Members with Hip Hop/Trap cue success

[mkirbymusic]

Hey all,

I was hoping to get a thread going here to learn whatever I can from members who have already had tracks successfully placed in the Hip Hop/Trap instrumental cue genre.

I have 'dabbled' in a TAXI membership three times now but have never fully committed to the journey until this month when I renewed. Already have one forward for a listing in this genre but still am looking for a little enlightenment on what kind of stuff is getting signed. Since I am coming from a space where I've had some success starting to build with licensing my beats online to artists, I'm looking to learn quickly about what is getting picked up as a cue for TV etc.

The popular style of beats for artists today are very simple so I'm trying to clarify what libraries are looking for when the reference tracks are something like Calboy's "Envy Me" or "Going Bad" by Drake and Meek Mill which is the exact same piano melody over and over at two different octaves, and then the drums drop in and out.

Even if those people with success can speak out on here so that I can go to your homepage and study the tracks for myself it would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks

[mkirbymusic]

Some examples of what I mean for context:

Y190510TR
CONTEMPORARY TRAP/RAP INSTRUMENTAL CUES are needed by a hard-working, successful Music Licensing Company. They’re looking for Mid-to-Up-Tempo Instrumental Cues that could fit stylistically with the following examples:

“Pure Cocaine” by Lil Baby

“First Off” by Future ft. Travis Scott

Y190521RC
CURRENT-SOUNDING RAP INSTRUMENTAL CUES are needed by a Music Library pitching to various shows on BET.

This company is new to running Listings with TAXI, so it’s very unlikely that you have any music in their catalog. This is a great opportunity to build a new relationship with this small but hard-plugging company that gets the job done!

They want Mid-to-Up-Tempo Instrumental Cues that are in the general stylistic wheelhouse of the following references:

WARNING: The following references may contain graphic and explicit lyrics and/or imagery. Discretion is advised.

“Enzo” by DJ Snake, Offset, 21 Savage, Sheck Wes & Gucci Mane

“Close Friends” by Lil Baby, Gunna

“Envy Me” by Calboy

[ttully]

Hi CF,

I have not worked on any in several months..... but I will give you a list of some Trap/Hip Hop tracks that I did that were forwarded.
Unfortunately I deleted a whole bunch of them ...... but here are a few.... you can find them on my Taxi page.
These were for different styles of hip hop or trap.... not just 1 type.


How We Roll
Bulletproof
Badass Showdown
Down Payment
Got it All
Bring on the Champions
All the Champions

My 7 cents worth,
Tim

[mkirbymusic]

Thanks Tim, I appreciate your 7 cents

"Got It All" definitely sounds closer to what I'm pitching for and it shed some light onto it for me. All your tracks sounded good!

I'll probably do some digging through the Forwards blog to get a better idea too

[ttully]

Thanks...but I really think all those tracks of mine are pretty mediocre...
They just somehow got forwarded.

My1 cent worth,
Tim

[mkirbymusic]

Welp..I just got 4 returns from the one listing so let me see if I understand this:

"Inner City Nights" https://soundcloud.com/chaysefreedom/in ... ts/s-ekQSh

"The intro works well . However the breakdowns are too pedestrian and some ear candy or bells and whistles should be incorporated hear as well as some additional subtle layers throughout such as piano, pads or perhaps some vocal slices."

"I Got the Keys" https://soundcloud.com/chaysefreedom/i- ... ys/s-7m5Vl

"Thanks for the submission Michael. Unfortunately, the main mallet melody is too repetitive. Also the breakdowns are too empty sounding and more layering should be incorporated throughout."

"Reflections" https://soundcloud.com/chaysefreedom/re ... ns/s-IhBwS

"Hi Michael, thanks for the submission. Unfortunately, it seems more like a stem most sections and could use some additional layering throughout."

So what I'm gathering here is my current problem is that the space I would typically leave on my beats for the artist needs to be filled with "ear candy" and layering?

I really want to learn quickly so I would love to hear what some of you experienced at creating cues think.

[jaywilliams]

Welp..I just got 4 returns from the one listing so let me see if I understand this:

...So what I'm gathering here is my current problem is that the space I would typically leave on my beats for the artist needs to be filled with "ear candy" and layering?[/b]

I really want to learn quickly so I would love to hear what some of you experienced at creating cues think.

hi Chayse -

Disclaimer - I haven't listened to your tracks, nor the reference tracks, nor do I have a hip-hop forward yet!

Short answer to your question is Yes.

Slightly longer answer is: an instrumental cue is meant to be complete in and of itself, and serves to enhance the mood or emotion of whatever scene it is supporting. Therefore, do not intentionally leave space in your cues for something else to come in and fill (that's not how they're used).

Hope this helps, tinker with it a bit and you'll get there.

Best of luck!

Jay

[andygabrys]

So what I'm gathering here is my current problem is that the space I would typically leave on my beats for the artist needs to be filled with "ear candy" and layering?

basically yes.

The ref tracks give the "vibe" and how your stuff is supposed to make you feel. Its hard to recreate that without the vocal though as the lyrics give a lot of story about what is happening.

Your tracks have to use the full range of techniques to give it that feel without adding vocals. If something isn't changing every 4 bars its going to start to sound stale. Change octaves. change sounds. Add percussion, or something. Remove other things for parts of the song. Have the 808 start busy then get simple, then busy again. Or vice versa.

[mkirbymusic]

Andy/Jay,

Thanks guys, I appreciate the feedback and it is all helpful. I think I was definitely switching things up every 4 bars but it was the degree, or, how I was switching things up that lead the screener to say they were "pedestrian" . I'll go back to the drawing board and think about where I can add ear candy, and little licks etc. to keep the sections interesting.

[mkirbymusic]

There is one thing I have been a little confused about lately, also since the other day my trap cue was seemingly returned because it was too "busy": Should an instrumental cue always stay out of conversation and therefore be kind of sparse/minimalist, or is this only relevant when the listing explicitly says so?

Tom

This is a good question as well. For instance, there was a listing that came up yesterday for Rap/Hip Hop "instrumentals" needed by a licensing company and it states "Please send them sparse, well-crafted Rap/Hip-Hop Instrumentals that utilize a minimal number of elements, but still capture a speaker-knocking vibe."