Download
1 / 8
80 likes | 153 Views
If you go to a live show, it’s not uncommon to hear someone do an a cappella rap at some point during the set. <br>
E N D
Keep The Vocals Forward If you go to a live show, it’s not uncommon to hear someone do an a cappella rap at some point during the set. This is a make or break moment. If the lyrics and delivery are good the crowd is sold no beat necessary. If the lyrics or delivery fall short, the crowd is walking out the door.
Next Comes Kick, Then Snare. • When the kick hits, it should be loud, and should cause speaker excursion meaning not just the tone of the kick but the actual physical hit of it should come forward. • Make sure the kick has a sub-tone impact to get that push. The snare should similarly “make you blink.”
Everything Else Is Groove Or Texture • Mute the vocals and mute the drums. With just what’s playing in the mix now, do you feel the groove of the track? Yes? You’re there. No? It should be a bit more apparent what’s lacking. • This concept is so important that ideas such as tone take a back seat. A Hip-Hop record can be muddy as hell, and still be a huge success if the groove is there.
Find Something Unique There’s millions of aspiring/wannabe Hip-Hop artists out there, and most of them aren’t making it simply because they don’t stand out. The ones who are making a name for themselves have a unique brand, and as an engineer you should always be looking to bring that out!
Conclusion Sometimes you’ll come across a record where the bass actually drives the low end more than the kick, or the snare works down in the mix or even off to the side. And why not? But more often than not these four principals will get you where you need to go.
