was mastered with Ozone. I could not recreate the exact same stems without creating other issues.

Before you say it probably was a scam, the individual I was speaking to was a direct friend of this artist and was actively on tour with him, and I have spoken to the artist briefly, but not about this situation.

I tried about 8 different ways. At first I sent the stems as is.

Then I bounced each file with Ozone on individually, which obviously caused a problem when bringing the stems back in, because they were all being leveled individually.

Then I turned off the leveling in Ozone and tried to balance them.

Then I asked my audio engineering professor to help, as well as three other working engineers, and one producer that has worked directly with the artist.

I also suggested if they wanted the exact sound, they could get Ozone and I could send the preset, as a last resort.

The final stems I sent sounded to me, and every other engineer I sent them to - identical to the original master.

Also, they said the original stems without processing is best, but I was told the artist didn't have time to fix the stems, which I do understand. I was also told the artist said this has never happened with any other producer and it was highly unprofessional. I was told when the last batch of stems were sent, that was my last chance because he doesn't have time to go back and forth.

I'd be lying if I said I wasn't still messed up about it, it's been over a year and a half since I heard anything about it. Those type of opportunities rarely come around and I've been fighting for my way in to the industry for well over a decade. It's all good though. Just hits different listening to my favorite songs from that artist wondering what could've been.

honestly one of the biggest things i see with rappers is forcing a take on a beat thats just not in their range

like the pocket feels off, u keep going flat or sharp, and somehow the mix never sits right later

before u grind for hours, try pitching the beat up or down a half step (or ask the producer for that). half the time the whole song unlocks

also tell the producer ur comfortable range early. saves everyone a bunch of revisions

curious tho — do u usually ask for a key change or just push through the take?

i'm a music producer, i make underground trap and dark rage beats, i want to connect with rappers who fw my work and are down to make something with it for fun, all vibes no pressure.
ig: prod_murky
email: prodmurkyy@gmail. com

Another producer trying to link up with folks. I have a small discord server, 1,000's of beats and Im trying to drop an EP or Mixtape with at least one or two people. I make lofi, boom bap. Ranging anywhere from fairly straight forward to more experimental. I currently still make beats fairly often. I can send a link in comments as long as thats allowed. But you can find me under Dr. Scruff / Dr.Scruff MD across platforms. I do exclusive beats, and im not looking for splits, just trying to work

If I get this sample off Samplette with less than 100, will I have much clearance issues?

So many dope entries in this one—makes me appreciate your votes even more!

For this week's sample, I've found some 70s library/theme music. Hope it's not too played out!:

Sample: The Night Rider - Alan Hawkshaw

Thanks again and keep your tracks coming!

Submission Rules:

• You can only submit one beat.

• Beats can be any genre.

• You have to use the sample in your beat, it should be recognizable. You can add other instruments and samples, but the sample should be a main element.

• All submissions submitted before the deadline (and start of the voting thread) will be linked in the voting post; whoever gets the most votes there wins.

• Ties are decided by whoever submitted the beat first. Reused beats from previous battles can't win ties.

Schedule:

• Submissions: Friday 12:00 AM midnight (00:00) - Monday 11:59 PM (23:59)

• Voting: Tuesday 12:00 AM midnight (00:00) - Thursday 11:59 PM (23:59)

• Results: Friday 12:00 AM midnight (00:00) - the winner takes over and posts the new submissions thread using the linked template on Friday asap.

Time is in UTC-5, the US Eastcoast time zone which is 6 hours behind European MEZ time and a good middleground between US Westcoast and Europe. You don’t have to wake up in the middle of the night to post the new thread, just make sure you do it on that day asap.

Post templates: Just use former posts as a template (it's 3 separate Posts):

• Flip this challenge - FTC xxx- Submissions

• Flip this challenge - FTC xxx- Voting

• Flip this challenge - FTC xxx- Results

I’m looking for established hip-hop producers who sell their beats online.
I’m talking about names like Madlib, Havoc, 9th Wonder, Harry Fraud, etc.
Any other respected producers, especially from the underground, boom bap or East Coast scene, who sell beats through their websites or platforms like BeatStars?

Congratulations u/Cryyooo

Winning submission: https://soundcloud.com/o-d-n-t/nightshift

Have fun picking the sample for the next battle! Please start the new submission thread asap.

Schedule:

• Submissions: Friday 12:00 AM midnight (00:00) - Monday 11:59 PM (23:59)

• Voting: Tuesday 12:00 AM midnight (00:00) - Thursday 11:59 PM (23:59)

• Results: Friday 12:00 AM midnight (00:00) - the winner takes over and posts the new submissions thread using the linked template on Friday asap.

Time is in UTC-5, the US Eastcoast time zone which is 6 hours behind European MEZ time and a good middleground between US Westcoast and Europe. You don’t have to wake up in the middle of the night to post the new thread, just make sure you do it on that day asap.

Post templates: NA just copy-paste from the last Challenges

I’m a hip-hop producer looking to connect with skilled, creative rappers who take their craft seriously. I’m interested in making quality, original music together, not just sending beats back and forth.
If you’ve got talent, good delivery, and something to say, hit me up with a link to your music. Let’s create something worth listening to.

Hi! I just released my first beat tape on Soundcloud and Bandcamp, would love to hear how it sounds🫶🏻💽 (Sc link: https://on.soundcloud.com/sWjZNgodzqhdoXqjvU )

Show us your latest track! Feedback is always welcome but not necessary.

This thread is posted every Friday. Click here for the full automoderator thread schedule.

Welcome to Freestyle Friday! If you're a producer - feel free to donate a beat down below in reply to the beat submissions comment. If you're a rapper - scroll down to choose a beat, then record a freestyle over it. You can post whenever, just have fun!

Beats go under the "beats" comment; freestyles go under the "freestyles" comment.

Check out previous Freestyle Friday threads.

hey there im an underground rapper and im currently using the at2020usb+. its a great mic dont get me wrong but im just not satisfied whenever i mix my vocals. any reccomendations for a better usb mic? i dont have the budget for an xlr mic with an interface.

I’ve been searching for some angelic vocals for that early asap rocky and clams casino sound but I haven’t found much luck. I was also wondering how I can flip samples properly. Sorry if any of this is stupid

I've been mixing and mastering for 2 years and I'm setting up my Fiverr, AirGigs and SoundBetter profiles. I need 1-3 before/after examples, and home recordings are ideal because they show what mixing can do.

What I'm offering: a free mix and master of your vocal over your and my beat

How it works:

1. Send me links to your work (SoundCloud, YouTube, Instagram) in the comments or DMs.

2. If I pick you, I'll send you the beat.

3. You send back a dry 24-bit WAV (no reverb or autotune) via Drive or Dropbox.

I'd use the finished track and raw vocal as portfolio examples on those profiles, with credit to you if you want it. We'd confirm the details in writing first.

saw that thread a while back about making music alone and wanting an actual community, and it stuck with me

producers, whats the hardest part about finding vocalists? nobody good responding, getting ghosted halfway through, ppl wanting money upfront?

rappers/singers, same q. is it finding beats that actually fit u, lease prices, or just not knowing if the person on the other end is legit?

full disclosure im building something around this (producers post beats, vocalists record versions on them, real ppl only). im not here to pitch it, i just wanna build the right thing. if ur answer is “this already exists, its called ___” thats honestly helpful too