Drum Secrets of Hip-Hop Legends

Music production hacks from RZA, Dr. Dre and Ice T.
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►Hip-Hop Drums PDF: HackMusicTheory.com/product/8...
0:00 Missing Ingredient
1:11 Genre Project
2:20 Hack 1: Hip-Hop Kicks
3:22 Hack 2: Hip-Hop Snare
4:29 Hack 3: Hip-Hop Hats
5:18 The Conclusion
5:55 Final Example
Could you hear the missing ingredient? If not, don’t worry, that’s because the beat is actually pretty good the way it is. The kick pattern is a two-bar rhythm, which gives the drum beat variety. There’s also some off-beat kicks, which add groove. The hi-hat accents change in the second bar, which creates more variety. And the regular backbeat snare provides momentum. It’s a decent drum beat! So, what’s wrong with it then? Well, it’s a bit stiff and lifeless. And what’s the missing ingredient that will transform this decent beat into a great beat? Hip-Hop!
INTRO
Wait, what?! Isn’t hip-hop a genre? Yes, of course! But, as with all genres, there are theoretical characteristics that make music recognizable as hip-hop. And those characteristics can be isolated and applied to other genres to spice them up. Considering hip-hop has been the most popular genre for the last few years, if we want people to connect with our music, then there’s a lot we can learn from hip-hop’s secret formula. As you’ve probably heard in the music news, hip-hop is celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2023. In its 50 years, hip-hop has influenced almost every other genre. That fact inspired the idea behind our epic new Genre Project. In this ongoing series, we’ll hack different genres to reveal their secret formulas and how you can use those formulas to make better music in whatever genre you work in. So, if there’s a genre you want us to hack, drop us a comment. And just a quick caveat. Genres are also recognizable by non-theoretical characteristics, like instrumentation, and even some non-musical characteristics, like culture. But, we focus exclusively on melody, harmony, and rhythm. Also, every genre’s characteristics have their roots in earlier genres. However, exploring a genre’s heritage is a rabbit hole! A fun one, but still, we’re not going down there. Alright, let’s go!
KICKS
Hip-hop is all about groove, and one of the easiest ways to instantly add groove is to change your grid to 1/16 note triplets. Okay, well you have to do a little more than just change your grid. But, that’s the game-changer right there. Seriously! All you do now is move your kicks onto that new grid. And by the way, the tempo of our example is 84 BPM. Also, depending on where your kicks were before, some of them might sound weird on the new 1/16 triplet grid, but just delete those weird-sounding kicks. The magic hip-hop kick that probably adds the most groove is on the 1/16 note triplet right before beat 3. So, that’s what we played. And you can hear this magic hip-hop kick everywhere, but a classic example is in Wu-Tang’s 1993 track “Cash Rules Everything Around Me”.
SNARE
Hip-hop usually uses a regular backbeat snare, which is on beat 2 and beat 4. There’s obviously nothing unusual about that. But, where hip-hop gets creative with the snare is by adding a syncopated hit to the drum beat. And syncopation just means that it’s played off the beat, in other words, in between the main beats. This snare is often on the 1/16 triplet grid as well, so we added this syncopated snare on the 1/16 note triplet right before our kick that’s on beat 3+. And you can hear this hip-hop snare everywhere, but a classic example is in Ice-T’s 1986 track “6 in the Mornin’”.
HATS
Many other genres use the hi-hats as the pulse; simply a way of keeping time. Not hip-hop, though. Oh no! Great hip-hop producers never waste an opportunity to be creative, so there’s none of those boring metronome-style hi-hat patterns here. Pretty much anything goes when it comes to the hi-hat, as your groove is already established from your kick, and the momentum is coming from the snare, so you’re free to experiment on the hats. That’s exactly what we did here, creating a similar but different rhythm for bar 1 and bar 2. Both are still using the 1/16 triplet grid. And you can hear those hip-hop hats everywhere, but a classic example is in Dre’s 1999 track “Forgot About Dre”. A bonus hat hack is to change your grid to 1/32 straight, then add 1/32 note rolls in a few places. We replaced the hats in the beginning of both bars with 1/32 rolls.
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ABOUT
The fast, easy & fun way to make music. Taught by Ray Harmony, a multi award-winning college lecturer who's made music with multiplatinum Grammy-winning artists. Co-taught by Kate Harmony, Ray's protégé and wife.
CREDITS
© 2023 Revolution Harmony
Revolution Harmony is Kate & Ray Harmony
Script & all music in video by Revolution Harmony
Book promo filmed & edited by Maurits Nienhuis
Studio footage of Kate & Ray by Billie Woods
All stock footage courtesy of Pexels
Most stock footage from cottonbro
RZA photo from DJ Mag (2020)

[@HackMusicTheory]

►Hip-Hop Drums PDF: HackMusicTheory.com/product/877723

[@Amadeos-Salvadore]

Hey, what DAW are you guys using for these videos?

[@Amadeos-Salvadore]

Haha, nevermind, I googled "Midi take" (the text in the name bar of the app you are using) and it took me straight to it. Cool ! Still, let me expand on the question: whats your DAW of choice? Cheers !

[@pauldncn1]

I love this start to the series Thank you Harmonies xx ❤️

[@CheebaccaReef]

Great stuff, as always! One of my favorite genres, when done right. I suggest Reggae, Punk Rock and Neurofunk DnB for future videos.

[@markwhittaker6321]

Love these lessons!

[@AS-lb3bv]

This was very educational and easy to understand

[@HAZARDOUS88]

Many thanks, this is very helpful!

[@moonrocks929]

You guys are legends

[@ARIOS44]

More hip hop please 🔥🔥🔥

[@theeyebro]

I always learn so much from your videos! Thank you so much!

[@HackMusicTheory]

Awesome, The Eyebro, we're thrilled to hear it! What kind of music do you make? Thanks so much for stopping by, we really appreciate it :) Kate

[@theeyebro]

​@@HackMusicTheory i mostly make hip hop so this is right down my lane 👍😁

[@thingsilike1109]

Great video! I would love to see a theory hack for brostep since it subverts a lot of the things which traditionally make for 'good' theory. Also a video on microtonal tuning systems would be incredible too.

[@dylanbuckle114]

In case you didn’t the Wu Tang song title is C.R.E.A.M (Cash Rules Everything Around Me) hope that’s useful

[@_TheViewer_]

Dude, how much should they write there ? 🙄 And the acronyms meaning is not done wrong by them. But yeah, you really like Wu Tang.

[@__________Troll__________]

@@_TheViewer_ *Dude is just providing extra info, chill out*

[@toteknowledge]

Smooth jazz!

[@GrimScarFayn]

This genre series is a good idea, though I'm not sure if I can use hip hop beats. I will give it a shot though. Also, it would be pretty cool to see you break down Celtic and Nordic music.

[@samuraiowlmusic]

Next genre: DEATHSTEP :3 Kidding (maybe). What about neurofunk or lofi?

[@prodbyschmo8857]

id love a video about dnb and house beats

[@webuildchanges]

Great video! What is the model of a turntable at 0:50?

[@_TheViewer_]

Damn, I like off beat here and there, wonderful topic as always ! Kinda more of my genres, but still I think Hip-Hop is a great thing to get started, not that much rules that limit you 😂

[@HackMusicTheory]

@The Viewer great to see you again, we hope this finds you well! Happy to hear you enjoyed this one :) How's your music making going these days?

[@_TheViewer_]

@@HackMusicTheory You both got to excuse me here, YT lately doesn’t show me all comments on time ! But I’m glad you asked, I’m still and constantly trying to improve with knowledge or tricks I find on KZbin or around, but by now I’m more having fun toying around than having a direct goal in mind. 😊 Hope you to hear again from you soon, both stay safe and healthy 👋

[@sekritskworl-sekrit_studios]

THANK YOU for venturing into into this from Djent. I respect Djent, but it really isn't me or many people who I personally know. So it is hard to relate, therefore I find it both hard to analyze and absorb. Please do keep adding to your Rap/Hip-Hop collections, and hopefully even R&B/Soul(especially from the 60's & 70's)

[@HackMusicTheory]

Hi Sekrit, happy to hear you enjoyed this Hip-Hop lesson! Wishing you a lovely week ahead :) Kate

[@sekritskworl-sekrit_studios]

@@HackMusicTheoryThanks, Kate! Wishing the same to you both, as well. :-D

[@manuelhagemann6776]

Hi, i'm a lil unknow musician from Germany. i have a lot of music theory and bases, play guitar and bass since i'm 9 YO. My problm is the following: I'm tryng myself in beat making, but i have 0 knowledge of the program working, and wich the best programs are. In other words, give me real drums, no problm, beats flowing. But how do i crate beats with the pc? help pls.

[@01Decapitator]

nice beats! , make same for dubstep!

[@leosgf]

Next genre suggestions: latin pop, house Music, 90s RnB

[@HackMusicTheory]

Awesome, thanks for the suggestions, Leonardo! And thanks big time for being in the Hack Music Theory community for so many years, we truly value you :) Hope this finds you happy and healthy 🙏

[@eross21]

i’d like to see you hack the big beats and melody’s of the band The Prodigy

[@HackMusicTheory]

Here you go my friend, already done a video on The Prodigy. We love 'em! kzbin.info/www/bejne/roKwhmeJgLCUa5Y

[@eross21]

@@HackMusicTheory do you have any that show how write drums or percussion for this Prodigy sound?

[@painlikebaneadamah_picture38]

THE WAY RAY SAYS "GENRE" 😎 😆 🤣 ID LIKE TO SEE THE "GENRE" WORD-COUNT FOR THIS 1!?!

[@HackMusicTheory]

Lol, that's great ADAMAH :) Hope this finds you well, and we wish you a great rest of your day!

[@yunieskidurruthy1357]

❤❤❤

[@rjrichmusic]

I don't use that DAW but I think you could quantize your original groove to 16th triplets rather that 16ths. Cool video. Thanks

[@philippgrunert8776]

Well then... Post Rock, Post metal, progressive rock Great content by the way

[@user-cj4fu8qq9b]

6:13 dollar store n.y state of mind

[@Christopher.w.Menchaca]

Yuuuuhhhhhss! You guys are Right where I'm at. Learning from You guys a few months ago, I got a laptop and got your help to make my saw start to produce Sound. While looking for New information action to help with the falts I keep running into, eqing, the fact I was trying to sound design with the high mids and lows had me dive more into modes. Hence, I understood them; then slowly, something changed; I stumbled onto some also well-laid-out information on the tiny list of instruments, and types of devices, which led to showing what genes use what tools, which led to me learning that specifically the baseline's eq and use will define what subgenre of house music you are placed in. Shortly after, I found sources for modes and how confusing some people are when they don't break down Each thing they mention. I'm glad I found your guys' videos, and I'm ecstatic to be on the right page. I saw your Email. Talk more soon guys 🤙👑💯🎓🖊️⚗️🔦🔍📝☎️🏟️

[@JostSchwider]

👍 - _also_ for the YT algo! 😊

[@animeshgupta6753]

please let us know the secrets of bachata music

[@drydessert4198]

Why is it called a '16th triplet' and not a '24th'? ;)

[@ericbrunel8933]

Wait, wait... No "but first... tea!"!? Damn, your voices sound the same, but are you sure you're the ones you pretend to be? 😁 Joke aside, great video, as always, and I'm not even into hip-hop at all!

[@AutPen38]

Since discovering hip hop, Ray has stopped drinking tea. These days he starts every day with some gin and juice.

[@onathe5217]

Do hip-hop artists respect or even bother with real drummers when they record music or play live?