Loosing a beat...

[sYgMa]

That kinda thing happens to me all the time. I don't know if it's me, but right in the middle of doing something, like working, being on the bus, or just chillin with my peeps, I get some crazy beat ideas. It's like the beat is all done, with the hooks and all that... I have the perfect sounds and all (and I know I have them home too)

At first, I was trying to remember them, but, of course, one thing leads to another and i forget it entirely. I even tried to leave a message on my answering machine, singing the beat and beatboxing the drums... that doesnt work either...

Now, when it happens, I'm just pissed...

Am I the only one or is it common amongst beat makers? And if someone did find a trick to keep them in... please let me know!!!!

 

[SpLitPerSonaliT]

yeah this happens to me all the time, i think u got the right idea tho leaving a message on your phone beat boxing, humming and singing it. My cell phone has a memo recording feature so i just spit them on that and then wen i get on the keyboard at home i play em back and it works.. i have like 10 memos recorded on my celly of me beat boxin away for like 3 minutes on each of em... i guess if that leaving a message on your phone doesn't work for u, u gotta up your beat boxin skills or somthin
peace

 

[K.C]

I have the same thing happen alot, and it only pisses me off ! sometimes it better to just ignor it, it will only lead to fustration.

 

[tricky spinz]

that happens to me too. i usually get melodies in my head. like, a good 4 measure of melody, not the drums though. so i just hum/sing the melody over and over until i've got it pretty much memorized, OR, i'll try to think of some way that i'll remember it. like, if it kinda sounds like something else, then i can try to remember that, and relate it to that.

 

[erkl]

i think musical people will always get melodys in yer head, just as artists get an idea for a cool image to paint or whatever, the more it comes the better, doesnt mean u gotta do everything.. but the more often it comes just be happy for creativity

and if u can get it down, all the better! creative flow can take alot of practice

 

[Loose Cannon]

I always got my microcasette recorder with me, so ill beatbox my beat, and hum the tune. And i usually got the same problem with not bein able to figure out how i wanted it. But even when i cant figure it ouut, sometimes ill try to recreate what i beatboxed even if i dont remember, just in case. I get some nice drum patterns figured out that way too.

 

[FTdub]

I use to keep a dictaphone in my car so if I had a rhyme, beat, or beatjuggle idea i could remember it better. The problem for me was to actually create this abstract beat idea using equipment. Now I mostly only record freestyle rhymes and beat juggles into the dictaphone. One time in the shower I came up with this routine based on ODB's line "watch a nigga transfuze" on Wu revolution. When I got out of the shower I went straight to the tables and started practicing it. MY mom walked in on me naked, beat juggling ODB. That is her favorite story of my dj career.

 

[The Bastard]

fortunatly i never lost a beat that i liked before,after i make a eat i like i record it and sav it as a wav right away

 

[sYgMa]

I always got my microcasette recorder with me, so ill beatbox my beat, and hum the tune. And i usually got the same problem with not bein able to figure out how i wanted it. But even when i cant figure it ouut, sometimes ill try to recreate what i beatboxed even if i dont remember, just in case. I get some nice drum patterns figured out that way too.

Yeah, that's exactly how it is... i get the beatboxing proper, but it's never really as nice as when I first got it in my head...

Normally, i just play with the idea i thought i had and make a decent beat, but never as banging as i thought it was at 1st... maybe I'm just too critical of my own beat... but its never as good as i thougt it up at 1st... if only i had a portable fruity or something....

 

[kwantize]

good point

i think musical people will always get melodys in yer head, just as artists get an idea for a cool image to paint or whatever, the more it comes the better, doesnt mean u gotta do everything.. but the more often it comes just be happy for creativity

and if u can get it down, all the better! creative flow can take alot of practice

i think that was a very good point ...

 

[sYgMa]

All right, it's normal, but can anyone give me some tricks, ideas... anything to keep them as clean as they where in my head, when I thought about them?

 

[sammy beats]

This happens to me all the time with melodies and occasionally with drums. What I try to do with the drums is to figure out what type of drum sample goes where. For example, usually the snare is gonna come on the 5th and 13th 16th note in a measure. The kick will come on the 1st 16th note and so on. So if you can, try to see the drum pattern in your head as it would be laid out in a sequencer.

You can also take notes about what kind of drum samples you want to use. I know that if you're with your friends it would look a little sketchy to start righting shit down about an idea for a beat all of a sudden but if it works and it's gonna keep you from loosing that beat than its worth it.

As for the melody, I try to keep humming it in my head but Im thinkin of getting a digital recorder. i dont know though, if it doesn't work when you leave a message Im not sure what to tell you about the melody.

 

[joblack00]

I loose beats daily...I will be at home watchin tv and hear a sound try and record it and just when my computer is up an running the show will go off... I dont even sweat it anymore.... I get so many beat ideas daily its hard to keep up with em... The best way to keep from loosing a beat is working on it right away.... Even for sampling when u hear or know u wanna sample something do it right away... I got so many peices of papers with notes on em like Song 3...2:45... and I wont even remember what cd it was or what the song was or even what I wanted to sample... Dont procrastinate...