Hip Hop Beat

[Damjan]

Sooo, I made a beat, mainly inspired by lucid dreams (juicewrld). If you have some free time, listen to it and give me ur opinion ! 

 

[Josh Thacker]

Damjan - 

 

Nice beat!  I dig it.  Please take my below suggestions with grain of salt if you don't agree.  That's why music production is an art and not a science.  In art there are no rules, but general rules of thumb most try to adhere to when possible.

 

Arrangement/Composition:

 

Could use more dynamics.  Ideally I would want my beat to start slow or soft and build through the entirety of the beat/song with a crescendo at the end or final hook and starting at the breakdown or middle 8 section if there is one.  Also experiment with starting the beat with the hook.  General rule of thumb is if song starts with Hook/chorus then no breakdown.  IF song starts with intro/verse then breakdown section is used.  Keep in mind this is a rule of thumb and this is art so there are no rules.  Just tastes so do what you feel works best for your tracks.

Try removing some track or layers and maybe add some strings and a synth using stab rhythms to add tension and excitement.  Leverage the new tracks to make your intro start out without the guitars and bring them in on the hooks and mid 8 or breakdown sections. Below is a video I watched a while ago that is quick 5 mins and gives a really good idea on how to begin with arrangement.  I still use this methodology today if needed for a quick tight arrangement on tight time allotment:

 

 

Mix:

Kick could use some more punch and low end and hit harder.  My sub barely got going.  

Snare is quite and could use more snap.  Try adding a bit more on the mid high and high ends or layering a thin sounding clap that will fatten up the snare yet not be as distinguishable as a clap to keep snare sounding more like a snare.  If that's what you are going for.

I would add more verb and delay to glue mix together a bit more.  Are you using bus tracks to sum various instruments through?  I tend to use 4 - 8.  One set for bussing and the other for paralleled compression. This really adds a lot of life to the tracks and glues it all together nicely.  Not that you don't know that already, but trying to help as much as I can.   

Bass needs sidechain comp activated by kick

 

Sounds:

 

bass sound is a little out of tune or something.  Can't quite figure out what but it would be something I'd go with, but hell that's what makes you as well man!  I like when the deeper bass kicks in and that kind of arrangement flare, but I'd try more of a deep/tight 808 sound vs the droning saw wave bass that fluctuates tuning it seems.  My two cents.  Take with grain of salt for sure.

 

 

Hope this helps.  I do really like this beat and would be more than willing to collaborate on it and make a song out of it with you as well.

 

I will be putting out my first submission for critique here in the next few mins.  Looking for one more submissions to review first.

 

I would really appreciate any constructive criticism you could provide on the track called Inside Out: feat Lil'Cam and Mackenzie Clymer. 

 

This is going to be the first release from my company and want to ensure it's as ready as it can be for release.   

 

Sincerely, 

 

Josh Thacker

 

 

[subvibe]

Nice Beat

I think it could be a bit more up front (bombastic & in your Face)

Maybe side chain it with the bass