They’ll help make knowing what notes and chords sound good together a breeze. You need to understand the structure of a modern popular song – what are verses, hooks, bridges, etc?Ĭheck out our full basic music theory section to learn all that stuff quickly.Īnd make sure you download our free beat making cheat sheets below. You need to know what beats, notes, bars, time signatures, chord progressions and other musical elements are. I know… you hear the words music and theory and you fall asleep.īut when you’re making professional music, you have to know the very basics. Study your favorite songs and they’ll tell you a whole lot about how to make good music. That’ll help you figure out how real music is put together – the sounds used, the way the drum pattern is put together, the intro/verse/chorus/bridge/etc and where they happen, the rises and falls throughout the song, changes in sounds/musical key/emotion/vibe. Listen to it intensely and figure out it’s moving parts. Knowing music theory helps, but really just study the music that you love. Load up Sounds (or Grab Your Guitar/Drum Machine/etc) -> Play Around & Record Some Loops -> Add Another Sound That Works -> Repeat Until It’s Hot -> Record Vocals -> Mix and Master Then add layer on top of layer until you come up with something that sounds full and musical. Next, you add another layer of sound – maybe a piano or a bassline, etc.

You can start making a beat with the main melody, the underlying chord progression, the drum pattern – whatever you want. Sometimes you’ll just download a pre-created loop/sample and just start from there, adding drums, chopping it up, etc. Or you can have a bunch of sounds on the keyboard in front of you and just play around on it – freestyle – until you come up with something that sounds dope. Some have an idea in their head – like a melody or chorus line – and try to recreate it in the studio There are a few different ways people make those musical patterns. Struggling to make chords, melodies or drums that sound good?ĭownload our FREE beat making cheat sheets and never struggle finding which notes sound good together, building chord progressions or coming up with drum grooves!

How to Mix Your Beats and Songs – Getting That “Industry” Sound.

Melody? Drums? Where to Start When Making Beats.

Beat Making Workflow – The Different Steps.

How to Make a Beat Using Your Beat Making Equipment.

Additional Tools for Making Music and Beats.

Frequently Asked Questions About Beat Making.

Beat making studio equipment