Guys I must have a crazy low attention span or something because I have hundreds of partial beats/ideas but I rarely ever finish a beat. Of course I cant do much with a ishload of ideas haha. Why is it so much harder for me to add things to a beat that don't clash and add to the beat itself then it is to just start a new one and make a dope melody?

Um there is a few things, it's partially an experience thing, if you are quite new to this then it's a completely normal thing, after you've made a couple you start to get the feel of their form and it becomes easier. Also part of your problem could be music theory, if you don't have a solid enough understanding you may be finding it hard to make parts to connect in a similair style. They'd be the things I'd check first

Yeah good points but I think I'm also just lazy. This next beat is gonna be complete I swear it!

I like your drawing.

^ Second..

What you gotta do WABU is make short instrumentals.. Once you get into finishing those, just extend it.. And don't worry if you don't feel it the next day.. still finish it for the sake of.. ya digg?

Damn I cant wait till I get home and mix this new one I'm working on to show you guys! Good advice thanks T.I.

that drawing is everywhere on the internet lol.
i am the same way with my beats. i have short attention span with everything so yeah

COMPLETELY AGREE!

i dont know whats wrong with me i just don't finish beats anymore haha.... i used to finish every beat when i first started, but now i don't finish any

the problem is that 1 of these 2 things happens

1. i make a dope ass loop and i know it has the potential to be a sick beat if i just add a few things to it, but i can't really figure out what to do with it to make it a complete beat and i don't wanna funk it up so i just keep procrastinating it... almost like im afraid to finish it because i know how sick it can be but its just not good enough yet, ya know what i mean?

or

2. i make a loop and im not really feelin it so i just never make a full beat out of it.


and thats what happens to all my beats, i have a ton of these unfinished ones and im afraid i may never finish a beat again

i used to do this
till i started spending like 12 hours on a beat lol
but yea its normal
everybody do it
even professionals like my self
just come back to the beat every now and then you should have fresh ideas for it

To add to err'thang that has been said.. A good way to know what to add and not to add 'too much' is simply to write hooks and/or lyrics.. Then you know how much space you'll need in the mix for the vocals and you can add stuff around it... also when you have your hook written you can just build a lead that flows with it. A simple technique that's been used over and over and over, but still works..

Ive been feeling that recently myself TI but you just clarified my feelings were right. Time to start writing lyrics again or at least some good hooks

For every beat I've completed, I have 20 others that I haven't finished or felt they were going nowhere... so I wouldn't be too worried if I were you.

Try doing stuff at night, and finishing it in the same sitting. If you don't finish at least 80% of your beat at once, it'll be a lot harder to go back and get in the same vibe again. Just get the compositions down, then come back and finalize the track later (ie. mix, transitions, breakdowns, etc.)

Posted By HS Traxx on 08 Oct 2009 02:41 AM
For every beat I've completed, I have 20 others that I haven't finished or felt they were going nowhere... so I wouldn't be too worried if I were you.

Try doing stuff at night, and finishing it in the same sitting. If you don't finish at least 80% of your beat at once, it'll be a lot harder to go back and get in the same vibe again. Just get the compositions down, then come back and finalize the track later (ie. mix, transitions, breakdowns, etc.)

that's actually a good idea.... i noticed that if i don't get most of it done in the first sitting i will rarely finish it.... i usually open it up and just listen to what i have for a little while and then exit out without adding anything

1) I wish I could write lyrics...

1.5) I don't always finish beats either but...

2) I've found that it helps to have a formula for your beats that you can fall back on. For me it's a standard format of working. The good part is it helps you finish beats, the bad part is that it's a habit that can be hard to break if you don't switch it up enough.

To explain the format:

If I can go for 24 bars as a rule and I can finish any beat.

Say I have a 4 bar loop going, I know I can double it to get an 8 bar part (half a verse). I take that 8 bar part and throw a new element into the mix (second half a verse). Now I have a 16 bar verse.. Go back to my 4 bar loop, double it and put a catchy lead element or something to make it a hook.

Now I have a 16 Bar verse and an 8 Bar chorus = 24 bars. guaranteed I can finish it.

Once I'm here I can finish it by:

adding transitional parts between the verse halves and the chorus. Changing drums or other parts to help differentiate the chorus. Sometimes it's as easy as make in the bassline busier or less busy in one of the parts and removing some elements. Change the kick pattern, etc..

Add a 4-8 bar intro which starts very sparse, maybe just the kick and bassline with a fill or silence leading into the verse. use existing parts (or unused parts that you came up to build the intro)

I take my 24 bar verse/chorus and repeat it 2 more times plus a chorus that fades out in the last two bars...

I now have the following structure:

Intro+verse+chorus+verse+chorus+verse+chorus +chorus(fade)

Done.

Now if you are really feeling like continuing, you can tweak it and add/remove things to make it less repetitive or whatever. for example, add a new element into verses 2 and 3. Drop the drumsfor teh first 2-4 bars of verse 3 for a dramatic effect, etc.

Seriously, if you listen to 90% of my songs this is how I do them because that structure is the most common in popular music and it's very versatile.

In cases where people have used my beats, or I put acapellas over, I will listen to the words and make changes to fit around them. Add sound FX etc...

Finally, if I make a super catchy chorus, I want that early in the song so I might go:

intro+chorus+verse+chorus...etc

note: this is not the most creative way of doing it, but it will help you to accomplish the beat and for me, thats a big part of it. Sometimes I can't get inspired for something new, when I have a lot of half finished projects.

Thanks NFX, good advice. I'll try that out but ill try not to rely on it.
I'm actually like 80-90% done with my latest beat, so I seem to be focusing better I guess.

Great tips NFX thanks!

thanks for the advice nfx....

i finally finished one! first beat i've finished in awhile, not my best beat ever but i was determined to finish this one.... check it out:

-=Rate My Beat=-

my lyrics are corny
i need a rapper in my room to help me

you know how many beats i have that i havent finished!! and they are named like "fdhajhds" lol. i mean they all have potential but once i loose a feeling to a beat then its gone, i was thinking abot making it short and make a library of it so i can send it out to be used on movies and commercials.... not a bad idea huh?