Our 10 Favorite Rap Beats of 2018 and Why We Still Love Them
We count down and break down our ten favorite hip-hop beats of 2018 to find out what’s going on inside them and why they’re still so good.
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How Is Playlist Culture Affecting Our Listening Choices? A New York City Experiment
I spent a day in Union Square, New York City, asking passersby what they’re listening to and how they discovered it, and learned a lot about myself.
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5 Secrets to Making Your Sub-Bass Notes Audible
+ Welcome to Soundfly! We help curious musicians meet their goals with creative online courses. Whatever you want to learn, whenever you need to learn it. Subscribe now to start learning on the ’Fly. Whether you’re making pop, hip-hop, or EDM, chances are your music is going to include sub-bass. For those who aren’t familiar, sub-bass frequencies are low-pitched notes below approximately…
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Where Have All the V Chords Gone? The Decline of ‘Functional’ Harmony in Pop
+ Welcome to Soundfly! We help curious musicians meet their goals with creative online courses. Whatever you want to learn, whenever you need to learn it. Subscribe now to start learning on the ’Fly. So there I was, doing research on topics such as “summer 2017 songwriting trends,” when it hit me. You guys, this is getting ridiculous — where did…
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Moments in Music: 10 Affordable Drum Machines That Outshine Their Price
Everyone knows that Jeff Mills shreds on a TR-909, that Egyptian Lover shakes up a room with his TR-808, and that legendary percussionist Sheila E (who worked with Prince, Marvin Gaye, Beyoncé, Diana Ross, and more) makes magic happen with a Linn LM-1. There’s no doubt that these drum machines — and the artists that made them iconic — changed…
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8 Ways to Perform with a Backing Track (and Still Engage Your Audience)
If your onstage MO includes a backing track or other electronic support, follow these steps to still give a live performance your fans will love.
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Music Publishing News: Drake’s Latest, Spotify’s Two New Acquisitions and More
By Songtrust Every month, our friends at Songtrust compile a round-up of the most noteworthy developments in music publishing. Catch up on all the industry news in our Music Publishing News archive! Drake’s More Life may set a precedent for future releases in the era of streaming. The Canadian artist’s newest project, which he describes as “a body of…
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How Kendrick Lamar Achieves Mainstream Appeal with a Complex, Innovative Approach
+ Learn the nuances of producing beats, arranging tracks, and creative sampling, drawing on the rich history and influence of hip-hop in Soundfly’s acclaimed online course, The Art of Hip-Hop Production. One of Kendrick Lamar’s greatest benedictions as an artist is his ability to connect, which, on the surface, seems strange, because his stories are so…
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Defining & Deconstructing the Characteristics of a Billboard #1 Hit Song
What is it that makes a Billboard #1 song? Why do some songs make it to the top while others flop? The answer seems to be a difficult cocktail made up of formulaic songwriting mixed with a few unique ingredients that set a song apart; when blended correctly, it’s capable of hooking millions of listeners. Let’s…
