A common obstacle many artists face when learning how to rap is not knowing where to place verses and hooks due to a lack of understanding about song structure. In this article I will break down what song structure is and show you how to process all of the information that the instrumental is giving you. https://youtu.be/i77CRLPC3Dg What's Song Structure? Now we previously looked into what structured lyrics are. Now lets define what song structure means. Song Structure is the order or pattern in which sections of the song such as verses, hooks & bridges are presented and or repeated. … [Read more...] about How To Rap: Song Structure
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How To Rap In FL Studio
https://youtu.be/rSTMT9blvsE Upping The Ante Since I began this journey of teaching others how to rap I find myself always trying to improve the effectiveness of getting my lessons across to you the viewer. In previous installments of Be A Better Rapper Now I have explained cadence, I've demonstrated cadence but I've never shown you cadence until now! In this video tutorial I dive into one of my favorite D.A.W's "FL Studio" and use it as a tool to teach cadence. I have a feeling that many more videos likes this will follow in the near future. So without further ado...LET'S GET … [Read more...] about How To Rap In FL Studio
How To Rap: Cadence To Lyrics
http://youtu.be/cv_ur1ZLeA4 Lifting The Veil When you are learning how to rap one obstacle you are sure to face is when you try to take your cadences that you've developed while scatting and try to translate them into lyrics. This can be a very difficult and some what mysterious aspect of rapping. But in this article I hope to lift the veil from your eyes so you can see the fundamental's of whats really going on at the most basic level. Syllables Are Beats In previous installments of Be A Better Rapper now I have broken down and expounded on how to create cadence by scatting and mumbling … [Read more...] about How To Rap: Cadence To Lyrics
How To Rap: Without Training Wheels
Once The Beat Drops When you are learning how to rap one thing that may not have crossed your mind is what do you do once the beat drops? Meaning if when you are rapping you are trying to stay to the rhythm of the drums then what do you do once the drums are muted during certain segments of the track? Think of the drums like training wheels but you don't have to have them in order to ride the beat. For this exercise let's just eliminate the drums all together...who need em anyways? https://youtu.be/OQA8Z2ZFiDw Two Sections The first thing that I like to do when I am approaching a beat … [Read more...] about How To Rap: Without Training Wheels
How To Rap: Adding Character To Cadence
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UDIyV73qaQA Wanna Stand Out? When you are learning how to rap one thing that will make you stand out from most of your colleagues is learning how to add character to your cadence. In my previous article "Cadence Explained" I broke down what cadence is along with a live demonstration of how I practice my cadences in the studio. Now lets go just a little deeper and discuss how you can add more character to your cadence. What's The Goal? I would like to submit to you a theory that in art perfection is not the goal but is rather creating something that is unique … [Read more...] about How To Rap: Adding Character To Cadence
Do Some People Not Have The Talent To Rap?
Every now and then I will come across someone making the comment that "some people don't have the talent to rap" or basically saying that certain people don't posses the qualities needed to be a good rapper. But is rapping only for an elite group of people that was born with a special ability or can anyone learn how to rap? These comments and questions opens up a big can of worms that need to be broken down. Do some people simple have the talent and others don't? Just don't end up trying to be like this guy and you should be ok. lol Where We All Start I personally have never meet someone … [Read more...] about Do Some People Not Have The Talent To Rap?
How To Write Raps: Turning Sounds Into Words
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yk8UzNAeOVM Your Words Are Drums In previous installments of Be A Better Rapper now we have been discussing What Is Rap? How To Hack The Beat & How To Establish Rhythm by trying on the beat. If you haven't already read those you may want to check them out first before reading any further. We previously learned that mumbling gibberish can get your creative juices flowing and allow you to get some ideas of different flows and rhythms you can establish that fit your style. So now we are going to be talking about how to begin to put words in place of those … [Read more...] about How To Write Raps: Turning Sounds Into Words
How To Improve Rap Flow: Establishing Rhythm
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GHZVfZpgtKI How Does The Beat Fit? In this installment of Be A Better Rapper Now I discuss how to improve rap flow by establishing rhythm, I refer to this as "trying on the beat". I like to call it trying on the beat because I think of it as trying on clothes. Every beat fits you differently just as every piece of clothing does. If you are wearing skinny jeans so tight that people know how many quarters you have in your pocket it may determine what activities you partake in that day in comparison to you wearing sweat pants ya feel me? So you will need to … [Read more...] about How To Improve Rap Flow: Establishing Rhythm
Rappers Dealing With The I Can’t Afford Mindset
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2KV2mXiVbXs I can't afford it I have had the absolute pleasure of working with a lot of talented rappers in the studio & consequently I have been able to develop a lot of great relationships with them as well. I would find myself getting more & more excited as the project progressed and would instinctively ask at some point of time what their plans for marketing their album were. Most of the time they had not put much thought into their call to action for getting their music out there and had primarily been focusing on recording music. Once I … [Read more...] about Rappers Dealing With The I Can’t Afford Mindset
A Week In Cali
Zoe 4 Life You're Going To Jail Now Rap Contest Winner Cole Mize "If you make the most of what you have you never know where it may take you." I recently had the great opportunity of taking a 1 week trip to Zoe 4 Life in California. How does a "country white boy" from a small town in Georgia end up on the complete opposite side of the states? Well It all started when my wife and I had traveled out of town to Augusta Georgia for her brothers wedding. The night we arrived we slept at her brothers place which might I add had virtually no furniture. As my wife and I setup our blow up mattress in … [Read more...] about A Week In Cali
