Hip Hop & Beat Making

In the context of popular music, the producer can even be the person responsible for the entire arrangement, including the lyrics.

Most producers will tell you that a way to really resonate with anyone is through vocals that draw them in and connect with listeners on some level.

Drums can emphasize a precise moment in a piece of music, they can move a song forward to the next bar, provide a sense of space or an element of interest, and perhaps most importantly stir up the listener and rouse their emotions.

A bassline is a progression of notes played by a bass (low frequency) instrument and is usually used to outline the harmonic motion of the music.

Sampling is a key part of the hip hop genre because it’s what gives the genre its unique sound.

In this course, you’ll prepare to record more polished vocals and give your music a more professional feel.

Equalization and dynamic processing are two powerful tools that allow you to sonically carve out various elements so that everything has its place within the sonic spectrum.

Effects processing is the act of intentionally altering a signal by sending it through an effects unit.

A good mix can take a song to the next level. It can make a song a hit by giving it a well-balanced sonic landscape, or by transporting the listener to another planet (metaphorically speaking, that is).

After spending some time in the studio, you’ll see that running a professional operation is much more than working with artists and their music.

Mastering is the final step in producing a finished product of the highest quality.

Hip hop has become a powerful force in popular culture and made an indelible mark on the world.

We examine the raw, objective characteristics of sound and how it travels through space, so we can harness our imagination and create captivating subjective experiences for our listeners.

In Music Fundamentals I, you’ll uncover the building blocks of western music which consists of features like scales, chords, and intervals.

Building on Music Fundamentals I, you will delve into the basics of rhythm, musical notation, time expressed in musical units of measures and bars, and numerical time notation.

In this course, you’ll explore the ingredients that make up a song, and learn how to put them all together to create something wonderful!

We’ll get into what makes a good melody including sing-ability, tessitura, the presence of a “money note,” the hook as melody, background as melody, and more!

Remixing is an excellent way to explore the potential of a song in terms of melody, breaks, and samples, and it has been a major undertaking for DJs and MCs since the 1990s.

Learn how to protect your music and your brand while also creating a positive revenue stream.

In this course, you’ll get into various agreements including work for hire, collective work, side artist agreements, producer’s deals and agreements, producer’s fee/advance, and more.

Along with your mentor, take a few moments to cover some basics such as maintenance and cleaning. Having a refresher on these practices will set you up for success no matter the future direction you decide to take.