Why SIMPLE Beats Land MAJOR Placements

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[@grillabeats6]

This is why i feel its better to work directly with artists and create together in the room

[@Damngoodchicken_]

ALOT of these producers and artists are lazy.

[@grillabeats6]

@@Damngoodchicken_ agreed

[@CurtissKingTV]

🎯🎯🎯 working with the right artists that match your expectations and hustle is a game changer

[@FonkedUpProductions]

Facts

[@grillabeats6]

@@CurtissKingTV facts

[@dgayle2348]

Simple beats are good for two reasons: 1. Gives the lyrics more space to shine 2. If you have one particularly catchy element in the beat, like a drum loop, riff or melody, it stands out more when production is simple (think that beat Pharrell did for Clipse that we all did on the desk back in the day)

[@NatesHandlebars]

Which one? Pharrell’s made a lot for clipse

[@RyNeaSoulMusic]

@@NatesHandlebars probably Grindin'

[@prod.a.b.i.l1930]

Honestly I've taken the Tyler, The Creator approach when it comes to my own music, I'll add what I want in my music cause i know what world i want to create in my own music. But when it comes to working with artists i take myself out of the equation to best help the artist with what they want to create.

[@justinhenryrebel]

I think you just make what you want...thinking too much takes away from creativity....also beat makers aren't producers..they don't know how to write or melodies so they can't give an artist direction or songs. I basically come with the whole song idea, beat, hook, and tell them how to rap or sing.

[@cxldxne]

Sound selection is key!! The beat doesn't always need all the sounds to make it a "hit." It's a feeling family. That feeling is what you always want to aim for. Otherwise beats become repetitive and boring.

[@KillerKnutsZillion]

Yeah I like to build around the vocal

[@GeecheeSean]

I been saying keep it simple for YEARS!!! I've never tried to impress other producers. I just make my style of beats and stay in my lane.

[@darrenhirst9900]

Its the producers going crazy on creating beats thinking the rappers are going to be impressed. All that's missing from a simple beat is the rapper.

[@GeecheeSean]

@@darrenhirst9900 big facts

[@laronn]

Another dope episode. Simplicity & minimalism is making a comeback especially with Hip-Hop being 50 it’s like a renaissance. All those early, foundational records we all love are fundamentally simple at their core.

[@JSoulKeys]

"the power of saying more, by saying less" - what a powerful statement bro 🔥

[@Pencellarite]

I think we as producers forget who is our target market! And true simplicity is key plus sound selection 🔥

[@CurtissKingTV]

💯 Our era is the “less is more” era in almost every medium you can think of. Tv, Movies, Books, KZbin videos… technology is carrying a lot more of the weight.

[@Pencellarite]

Very true.

[@ukgoon85]

Rio's beat didn't take just 4 minutes. It was the cumulative effect of all the time he had spent honing his craft up till that point. Like he said, he wouldn't have been able to make the simple beats if not for the skillset established when going through his phase of complexity. Too often we focus on the end result and ignore the work it took for someone to get to that level. Jay-z may be able to come up with a verse in his head in record time but he'd been rapping for decades before his 1st album dropped. Anyway, great content as always 🙏🏿

[@tobysmith1380]

salute! u broke it down nice!

[@hxnnid]

Amazing comment 💯🙌🏾

[@Skobonyan]

DANKO I love this right here.

[@jamerv777smerf]

"It don't need more sounds. It needs you to make more sound decision making" 👏that's a mf bar if I ever did hear one

[@JTFuller]

Bruh, this is exactly what I was experiencing. I was making simple beats normally and thought exactly what that 2nd guy said, now that I think about it, I was looking some movement like lyrics and I was choosing instruments like lyrics.. lol.. This was a deep one right here. Truth is, you know when a beat is done. Usually! Outstanding video. Makes you think..

[@overflowbeats6965]

If you study music with intention I think the concept of space for an artist clicks easier.

[@SarisChannel18]

Top beatmakers have a guy like Mike Dean doing their mastering, and Mike Dean works with enough PC RAM to run SkyNet. 4 minutes beats is outta the question for me.

[@jjbing3]

I’ve had that happen to me before too. The artist was writing while I was making the beat. He stopped it before I even added the bassline. He just wanted the sample with no drums. Sometimes, they hear it differently. 🤷🏾‍♂️

[@KINGVENAROMA]

You touched on something heavy here bro. You threw in some personal development on the side. As producers, we're always trying to prove our "worth" by out doing ourselves in our music when really we should be staying tapped into the emotion that inspired us to create in the first place. You never have to prove worthiness because you were worthy already. Keep it simple✨️👑💪🏾

[@divinesoul7]

This is exactly why everyone/everything sounds the same especially regarding “mainstream” music. Granted I come from a different era and grew up listening to groups like Frankie Beverly & Maze, Earth, Wind & Fire etc. No these are not “hip hop artists but these are artists that hip hop producers have sampled. I’m personally tired of the same 3 to 4 note melodies that cats brag about making in less than 10 minutes. None of this music is timeless and in a year most will have no replay value. I wonder if people think Sun Ra’s music is over-produced. I think producers should focus more on learning the art of arrangement because it makes a world of difference. But I’m an ole fogey, so there’s that lol.

[@SimonePhoenix]

“Arrangement”…ahhh, a kindred spirit. I’m from a different era as well & this aspect beats my heart similarly. I’m a sucker for great vocal & instrumental arrangements. Oh yeah, I’m a HUGE EWF fan, they’re what drew me into production. Your comment is DEEPLY appreciated, respect. 🙏🏽

[@ra_gemusic346]

This is a good clip to watch. Producers who are are not artist themselves have this kind of problem.

[@jghosttheconscious]

Great sound selection is key. A beat can have one musical sound and drums and be 🔥

[@joshuacaldwell4210]

I love this bro you really just taught me me a lot about how I think of my beats and in general

[@zombietv9469]

Less is more is what I was taught early. So glad I follow that still.

[@neilraphael707]

Great video King 🔥 I like to to finish a beat on a different day than I start it - allows me to hear it with a fresh set of ears, which as close as I can get to understanding how the artist will hear it for the first time. I find myself at that point usually pulling things out to get more to the essence

[@CurtissKingTV]

Same here. Usually day 2 gives me a new perspective on mixing

[@neilraphael707]

@@CurtissKingTV 💯

[@exelbeats]

Meanwhile I've been working on this current beat I have open for 4 hours lol.

[@dmvnation202]

You see though Curtiss, I watched you some years back and you have matured into a different mindset which is good. You said some producers will make a beat with minimal instruments and think the beat is done but you said that beats is not done. It’s all in the feel. I always think back to The Whisper Song by Ying Yang Twins or Laffy Taffy by D4L. Even Soulja Boy’s first hit song. It’s just the vibe of the song.

[@callousrascal]

i think we should look into if the producer is empowering the artist orrr their battling the artist on performance perspective. I also believe that this decade must be dedicated to producers who tune another rapper/singer to their production and the way around.

[@SkriimMusic]

I'm sure 4 minute beats is like, not from the moment you power up your up your workstation. To me I feel like that when I tried making a particular sound for the past hour and a half, and then I say f it lemme just do something random to reset my ears, and without thinking, just randomly putting stuff together, you find yourself just having a whole 8 bar loop that just feels complete to you. You already have the whole arrangement , and mixing ideas.... then the rest is just the technical stuff... yeah. I kinda feel what he means, but still not litterally 4 minutes lol

[@SCMESD]

Great episode. This was really hard for me. I really had to learn how to use this instrument and let each instrument have a life of its on.

[@manatarmsslaps]

Yeah that's probably one of the biggest drawbacks of the modern era bedroom at home producer man.... I remember the first I actually built a track with an artist or two and just the magic and completion that came from it. Most people dont have the opportunity to experience that because of how things are now. The process of creating things together helps develop the ear of NOT DOING TOO MUCH. Also years ago most hiphop was simple beats due to the limitation of the equipment used but it also placed more value in the artist or mc on the beat because when the beat is simple, people actually have space to listen to you and that is why the MC had to actually be saying something on the track lol.. you can't hide behind one of those beats 😂. I have to catch myself these days not getting caught up in DOING TO MUCH when I create alone. One of the most recent songs that I created without an artist was literally one of those "5 min beats" but it turned out dope! Simple beat, drums, chopped sample, filtered sample for the baseline, some drum fills and arrangement done... Left space for the group and that was that.

[@ZoneyRegal]

Badass video. Great articulations on all of that

[@fauxsuede.]

Preach 🙌🙌

[@ibeatsbyjunius5341]

We love you Curtiss 👑!!!!

[@gutaninblanco]

my best beats are long making, core is done quick but then i replace drums or bass and all added stuff i remove if not needed

[@RickRijuanaPro]

I definitely learned the simplicity thing late. I went back and realized I was trying to sell artist Hip Hop Symphony's lmao Now I have folders of what I call "One Liners" As in 1 lead, drums and a bass. Thats's all

[@darrenhirst9900]

Producers think the rapper is going to be impressed by all the instruments and percussion samples you have in the beat but he just wants a simple beat.

[@RickRijuanaPro]

@@darrenhirst9900 Right. "Let Me Love You" has like 5 sounds and a nice swing. "Cream" has that piano loop a bass and some drums. "Grindin". One of the simplest complex beats ever

[@darrenhirst9900]

@@RickRijuanaPro Look at all the number one hits they're all simple tunes. 50 Cent in da club and Mask off all simple beats but they work because of the rapper. Thanks for the reply my friend.

[@jasonfisher1324]

Producers hear the music and artist hear the words. We gotta learn to hear the words while we’re making the beats.

[@jrountree584]

I know some people will disagree, but the reason the south been ruling the airwaves and club scenes for over 20 plus years now is because of simple beats. The audience don't care about complex beats with 300 sounds. All they care about is a nice beat to bounce to, and catchy hooks people can recite or sing to.........

[@BigCore-]

My quickest beats were original beats without samples, or with my favorite sampled drums. You make a melody and you go "hmm that's sounded alright". You add your favorite drums or any drum kit and you go "that's kind of aaight!"... A couple of sounds later and you have a little beat there. You never intended to make a beat but just wanted to see how that melody or bassline sounded.

[@alexguindon1794]

thank you for this

[@goodfellabeatsss]

Takes me around 4 days to finish a beat lol

[@GrandmasterX777]

I use about 3-4 drum sounds and 2-4 instruments ever since I saw that video of Mannie Fresh saying they only had 8 channels back in the Hot Boys days

[@Skobonyan]

SIMPLE is KING.

[@jaimerodriguez1550]

It's like 2 big things and a 3rd contributing factor Mumble rap, generic beats, and popularity of the artist over the quality. If the songs all sound the same because the rapper mumble rap and the beat sounds like every other beat, and the artist is incentivised to focus getting more famous that their ability to rap to be the king of the hill of hip hop, well that's a recipe for disaster.

[@dewritos2068]

Rio's beat used a Dez Wright loop and it did actually take that short, he has a breakdown video where he shows the total project time. The final beat on Drake's album "BackOutsideBoyz" has technically zero changes to it

[@Ripknoxx]

I always this this subject is subjective. Simple could be so many things. Simple to someone with 10 years experience sounds vasty different than simple from someone with 1 year experience.

[@theadvocatesbeats8913]

I make 4-8 minute beats almost EVERYDAY for 8+yrs! It keeps the brain fresh!!!!

[@CoolDali]

It’s tricky though. When you think about it, all of the old records people still rave about weren’t simple beats. At least simple to todays standard. I’ve been in sessions where artist skip the beat because it’s too simple. So to me as long as it has space for the artist to freestyle melodies, you good to go.

[@DiovanniDaville]

You're right and when i think of other Genres like Earth Wind and Fire its so complex and still has Room for vocals to shine on the mix or Bone thugs N Harmony with all their Complex but Classic Beats. So many factors to it. For Me when i make a simple beat i think "will people still listen to this in 5 or even 10 years down the road"?

[@CoolDali]

@@DiovanniDaville Right. Then theres post production. The beat might start off simple but once the vocals get recorded you can go back and add little ear candy and different things to keep it interesting.

[@kingkyoga9263]

Most beat makers never came up learning music theory or even came up in a school band, which explains why many can’t discern when a beat is finished on not, many just don’t understand music, just my take

[@streetlife20]

Maaaaan! I beeeeen saying this!!! 💯

[@streetlife20]

The “voice” is actually the instrument that’s missing often! Not more horns, more 808, more strings….

[@darrenhirst9900]

@@streetlife20 That's true.

[@citybusmuzik7558]

Thanks again and again pimp

[@DiovanniDaville]

Gotta create that Space for the Artist . Nevertheless, you can still make a complex beat as long as it goes with the Artist Flow & Delivery. Simple beats just take less time and leave so much Room = Cheat Code.

[@aaronwhitmanmusic]

But then these simple 4 minute beat producers will be replaced by AI....

[@CurtissKingTV]

🤐😂

[@ParkesFlowBeats]

Arrrrg feeed me😂😂😂😂

[@tysonxporter]

Mmmm the sage strikes again😂

[@Wren_The_Ten]

La la, la la la, don’t make fall Where do I find the intro song on flowcation and outro of this Vid brother?? 🙏

[@vipakamichollyhood]

You could make a decent beat in 10 mins if...IF...you already have your setup..Set..Up. rather that's all in a DAW or part DAW part analog equipment. And if you're super organized with your instruments, sounds, and samples. It's possible. Remember the producer said it was a few drum sounds he used. That tells me he used effects to make some of those drums sound like a different instrument. So its possible. But it's not the norm and it's nothing to shoot for.

[@grapeape1105]

9:07 so hungry you sounded like big smoke from GTA San Andreas

[@CurtissKingTV]

“Jack In The Box” hungry 🤣

[@grapeape1105]

@@CurtissKingTV that midnight hunger 😂😂

[@CurtissKingTV]

@@grapeape1105 😭

[@lexmusiclab]

I think as long as your melodies are crazy but your drums and 808 are simple, you're good. Or vice versa

[@tobysmith1380]

It takes years to make a 4min beat imo. Just to get a workflow that smooth takes a long time. I never applied efficiency to my production for some reason. I guess I see making beats as an escape, so I'm always tryna milk the experience. I forget that the listener wasn't there to hear this same beat for hours, and have no context for all these switch ups and drops 🤣

[@ukgoon85]

Didn't see your comment before I posted somethunf similar. Couldn't agree more with the years it took🙏🏿

[@KaySwiss420]

Bro you do your thing don't listen to these frauds

[@Kamen1]

Let’s just call it like it is, the general public want something they can easily digest.

[@ronnielabbe2149]

as a maschine user for 10 years i can make beats in a very short time 10 mins or less .

[@jazzhippie3878]

Simple could mean that a mix is clear and arrangement is crisp.. eg, 2 elements can crowd a song and drown the artist / whereas 10 elements mixed with real care can create a timeless classic...

[@zamokwakheshezi6798]

Jay Z's Show me what you got was a completely complex beat. Also Kanye West's Yeezy album had some complex beats there

[@jamerv777smerf]

Lmao a 4 min beat is crazy especially the one that got a drake placement WTF😂😂

[@beatsbykhalil]

"Feed me ni**a"😂

[@CurtissKingTV]

😂

[@BIGDAVEMUZIK]

🎯

[@jasonfisher1324]

Look at bands. There’s drums, keyboard, bass guitar, and lead guitar.

[@BigCore-]

I like to make skeletons and only add extra sounds after the vocalist does their thing on the beat.

[@jasonfisher1324]

I layer sounds in my beats.

[@Entertainment_Records]

As a producer/ artist

[@jamerv777smerf]

Great mf vid breh🔥

[@gabrielmundaka]

The 4 mintute beat thing i feel is like the rapper who doesn't write type of narrative

[@CurtissKingTV]

Agreed. Never thought about those being similar flexes but that’s so true

[@gabrielmundaka]

@@CurtissKingTV Yeah and what makes it worse it always out of context where the part of I have been doing and toiling at this for 10 -20 year is left out so seems like thier magicans with talent from the gods and young prodcucers and artists miss that

[@natemakesbeats2138]

**Madlib has entered the chat** **mfdoom has entered the chat** But in all seriousness working with other people in the room unfortunately cuts your flow in half, might habe been what you needed to happen though

[@d-classicbeats9955]

🤔🤔 That’s all that you want? 😂😂😂😂

[@darrenhirst9900]

Sometimes It why did I even bother? 😂

[@blackrex828]

Man, i feel attacked 😅, but i get it i had an artist tell me they didn't want certain elements in the beat i was selling them. I had artists in my group that told me i was too much and needed to scale back a bit. I usually just make beats for me, but now i see i need to really listen to my beats.

[@tvariuness]

this is facts because we all know when 9th made the beat for "duckworth" he was focused on impressing other producers. smfhahahaha!!!! foh!

[@wallykuhlenberg]

He used a loop bro. All he did was add basic ass drum midi

[@TheRealJPhillips]

I've heard some of the most OVER PRODUCED music I'm beatbattles that I've ever heard since some of the Dallas Austin sht from the new Jack Swing era l. 😫🤣

[@darrenhirst9900]

Be like its not a premier at a Hollywood film.😂

[@youngiconzent246]

Just keep the beats simple & don't have all the instruments clashing all over the place or it will sound confusing..

[@Entertainment_Records]

Hmm, I know I’m not on the wrong direction

[@kaiirosarchive]

Find the best artist like future , Drake , Meek , Travis Scott and just listen to their projects ATL Jacob don’t be making all these crazy DRUM ROLLS ANd stuff Wondagurl & boi da never disappoints me when I hear a Travis Scott song One of my favorite producers illangelo ( The Weeknd’s main producer) speaks about simplicity all the time on his twitch streaM JOY ODYSSEY

[@BounceOrBail]

the loop took more than 4 minutes to make tho

[@tvariuness]

when YOU'RE simple, you prefer simple.

[@darrenhirst9900]

Sounds like when you're I.Q is low you like simple beats

[@catac1ysm13]

cause its ours not yours its a collab

[@ahleempennyfeather18]

I am a victim stuffing my beat to much.

[@followthewaytaylor5872]

Four minutes I don’t believe him or anyone!