Melody v.s. Beat

[New Dynasty]

When you make a beat, which do you prefer to come first? The beat or the melody? Is there any difference, and does either one make for a better beat?

 

[NobleWordz]

Depends what you make.

Like an R&B beat would have to have a good melody because thats where the focus is (IMO). But a Crunk beat would need hard drums and a simple melody.

I'm not great with melody's so I start with my drums and build on top of them.

~NW~

 

[open mind]

its really diffrent sometimes the drums drive the beat sometimes the melody its not really all mathematic its emotional everytime its diffrent.


WHEN U MAKE MUZIK DONT THINK TO MUCH LET IT FLOW.

 

[Relic]

For me if Im using the triton to make a track then its gonna be the melody.. the MPC more so the beat...not really tho... for me I guess the melody comes first then I just match up the beat by pounding out whatever flows...

 

[SlickVikNewman]

I usually start with the beat, then pour a melody on it. You can freak it either way though. I look at it kinda corny like this, my beat is the bed I gotta make all nice and neat so I can lay melody down with her fine azz so she will feel at home. If all that happens, then just like ya boy Vik, its bangs dawg!! LOL

 

[Cold Truth]

its all situational- one can spark ideas for the other and vice versa.

 

[open mind]

I usually start with the beat, then pour a melody on it. You can freak it either way though. I look at it kinda corny like this, my beat is the bed I gotta make all nice and neat so I can lay melody down with her fine azz so she will feel at home. If all that happens, then just like ya boy Vik, its bangs dawg!! LOL

lmfao ! pure genius IAM A TRY THIS!

 

[Relic]

I usually start with the beat, then pour a melody on it. You can freak it either way though. I look at it kinda corny like this, my beat is the bed I gotta make all nice and neat so I can lay melody down with her fine azz so she will feel at home. If all that happens, then just like ya boy Vik, its bangs dawg!! LOL

I look at it like this, I gotta call Melody up before and get her over before I Beat that ass on the bed...lol
Besides I got to talk to her a minute and get to know her before I bang her out..Jeez what kind of guy do you think I am???lol

 

[TKNK]

Iam a keyboard player so im always making melody's first but i also add a little beat to get the feeling right.Ive recently had alot of people tell me that i dont make "BEATS" cause my music has so much more "MELODY" then just a beat.

 

[KurtisRich]

Most of the time I just start off with the drums cuz to me that's the most important element. But, everybody does it differently. That's just the way I do it. Sometimes, my beats doesn't even have a melody. Sometimes using just 1 or 2 notes will make it hott already.

 

[deStructuralize]

There's no right answer, but for me, it's melody first. My reasoning's this: the drums keep people moving, but the melody keeps people FEELING...no matter how simple it is. And that's what's most important to me, helps me create the element I try and strive for in most of my beats.

This doesn't mean one should overshadow the other in quality or effort. I try to put just as much care into my drums, to make sure they knock and they fit the sample. It's just that I do the melody first.

 

[adomav17]

for me its the melody... becuase in my case... the melody determines the feel/subgenre/tempo and most of the beat... not sayin its the most important, but its what sets it off for me... but i've started by using drums before... and i've also started by using basslines or different percussions before... it don't matter as long as the end result is hot...

 

[DrOscillator]

both equally important imo
i usually start with an extremely simple beat (to use instead of metronome) then make an excellent melody and then add a beat which meshes with the melody precisely
its nice

 

[TheDeen]

Well, for crunk, you just need to take your shit and somehow input it in your synth - Instant Crunk!

 

[F Major]

This is a tough subject, Making the drums first can some times limit your pattern because its not following the rest of the music or changing with the music. One way to really overcome this would be to find your melody first, keep it in your head, but lay the drums first to the melody in your head and then play the melody so that its tight with the drums. I find myself much tighter when I play to the drums than if I just make a melody to a metronome.

 

[slik da relic]

alot of my beats are made AFTER the melody is created... usually, the beat is more original for me.

da relic

 

[skidflow]

I like to start out with a melody as much as possible because I spend less time finding the right drums.While the melody is playing its easier to match drums up that would fit your sample or melody which cuts down on drum programming time.

 

[AmmoBeatz]

i start with the melody first i speak for myself when i say its lil harder to do drums first then the meldoy

 

[Hypnotist]

My first batch of beats were practically all melody. But in my case, I like symphonic stuff and nicely composed structures that make your hairs raise on the back of your neck.

But those beats are weaker than a premature baby trying to pick up his own foot. I learned that although it's good to have a method or formula for ease of maneuverability in beatmaking, it's also good to switch it up in order to obtain some inspiration here and there. I've sat there and made "collections" with the same sounds and same setup, and while most beats are good, (one would be a banger) they would be just that: a collection. If you want to make collections, then start the same way all the time, but if not...

Try starting with just a hi-hat line, or shaker. Make it interesting. Don't even touch the rest of the drums. Then, add a bass line to make the shakers shake what they mama gave em. Then, add a snare, and offset it. Then add a basic melody. Then fill in the rest, changing what you added to make it work with the whole picture.

Try starting with a snare drum, just a simple pop right on the 3's and 7's like usual. Then add your melody, then go back to drum, then bass, then percussion again, then piano, then sample something in your house, then smoke, then get some ass, then add the rest.

This topic is okay if you want to just stake out what the rest of the bunch is doing. But you can quote me on this, and I'll probably say it again: If you can't make something revolutionary, then you might as well quit. So get high, enjoy life, work your nine to five, then go home and make love to the keys. And do it slow cuz she likesies. But then catch her off guard and start givin it to her raw when she doesn't expect it.

-Hypno

 

[New Dynasty]

^ LOL, I Hear You. Thanx everybody, i believe thats good advice!