Hip Hop instrumental - need help on this one

[aml4]

I recently submitted this track to a hip hop listing. I've listened to it so many times I'm not sure what it sounds like anymore Its called "Trade Show" on my profile ---> http://www.taximusic.com/hosting/home.p ... airePlease let me know if you think this is anything like what might be considered a "hip hop instrumental". Thanks

[ciskokidd]

hey aml4,I took a listen to the track and it probably does not qualify for hip-hop mainly because of the beats. The synth stuff is pretty cool but you need to get the beats bangin'Do some more with the kicks and maybe layer some handclaps on the snares or give the snares some more edge. It sounds stiff and Hip=Hop gots ta be funky!I think you have a good cue if you work those things out. Do some work on it and post it back up.Best,Cisko

[aml4]

Cool thanks cisk, I'll work on it some more. What about the strings? Is there too much of them for a "hip hop" song?

[ideascapes]

The strings in the intro wouldn't disqualify it, but they'd have to be pretty sparingly used thereafter. Usually you hear them as playing single lines (in unison) between or around the vocal parts.V>

[ciskokidd]

Dec 6, 2008, 1:32am, aml4 wrote:Cool thanks cisk, I'll work on it some more. What about the strings? Is there too much of them for a "hip hop" song?I would probably stick to making the strings marcatto or pizzicato. Hip-Hop guys go more for the string stabs.Use them more towards the end of your cue to build towards a big sting ending.Best,cisko

[wrdsnmuzik]

purely on the beat: this doesn't sound hip-hop at ALL to me, I'm afraid. 'house' maybe, or retro-ish (the handclaps) dance-pop. it's good, mind you.

[aml4]

Dec 8, 2008, 11:12am, wrdsnmuzik wrote:purely on the beat: this doesn't sound hip-hop at ALL to me, I'm afraid. 'house' maybe, or retro-ish (the handclaps) dance-pop. it's good, mind you. Yeah I think you're right, submitting it to a hip hop listing was sort of a hail mary. It was for a "wide variety of styles" and I can imagine some of the more avant garde hip hop dudes like Outkast using a beat like this so I thought it was worth a shot. Is there a taxi genre category that this would fit better than hip hop?

[southpaw]

I'll have to second that. This is not a hip hop track, it could be a pretty damn cool dance/club track imo if you sped up the tempo, and developed it a little more and made it evolve into new sections or build to a climax The synth lines and strings were cool. They could build the accompaniment for a hip hop track if you built a new drum track/found a good loop if you sample, and define it as hip hop instead of a 'too slow to dance to in the club, and too fast to rap over.' You'd likely need to slow the tempo for hip hop IMO. Unless you want to go for an instrumental thats something like a 'timbaland kinda track.' (Melodic and snappy pop vocals, try listening to the way he presents the beats for tracks he puts his vocal style on for better explanation) I am a DJ. But not deeply involved with dance-electronica, there are usually exceptions to most modern standards in genre-specific tempo, but 90-100 bpm is the general standard for hip hop. The '4 on the floor' drum beat is an instantly recognizable dance-popelement. (-->insert more specific sub-genre or what have you) The mix and production sound pretty good- snappy and all. I dont think a little high end would hurt, or maybe a little reverb somewhere in the instrumentation, overall could use a little airy, "sparkle" IMO.Nice work, hope i gave you some food for thought. Cheers.Jamie

[mistydawn]

Great style! Considered... electronic/orchestral or contemporary/orchestral.When you rely on the sound of strings then you've taken out the hip hop....Think of Timba's "4 minutes" for Madonna; it had a hip hop specific beat and the "stabbing" horns, also noted on J. Ho's "Get right".That will steer you in the right direction The best thing about your music is that you can promote it for T.V./Film/Advertisements pretty readily Hope that helps,M

[jay10music]

AM.....YOUR CLOSE DUDE..... Just listen to some more Hip Hop tracks and u will be fine... Here's some help from a successful artist that u can learn from...Good Luck...www.10westmusic.comYour in the area.....Keep moving''' Jay....