![]() ![]() For example, in my “Moonchild” era, I was heavily into spaced out, warm pads because they reminded me of my own melodies, just a bit more complex. After using the program for a while, I would gravitate toward specific types of loops. In hindsight, what I appreciate most about Splice is that it helped me to identify my “sound” by forcing me to choose samples that inspired me to create. It was a no-brainer decision to speed up my workflow. To make things even easier, each loop also contains information about the sample such as its BPM or key. In other words, for just $9.99/month, I could pump out premium instrumentals and keep all the profit. ![]() This meant that all I had to do was drag full melodies into my DAW (digital audio workstation), add drums, and sell/distribute beats without giving up any backend percentages. That’s when I first started using Splice.įor those who don’t know, Splice is a royalty-free, subscription-based sound library with millions of loops. After all, I had a beatpad, not a synthesizer. Although my original melodies were drastically improving, the default sounds in Logic felt very limited, and I wanted to focus on crafting my own drums. I didn’t realize this fully then, but I was building a studio. Then, I bought my first MIDI controller: the AKAI Professional MPD218. Plus, I usually had an essay or two due the next day.Ī few years later, at the age of 21, I used my tax refund to upgrade from GarageBand to Logic Pro X. I hadn’t yet figured out how to add drums, change pitch, or do anything else that would inspire more creativity. My process was unique, to say the least, and honestly not the most efficient. After that, there wasn’t really much else I knew how to do. Then, if I found a cool loop, I’d overlay an acapella verse with a similar tempo. Basically, I learned how to use the “Split at Playhead” feature in GarageBand which allowed me to chop old-school records on any given part of a song. As a consumer of hip-hop, I wanted to produce beats that lyrical artists like Mos Def could rhyme over… so I’d watch YouTube tutorials on sampling techniques. ![]() However, with zero knowledge of chord progressions or music theory, the loops I created were very basic and not really cool. For various reasons, I did not get along with my first two assigned roommates, so I spent most of my evenings in the stacks of Louis Stokes Library (not only is it one of the more modern facilities on campus, but it’s also right across the street from my old dorm, which meant I could stay until closing hours and walk back quickly).īefore starting any homework assignments, I’d load up GarageBand on my computer and pick a sound to play on the keyboard (Musical Typing). Once upon a time, I was an 18-year-old aspiring DJ/Producer and transfer student at Howard University. ![]()
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