Vocalists, consider the following when making your beat selection in this new age of music.
Who Made It
Go ahead and remix industry beats. This is commonplace in hip hop, and how I started out rapping. Just go over what’s popular on the radio and post it to your socials. This can be a great way to build hype. Keep in mind that you shouldn’t post it for sale unless you have the go ahead from the labels that own the original.
Did you make the beat yourself? That’s wussup. Producing your own beats can help you develop your own unique style. Sometimes, you’re so in a zone that you have to make the sound yourself. You don’t have to worry about paying or satisfying the needs of others either.
If your homie made it, maybe you two should talk about forming a unit. Get together and produce a project together. Having a close-knit bond with a producer can create a hitmaking environment. You might be able to trust this person more in the long run too.
Collaboration can be incredible if you allow it to happen. Recording a lot, and reaching out, will eventually lead to collaborations. These might turn out to be some of your favorite records. Show a different side of yourself. You also tap into their fanbase by creating a project across your social groups.
Go crazy on Youtube, Soundcloud, BeatStars, and everywhere the type beats live. There are so many at this point that you can find obscure sounds that you never thought would come together. AI will be pumping out beats soon too. I’m hoping for some killer buy 2 get 1 deals from the bots.
Who Gets Paid
Make sure that you are paying for the correct type of license for the type beats. If you’re working with others, make it clear who will be paid if the song is posted. Don’t think that just because instrumentalists and producers aren’t recording on the track, that they don’t deserve pay.
Does the song contain a sample or live instrumentation from another party? You can do your best if you are making the beat, but be wary when you’re buying a lease from another type beat producer. They don’t always get clearance for the sounds they’re using before they sell to you.
You can use TuneCore, DistroKid, or another distribution platform to put your music out there digitally. They have simple integrations built in so that you can pay out the profits directly to collaborators. You can also pay a flat rate to the artist. It is best to have a signed contract when possible.
How Are You Dropping
You can mix the song however you want and still drop it as a single, but think about the audience. Are they the type to be open to different mixes, or are they radio people? There is nothing wrong with the beatmaker, recorder, vocalist, and engineer, all being different people.
Sometimes a song has a lot of moving parts, but when you have it ready, feel free to drop it as a freestyle type joint. Many popular songs have dropped this way. Or take some more time and clean it up to the professional level.
Make it a bop, banger, jam, or slapper, just make sure to remember all of the artists who put their effort into making the song, if you ever want to be considered a legitimate artist yourself.
