Hip-hop/Rap Beats

[CLIFFVRD]

Fairly new to LMMS, just put out my first instrumental beats mixtape. Looking for some feedback!

https://soundcloud.com/cliffvrd253/sets ... nesse-tape

[Gps]

I like capital ease. But I wonder if I hear out of tune notes ?

The first one intro does not qualify as hip hop in my book. But I might have to add, I like HipHop but hate most R&B.
(which has nothing to do with real rhythm and blues.

I like think too.

[CLIFFVRD]

Thanks, appreciate the feedback.
Not quite sure what you mean by out of tune notes, though.

All of these songs were very experimental.

[Gps]

Well first of all don't panic.

When I started with LMMS, I made the same mistake. With the help of this forum though, I learned how to fix that.

Maybe this helps?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WhkwmABRtp4

And these two:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZEgx-_hMFYg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xXRmv54dUnI

Feel free to ask questions.

[Gps]

Let me try to give a small crash course.

For a tune to be in tune, all notes need to belong to the same scale.
To achieve this, you either need a very well musical hearing (which most people who start making music don't have)

Or use some tools which are in lmms.

In the piano roll you can pick the scale, major or minor for example but there are more.

After you picked one, move you're mouse over the keyboard in the piano roll, right click and select mark current scale.

Now all you have to do is only put notes on the blue lines. (not on the black lines)

What you can do with the tracks you already made is to find a scale that fits most notes.
Then you will see a few notes not on a blue line, move those notes to a blue line ( so up or down, its you're choice)

The box in the below picture, which says no scale. If you click it, you can pick a scale.
This should together with the vids from musicbear get you going.
Hope this helps.

[CLIFFVRD]

Very helpful! Didn't even know that was possible, much appreciated for that.

For a tune to be in tune, all notes need to belong to the same scale.

However, for the piano riff I was going for a somewhat off-kilter melody (Flying Lotus/Tyler, the Creator), I disagree that ALL notes need to belong to the same scale...

but I will definitely play around with some new note melodies now. Thanks again.

[CLIFFVRD]

Gps, I'm gonna PM you on soundcloud some other piano shit I made recently.

[musikbear]

[quote="CLIFFVRD"] I disagree that ALL notes need to belong to the same scale.../quote]

Well, almost always, they should! But in hiphop they are some times used to create intensional disharmonies, but that is for serious advanced musicians, that knows how to rebalanced the mix with a different note.

I think that is whats called 'contrapunkten'
Its know in jazz, fusion, clasical atvantgarde, and ofcause ethnic

politely expressed it called 'demanding listening' Quite often its just painful .. :p

tuts on key and scale
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZEgx-_hMFYg

[slipstick]

You'll find that even in relatively ordinary music there are off-scale notes. E.g. the tune in C is basically going e.g. C,D, F, G but you slip in a quick C# between C and D and maybe an F# between the F and G. Blues bass lines do that a lot, it stops them getting boring . But you do need your ears to get accustomed to this.

Steve

[Gps]

Gps, I'm gonna PM you on soundcloud some other piano shit I made recently.

I don't mind but musicbear and slipstick are two of the lmms guys who schooled me, on scales and music theory.
Of course you right, that not all notes need to belong to a scale. Like with most rules in music, there is room to deviate.

Off topic, right now I am listening to KRS ONE, Zack de la Rocha and the last emperor - CIA (criminals in action)

For those interested: http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xaksd_ ... tion_music

I love that beat.