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Don’t Let the Loudness War Ruin Your Music

Apr 19, 2012 by strat - Comments Off on Don’t Let the Loudness War Ruin Your Music

Over the past 20 or so years, artists and producers alike have been trying, sometimes misguidedly, to achieve supreme loudness in their tracks and beats. It’s almost like as time went by and capabilities of dynamics processing (compressors, limiters etc) and mastering got more advanced, everyone began competing to see who could have the loudest pop records on the charts. If a client goes to get a track mastered and realizes that it’s not as loud as the newest Kanye West record, then he or she goes back to the mastering engineer and says, “try again pal, not loud enough”. If you are an artist who buys beats online, whether on Soundclick or otherwise, I’m sure you have heard what I’m talking about.

The video above (props to Streaky Mastering) makes a valid point in that there is a difference between actual loudness and perceived loudness. Usually artists will run to the mastering engineer and have him throw on a brickwall limiter such that all the peaks of the song are slammed at 0db. This causes the mix to lose dynamics and power and the whole song ends up sounding “crushed”. This is not what you want. A song or beat with a good balanced mix and tweaks in the right frequency ranges will invariably sound louder than a song with is totally crushed with a limiter just to achieve loudness comparable to the new Lady Gaga track. At the end of the day you’re buying beats, whether online or from a local beatmaker, because you want to make a top quality song.

Artists, when you’re looking to buy beats online, you should listen for songs with a good mix where the instruments and balanced and the low end has good power. The beats DO NOT need to be exceedingly loud. Here’s why:

  • You buy the beat online and decide to record on it
  • Your voice is added to the overall signal of the song
  • Your voice has to be mixed so that it sits well on the beat and among the instruments
  • Your finished song will most likely go through it’s own mastering process

If the beat is slammed to the maximum, there is no headroom at all for mastering. During the recording process, the engineer may even have to bring the level of the beat down to something more comfortable and that presents an even further challenge when mastering.

My advice: don’t just buy the loudest beats without listening for whether there is headroom left for your vocal or for further mastering. Your career depends on you putting your best foot forward.

MIXTAPE REVIEW: SinCity – Recession Proof

Apr 13, 2012 by strat - Comments Off on MIXTAPE REVIEW: SinCity – Recession Proof

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Reppin’ New England to the fullest is SinCity with the hot new mixtape Recession Proof. This review is going to be short and to the point. This tape is fire from intro to outro. Arson. City serves up a full menu of 20 tracks of classic, east coast flavoured raps over hard, street laced beats. Recession Proof takes me back to the mid 90s in terms of mixtape feel. With DJ. Motion doing the hosting, cutting and scratching I’m reminded of DJ Clue’s Springtime Stick Up classics. Standout tracks include “Rules”, “Straight Cash Freestyle and “Crazy G Mix”.

While listening to the tape I almost forgot I wasn’t listening to a full album. The feel is so refreshing in terms of what Hip Hop has been missing from the mainstream. Reminiscent of classic Mobb Deep and 50 Cent joints, if you’ve ever been a fan of classic, street heavy, East Coast boom bap music, you’re going to feel this one.

Now we turn to the lyrics, flows and wordplay, where City shows and proves. He dominates rap beats with lines like “put the pound to you and make it trend”, “Bruce Banner in the club, a new man” and “I’m just an artist but my shooters keep the  metal drawn”, City keeps those of us who are lyrically minded satisfied (Honorable mention: “I’m John Ritter 2 bitches 3s company”). Clearly SinCity is an MC and not just a rapper.

If I had to find any areas that I could complain about, it would have to come down to the mix quality of certain tracks (but since it’s a mixtape, dirty is actually kinda cool). The beats are mostly industry beats but City rips them like he owned them. Additionally, one or two of the featured artists don’t seem to be quite up to City’s level but at the same they’re not bad either. To any other indie artists reading this, those who usually buy beats online and put out your own EPs and mixtapes, I suggest you download it a take a listen. I’m sure it will inspire you to write some new fire of your own.

Now for the rating: 4.8 out of 5. Didn’t give it a 5 simply because of the minor issues I mentioned above. After such a strong mixtape, I’m anticipating a project from City over some smoking original rap beats (Album maybe? City if you read this let me know!). Only questions remain are: Can City bring an album which can grab today’s mainstream audience in this current industry climate? Does he even need to care about a mainstream audience? If you want to check the tape out for yourself, download it here.

INDUSTRY TALK: For All the WU TANG Heads!!

Apr 10, 2012 by strat - Comments Off on INDUSTRY TALK: For All the WU TANG Heads!!

Simply put, hip hop would not be where it is today if these guys never existed. The Wu Tang Clan came out in the early to mid 90s and not only redefined the sound of hip hop, they redefined the way hip hop artists could deal with record labels. As a young hip hop listener I was totally inspired by and swept up in the Wu Tang experience. It influenced the way I wrote rhymes and made beats. To this day, RZA’s work is a huge part of the foundation of producers today who make beats for artists to buy online or live in the flesh.

The video above had me transfixed for basically the whole performance. The influence of the Clan is clear when pretty much a whole generation, black, white and every colour in between, can sing along verbatim with their records. It took me back to a time when Hip Hop had an infectious energy and listening to new releases took your troubles away. Who hasn’t felt the rush of anticipation when removing the plastic wrap from that new tape or CD (yea I said tape, deal with it!).

Hip Hop of this era simply inspired me to do 2 things: write rhymes and make rap beats. To those of you inspired to write rhymes, whether by the standouts of today like Odd Future, Kendrick Lamar and J. Cole or by classic veteran acts like Wu Tang, Blackstar and A Tribe Called Quest, one thing you have going for you now is the ease with which you can buy hot rap beats online, make a solid record and start promoting. Don’t waste your opportunities. Make the veterans like Wu Tang proud by carrying on the legacy of real hip hop correctly.

INDUSTRY TALK: “Beez In the Trap” Nicki Minaj ft 2 Chainz

Apr 08, 2012 by strat - Comments Off on INDUSTRY TALK: “Beez In the Trap” Nicki Minaj ft 2 Chainz

Sigh. I was sitting here wondering what would be the topic of my next blog post and then I came across this track and video from Nicki Minaj ft 2 Chainz called “Beez in the Trap”. Admittedly, when I first saw the title I was actually hoping it was an ode to bee-keepers (LMFAO!) but alas, it’s just Nicki being…well Nicki, or maybe I should say the Nicki she recently morphed into.

Ok so I understand where she’s coming from. The song is more for those who can relate as it celebrates, promotes and sends respect to a whole lot of cities and states in the US, particular those in the South which are associated with the term ‘Trap’. Of course, the feature from the man of the moment 2 Chainz clearly helps the credibility of the song. However, nothing about the song says ‘real’ or ‘original’ to me. I can just imagine Nicki’s management sitting around in the studio deciding that in order for her remain relevant and try to comeback from that horrible mistake (i.e. Stupid Hoe) she HAS to do a trap song, since trap music is king in hip hop right now.

Unfortunately the song’s only saving grace, apart from the street laced flow of 2 Chainz, is the video, and that’s only because Nicki’s body is smoking hot and she’s pretty much half naked through all of it. Oh and did I mention there are a few hints of quasi-lesbian behaviour with similarly hot women? In addition, as a producer I have to comment on the beat. Even though it has trap earmarks all over it, it’s not just a carbon copy of a Lex Luger or Drumma Boy beat. This is a lesson for unsigned acts looking to buy beats online: look for an original sound that still has elements which make it current.

Ok so to sum it up: New Nicki Minaj track; following the ‘trap’ band wagon (face it, she’s no T.I….hell she ain’t even Flocka); Nice beat; decent bars from 2 Chainz; Nicki showing some skin (damn she would get it!!!). Check the video out for yourself as this is just my humble opinion. It still makes for a cool listen if you happen to be in that mood for some trap influenced vibes. If you are an indie artist and this track inspires you (either to do something similar or try to blow it out the water) check me out at my site and listen to some of the beats we have online. You may just find the perfect one to buy.

Why Even Other Producers Want My Beats

Apr 08, 2012 by strat - Comments Off on Why Even Other Producers Want My Beats

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The graphic above is the artwork for one of our top selling loop packs. If we never mentioned it before, one of the major things we do is create and sell royalty free loops and sample packs, which are bought mostly by other producers. Interesting right? So we basically make beats for artists to buy online as well as beats that producers use in their own projects to create beats.

What this says is that our sound is in demand by producers, many of whom artists turn to when they’re  looking to buy beats online. This particular product is now at #23 on the ProducerLoops Top 30 sellers charts. These loops are used in:

  • Major Label placements
  • Advertisements
  • Television shows
  • Movies

Hopefully this gives you a clearer idea of the all-around good quality of our productions and our reputation. As an artist, buying beats from us, at our highly affordable prices, is sort of like cutting out the middleman since we are among the select few who create a lot of the samples, loops and production material that many other beatmakers use.

So don’t just randomly buy beats online, do your research and work with producers with proven musical quality so good that even other producers buy it!

Need to Make a Hit Record? Read This

Apr 03, 2012 by strat - Comments Off on Need to Make a Hit Record? Read This

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CAN’T FIND BEATS ONLINE? MAKE THEM YOURSELF….WITH A LITTLE HELP

Are you a true independent music artist? Do you search online to buy the right beats or even seek out local producers to no avail? If you’re like me then you fancy yourself a true “do-it-yourself-er” when it comes to music. These days, the indie artist is not just an artist. He or she is also the recording engineer/producer/beatmaker/mix engineer/chief cook and bottle washer. It seems as though this is an evolution which came hand in hand with the advent of new and more affordable software and hardware for making music. Additionally, rates at large commercial studios and prices charged by big name producers are usually too hot for the average indie artist.

In steps producers like me. Guys who are familiar with the situation simply because well…we are artists too and we face the same problems. I started making rap beats and learning how to record and mix because I was in a rap group and we need access to those things but could not afford the professionals. Because I am in such a position to empathize, I am able to do two important things:

While the latter may be more suitable for producers, recall that we just established that many indie artists are also the producers of their own material. Thus, loop pack such as the dubstep samples in the player above are perfect for artists as well as dedicated producers. Sometimes this may even be a better option than buying beats online, for the following reasons:

  • The high quality (WAV, ACID, APPLE) loops can be mixed and matched, added to other instruments or manipulated in many ways and therefore are more flexible than just beat in mp3 format.
  • The loops are sold royalty free so it is very similar to leasing a beat
  • The price is very affordable and the value is great because a loop pack will contain 5 or more beat kits.

DON’T JUST BUY BEATS, BUY TOOLS FOR YOUR CREATIVITY

Just to sum it all up, I must say that there is NOTHING wrong with buying beats online. Many artists are simply just vocalists and prefer to keep things simple. However, for those who like to get hands on and show a different level of creativity, loops and sample packs are a viable option. You get a substantial number of royalty free loops in each pack that can be combined and manipulated in countless ways or simply looped up and used as is! Take a listen to the demo above and check out others like it here.

MIXTAPE REVIEW: Wilson Wright “Victory Laps”

Mar 31, 2012 by strat - Comments Off on MIXTAPE REVIEW: Wilson Wright “Victory Laps”

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Once again from your ultimate source for indie hip hop culture, hot rap beats online and more, we bring you another mixtape review. Not only are we about providing hip hop instrumentals and rap beats for artists to buy online, we also continue to be an active member of the hip hop community and assist in giving artists the exposure they deserve.

Hot off the press and straight out of the DMV and Black Pilots League comes “Victory Laps” from Wilson Wright (@Wrighteouslife). This tape is 12 tracks of what I call easy listening hip hop. The beats are all original and this is highly commendable. Most of the beats are mid to slow tempo and have that really “chill” vibe. That being said, as a producer myself, my only constructive criticism would be that the beats are a sometimes a little too simple and the mixes lack that extra bump. That aside, the tape is still a very good listen.

Wright’s wordplay is sprinkled with gems such as “I create the greatest discs somewhat like Krillin’s hands” ( a reference to the classic anime Dragon Ball Z). The standout tracks on this tape, based on the impact of the beats and how they blend with the flows and the lyrics, are the title track “Victory Laps”, “The Arrival”, “Goodbye” (Ill soul sample!) and “CliffTops”. The latter almost has an old Outkast vibe, which is a serious compliment to Wright and his production partner @Official_BigCAT. 

All in all Wright’s laidback style and braggadocio wordplay are worth the listen and you can check it out here. Out of a possible 5 star rating, “Victory Laps” gets about a 3.8 mostly because the beats didn’t bump as hard as one would like and the track “Goodbye” which has arguably the best vibe on the tape, was too short. Give it a download for the simple reason that Wright is a true MC.

MIXTAPE REVIEW: Hooligan – Road to the Riches

Mar 26, 2012 by strat - Comments Off on MIXTAPE REVIEW: Hooligan – Road to the Riches

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Once again here at StratCarter.com, we aim to be way more than just a top spot to buy hot rap beats and hip hop instrumentals online. This is the first of what will be a regular mixtape review series. We aim to give indie artists as much extra exposure as possible, as well as reviewing tapes from more established artists.

First up is Hooligan with “Road to the Riches”. Hailing from Elizabeth, New Jersey and signed to Xzavier Entertainment, Hooligan delivers 9 bangers for your listening appetite. If you’re not familiar with his style, think a little bit of Nas, a little bit of Em and a lot of mature lyrics and hard-hitting flows. The stand out track in terms of what we believe could blow is “I Stand Alone” ft Rocq Dolo. The Evanescence-esque hook and bridge are infectious and thought-provoking. The heavy south-styled production, which sounds like something Just Blaze might do for Jeezy is pretty much billboard worthy. Other notable tracks are “Criticize” and “Insane”

The truth is the mixtape is a great listen from end to end with no filler. If we get really picky, it could be said that the tape is too short with only 9 tracks but that’s a matter of opinion. Also from a strict lyrical point of view, based on the potential we heard, it would have been nice to have some more intricate wordplay, punchlines, double entendre and metaphor. However something tells me Hooligan got some more of that saved up for the album coming soon.

I’d give it a straight up 4 out of 5 and I seriously recommend you download it here

Headliner.fm: A Good Way to Get Heard

Mar 26, 2012 by strat - Comments Off on Headliner.fm: A Good Way to Get Heard

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In keeping with our mandate to be so much more than a site with offers rap beats/hip hop instrumentals for artists to buy online, we’ve found a number of cool online tools for musicians and artists and we will be reviewing them here from time to time.

If you are an indie artist and you haven’t yet checked out Headliner.fm, you ought to be kicking yourself right now. Headliner.fm, in my opinion is one of the most effective ways to get word of your music out. It seemlessly connects to twitter, facebook, soundcloud and even myspace, allowing you to potentially reach millions of fans. The way it works is, users get “band bucks” by connecting their various social media accounts, referring friends and most importantly, promoting other users on the site. You can then use these “band bucks” to launch your own promotions and reach potential fans/customers that you would not normally have access to.

Let’s say for example, you’re an indie hip hop artist who’s looking to buy rap beats online or attract interest from A&Rs. With the band bucks you’ve built up, you could target other artists who use the service by basically offering up band bucks for them to tweet/post a message from you about whatever you need to promote. That way, you can have the message sent out to the fan bases and followers of many other artists. This can clearly be of great benefit to you. The trick is to word your messages so that it seems as though the artist who does the tweeting is simply telling his/her followers to check you out. In a world where image means a lot, having an artist seem to give you an endorsement like that is very valuable.

With tools like this available, there is no longer a reason to worry about how to get signed. Indie artists, especially in the world of hip hop, can now easily buy rap beats online, create their mixtapes/albums and promote, promote, promote.

INDUSTRY TALK: New Single from Nas “The Don” LIVE @ SXSW

Mar 19, 2012 by strat - Comments Off on INDUSTRY TALK: New Single from Nas “The Don” LIVE @ SXSW

In an age in hip hop where superstars are based more on the quality of rap beats than on the quality of the MC-ing, it is great to see that veterans like Nas are still out there making good songs and still rocking the crowd! The super MC is still one to look up to for up and comers.

We aim to help the up and comers as well by providing inspiration in the form of advice, and the best hip hop instrumentals for those who buy beats online. The time is now. If you want to be on the SXSW stage next time around, get your hands on top quality hip hop instrumentals and check out some of the posts on Stratcarter.com that are geared towards helping indie artists get ahead. We are more than just a spot to buy rap beats online!

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