Fade
The Beat Strangler
Administrator
illest o.g.
The lines between beat making and production are often blurred because the two are so closely related in Hip Hop. 2infamouz brings up a good point that the two have their own meaning and that in order to step your game up, "beat making" needs to turn into "producing". I took a few minutes to find out more about 2infamouz.
Name: 2infamouz Location: Michigan
What is your studio setup like?
I've got a pretty basic setup, with the essentials for what I'm doing. A couple of pre-amps, an audio interface, some MIDI stuff (keyboards, drum pads, controllers), and a decent mic collection.
What is the one software or hardware that you can't live without?
I'd have to say the computer. All the gear and software comes together to give you a complete working environment, but my setup is built around and integrated into the computer. A lot of cats like to have the hardware vs. software argument but with the power of DAWs these days - your control over every aspect of all the sounds, recording MIDI data and rearranging it easily, full out mixers where the only limitation is what plug-in formats are supported - I couldn't imagine producing without one.
What is a typical day for you?
A typical day for me always starts with drinking coffee and checking stats on all my sites and everything I'm pushing at the time. I've become kind of fanatic about analytics, demographics and really trying to figure out not just who my target audience is but what kind of audience is targeting me. After that I'm pretty much either pushing/promoting something, networking, creating something new in the lab or spending time with my girl when our schedules line up.
What is the best advice that you've ever received?
The best musical advice I've ever gotten is that music is not just about the sound. There's an emotional factor in music, and the best way to connect with the listeners is to really put your life experiences and emotions into the music, something they can relate to in lyrics - or on the production side, a vibe that actually effects their mood and how they're feeling. If you're not feeling it while you're making the track, how can you expect anyone else to feel it?
Do you have any tips for other producers?
My #1 tip for any producer would be to critically analyze other peoples' work. Listen to what they're doing, and try to understand why they did what they did, how it effects the mix and the mood of the track, what you would have done differently. All of that. Don't copy other producers, but try to incorporate their methods into what you're already doing.
How long does it take to make a full beat?
Man I never really feel like I'm finished on any track. I normally just have to let stuff go that I'm not happy with because I'd never get anything done if I reached a sound that I really considered "finished". On average I'd say I've got the groundwork for a complete instrumental laid out in a couple of hours, and then it's into the subtle changes, variations to keep it from being too repetitive and mixing/processing.
Do you have any studio tricks that help you work better and faster?
The best thing I've found to keep workflow moving smoothly is to save presets for everything. Preset patches for instrument plug-ins, presets for your effects (of course they'll change depending on the other elements but just to give you a starting point), and pre-built drum kits that have sounds that work really well together. I used to spend hours just finding the right instruments to get started - now the key instruments will be in the project within minutes. They might get swapped out here and there but it gives me a good framework to at least get going right away.
What's in your near future?
I'm seeing me move away from "beat making" and moving closer towards actual production real soon. I've done some work with artists here and there but the majority of my work just gets leased out or sold exclusively with no interaction between me and the artist. That doesn't feel like production to me, and I'm really trying to move away from that. It's hard to find the right artists to work with, but I'm starting to build up these connections and I think it's time to take it to the next level.
More Information
To find out more information about 2infamouz, visit:
Last edited:
