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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

2009-06-10T18:12:00.000-07:00

Is it safe to purchase at RapManual....YES! We have been in business for four years and have a flawless record of customer service. All payments are handled by PayPal on their secure server (we accept paypal & credit cards). We also give a strong Money-Back-Guarantee on all purchases. If you have any questions about our site simply give us a email.....

* RAPTECHNIQUE

2008-08-18T11:41:00.001-07:00

RapTechnique

- This will show you everything you need to become the ultimate lyricist. It doesn't matter if you want to learn how to rap or are an experienced veteran. The knowledge shown here cannot be learned anywhere else. Its large lyricist dictionary is an absolute must-have (with examples bar shown for every single definition). We also include exclusive up-to-date tips and tricks that the greatest rappers in the world use and much more. - www.RapManual.com

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* RAPLABEL

2008-08-18T11:40:00.000-07:00

RapLabel

- Any producer in the rap and hip hop genres of music needs to know what it takes to operate a successful, profitable record label and the business knowledge behind it. This intimate knowledge was once held only for producers making profitable music in the country, rock and pop music industries. Only now is this information specialized and revealed to the hip hop producer. Because this book specializes in only rap and hip hop music, your questions posed are directly assessed and answered. - www.RapManual.com

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* RAPSTUDIO

2008-08-18T11:39:00.001-07:00

RapStudio

- A rapper that wants to record his music needs to know how to build a studio without buying a home-studio book that only fulfills the needs for mainly rock, pop, country groups and singers, This book is specialized to tell you the precise type of studio a rapper should build, minus all the excess clutter you usually find. There is no discussion on hip hop non-issues such as "drum-kit microphone set-up techniques" and "amps" and "guitars". This is 100 percent specialized for the studio lyricist. -www.RapManual.com

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* BEATSTUDIO

2008-08-18T11:38:00.000-07:00

BeatStudio

- Beatmakers need to build studios for their music equipment just like every other type of musician. For someone that makes instrumentals for a living it can be discouraging to find that there is not even one book specialized for the needs of a hip hop beat maker. Unlike other home-studio books, this focuses only on the "beatmaker". No talk or mention of microphone equipment, acoustic, wind and string instruments are in here to waste your valuable time. This leaves more room for what is important in making a great beatmaker studio. - www.RapManual.com

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* RAP ENGINEER

2008-08-18T11:37:00.000-07:00

RapEngineer

- So you've bought a ton of professional music equipment and made a bunch of music, but it keeps coming off as sounding "amateurish" no matter what you do. You know that you're much better than these bubble-gum music clowns, but your music doesn't prove it. You feel inadequate to other music professionals, so much so that you think of quitting often. You know they have some type of edge, but you just can't seem to figure it out. Honestly, the only thing separating you from these so-called "pros" is that the either they know how to mix and master their music well or they give it to somebody who does. For example all this "loudness" you try your best to attain is just basic finalizing and limiting that major music labels have taken to an extreme nth power. another example is your instruments are sounding muddy in your mixes or your vocals don't sound as "isolated" from the instrumental as the pros. A quick brush-up with this book should cure you.

This "home sound engineer" book is specialized for hip hop only, meaning it addresses the needs of hip hop rappers, singers and beatmakers with precise settings you should use. None of that vague "roll off the bottom, raise the mids" garbage that advanced hiphop producers or some rap forum "groupie" will tell you. (Hint: they keep the good stuff for themselves, they figure in their selfish minds "Why give someone else my edge I worked so hard to get? Especially this newbie."). Once you learn how to mix and master your own music you will instantly sound thousands of times more professional taking your music career much further than before. - www.RapManual.com

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* SPECIAL DEAL DISCOUNTS

2008-08-18T11:36:00.002-07:00

This is the RAPMANUAL.com special deal package for the ebooks:

RapTechnique
RapStudio
RapLabel

By buying the "Rapper's Special" deal you get a 30% discount, as each book originally costs $9.99.

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This is the RAPMANUAL.com special deal package for the ebooks:

RapTechnique
RapStudio
RapLabel
RapEngineer
BeatStudio

By buying the "5-Pack Special" deal you get a 30% discount, as each book originally costs $9.99.

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Allegory & Alliteration

2008-08-18T11:36:00.001-07:00

ALLEGORY

An explained metaphor. (i.e: “Your sic wit it, BECAUSE the crowd’s screamin/”. The word “because” explains why “your sic wit it.”)

ALLITERATION

Repetition of the same sounds or types of sounds at the beginning of words. (i.e; “spit, sit, slit, some split sure cents/”. Note that “cents” does not begin with a “s” but still sounds the same.)

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Anti-Personification & Antonym

2008-08-18T11:35:00.000-07:00

ANTI-PERSONIFICATION

Comparing a human to an inanimate object. (i.e; “Your girl’s like a refrigerator , everyone sticks meat in it/”. The girl is compared to the refrigerator.)

ANTONYM

A word with the opposite meaning as another word. (i.e.; “hot/cold”, “sun/moon”, “up/down”.)

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Apologue & Assonance

2008-08-18T11:34:00.000-07:00

APOLOGUE

Based on a fable. Where you compare inanimate or animate creatures and compare them to people using fables or stories. (i.e: “Stayed steady like the tortoise, now ahead of the hare/” / Story of the tortoise and the hare.)

ASSONANCE

Repeating similar or identical vowel sounds, but contains changes in the consonants that are intervening. (i.e; “silly bill, killed Nifty Bill at Six fifty/”)

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Bar Shift & Biting

2008-08-18T11:33:00.002-07:00

BAR SHIFT

A bar shift is when a bar ends with a word that you would not expect )(i.e; ending with dog, then ending in rat)

“Grimey lyrics, transform like alchemy, going off like balconies/
But clear like falcon sees, I spit em once, and now they’re chalkin me/
STALKIN ME, with lights but told em all, the flows invincible/
Intimidate your cards, I fold em all, uncomprehensible/”

In the above “stalkin me” is where I continued from “chalkin me”, I then shifted and used the word “invincible”, a totally different fhyming word from the first 2 bars. To shift, put a rhyming word from the end of your second bar to the very beginning of your third bar.

BITING

Can mean many things where you copy and repeat with words, schemes or technical use. It also means using a quotation and not giving immediate credit to the author or creator.

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Callback & Colloquialism

2008-08-18T11:33:00.001-07:00

CALLBACK

Callbacks are a rhyme at the beginning of the first bar that eventually rhymes with words at the end of the second bar.

COLLOQUIALISM

Quote, slang, or verbal expression used. (i.e; “ride the beat”, “get down”, “get head”)

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Dueling Proverb & Flow

2008-08-18T11:32:00.001-07:00

DUELING PROVERB

A bar shift is when a bar ends with a word that you would not expect )(i.e; ending with dog, then ending in rat)

“Grimey lyrics, transform like alchemy, going off like balconies/
But clear like falcon sees, I spit em once, and now they’re chalkin me/
STALKIN ME, with lights but told em all, the flows invincible/
Intimidate your cards, I fold em all, uncomprehensible/”

In the above “stalkin me” is where I continued from “chalkin me”, I then shifted and used the word “invincible”, a totally different fhyming word from the first 2 bars. To shift, put a rhyming word from the end of your second bar to the very beginning of your third bar.

FLOW

Can mean many things where you copy and repeat with words, schemes or technical use. It also means using a quotation and not giving immediate credit to the author or creator.

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Hendiadys & Homonym

2008-08-18T11:31:00.001-07:00

HENDIADYS

Using two or more nouns describing something instead of using one. (i.e; She has boobs like a porn star, voice like Mariah/ But she has a forehead that’s bigger than Tyra’s/”. This hendiadys uses three, comparing to a pornstar, Mariah Carey and Tyra Banks.)

HOMONYM

A word that is spelled the same, but means something different. (i.e; “tell and tale”, “whale and wale”, “sight and site”.)

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Idiom & Implication

2008-08-18T11:30:00.000-07:00

IDIOM

Slang or words that have no meaning except through figurative speech. (i.e; “throw dem bos” symbolizes fighting; “follow the white rabbit” symbolizes the start of a journey.)

IMPLICATION

Implies something or words that are not direct. (i.e; “I see you’re comin’ out the closet/” implies they are homosexual and embarrassed of something, therefore hiding in the closet.)

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Inners & Kenning

2008-08-18T11:29:00.000-07:00

INNERS

An inner is just a word that rhymes but not at the end of the bar. (i.e; “Chokin up VETS like a kamikaze fighter/in SETS. Take BETS on whos hot spitfire is lighter/”. “Vets”, “Sets” and “Bets” are the inners.)

KENNING

A name given to something for what it is essentially used for, or what it does. (i.e; “My records touch the DJ, soundwaves hit the back/needle like a drug and you’re addicted like crack/”. The DJ needle on the record player becomes a drug needle.)

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Metalepsis & Metallage

2008-08-18T11:27:00.000-07:00

METALEPSIS

This is the advanced form of metonymy. (i.e; “I’m poppin’ lyrics to shatter your dome piece/” . “Poppin” here equals to guns shooting, “dome piece” is compared to a stadium dome.)

METALLAGE

Comparing a colloquialism to a person. (i.e; “I ride the beat like the master of a horse and carriage/”)

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Metaphor & Metonymy

2008-08-18T11:25:00.000-07:00

METAPHOR

Saying one thing is another. (i.e; “She’s like a sickness/” compares her to being a sickness.)

METONYMY

Comparing something to what it does. (i.e; “I talk much smack/” where you actually talk much “words”, but the sound of the words you talk make a smack sound so you substitute “words” with “smack” because that is what the words do.)

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Multies & Parable

2008-08-17T23:31:00.000-07:00

MULTIES

This is the art of consistently rhyming multiple syllables either in one bar or more. There are actually diverse definitions depending on who you ask. Three or more syllables in multis is even better.

PARABLE

This is when two different things in a simile get compared and described. (i.e; “I get high as flappin wings, so I never fall down/ Like a bird with eagle flight, I’m never touchin the ground/”. This describes the similes “flapping wings” and “bird with eagle flight”.)

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Personification & Proverb

2008-08-17T23:30:00.001-07:00

PERSONIFICATION

Making an inanimate object act in a human way. (i.e; “This song hits, the snares be clappin/” . Snares don’t actually clap, but here they are compared to the human function of clapping. The song doesn’t actually hit, but here, the song is compared to humans fighting/punching.)

PROVERB

Repeating an old sayin. (i.e; “What goes up must come down/”)

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Quotation & Rhyme Schemes

2008-08-17T23:28:00.000-07:00

QUOTATION

Repeating a line someone else said and usually gives tribute to the author. (i.e; “Like Jay-Z said, I’m Big Pimpin/”)

RHYME SCHEMES

A rhyme scheme is the following:
Word, word, word, RHYME/ (Bar 1)
Word, word, word, RHYME/

Or another

Word, RHYME, word, word, RHYME/ (Bar 1)
Word, word, word, word, RHYME/ (Bar 2)

Or

A,A,A,B
A,A,A,B (where B is the rhyming words)

Or

A,C,A,B
A,A,C,B (where B and C are the rhyming words, C are the “inners”)

It is the order of where rhymes go in your bars.

(i.e; “I got money and a benz, my wallets bigger than a car/
Got more bars than a millionaire who’s playin guitar/”)

Easy simple scheme, but you can make more ear catching ones.

(i.e; “Grimey lyrics, transform like alchemy, over the balconies/
But clear like falcon sees, I spit em once, and now they’re chalkin me/”)

Notice how the bars rhymed in two places each with multiple syllables. Every word didn’t rhyme perfect, but close enough as not to pay attention to it, that is not bad in rap. In rap it is known as a “slant rhyme”.

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Simile & Slant Rhyme

2008-08-17T23:27:00.002-07:00

SIMILE

Any time you say “as” or like” . (i.e; “I’m like a bird”)

SLANT RHYME

A slant rhyme is when words do not rhyme exactly, but still sound like they do.

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Switch-Ups & Symbols

2008-08-17T23:27:00.001-07:00

SWITCH-UPS

Switch-ups are basically when you switch your usual rhyme scheme pattern for a different or faster scheme then fall back on your original scheme. To find your natural rhyme schemes just listen to a plain instrumental and hum a freestyle over it, you’ll automatically add the extra emphasis on the words that rhyme.

SYMBOLS

A word substituting the actual thing. (i.e; “I’m walkin in my flip-flops/”, saying flip-flops instead of just saying slippers, flip-flop is the symbol used because slippers make a “flip flop” type of sound when you walk.)

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Synonym & Bars and Hooks

2008-08-17T23:26:00.001-07:00

SYNONYM

A word with the same meaning as another word. (i.e; “cold/freezing”, “cut/slice” “money/currency”, “dead/diseased”.)

BARS AND HOOKS

A bar is the time it takes to count to 4 on rhythm in any song, this is because the time on any rap song is in the 4/4 time format. A usual verse in a commercial song is 16 bars, sometimes 8, and on freestyles nobody counts. To count bars simply count to 4 in rhythm on any song and add one after each succession. In a normal rap song you should be able to count to 64 on beat, remember after each 4 is a new bar. Hence 64 divided by 4 is 16.

A hook is the chorus part of a song that comes immediately after the verse or bridge and is usually 4 to 8 bars and above after the breakdown part of the song and sometimes may fade out.

The breakdown is after the first two choruses and is sometimes continues by another verse. Sometimes the instrumental music may change slightly and an extra verse or chorus may compliment it.

The Bridge is like an extra chorus that can be used anywhere.

Basic song structure:

intro
verse
chorus
verse2(*1)
chorus
breakdown(*2)
chorus
chorus
outro

*1 = there may be more than 2 verse or choruses
*2 = a breakdown/instrumental sequence varies in bars and in some songs do not exist.

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Breath Control & Choosing Topics

2008-08-17T23:25:00.001-07:00

BREATH CONTROL

Take a note in where a pause in the verse is at then use that time for you're breaths. At first this may be hard to do, but as you get more advanced, you will find you automatically write rhymes that give you space to breath and rhymes that are too close together, you will erase or scribble them out. Breathing through your nose at tiny breaks and using your diaphram muscle helps as well.

CHOOSING TOPICS

You must choose the topic that fits the type of rapper you are. IF you have problems and get writers block, think of a subject you have strong opinions about. When you are on a creative spree, brainstorm a list of ideas to look back upon for when you have writer's block.Can mean many things where you copy and repeat with words, schemes or technical use. It also means using a quotation and not giving immediate credit to the author or creator.

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Freestyling & Increasing Speed

2008-08-17T23:23:00.000-07:00

FREESTYLING

First, I suggest you listen to other great freestyle rappers like Cassidy, Eminem, Jin, Hell Rell, Jay-Z or Fabolous to get a feel of how an expert does it. Practice freestyling anywhere and everywhere to get yourself accustomed to freestyling on the spot. Even if you think you sound stupid just keep doing it. As an exercise, get a friend (or you could do this by yourself) and point at random objects in a room and freestyle on it, T.V., refrigerator, phone, then rhyme as much words as you can. At this point it does not matter if it makes sense. Pausing after a word causes it to have more power, especially if a word is rhymed with the paused wor on the next bas. Also watch T.V. and take notes on daily things that are occuring. USing famous people or events is HIGHLY effective when you need that strong punchline to close your last bar.

Then start taking on subjects you have strong opinion to and start freestyling about that, this will develop you to have substance. Keep practicing, once this is mastered continue to the next step. Now you can freestyle battle. Battle with friends or if you can find someone who is really good, battle him. After each battle most freestylers will automatically tell you what they felt you’ve lacked, so you will improve. I’m not saying a great boxer becomes great by losing street matches, but it would unquestionably make him more humble. Eventually, after your weaknesses are spotted and improved (staying on topic, picking something about your opponent and mocking it) you should be very lethal.

Freestyling consists of disses, metaphors and punchline patterns.

- A diss is basically attacking someones appearance, personality, lifestyle, history, family, obvious weaknesses.

- A metaphor is comparing your enemy to something animate or inanimate to insult them.

- A punchline is the bar that can take the diss or metaphor and puts it in a single bar.

INCREASING SPEED

Can mean many things where you copy and repeat with words, schemes or technical use. It also means using a quotation and not giving immediate credit to the author or creator.

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Increasing Vocabulary & Perfecting Your Flow

2008-08-17T23:22:00.000-07:00

Increasing Vocabulary

A rapper with a low vocabulary is going to find it very hard to consistently rhyme large words. Therefore, I suggest you buy a dictionary and randomly pick out a large word every day. I know this sounds stupid, or young, but this is the most effective way. Also, picking up a slang dicitionary should familiarize yourself with words common in regions elsewhere, but uncommon across. Masters of slang are bay area rappers, notibly E-40 and Keak Da Sneak, listenin to one album of these veterans should expose you to slang words past, present, and future. Another neccesary tool is a rhyming dictionary, having one will mean you will NEVER run out of words to rhyme.

Perfecting Your Flow

Now, you may not understand what I will teach you, but still listen carefully because this is the hardest thing to describe. You can have all the technical knowledge ever presented in rap, but still be wack. Why? This is because you must also develop a decent voice to work with your lyrics. When people listen to your voice they unconsciously judge it. The psychology of why this happen is complicated. When you hear a higher pitched voice rapping fast and a lower pitched voice rapping fast, you will automatically think the higher pitched rapper is faster even though they are rapping the same speed. High pitched voices tend to be associated with being not intimidating, smart, fast, kind, gentle, versatile, and having better rhyme schemes even if it is not ture. A lower pitched voice will have the opposite effect. Lower pitched voices have the effect of being associated with intimidating, not as smart, less kind, slower, more one dimensional and less versatile and having worse constructed rhymes schemes. Also, the social views of the voices may change so it is not uncommon for them to switch with the seasons or fads as to which one is perceived better in different areas. This is called the “BALANCED” voice and you can have good flow with both types of voices. Be versatile by using the strong points of both voices and with a nice balance you should be able to achieve a good flow.

Now the second to achieving good flow is the “FLUID” voice. This means not being jerky and using rhyme schemes that allow you to use good breath control. To achieve this, obtain instrumentals and rap non-stop over them. Continue to use this on a daily basis and you will find what you can and cannot do with your voice, your breath control will be a snap and you will find your puny voice will be replaced by a voice that demands attention.

The third step is the “EMOTIONAL” voice. Please use emotion in every rhyme (i.e; “I got hyphy! Slapped a fool for starin’ at me wifey/”. On “I got hyphy!” you would use emotion of making your voice louder and yelling, while on “Starin at me wifey” you would lower the noise level of your voice and say it in anger.) Using facial expressions will help convince yourself of the emotion. Example of good flow for lower pitched voices are Rakim and Krayzie Bone. Examples for higher pitched voices are Twista, Lil Wayne and Eminem. Examples for mid-pitch voices are Big Boi, Andre 3000 and Jay-Z.

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Types Of Rappers

2008-08-17T23:21:00.001-07:00

TYPES OF RAPPERS

There are several different types of rappers. The main types are the following:

- glamour
- hustler
- conscience
- pure lyricist
- storyteller
- tongue twister
- political
- religious

A "glamour" rapper's lyrics mainly brag about materialistic things such as cars jewelry, women, money and houses.

A "hustler" rapper's lyrics will be mainly about selling things such as drugs, cds, or even tamales.

A "conscience" rapper is sometimes referred to as a "backpacker" rapper and they rap about things ranging from elevating the mind, drugs, social issues, family and various issues.

"Pure Lyricist" rappers focus on the technical side of rap, sometimes using long complicated words and schemes and rarely care about topics beyond self glorification and put downs of others.

"Storyteller" rappers make songs where they tell a part or whole of a story. Most of the time these songs involve a well put together plot and some use of technical skill such as metaphors, multis and punchlines.

"Tongue Twister" rappers have the ability to rap in atleast 8/4 bar form, double or faster the speed of normal rappers.

"Political" rappers are similar to conscience rappers, but they do not stress niches of lifestyles of individuals and are more general to people in political power, laws, social issues and for the improvement of humanity, they also may be simply for anti-establishment.

"Religious" rappers talk about personal and non-personal experiences past and present with their god.

Note: A "conscience" a rapper usually will refuse to rap about hustler mentality and are sometimes insulted by the content of a glamour rapper. Each of these types are furthermore separated into regional, state, city, neighborhood, street divisions. No rapper is usually in only one category, most rappers are a mix, though there are extreme cases. Also, the instrumental music of each category is vastly diverse.

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When You Lose & When You Win

2008-08-17T23:19:00.002-07:00

When You Lose

Everybody loses at freestyling, especially at the beginning, you must have the power to humble yourself. Improve your skill, rematch your opponent and win to get the losing feeling off your shoulders

When You Win

Great feeling, you defeat a lesser skilled opponent or an opponent who has chosen the wrong weapons to attack you.

NOTE: Freestyling is not about speed, it is about clarity. You want everybody to understand every word you say, that is why most great freestylers rap slow and annunciate every word. The last thing you want in freestyling is to say your best punchline and not be understood.

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Billboard Album Certification

2008-08-17T23:19:00.001-07:00

Billboard Album Certification

When an album sells an extraordinary amount of copies it will become certified by billboard for it's triumphant feat. If an album sells 500,000 or more copies it is certified gold. If an album sells 1,000,000 or more copies it is certified platinum. When an album sells more that 10,000,000 copies it is certified diamond. In common speech and talk this is not so however. In common speech, between 1,000,000 and 10,000,000 the number of times certified is referred to as platinum, for example if you sell 6,500,000 copies you would be certified 6.5 times platinum, not .65 times diamond. After you reach diamond many people still refer to sales as platinum, for example Michael Jackson's Thriller album sold over 65,000,000 copies, so this album would be certified 65 times platinum, not 6.5 times diamond.

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Drugs

2008-08-17T23:18:00.002-07:00

DRUGS

How many musicians have we seen succumb to death because of drugs? In fact, drugs are a crime against humanity. I will not lecture you on what to do, but know that hallucinogenic and highly addictive drugs that alter your state of mind will damage slowly deteriorate your psyche, which will effect your rhymes.

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Horrorcore

2008-08-17T23:18:00.001-07:00

Horrorcore

A horrorcore rapper is any rapper who's main topic focuses around dark humor, death or intensively negative aspects of life. As a horrorcore rapper the actual lyrical skill will not be a focus. The content or subject matter will be the focus and you may be perceived "weak" if you stray to far from the formula, losing your niche fan base.

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Image

2008-08-17T23:17:00.002-07:00

Image

Your image is the total package of yourself that is presented to the mass media. Although many rappers neglect their image because they don't want to seem "fake" they should not as it has a psychological effect on their rhymes. If an emcee is generally not liked or very well or suffers from a lack of a loyal fan base, crowd or any support (like because you suck, or are just lame as hell) your rhymes may not even be listened to, only your swagger and actions will be viewed, it will be as if you're rhymes are on a mental mute. For example if a rapper is held in high esteem and then found to be homosexual, racist or atheist (or lame aka Ja Rule) it could drastically effect his image to the media and he may never again be taken serious. Even his rhymes may elude to the fact that he is gay, soft or a devil worshipper in the minds of the average consumer.

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Losing Focus

2008-08-17T23:17:00.001-07:00

Losing Focus

Every one in life suffers, is jubilant, is depressed, is delighted. During emotional times in your life you will not see the logic of becoming a great rapper and lose sight of this goal in your life. If you have already reached a high plateau, you will slowly de-evolve if you do not have a daily regiment of keeping sharp and setting and accomplishing goals. Once lost in focus you may never recover and be just a shell of your former self. Materialism and elitism often hit rappers with good skill once they become famous. Famous rappers feed their ego this newfound praise that they do not have to work hard to get anymore as verification of their greatness, and so they do not work as hard anymore even with the shortest of bars.

Ask yourself this question. You have to be "great" not good to be a superstar rapper right? Then how come all rappers who were good "back then" suck so bad now? There really isn't even "one" great rapper who is famous, and don't be brainwashed by these "self-proclaimed" greatest rappers alive, I've heard thousands of rappers and little jokes like (old man and notorious, biter not a writer, hawaii silky shirt wearin) Jay-Z and (no content, no subject matter, not making sense, homosexual man-kissing, size 7 shoe wearing, midget, cocaine trainwreck, Harry Potter mark of Voldemort on his forehead, call another grown man daddy) lil Wayne couldn't hold their jock strap.

You must remain hungry, trying to become better than any rapper you perceive to better than you. This animalistic train of though will allow you to write rhymes to perfection no matter the situation. And know now that there is always someone much better than you, so let that become your drive.

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Mental Rhymes

2008-08-17T23:16:00.000-07:00

Mental Rhymes

As you get great and greater in technical skill your rhymes will start to become full of "color" and content, making them unforgettable and easily memorized (This is also the mark of a great emcee, congratulations!) Your rhymes will not start to strangely become "mental rhymes". A negative effect this may have is that once they become permanent mental rhymes they often are unable to become edited in your head. Another negative effect is in the music genre of rap, you generally spit your 16 bars once, in one song or freestyle only, so it may clog your "mental RAM" making you prone to spit something remarkably similar more than a few times if you are not careful. A mental rhyme is not to confused with a freestyle. Freestyles are free topic "fight rhymes", mental rhymes have structures and are usually pre-determined in a 16 bar format. Great mental rhymer are The Notorious B.I.G. (R.I.P.) and Jay-Z.

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Observing Yourself

2008-08-17T23:15:00.000-07:00

Observing yourself become a better rapper

Even with all that you now know and the mental adjustments and improvements you have placed on yourself you may not be able to tell that you have improved. This may prove to be frustrating, but let me assure you that it is only an illusion. Do you remember your first rhymes? If you do, then you remember how amateurish you may have sounded and swear on your great grannies grave that you will strangle anyone who may have secretly recorded it or copied it on paper, you're probably even embarrassed to hear those bars come out your own mouth. You know for a definite fact that you are much better now than you were then. Did you actually see the change or if you're like many it was completely gradual self correction like in geology how erosion in nature steadily grinds or smoothes rough edges. By applying the technical aspects to your flow, you will not at first see your shift in improvement. It is only by time and experience that you know how you have become closer to every rapper's egotistical goal of become the greatest rapper alive in some form or another.. Also, do not hide your ego, the true essence of all rappers are not rhymes, flow and image. Not to sound new-age, but the essence is the inner rapper within, by saying you do not want to become something, tells your conscience "No, he don't want" and it will unconsciously shift you to do things that reinforce you not wanting it that bad (like snacking on some fritos when you need to be editing your bars). Once confident in themselves a rapper will unleash a wrath of power only known by super heroes in comic books.

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Weak Rhymes

2008-08-17T23:14:00.000-07:00

WEAK RHYMES

We all face times when our rhymes are just "not there" and we spit things that are faulty in many technical aspects. Although it is almost impossible to prune yourself completely of weak rhyes, a good check and balance system should be in place to minimize their appearance. You can do this by completely ignoring your written rhymes until a week or so. Then after that short period of time has elapsed you can reread your material, you should be able to see where improvement can be many. No matter how small the change, you should still fix them, people will notice your attention to detail just as they will on other types of artists. At this same time, a thesaurus or rhyming dictionary should also become tools of revision.

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--------RAPLABEL--------

2008-08-17T23:09:00.000-07:00

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A&R & Airplay

2008-08-17T23:06:00.000-07:00

A&R (ARTIST & REPERTOIRE)

The ones in charge of finding and signing new talent. They also have a hand at choosing album cuts and studio selection.

AIRPLAY

Airplay is very competitive. There are two ways to get airplay. One is through money and the other is through buzz. Either you pay a hired radio promoter a bunch of loot, or get buzz. Buzz can be obtained on college radio and other indie radio outlets like mixshows and late night specialties enough to generate public awareness. Buzz can also be made announcing your release date or distribution or gigs. There is one third way. Luck.

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Art Department & Barcodes

2008-08-17T11:30:00.000-07:00

ART DEPARTMENT

They are in charge of artwork like album covers and advertisements.

BARCODES

These are parallel lines that vary in width and represent a 12 digit number called the Universal Product Code number or UPC. When they are on your album and scanned the store digitally stores data of what album is being sold. You don’t need a barcode if you’re selling in mom & pop stores and gigs, but once you sell in retail and online retailers you do. You can get one from http://www.uc-council.org. The fee for a professional barcode is around $750.00 plus the cost to renew it every year. If you want your sales to count on charts then you must register your barcode with SoundScan. There is a way to get around the $750.00 price of a barcode and that is by signing up for Cdbaby.com and buying one for $10.00 there, but this type of barcode only counts for your first 10,000 sales, after that you must buy a new one.

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BDS/Soundscan & Business Affair

2008-08-17T11:29:00.000-07:00

BDS and SOUNDSCAN

BDS tracks your radio airplay. Registration to BDS is free (although it costs to get back data), send them your song name, label and genre of music.
Their address is:

8100 NW 101st Terrace
Kansas City, MO 64153
ATTN: Encoding Department

BUSINESS AFFAIR

Takes care of any financing and payroll issues.

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Business Plan & Consignment

2008-08-17T11:28:00.000-07:00

BUSINESS PLAN

In this document you will show your plans on budget, marketing, your absolute strengths and weak points and any problems that you face.

CONSIGNMENT

Consignment is when a store takes your product and you are paid when they sell. Usually by contract you promise to promote your album and they keep it on the shelves. You must keep vigorous track of sales or you the store may keep your money. It is very wise to use consignment as a sales backing so you can present a clear picture of your history to a distribution company.

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Copyrights & Distribution

2008-08-17T11:27:00.000-07:00

COPYRIGHTS

Fill a Form SR (sound recordings) copyright at www.copyright.gov . Sending a copy of your material to yourself might not hold up in court playa, be legit...

DISTRIBUTION

Distribution companies are the ones who put your album in stores. In order to have distribution you must have a strong sales history or strong buzz through radio or promotion. You must also have a business plan and be able to have more than several albums to be distributed in the future. If you are an indie, the pressing of your album and materials will be your responsibility so most distribution companies will not take you on if you are not extremely financed.

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Label Liaison & Lawyers

2008-08-17T11:26:00.001-07:00

LABEL LIAISON

This is the person who talks to distribution and record labels on the specific date an album is released and if it conflicts with other releases.

LAWYERS

Musicians hire a special lawyer called a music or entertainment lawyer which specialize in handling record label problems any legal questions can be resolved with this person. Also music attorneys many times act as people that can get you through the door as far as your label getting a distribution deal from a major so you can sell nationwide, never be scared to ask anything and find out a few quote of their prices before hiring a lawyer.

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Legal Department & Marketing Department

2008-08-17T11:25:00.000-07:00

LEGAL DEPARTMENT

Handles lawsuits and contracts

MARKETING DEPARTMENT

Organizes the plans of the promotion, publicity and sales department on every album.

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Marketing/Publicity/Hype & Mechanical Royalties

2008-08-17T11:15:00.000-07:00

Marketing/Publicity/Hype

– Marketing is to promote your artists by using means other than cds, like t-shirts, benefits associated with your record label and such.

– Advertising is tv, radio, commercial and other media base promotion.

– Publicity is getting people to talk about you through media like
newspaper clippinsg and word of mouth.

– Hype is the momentum until your album is released. A local publicist should be hired if you need the buzz.

Mechanical/Royalties

Mechanical royalties are about .0715 cents per song and you can be paid up to about ten songs, but in due to a statutory clause a record label only pays 75% of the .0715 royalty.

So if you album goes platinum (sells a million records) you would get paid 1,000,000 times 10 (ten songs) and then take that 10,000,000 and times that by 75% of .0715 or .06639 to get $663,900

1,000,000 records
* 10 songs
----------------------
10,000,000
* $.06639 royalty percent
----------------------
$663,900

This cost is without recoupment costs of the album and assumes you own 100% of the publishing. If the record label owns 50% of the publishing the record label gets paid 50% of this sum. All cost of the album are then taken from the artist’s portion of this sum including studio time, promotion, producers, retail, distribution, mastering and anything that costs money.

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Online Distribution & Packaging/Artwork

2008-08-17T11:14:00.000-07:00

Online Distribution

– The two driving forces of online distribution of indies are www.amazon.com and www.cdbaby.com, also first and second in that respective order. Amazon.com will make your album receive a lot of traffic through little promotion but costs a bit. www.CdBaby.com is a one time fee of 35.00 and they handle the shipment, mp3 links, picture uploads and credit card transactions.

Packaging & Artwork

– Artwork is totally a personal taste so hire someone who fits your needs. In packaging think of your budget first then perks. Diskmakers.com and cdman.com have the exact guidelines you need to follow to have your artwork printable as well as prices on packaging and pressing of your albums.

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Payola & Performance Royalties

2008-08-17T11:13:00.000-07:00

PAYOLA

– Payola is illegal. It is taking something in order to play songs. Most radio people have a limited salary, but some at the top have very nice cars and houses even beyond their means. Radio promoters use secret words through cellphones offering money, tickets, cars, houses and fixing radio budgets in order for a slot of airtime.

PERFORMANCE ROYALTIES

– Performance royalties are from performances of your song based on how much you own. If you own 100% of the song you get all the money. If you own just the lyrics you get 50%, or just the music 50%. If you sample, the sample would take 25% of what is left so you get 25%. Through ASCAP and BMI you are paid when a radio station, concert, dance hall or club plays your music.

When your records sell you receive two types of royalties, mechanical and record royalties.

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Press Kits & Promo Tour

2008-08-17T11:12:00.000-07:00

PRESS KITS

– A press kit is a professional package representing you that is sent to all media before every album release. A press kit will contain quotes, newspaper clippings, bio, fact sheet, cover letter, photos and song lyrics. These then are put in a fancy folder and expensive envelope in hopes of impressing media heads.

PROMO TOUR
– A promo tour is a tour from a selection of cities where you promote yourself by gigs, retail appearances or interviews.

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Promotion Department & Publicity Department

2008-08-17T11:11:00.000-07:00

PROMOTION DEPARTMENT

– Makes sure albums are getting radio play and video play on radio and TV stations.

PUBLICITY DEPARTMENT

– They make a buzz for an artist, get newspapers and magazines to write about the artist and set up appearances with radio and TV stations.

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Quick Tips & Radio Promoters

2008-08-17T11:10:00.000-07:00

QUICK TIPS

Be on time always
Never get sprung off your own albums
Don’t ever trust the media, only use them as a tool
Don’t trip off your really big songs
Don’t buy anything you can get for free
Don’t use outdated mailing lists and addresses
Be truthful
Be professional, look professional, talk professional
You are what you think you are

RADIO PROMOTERS

– Radio promoters make a ton of money. Major regional promoters cost a lot and somehow use your money to influence radio stations to play your songs. Independent radio promoters cost slightly less and can pitch it to college and other indie outlets. Getting in contact with these people are hard and may require an updated list of numbers due to their shadiness. They do not like working with newbies. Finally, after giving these people 20,000-200,000 they may just take your money and do nothing.

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Record Royalties & Sales Department

2008-08-17T11:09:00.000-07:00

RECORD ROYALTIES

– Record Royalties are from record sales taken after the recoupment costs at rates agreed upon in contract in points (a point is equal to a percent), usually by 10%-20% percent or 10-20 points of the retail sale.

SALES DEPARTMENT

– Works with record chains and other stores to get new albums into retail.

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Start A Label & Types of Record Deals

2008-08-17T11:08:00.000-07:00

START A LABEL

– To make your business legal, look in the business section of the phonebook for business license officer or treasurer. Have them mail the license to you and remember you are a wholesale company run out of a private home or facility. Non-profit means you don’t plan on money being any focus of the label. Corporation means you will personally take no loss financially. Sole proprietorship means one person is responsible financially for everything. Partnership is equal responsibility. Then go to an IRS office and apply for a Tax ID number. With this you are responsible for taxes unless you can show a loss. An accountant should be hired when you make profit.

TYPES OF RECORD DEALS

– Through a distribution deal or pressing and distribution deal an indie can be signed to an indie yet have a major label press and distribute the album for a cut of the profit.

– A production deal is for indie producers and production companie to develop talent and offer their artist to a major label, but get a cut of profit from sales.

– A major label deal is a deal through either Sony, Universal, BMG, EMI or WEA. You will be promoted with more money and very heavily and most likely sell more, but the artist will receive a very minor percent of profit. Majors are professional when it comes to advertising, financing, legal, merchandising, promoting, sales, shipping factors of an album.

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Booking Agent & Catalog Number

2008-08-17T11:07:00.001-07:00

Booking Agent - Sets up tour. Is the negotiator of money to venue managers and owners. 10% of income from performance is standard payment to them.

Catalog Number - Several numbers used to keep inventory records. The first digits represent the catalog number (Examle: Rap001)

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Corporation & Independent Distribution

2008-08-17T11:06:00.000-07:00

Corporation - Shareholders own the label. The label is a separate entity.

Independent Distribution - All distributors are a part of the Big 5 (UNI, CEMA/EMI, WEA, BMG, Sony) These distributors get the albums from the indie label and consigns these records to store to sell. If records sell, the distributors pays the label. any copies not sold will be returned to the distributor, who returns them to the indie label.

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Income Tax & LLC

2008-08-17T11:05:00.000-07:00

Income Tax - You will pay taxes every year to the federal government. The amount you will pay depends on the type of company your record label is. Sole Proprietors use "IRS Schedule C, Profit or Loss from Business" form and 1040 form. A sole proprietor pays no business tax. Partnerships need form 1065 and the schedule K-7 form. You must pay taxes as soon as you start making income. The payments are made quarterly starting from with the first due dates from the first two quarters being January 15th and April 15th.

LLC - One or More person owns the label, profit share is determined beforehand

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Major Label Distribution & Manager

2008-08-17T11:04:00.000-07:00

Major Label Distribution - UNI, CEMA/EMI, WEA, BMG and Sony. To use a major label distributor you must be signed to a major record label

Manager - In music terms, it is the person who develops opportunities for an artist or band. Manages finances and is the middleman between an artist and a label. A "Personal Manager" manages the career of an artist. The "Business Manager" manages finances. The "Road Manager" manages daily lifestyle and tours.

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Partnership & Sole Proprietorship

2008-08-17T11:01:00.000-07:00

Partnership - More than one person owns the label and are responsible for all business debts

Sole proprietorship - A single person owns the label and is responsible for all business debts

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--------RAPSTUDIO--------

2008-08-17T11:00:00.001-07:00

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Acoustic Foam

2008-08-17T10:57:00.000-07:00

The Acoustic Foam

Acoustic foam is a specialized foam material used to absorb large quantities of noise. You use acoustic foam to treat the audio rooms and for your equipment. Bass trapping foam may be used for your monitors, foam may be placed around your microphone to deaden sounds around it. Foam may be placed around the walls to deaden the total noise of the room or around equipment to lower the noise of the computer and the electronic hums vibrating as they operate. It is important that you get standard professional quality foam and not just substitute it with black egg-crate foam. Although similar in appearance, egg-crate foam is for comfort and for being underneath beds and furniture, but doesn't do much to deaden sound as it is too light and not dense enough to handle loud noise, especially bass.

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Primacoustic W-Foam Primafoam UT Acoustic Foam
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- 2" thick acoustic foam
- 8 24' x 40" x 2" (W/H/D) panels for 53 square feet total

Auralex Roominator Project Z Acoustic Control Kit
Price: $549.00

- 24 Studio foam 2' x 2' x 2" wedge panels
- 8 LENRD bass traps
- 5 Tubetak Pro adhesives

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Audio Interface

2008-08-17T10:55:00.000-07:00

The Audio Interface

An audio interface works in the same way as a soundcard except instead of being manually installed in your computer by way of PCI, it sits on the outside. It is connected to your computer via USB or Firewire. The difference between USB and firewire used to be large. As USB 2.0 became a factor in the field of music recording the difference is less than before when firewire kicked USB's ass, now they're just about the same.

- Max speed USB 1.1: 12mbps
- Max speed USB 2.0: 480mbps
- Max speed Firewire 400: 400mbps

Just like a soundcard, you must make sure your external audio interface is compatible with your operating software (Windows or Mac OSX) and that it is atleast "24/96", has 1/4 inch stereo jack inputs and outputs, as welll as an XLR input and output (The large black solid circle with the three holes) for plugging in studio-quality headphone, monitors, microphones, mixers, pre-amps or phantom power if needed. Installation with an external audio interface is simple, you plug the USB or firewire card to the input on your computer and WHAM!, plug & play handles it and you're finished. Still check the installation directions and install the necessary drivers needed from CD/DVD if included. Prices for audio interfaces range from $150.00 to $500.00. Popular external audio interfaces include (G) the Digi-Designs M-Box which is bundle with Protools software, M-Audio's Mobile Pre USB which comes with Ableton Live LE software.

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Line 6 Toneport UX7 USB Recording/Modeling Interface
Price: $89.99

CME Matrix K Firewire Audio Matrix Interface
Price: $149.99

Digidesign Mbox 2 Mini
Price: $295.00

M-Audio Fast Track Ultra USB 2.0 Audio Interface
Price: $349.99

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Cables and Adapters

2008-08-17T10:54:00.000-07:00

The Cables And Adapters

Not everything plugs in right, just like not every cinderella shoe fits a bubble butt brazilian female, or every rapper can sing (scratchy voice rappers, please stop singing, leave it to the females) For example if you went along with some cheapo headphones you're gonna have to pay to plug it in your new audio interface or soundcard. To convert it's small 1/8 inch plug to fit in the 1/4 inch input of the soundcard or interface you need a 1/8 inch to 1/4 inch adapter. Your monitors may also not plug in directly into those inputs, so you'll need to convert it's RCA output to 1/4 inch stereo. So you'll need to buy a RCA to 1/4 inch stereo adapter.

Some rocket scientists (Or rapper scientists) will insist they sincerely do not have the money or the need for a condenser microphone (which will also need phantom power) so they will use that logic to buy a pro-quality dynamic mic and try to plug it into their soundcard's inputs. They then find that their Shure 58 doesn't quite fit the input by a long shot, so they go back to the music recording store, curse out the guy at the register, ask for their money back, but instead their ego feeds them the solution that an exchange to a mic with 1/4 inch stereo connections are better. The front register guy tries to persuade him, just to get a cheap pre-amp with the 1/4 inch outputs, but the rapper won't listen to his advice a "second" time. So the rapper goes home happy and the guys at the music store are shaking their heads at this moron.

Since these microphones have larger XLR connections you will need to buy a specialized XLR to 1/4 inch stereo adapter (Which I don't recommend, in fact I just say get an interface that can take in XLR inputs and the solution would have been solved). Most of these analog to digital converter suck ass (Hey, I used to be a rapper scientist too) unless you spend big bucks. But why spend money, this would have me to ask the question on why didn't you just buy a small mixer or audio interface instead? You may want to plan on buying several 1/4 inch stereo connection wires in the case you'll be using the ouput of your soundcard or interface in funky little ways like connecting it into other gear, stereos, mixers, line-ins, and anything else.

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Live Wire XLR male to female Stereo Adapter
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Hosa Stereo Y-Cable Mini Male to Two RCA males
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Live Wire XLR (female) to stereo (male) Adapter
Price: $10.99

Monster Cable Rock 1/4" Straight Instrument Cable

3 foot - Price: $29.95
6 foot - Price: $34.95
12 foot - Price: $39.95
21 foot - Price: $49.95

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Computer

2008-08-17T10:53:00.000-07:00

The Computer

Your computer is the main cog in the clockwork of a home studio. A slow or outdated computer can lead to latency issues, the inability to run current professional audio-editing software, small insufficient RAM, no hard-drive space to put your gigantic .wavs and multiple MP3s on and much more. A computer running on windows may crash, leaving all unsaved date gone from existence and even some saved date corrupted and therefore gone. The pros about a windows computer is that most multi-track software and other programs you may want to add only works for windows. Mac and Linux both run on the highly stable platform of Unix, so a crash is less likely to happen. Actually on since Mac OS X (OS 10) has mac been running on Unix, so make that a consideration. The con about Linux and Mac are that the audio programs you love so much and heard about may not be able to run on these systems or ever (think Adobe Audition).

RECOMMENDED MINIMUM COMPUTER SPECS

- Windows 2000 or above, Mac OS 9 or above
- 400MHz Processor (.4 gig)
- 256mb RAM
- CD Burner
- 40 gig Hard Drive

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Condenser Microphone

2008-08-17T10:51:00.000-07:00

The Condenser Microphone

Condenser microphones are the delicate cousins of dynamic microphones. These can break easily with aggressive use and are not meant to be handled by your hands as you speak into it, so don't grab them and wild-out like it's a dynamic or thats your however-many-hundred-dollar mistake. In order too operate, condenser microphones need a source of power, namely phantom power. Unlike dynamic microphones, they will almost always have XLR connections. Other features a condenser microphone may include are built in phantom power by way of battery, a bass filter cut-off switch or high-shelf cut-off switch to automatically cut the lower unneeded frequencies from a recording. Another feature is a red LCD light indicating that the microphone is connected to an operating phantom power source, and also perhaps a switch to turn the microphone on and off.

The main difference between dynamic and condenser microphones is the quality. Whereas a dynamic microphone will record what's close to it, a standard quality condenser turned up will record the whole room plus some. Aggressive rappers do not need to spit flows loudly into a condenser as it will pick up even the faintest of sounds. Treatment for an overly sensitive condenser is the pack the room in professional quality acoustic foam, if not done you may pick up sounds from automobile traffic, children screaming and playing (seems like they don't know how to whisper), dogs barking, neighbors arguing as if it's right in front of you, and that's just naming a few of the types of distractions and audio anomalies.

They are many different types of condenser microphones, what you will be wanting to record your flows on is a large diaphram condenser microphone (the recording style of cardiod, omni-directional is your choice) as the other main alternative is a "shot-gun" condenser microphone which is usually in the style of a 1-inch width-wide, tube cylinder shape with the part to record a flattened wire screen.

Because they are easily damaged if handled improperly, condenser microphone usually sit in the comfort of shock mounts with a pop screen filter nearby. A condenser microphone can range from $150 to $2000+ depending on the brand and quality, of course the more expensive the microphone generally the better. Good brands to look for are Rode, AKG, Audio Technica.

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MXL V63M Studio Condenser Microphone
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MXL 990 Condenser Microphone
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Audio Technica AT2020 Large Diaphragm Condenser Microphone
Price: $99.99

AKG Perception 200 Condenser Microphone
Price: $199.99

MXL MXL 4000 Multi-Pattern FET Studio Condenser Microphone
Price: $299.99

Rode NT1-A
Price: $299.99

Audio Technica AT4033CL Large Diaphragm Condenser Microphone
Price: $399.99

TOP OF THE LINE CONDENSER MICROPHONES (Sorted by price, lowest to highest)

Shure KSM44 Studio Microphone
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M-Audio Sputnik
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AKG C 414 LTD
Price: $1199.99

Electro-Harmonix EH-TM Vacuum Tube Studio Condenser Microphone
Price: $1699.99

Beyerdynamic MC 840 Studio Condenser Microphone
Price: $1799.99

Blue Kiwi Microphone
Price: $1999.99

Neumann M 147 Tube Condenser Microphone
Price: $2499.99

Blue Cactus Tube Microphone
Price: $2499.99

Blue the Bottle Studio Condenser Microphone
Price: $3999.99

Neumann U87 Microphone
Price: $3999.99

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Dynamic Microphones

2008-08-17T10:50:00.001-07:00

The Dynamic Microphone

Dynamic microphones are the most sturdy stage microphones that people use for performances and announcements. These microphones can be used with or without foam mic covers, can be thrown on the ground, beaten with a whip and still work perfect (Although you may need to replace it's removable wire-mesh crown). Some rappers are very aggressive with microphones and a dynamic mic is the perfect solution. These microphones also do not need phantom power in order to operate. Never get a professional dynamic microphone "clone" that doesn't use XLR connections. If the microphone does not carry a XLR connection it refers to the facts it is not professional quality and probably only a 1/4 inch stereo plug microphone where the extreme importance of pro-quality is compromised for affordability to the masses entertainment. Prices for a professional dynamic microphone ranges from $100 to $400 as they also come in wireless form. Good brands to look for are Shure and Sennheiser.

RECOMMENDED DYNAMIC MICROPHONES (Sorted by price, lowest to highest)

Behringer XM8500 Microphone
Price: $19.99

Shure SM58 Dynamic Microphone
Price: $99.99

Shure SM57 Microphone
Price: $99.99

Shure Beta 58a Dynamic Microphone
Price: $159.99

Electro-Voice N/D967 Super-Cardioid Concert Vocal Microphone
Price: $199.99

Heil Sound PR 35 Dynamic Microphone
Price: $249.99

Sennheiser e945 Super-Cardioid Dynamic Microphone
Price: $299.99

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External Hard Drive

2008-08-17T10:49:00.000-07:00

The External Hard Drive

A computer can only hold so much data until it fills it's maximum capacity. Prolific rappers who need to save the full quality of their beats in WAV form can swiftly overwhelm their computer's storage capacity and may have to make crucial decisions on deleting unneeded files or lackluster songs. This does not have to done. By buying a external hard drive you can store your large instrumentals on there and overall triple or quadruple the amount of space on your computer. You may want to buy as many external hard drives as your budget allows and be happy that you never have to delete another song for the rest of life due to space constrictions.

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External Multi-track Recorder

2008-08-17T10:47:00.000-07:00

The External Multi-Track Recorder

You might hate the touch of a computer and it's unforgiving cold sound, the way it's fan blows, the way the backlit pixels on the screen hurts your eyes, how you must constantly use that evil mouse or headache causing trackpad. Most of all, you just don't wanna work on the damn computer, basically you want to go more of an analog way with a external multi-track recorder aka audio workstation. These will not just be able to record your microphones through it's inputs and let you hear the outputs through your monitors, they also may be able to export your completed file directly to CD (or digital media card, but you'll need to read it off a "computer") basically getting rid of the need for a computer altogether. In todays technology, the onboard mixing and mastering that you'll be able to use inside this beast compares to computers any day. You'll be able to use your external rack equipment directly to it and give yourself less headache and maybe more satisfaction. Many people nowadays just think computers have way too much going for them, plus the VSTs and other plug-ins they like are far beyond the reach of most of the multi-track recorder's. Another con is that they cannot be upgraded (well, with their memory yes.) so a couple years behind bars or in a coma and you may be far behind in times wondering why everybody is using DVDs or some other format for audio and not those obsolete things you use to love called CDs (remember vinyl and cassette tapes).

RECOMMENDED EXTERNAL MULTI-TRACK RECORDERS (Sorted by price, lowest to highest)

Tascam DR-1 Portable Digital Recorder
Price: $399.99

Tascam DP-02CF Portastudio
Price: $399.99

Boss BR-600 Digital Recorder
Price: $399.99

Fostex MR16HD/CD Digital Recorder with CD burner
Price: $499

Korg D3200 32-Track Digital Recording Studio
Price: $1299.99

Yamaha AW-2400 24-track audio workstation
Price: $1599.99

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Headphones

2008-08-17T10:45:00.000-07:00

The Headphones

Headphones will be needed if you live in a claustrophobically closed-in residential area, if volume is an issue , you live in an apartment complex, your mom and pops is in the bedroom next door, if you just want to hear the minor imperfections of your recording that you couldn't catch out loud, or if you are proud of your work aka conceited. If all you want to do is just listen because you "mix" and "masteR" your tracks with your monitors (speakers) then buy some cheapo $20.00 headphones and skip this info. If you're still reading that means you want high quality headphones. What's the difference? Think of standing by the sea as normal headphones, for those high-quality bastards think of being in the pacific ocean on a small raft suffering from scurvy, harsh winds and preparing to fight a fifty foot man-eating octopus. "What the heck!?!" Yea, that's the first thing you'll say when you put on your first ultra high-quality studio headphones. Of course, everything has it's imperfections and studio quality headphones suffer from being too intimate with your ear, too clear, or too muggy, too crisp, or too flat, too much on the high end of the audio spectrum adding unnecessary sparkle to your mix that just isn't there in actuality. What I mean is that these headphones may "flavor" or "color" your sound. Color? Like surround sound for example, voiceovers in a movie weren't really made with the intention of being heard by your ear, feet and spinal cord at the exact same time were they? So what you'll need are headphones that while great, reproduce your material with all it's ugliness hanging out in the sunshine with full glory like a fresh high school pimple. Professional headphones cost about $100-$400 depending on the size and brand.

RECOMMENDED STUDIO HEADPHONES (Sorted by price, lowest to highest)

AKG M 70 Headphones
Price: $29.99

Vic Firth SIH7 Isolation Headphones
Price: $45.99

Yamaha RHSMA Headphones
Price: 49.95

Audio Technica ATH PRO5Vs Monitor Headphones
Price: $69.99

Sennheiser HD280 Pro Closed-Back Headphones
Price: $99.99

Sony MDR-7506 Headphones
Price: $99.99

Audio-Technica ATH-M50 Studio Monitor Headphones
Price: $149.99

Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro-80 Closed Studio Headphones
Price: $199.99

Ultrasonic Pro 750 Stereo Headphones
Price: $399.99

TOP OF THE LINE STUDIO HEADPHONES (Sorted by price, lowest to highest)

Sennheiser HD650 Open-Air Pro Headphones
Price $499.99

AKG K 701 Ultra Reference Class Stereo Headphone
Price: $499.99

Audio-Technica ATH AD2000 Open Air Dynamic Headphones
Price: $799.99

PROFESSIONAL QUALITY VERY SMALL STUDIO EARPHONES

M-Audio IE-40 Triple Driver Pro In-Ear Earphones
Price: $399.99

PROFESSIONAL QUALITY WIRELESS HEADPHONES

Sony MDR-DS6000 Wireless Surround Sound Digital 2.4Ghz RF Headphones
Price: $299.99

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Lyric Notebook

2008-08-17T10:43:00.000-07:00

The Lyric Notebook

So you stole your little brothers school work paper and wrote your lyrics on them, now your brother is failing his class and your mom is bitchin' at you. Or "you" are the one in school and you write lyrics all over and the back of your worksheet assignment only to become depressed when you have to turn it in for grading. Or you work most of the day and the only piece of anything to write on are napkins, you've stashed a large amount of these together and are quite proud of yourself, but then a co-worker has a runny nose and takes the napkins from your shirt pocket and before you can do anything mucous mibranes soak your precious bars to oblivion. You're devastated.

Every serious rapper has a rhyme book and those that don't have one keep their work on computer, sometimes printing them in sheets if the need arises. Without a rhyme book you will be left with rhymes in your head fleeting from memory and stuck in sticky situations. Now, you've decided to purchase a rhyme book and you say to yourself internally that any 70 page, two dollar spiral notebook will do. And that's the problem, pretty soon you'll write through that book like there's no tommow and buy another and another and another. Stop the madness. For a little extra dough you can buy a giant notebook spiral with hundreds of pages, five or six times as large with hundreds of pages, included with dividers (which you can use to sort topics, hooks, lyrics, ideas and more). With this type of notebook it might take a a half a year or much longer to fill. This is the better alternative that going through 20 "book of rhymres" a year, wasting time and money going back and forth from Fred Myers, K-Mart, Office Depot, Office Max, Safeway, Staples, Target or Walmart, it's just not worth it.

For those at work they often find themselves in a place where bringing in that large notebook of rhyme may be deemed unprofessional, embarrasing or not allowed, they can become very emotional because of this. The time spent working can set off hundreds of potential rhymes during boring, tedious, laborious tasks. In desperation you may sneak in paper to write on or napkins to ward off being scrutinized by your boss for your unproductive behavior. Since they "are not to be seen" you must fold them on the way to and from work. Opening the paper back up at home after a hard days work reveals a smudged mess of graphite art, adding to this is the fact that once paper is folded or crumpled it cannot become perfectly flat anymore. This lead to a folder full of messy papers.

The solution for work, school and other similar situations that call for this type of risky maneuver is to buy the proper smaller material to write on. Memo pads are perfect and cost less than a dollar, you'll pay more for the thicker fancier kinds with a large amount of paper. Those black and white composition books you see as an alternative to the spiral notebooks make versions the same size as memo pads and do not have the annoying spiral rings. The cost of the mini-composition books is usually slightly greater than a single dollar, but worth the extra cents.

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Lyric Stand

2008-08-17T02:04:00.000-07:00

The Lyric Stand

There is something that all human beings on this planet Earth cannot do and have not done since the history of man. It is for one person to be able to use more than two hands (Feet are not a substitute for hands, we are not monkeys) at the same time. Although this is an obvious fact, many rappers try and fail at their attempts to do this exact impossible feat. They will have a cup of "brew aka brown water" in one hand, something to eat in another (magic brownies), have a dynamic hand in the same hand as the "drink" and hold the lyrics in the same hand with the "snack". Then they get annoyed when they keep pressing record, but cannot catch the beat and their lyric papers keep making a "crumple" sound with each take.

Let me solve some problems for this unfortunate rapper. Don't eat or drink next to your music equipment (One slip could be a $2000.00+ fatal mistake) or smoke for that matter (try opening up a computer or your equipment after a couple packs of smokes clog the air) and never hold your lyrics. I know it's cool to hold your lyrics, but you do that to show off in front of your friend. Business means business, you would never sag the pants of a men's dress suit so why would you let something as unprofessional as paper crumples ruin your mix.

For rap lyrics (your perfect 16 bars or 4 bar hooks), someone has already invented your solution. A music stand. Yes, music stands are for sheet music for musicians, yet they make the perfect tool for rappers. They are also going to be one of the cheapest equipment purchases you can buy, where price range sometime below the ten dollar mark. Being as cheap as they are, and the potential for you to take your vocal tracks a notch up in professionalism, there is absolutely no excuse for a rapper making a home studio NOT to have one, and maybe more.

RECOMMENDED MUSIC STANDS (Sorted by price, lowest to highest)

Manhasset M48 Symphony Music Stand
Price: $34.99

Proline Conductor Sheet Music Stand
Price: $39.99

Petersen Designs Folding Music Stand
Price: $39.99

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Microphone Stand

2008-08-17T02:02:00.000-07:00

The Mic Stand

Your microphone stand is what holds your microphone in place correctly and raised to your level for when you spit flows. There are a few different variations. Normal mic stands use a heavy weight at the bottom of their pole in the shape of an upside down bowl. Tripod microphone stands make use of a series of three bars at their base in 120 degree spacing from each other to hold up the stand. A boom stand is an attachment to the bottom of an otherwise normal mic stand that angles high or low and is ble to rest the mic far underneath you or far overhead of you. As a rapper, all you'll need is a normal mic stand with no boom added unless you are very tall then of course add the boom. Cost for a mic stand ranges from $20-$80 depending on if it's normal or tripod based with no boom or boom added. Any brand will do as long as it's sturdy.

RECOMMENDED MIC STANDS (Sorted by price, lowest to highest)

Musicians Gear Die Cast Mic Stand
Price: $12.99

On-Stage Stands Tripod Mic Stand with boom
Price: $19.99

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Mixing Board

2008-08-17T02:01:00.000-07:00

The Mixing Board

A mixer will be able to take in your XLR cable through it's input. Through it's outputs you will be able to connect it your soundcard or audio interface by 1/4 inch stereo cables. The mixer will usually also come with phantom power, which is necessary for the operation of most condenser microphones. As a rapper, all you need is a mixer with one XLR input, maybe 4 max if you have multiple microphones and are too lazy to unplug them.

I agree, as a newbie, mixing boards look tight as hell and at the same time intimidating, especially those big 48+ input mothers (Ahhh....Solid State). Sadly, these mixing boards are for orchestras, rock groups, live bands, stage performances, and professional studios that need most every single input for their obscene number of outboard sound equipment. Those knobs that go up and down, these are for professional engineers who mix and master tracks using that onboard analog (I doubt it though, they probably just load all the tracks in protools when nobody's watching) with each turn adjusting different frequencies by way of parametric equalizer (Which shits on graphic equalizers by the way) and panning system. In fact, the only thing you should be concerned with is wether those green and yellow dots hit red, letting you know your microphone is peaking to loud and to turn down the levels.

I know you're saying "I saw this video. And Eminem and P. Diddy and 2pac was sitting behind the gigantic SSL mixing desk and they was touchin' the knobs and I jus wanna be like them, and if they can do it so can I, so that means you're wrong!" Well I'm telling you now that they were schooled by the best sound engineers the record labels Interscope, Bad Boy and Death Row can buy. Well I'm assuming you weren't, so just brush those thoughts to the side for now.

In the previous situation, each track on those fancy mixing boards has a little sticky tape with permanent marker writing on it showing what each instrument is, some with frequency levels, vocal tracks and so on (hint, hint). As for myself, I developed into a sound engineer (graduated 2002, school of Hard Knocks, Philadelphia) over the years, but I'm telling you for your own good, leave those knob alone! Those same knobs are in the professional audio-editing software installed on your computer, where in it's safe non-destructive environment you can tweak and freak em' all day.

It is important that your recording obtains the exact sound you say before your audio chain delivers the signal into your audio recoding programs. If you wannabe a dumbass wanksta, be my guess.

As far as brand goes, I can tell you with mixing boards that it makes the world of differences (Alesis, Soundcraft and so on there's too many to name) This mainly has to do with the fact that different manufacturers pack in different pre-amps in their boards. Some with a higher quality pre-amp than others. Somehow, there is a correlation with better sounding mixing boards and better build or sturdiness Trust me, as a part-time studio owner, we broke more than a few behringers. Hey, but they would've broke anyways and most rappers don't know the difference between these nasty sounding cheap mixers.

There are many board manufacturer's, as a response to criticism I don't mean to take shots, but from the Big 3 companies I have to say it goes, Behringer, Yamaha, Mackie, with Mackie being the most expensive, yet having the best pre-amps and being the all-around best constructed. The irony is that I personally love Behringer and Yamaha equipment (Can't go wrong with a Motif and Behringer does wonders for my pocket), but I'm also picky on what I buy and am someone who goes through a ton of reviews before purchasing just that right product that fits me, with experience and after reading this book I'm pretty sure you'll be wiser too.

Like I said, if your financing can support it, buy a Mackie with Yamaha or Alesis as your second best bets. Prices for a 1 input mixer are about $40-$100, 2 input about $60-$150, 4 input about $100-$350. All prices are dependent on the brand.

RECOMMENDED MIXING BOARDS (Sorted by price, lowest to highest)

Behringer Eurorack UB502 - 5 channel compact mixer
Price: $29.99

Tapco mix.50 Compact Mixer
Price: $49.99

Tapco Mix.60 Compact Mixer
Price: $59.99

Behringer Xenyx 1002
Price: $69.99

Soundcraft COMPACT 4 Mixer
Price: $149.99

Alesis Multimix 8 USB 2.0 8-Channel Mixer
Price: $299.99

Mackie 1202-VLZ3 Premium 12-Channel Compact Mixer
Price: $299.99

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Mixing Board Stand

2008-08-17T01:59:00.000-07:00

The Mixing Board Stand

First ask yourself, do you really need a mixer stand or is the money just burning in your pocket? If you took my advice and bought a studio desk you wouldn't even be facing this question right now. A standard studio desk costs $99.99. Guess what? A mixer stand costs about $99.99. Nevertheless, you probably still want it. A mixer stand is generally for mixing boards with at least 12 channels. They have the ability to expand or contract to almost whatever width you choose, from as small as a 1 channel mixer to a full blown 48 channel console mixing board. Mixing board stands usually come with a tripod of three wheels at their bottom, making them extremely convenient for maneuvering on a wood tiled floor. If you want the added look of professionalism to your home studio then I suggest you buy the proper stand for your mixer as well as each and every bit of equipment you have. If your money is tighter then buying a studio desk would be a great benefit, knocking out the need for this as well as other minor stands plus have the added benefit of outboard equipment. (And of course your computer)

RECOMMENDED MIXING BOARD STANDS (Sorted by price, lowest to highest)

On-Stage Stands Mix-400 Audio Mixer Stand
Price: $89.99

Quik-Lok ZM-2034 Mixerstand (No casters)
Price: $99.99

Quik-Lok QL-400 Fully adjustable mixer stand (With Casters)
Price: $129.99

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Monitor Stands

2008-08-17T01:58:00.000-07:00

The Monitor Stands

Your desk may be too small or crowded to pack some heavy monitors on there, which probably wouldn't be heard correctly anyway with your hand, headphones, keyboard, mouse, swisher sweet, blunt wraps, zig zags, bongs, 40 ounce bottle, and 70 pound platinum chain in front of them (Man, how I want one of those big-ass chains...) This is of course not assuming you bought a specialized studio desk that thought ahead for the space to put your monitors on. So since you didn't buy that desk it's gonna cost you ya' dig? Monitor stands are used because the bass and rumbles carry directly to the surface there on (making your downstairs neighbors furious and restless) unless sat on top of specialized bass trapping acoustic foam made for this precise reason. Still it is much easier to maneuver your monitors on a stand (and it looks tight too). They were made in mind of picky mixing engineers who couldn't possibly put their monitors on their precious mixing boards. Prices for a pair of pro-quality monitor stands are $100 to $250 depending on brand, sturdiness and their weight capacity. Just like the monitors that rest on them, many times they will be sold as a single and not a pair, so make sure you buy two.

RECOMMENDED MONITOR STANDS (Sorted by price, lowest to highest)

American Recorder (ART) Studio Monitor Speaker Stand (pair)
Price: $119.99

Ultimate MS-36B2 36 Studio Monitor Stand (pair)
Price: $199.99

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Monitors

2008-08-17T01:57:00.000-07:00

The Monitors

No, this type of monitor doesn't show DVDs or Windows Vista and you can't have Xzibit put them on the back of the headrests of your 2014 Cadillac CTSWTFLOL on 35 inch rims. In the audio community, professional grade speakers are called studio monitors. Why? I don't know, maybe because they monitor the sound of your studio. Their look is distinctly different from your stock PC speakers in that it's as if looking at a speaker's smooth exo-skeleton. These rectangular smooth bodied boxes are what allows you to hear your material the ways it's supposed to be heard, meaning they let sound out that covers a enormous range of what your material will sound like to your consumer. This is why it is absolutely essential you have monitors that do not "flavor" or "color" your original mix. I'm not saying have em' too dead, but what I am getting at is whatever your monitors are great at "bass", "high spectrum", you can be sure that is the precise area where you mix is weak. This is because the monitor's flavoring has allowed you to let that "bass heavy" sound go unchecked, so when you pop it in your deck you'll be saying, "Hey, Where the hell did my bass go?". If it specialized in the upper high-end spectrum you'll say "Hey, why does it sound so f**kin' dull?". Then you'll scratch your head trying your best to fix the mix over and over again until you wind up in a mental hospital bitter from failure, toothless from fatal teeth grinding and balding from constant hair pulling. And to think it was all because you had faulty monitors. How sad.

Pro-quality studio monitors are priced from $200 to $1000+ depending on the brand and quality. Many times, studio monitors are sold as singles and not pairs, so watch out for that snag when you look at the price. Another quality that studio monitors have are the ability to be active or passive. Active means that they have a source of power, Passive means that they will need a source of power. This means that although active studio monitors generally cost more, buying passive studio monitors and then a power source may be more costly in the long run.

RECOMMENDED STUDIO MONITORS (Sorted by price, lowest to highest)

Edirol MA-I5D Digital Stereo Micro Monitors (pair)
Price: $179.99

M-Audio Studiophile BX5a 70-watt Bi-Amplified Studio Monitors (pair)
Price: $199.99

Behringer TRUTH B2037A Active Monitors (pair)
Price: $339.99

Event Tuned Reference 8 TR8 Active Monitors (pair)
Price: $499.99

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Multiple Monitors

2008-08-17T01:56:00.000-07:00

The Multiple Monitors

Studio Monitors are great in that they do their best to deliver sound of your song without bias. Unfortunately, all studio monitors have some type of bias. For example, your mom and little brother are not goint to listen to your music with professional studio monitors hooked up to their car's sound system and boom boxes. It is important to get another point of reference, as many as possible, to hear your audio in different aspects which show unwanted imperfections. It is also advised to keep a stereo boom box or pair of low grade headphones in your studio to hear it from those views as well. If your music is intended for ears then no better reference point is from an actual car to listen. Use different cars and many multiple variations of sound systems from these different cars to see the effects that cetain vocal mixing techniques have on them.

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Musician Insurance

2008-08-17T01:55:00.000-07:00

The Musician Insurance

So you get the "hood" beefin' with you. You know any minute now somebody is going to pull a "liq" on your precious music equipment that you've worked so hard to get. The money comes from over three years flippin' burgers, being socially pimped by that clown with the red hair (McDonalds) that chick with the red hair (Wendys) the King (Burger King) or that damn chihuahua (Taco Bell). You will be god-damned before sum lil wannabe thug comes takin' your shit. You got straps, but you wanna handle it the legal way. Your stuff may just get jacked and you find it in the pawn shop down the street. Call the popos, it doesn't mean anything if you don't have any proof so consider it a loss.

For every purchase you make, write the serial number down and photograph it. Also photograph the equipment from various angles. Keep both of these in printed and digital format (In case that laptop gets stolen too).

RECOMMENDED MUSICIAN INSURANCE COMPANIES

Music Pro Insurance.com
http://www.musicproinsurance.com
- The insure musicians with break-ins, disability, equipment, health, instruments and life insurance. You must be registered with BMI or ASCAP to qualify (So register)

The American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA)
http://www.aftrabr.com

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Office Chair

2008-08-17T01:54:00.000-07:00

The Office Chair

Your most important piece of furniture is not your computer studio desk. Well, it is for your equipment. For your health, the office chair is the most important piece of furniture. Why? Let me think. You type and use your mouse (and play with those damn equipment knobs) on your computer and only stand during those times in the recording process of your vocals for 45 second raps in a microphone, this results in a song about 4 minutes in length. What do you do with those other thousands of hours you spend in your studio. You sit. Yes, I know you want to believe that you're active as hell in a studio, but you're not. If you mix and master your own tracks you spend even more thousands of hours in the damn chair. Since 99.9 percent of the time in your studio will be spent in a chair, you better get a good one.

Not any ol' chair will do. Office chairs are specially designed for the comfort of sitting for extremely prolonged periods of time and are designed by the studies of ergonomics. Ergonomics is the study of human engineering. Such studies optimize in the height of a table or computer desk and chairs for human bodies. They also study furniture comfortability, psychological effects and ease of use. The practical application of this information is then applied to the furniture we use. A Yale University study calculated that you have over a 70 percent greater chance of herniating a disk if you sit more than half the time of your job. 8 hours equals the average workday (I hope, any longer and...) 4 hours is about half that about and is equal to about how much time hardcore studio enthusiasts sit making music, often time much longer.

Nowadays, the best office chairs come equipped tih all sorts of extras for relaxation, like massaging, electronic adjustment, come even have built in audio speakers and audio input and outputs. Some days you will spend more time in your office chair than you do sleeping, so it's only fair it deserves just as much attention. Spend money on a good office chair like you would a good bed mattress and you'll thank me for it

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Patch Bay

2008-08-17T01:52:00.001-07:00

The Patch Bay

Keep yourself organized with a patch bay. One day you'll come to find that all your cables and cords are all mangled and you don't know which is which or what they do and you're constantly tripping over them. You've finally decided you had enough . You take some sharp cutting scissors out to finally snip your newfound enemies and stop the madness. Suddenly you remember your friend's studio and how he had his wires organized in a type of box thing.

This box thing is called a patch bay and it is how professional studios manage their cables. The can come with either XLR or TRS (stereo 1/4") jacks. You put a patch bay usually on a rack mount. They usually have 2 rows, with 24 jacks on each row and the same number on the opposite side. You put your equipment and instrument cable's inputs and outputs in the back, route them to the front where you will use shorter cable to send this signal to some place else. Ultimately, the patch bay will give your home studio more of a professional touch. The con is that although the patch bay itself is relatively inexpensive, buying a new cable for each cable you plug into it may be very costly.

RECOMMENDED PATCH BAYS (Sorted by price, lowest to highest)

Behringer PX 3000 ULTRAPATCH PRO Patchbay
Price: $49.99

DBX PB-48 48-Point 1/4" Patchbay
Price: $99.99

Neutrik 48-Point TRS Patchbay
Price: $99.99

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Pen And Pencil

2008-08-17T01:51:00.001-07:00

The Pen and Pencil

Your writing utensils are a source of the power of your mind transmitted in a visual representation. As a rapper, you will write down rhymes almost constantly in all sorts of mediums; paper, computer, napkin, body parts. The tools are used so frequently they are often taken for granted until "SNAP!" it breaks or "S**T!" it runs out of ink. The use and feel of a pencil are essential to some rappers, but without a good eraser your rhymes may just muddy up your page through time and nature, 4 weeks later you may become lost on even what you wrote yourself let alone someone else.

A normal number two pencil has it's advantages of beings extremely affordable and able to be sharpened to a specific liking. A mechanical pencil has it's advantages by potentially being able to write forever by use of refills. The pros of a pen are that you won't be able to smudge it away to become illegible like pencil lead can do from objects and the oils of your hand and arm. The con of a standard no.2 pencil are that they do not last forever and without a pencil sharpener close by can by a dull mess to write with. The con of a mechanical pencil is that there is only two types of sharp pencil tip possible depending on the thickness of the lead it can hold, plus without the lead they are useless. The con of a pen is it's ability to not be able to erase, although there are erasable pens, but the pros of color and life span out weight it.

The eraser itself has varied qualities. Although that pink eraser on your number two pencil is good, the white art gum version of these for artists will work much better and leave behind no smudge. Pencils vary in thickness and brightness according to the HB scale. That why if you go into an art store to get a pencil you'll often see 4B or 4H on the sides where no.2 should be or HB. You may choose these varied types of pencils for your rhymes if you would like a harder lead or the classic pencil is just too light to see with your eyes.

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Phantom Power

2008-08-17T01:49:00.000-07:00

The Phantom Power

Phantom Power is what is necessary to power condenser microphones. The electricity is a standard 12, 48 volts of power or both. Audio Interfaces, Mixing boards, and Pre-Amps all may include phantom-power as a bonus feature. If your audio chain is lacking phantom-power and you are sure you will be recording professional quality audio then you will need to invest in a small phantom power box.

RECOMMENDED PHANTOM POWER (Sorted by price, lowest to highest)

Behringer MICROPOWER PS400 Phantom Power Supply
- Supplies 12V or 48V phantom power.
Price: $19.99

Nady SMPS-IX Phantom Power Supply
- 48V phantom power
Price: $19.99

Rolls PB23 Phantom Power Adapter
- 12V or 48V DC. Uses 100Khz switching power supply so no audio noise is generated.
Price: $49.99

Audio Technica AT8801 Phantom Power Supply
- Allows use of remote powered microphones
Price: $59.99

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Pop Filters

2008-08-17T01:48:00.000-07:00

The Pop Filter

A pop-filter, or popper stopper is to guard your microphone from unintelligible "plosives" that tend to appear when recording some consonant sounds. The frequent criminal consonants in the english language are "B", "C", "K", "P", "S", "T" and "Z". Although some "plosives" can be corrected during the audio-editing stages of the recording process using equalization, compression and de-essers, it is preferable that they don't appear in the first place. The immediate introduction of a thick fabric between your mic and your mouth will usually annihilate the plosives, but that will make the quality muggy. Industry standard fabric or metal fabric made in a circular frame can be clipped onto the mic stand's pole or they can be placed on top of their own mic stand. Prices for a pop filter range from about $20 to $100 depending on the material used and if you intend to purchase the pop filter's it's own stand.

RECOMMENDED POP FILTERS (sorted by price, lowest to highest expensive)

Nady Metal Pop Filter
Price: $14.99

Nady Pop Filter
Price: $19.99

Stedman Proscreen PS101 Pop Filter
Price: $39.99

Stedman Proscreen XL Pop Filter
Price: $69.99

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Pre-Amps

2008-08-17T01:47:00.000-07:00

The Pre-Amp

A pre-amp is for boosting your audio signal to it's optimal performance. Pre-amps also color the signal, often in a good way. Depending on if you pick right, you could have one with dominate "warmth" presence (actually, it's just analog distortation, but what do I know) to an otherwise mechanical, harsh, digital, sounds-like-it-came-from-a-cheap-computer sound. A pre-amp can be bought in it's own stand-alone version or if you desire, can use the ones built-in to your mixer (usually it's only the ones with at least 2-inputs and up). Still you may want to use both the pre-amp and mixer and turn off the mixing boards cheap ass mic-pre to substitute it with your higher end one. If you cannot turn off the pre-amp on the mixer, simple plug it in an input that doesn't say it uses a pre-amp (trust me, those manufacturing companies are cheap and only one or two of your inputs even have a pre-amp, which are track 1 and track 2). Prices for pre-amps range from $100 to $1000+ depending on brand, quality and vintage rarity. The best brands (like that avalon you might have heard on numerous hip-hop records) are priced in the thousands, far beyond the price of the average consumer, still it is a must you get. Remember though that these are for your mic so if your microphone sounds like crap all a pre amp will do is make a shiny piece of crap, it's not Houdini.

RECOMMENDED PRE AMPS (Sorted by price, lowest to highest)

ART Tube MP Studio Mic Preamp
Price: $29.99

ART Tube MP Project Series Tube Microphone/Instrument preamp
Price: $69.99

Studio Projects VTB-1 Tube Blend Mic pre amp
Price: $119.99

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Printer

2008-08-17T01:46:00.001-07:00

The Printer

You're going to need a printer to print your lyrics if you've written them in a computer, or you may need a printer to print designs for album covers, flyers, posters, business cards and more. Another purpose musicians use printers for are for the covers of their CDs and DVDs. To be considered professional, you must appear in the eyes of others as a professional. Printing paper adhesives CD/DVD covers will instantly make you look like an amateur. These are specialized printers that print "directly" to the surface of CDs and DVDs. In order to do this you must have printable disks which are colored white, in normal, matte or glossy qualities. Once you have this tool you will be one step closer to being considered a pro.

Another alternative to expensive print-to-cd printer are thermal cd printers. They print a type of black ink directly to the surface of disks, often in customizable bold letters, but offer only a few varieties of colors you can use. In order to use a thermal printer to print CDs correctly, the printable surface must look like the shiny silver side or data side of the disk or else color will not print at all.

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Rack Mounts

2008-08-17T01:45:00.001-07:00

The Rack Mount

The rack mount is the place where you can store multiple rack equipment that may decide is best for your studio. Unless you purchased a studio computer desk with spaces for rack equipment you will need to purchase a rack mount. Rack mounts may be as cheap as ten dollars or above $300 depending on how much rack spaces they can hold and if they have caster wheels that will allow them to be moved upon the surface of a flat ground. If you will do all your mixing of your audio waves inside your computer that is fine and a rack mount is irrelevant for your home studio. If however you feel the need to have a more vintage or analog sound then a rack mount is a necessary tool. Certainly you don't want to just stack these babies on top of each other, they are usually very heavy and can be very expensive so if they chance one may drop from being put on an unstable surface it can be costly and dangerous. When you insert rack equipment into the rack mount you will usually either screw drive it in or solder it into the metal of the rack mount.

RECOMMENDED RACK MOUNT

K and M BLE M 19 Rack Wagon
Prrice: 249.99

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Rhyming Dictionary

2008-08-17T01:44:00.000-07:00

The Rhyming Dictionary

While some consider it cheating, a rhyming dictionary is a great resource in helpful tools for a rapper's lyrics and hooks. Being stuck at the end of a bar, figuring out how it can rhyme, may be worse than writer's block. This is because you actually have pre-determined what you may say in the next bar but are stuck on "one word" and often only a tricky syllable. Resist the temptation to strain your over-used brain and pick this tool up at any popular bookstore chain. Rhyming dictionaries are not like regular dictionaries in that you can look up your word and "oh there it is". Sometimes you must find the vowel, multiple-vowels or the ending of that particular rhyme, for example for "calling" you would search "ing" and it would show you a large list of words that end with ing. A con about using a rhyming dictionary is that with overuse you may lose the "organic" nature of your flow. This results in a highly technical sound with always flawless vowels and ended rhymes, for technical emcees it may actually be a desired and preferred sound. Rappers and songwriters all know that it is perfectly fine for frequent application of "almost rhyming, but not quite" words in a lyric.

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Room Acoustics

2008-08-17T01:43:00.000-07:00

The Room

The room in which you record your vocals and hear your sound from the monitors is an important factor in how your recording will ultimately sound to your consumers and the public outside world. A thick carpet can deaden sound, wooden floors can send off an echo of the sound. Even the amount of wallpaper and furniture will effect the sound. The bigger the room the better, too small of a room and you will become buried in the sound and it may have too little reverb to sound realistic. If walls are fabricated then add wooded floors, if un-fabricated then add carpet for absorption. The more square and equal the room, the more it will echo, so find a room that is uneven with jagged corners, not parallel directly to each other. Try to have a room that will not effect neighbors, families and roommates. Basement-type concrete rooms need a double dose of carpeting and insulation from extreme cold. Muggy hot attics need ventilation, having your equipment in degrees over 100 can actually melt and damage your equipment. All tiled bathroom-type room have far too much echo and are generally beyond repair. Make sure outside noise and traffic cannot be heard as your audio quality will suffer from repeated editing of those sounds, plus it just is not professional ("Timmy, dinners ready!" right after a hard hook is not whassup)

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SD Memory

2008-08-17T01:42:00.000-07:00

The SD Memory

SD memory (Made by San Disk) and other compact memory cards are steadily growing a larger market with music equipment each year. Many types of digital media accept this format. The SD card itself is very small, about the size of a large thumbnail, but able to contain large amounts of data such as 1 GB or 2 GB and higher. Many modern computers do not come equipped to read SD or other compact memory cards as the format is relatively new to the mass market, where before they were strictly used for storage in digital cameras. The solution is to buy a USB drive converter able to read these compact cards as well as be able to fit in a computer, USB is perfect since so many computer come with USB drives pre-installed. A universal compact card reader or standalone SD card reader are cheap, always under 20 dollars and can be invaluable if your music production relies on this type of transferrable media card.

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Shock Mount

2008-08-17T01:39:00.000-07:00

The Shock Mount

A shock mount is an attachment to a microphone to hold is still, in place and level in accordance to the mic stand no matter the slight vibrations of the room. Sometimes the stock connection of a microphone to the mic stand doesn't fit or is too flimsy or you can see that it's not going to be able to handle the aggressive activity, so that is when the need to buy a shock mount arrives. As far as dynamic microphones are concerned, they shouldn't really need to worry about a shock mount as their types can handle damage and small vibrations like the gentle tap of a pin on the pole doesn't pick up. For a condenser microphone, it is an absolute given that they have a shock mount as they can pick up even small and minor bumps to the mic stand, and preferred that the shock mount used be the one recommended by the manufacturer, for example if you get a Rode-NTA, get the shock mount that fits a Rode-NTA. If your condenser microphone is more obscure only then do you buy a universal shock mount. Even shot-gun condenser microphones have specialized shock mounts. Prices for shock mounts range from $50 - $200+ depending on the brand, quality and rarity.

RECOMMENDED SHOCK MOUNTS (Sorted by price, lowest to highest)

Sabra SSM-1 Universal Shock Mount for microphones
Price: $42.99

Blue Ringer Universal Shockmount
Price: $49.99

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Software

2008-08-17T01:38:00.000-07:00

The Software

As a rapper with a home studio the only type of software that should be installed on your computer other than the operating system, its necessities and itunes or windows media player is professional "multi-tracking" audio-editing software. Multi-tracking software allows simultaneous playback and recording of multiple "tracks" of audio information. Added feature may include the ability to run VST and Direct-X plug-ins for audio editing, Non-Destructive editing for when you highly edit an audio track with your genius knowledge of a gigantic amount of reverb and parametric equalization.

(Tip: less is more, be light on the compression and equalization. The trick with reverb is if you can hear it then you've added way too much, get it to the point where it's just below that and you're fine. If it doesn't sound right without light editing then redo the track, check the acoustics of the room, or get a new higher quality microphone. Don't do something just because you always do, in fact don't get into a habit of anything and always experiment. There are no set "Laws" in audio-editing. If it sounds good without editing so be it, like the old saying "If it aint broke, don't fix it". A seasoned sound engineer's ears have developed with mixing and mastering over a period of many years and is accustomed to all the minor, small artifacts and anomalies that a normal person just wouldn't be able to comprehend)

After installing and hooking up your equipment properly to your computer you will load up your Multi-Track software. From there you will load up your instrumental by way of an import feature. Then you will press a red or type of button to arm a track from underneath your instrumental track, this lets the multi-track software that you are prepared to record. Next you will press it's record button and your vocals will appear as you speak into the microphone. When done, press it's stop button.

Since the software you are recording in is a multi-tracking audio-editor you will be able to add "Doubles", "Ad-libs", "Hooks", "Instruments", "Sound Effects" and anything else you choose in the audio tracks underneath your instrumental and main vocal tracks.

Next you will clean up the track, deleting silent spaces, compress and equalizing to your delight, maybe adding a little reverb and echo, a de-esser if the pop-filter is too weak, VST or Direct-X plug-ins like ones from "WAVES" or "STEINBERG".

The final step in the recording process is to save your session and export the compilation of tracks into one audio file such as .wav or .mp3, or whatever format your software supports and you like for either quality or compression type.

If you can't mix or master tracks or have a preference for any type of "unseen" quality then it doesn't matter which multi-track software you record vocals.

(The alchemy practicing digital heads will try their best to convince you that Pro Tools is better than Cubase or vice-verse, it's a bunch of fuckin' soggy ass baloney, it's all the same soundin' shit, except on some nerdy 0101010101 programming binary language level that has to do with the multi-track software's algorithms of their exportation of .wav and similar formats)

Yet if you plan on not messing around with your finished vocals and leave it up to the pros your vocal tracks better be in Pro Tools or Cubase session forms or you will not get the optimal mixing of your track. Alternately, you can make each track a separate .wav file including the space from the beginning of the first sound of audio in the session to the end and put the audio tracks on a data disk, naming each one track 1, track 2, track 3 and so on.

Although similar, with play/record/stop being universal, each software comes with a type of "learning curve". A learning curve refers to the amount of time and how easy or hard it is to come from knowing jack-shit about something to becoming a full blown einstein-guru-master of it. In my experience, Adobe Audition and Pro Tools win hands down in most ease-of-use categories for multi-track software.

RECOMMENDED MULTI-TRACK SOFTWARE (Sorted by price, lowest to highest)

Cakewalk Sonar Home Studio 6XL Recording Software
Price: $159.99

Digidesign Pro Tools M-Powered 7.4
Price: $299.99

Sony Acid Pro 6 Multitrack Recording Software
Price: $299.99

Cakewalk Sonar 7 Producer Edition
Price: $299.99

Adobe Audition 3 for Windows
Price: $349.99

Apple Logic Studio
Price: $499.99

Steinberg Cubase 4
Price: $599.99

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Soundcard

2008-08-17T01:37:00.001-07:00

The Soundcard

A soundcard is the place where you will record and hear music on your computer. No, you can't use that stock soundcard that came bundled with your computer. Why? Because it sucks. Stock soundcards are for game and PC multimedia sounds, plus these don't have the proper input and outputs, are not at 24-bit quality, and are unable to work with high end audio-software anyways (it'll probably just sound scratchy as hell and be very faint) When working at a professional level you need a soundcard that takes in 1/4 inch stereo jacks and outputs of atleast the same size. Those small 1/8 inch headphone jacks spaces (you know, the ones you use for your CD and MP3 players to listen to music) just ain't gonna cut it. So now that you've scrapped your 16-bit crappy soundblaster soundcard you need to look for a professional quality soundcard that will be able to run your professional software. What you need to be looking for is a soundcard at the minimum 24/96, which means 24-bit, 96KHZ. Popular soundcard in this range are Emu and M-Audio. The price range for studio quality soundcards are about $150.00 to $500.00. Yes, there are fancy ones at very high prices, but they are usually packed with features that are much more that a solo rapper would ever need. Follow the instructions when installing your soundcard, perhaps disabling the old one if it's built-in or you're too lazy too remove it manually from it's PCI slot.

RECOMMENDED SOUND CARDS (PCI) (Sorted by price, lowest to highest)

M-Audio Revolution 7.1 PCI Surround Recording Card
Price: $99.99

M-Audio Audiophile 2496 PCI Digital Audio Card
Price: $99.99

E-MU 1212M PCI Digital Audio Spectrum v2
Price: $149.99

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Studio Desk

2008-08-17T01:36:00.000-07:00

The Studio Desk

A computer desk is made for your desktop or laptop computer and not your music equipment (duh). It specializes in having a display monitor as its centerpiece, sometimes raised slightly. A place to store the computer keyboard, which will often slide underneath the main shelf. A small area for you to put your mouse on. Sometimes it will even come with an attached compartment inside or outside for the hard drive to rest on. Notice I didn't say anything about music equipment (duh again, you're not stupid) If you are really serious about building a home studio it's time to move your computer desk into your parents or sibling's room, trash it or sell it in the newspaper classifieds, Ebay or Craigslist. Anyway you get rid of that wood obstruction is fine, just as long as it's not part of your studio. WHY? Because you start looking unprofessional in a jiffy with your mixer on crates, your audio interface behind the computer display montior, you phantom power sitting on your piles of dirty magazines, you studio monitors used as a mouse pad, unnecessary cd rack your computer desk may have attached to it, taking too much space and not holding any CD cases whatsoever anyway since you've upgraded to your trusty Ipod or Zune and that's not even taking into consideration where you're gonna put your pre-amp and outboard equipment. So now you say "That ridiculous, I can just buy a mixer stand and a monitor stand and put my phantom power, audio-interface, pre-amp and external outboard equipment on fold-up coffee tables or something". What's ridiculous is you want to spend $349.99 too look unprofessional than spend $99.99 on a standard studio desk which though ahead for music equipment placement and looks professional on top of that. An added bonus is usually underneath where the display monitor rest is a space dedicated to the racks or outboard gear you've collected. Don't say you can but a stand and a fold-up coffee table for that too or you've just added to your resume to make a grand total $450.00 of unprofessional and illogical idiot-spending-money, right out of your pocket and into the hands of the big corporations (give yourself a pat on the back, another sucker is born everyday). Do yourself a favor right from the beginning and get the damn studio desk, if you're not using a large mixer you never know when you're gonna need that front space for something like a keyboard workstation or midi controller, saving you money and space on buying the stand.

RECOMMENDED PROFESSIONAL STUDIO DESKS (Sorted by price, lowest to highest)

Studio RTA Mix Station
Price: $99.99

- slide-out keyboard tray
- rear privacy panel
- 6 space rack in upper section
- 4 caster (2 locking)

Studio RTA Creation Station Studio Desk
Price: $199.99

- 2 large work surfaces
- Full Length monitor shelf
- Dual full space 19" rack bay
- 4 casters (2 locking)

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Surge Protector

2008-08-17T01:34:00.000-07:00

The Surge Protector

Don't just buy a surge protector and not know why the hell you're getting one in the first place. 6 out of 10 electrical deaths are caused by power problems. In 4 out of 10 cases, computer data loss is from power failure or surges. Surge protectors use metal oxide varistor (MOV) to absorb excess power. MOV will lose their effectiveness after experiencing an extremely large amount of power. This is a vulnerability to make them become ineffective and ultimately a fire hazard in the same way if you were not using a surge protector. Joules are an energy measurement that surge protectors use. An MOV can only take so many joules before it completely fails. When looking at buying a surge protector anything over 200 is "acceptable" with three times that amount being the recommended amount. So, change your surge protectors at regular intervals because their "protector" abilities do not last forever.

RECOMMENDED SURGE PROTECTORS (Sorted by price, lowest to highest)

Furman SS-6B Surge Block
- 6 outlets , 15' power cord
Price: $29.99

Gibson 4-Outlet 3240 Joule Surge Protector
- 4 outlets
Price: $99.99

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Thesaurus

2008-08-17T01:33:00.000-07:00

The Thesaurus

A thesaurus is a book which shows similar words for a chosen word. You may suffer from using non-descriptive words in your lyrics, but rhyme perfectly on every bar. What this will translate to in flow is nursery rhymes where the emphasis comes across are overly used small and cliched words such as; big, now, good and see. In a thesaurus those same four words may be equivalent to; monstrous, uncooked, angelic and visualize. These precise and generally longer words tell a more engaging description of your lyrics. Many times you may not be aware that your bars even need this kind of treatment until you force edit them and substitute enhanced words regardless of how perfect you personally think your bar is. One snag is that a thesaurus is unreliable when it comes to the actual rhyming of your bar. If you decide that the rhyming word needs to be substituted you may find yourself in a mess as the rhyming word is often the last word of a bar. This means you may have to change the word at the bar before or after, which in turns makes you change the structure of the bar, which in turns may change the intentioned meaning you had in the first place, which may lead to conflict in the two bars. Ironically, depending on how creative a word was chosen could mean there is not much for you to rhyme with anyway.

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Vocal Booth

2008-08-17T01:32:00.000-07:00

The Vocal Booth

The main perk of a professional studio is that is contains a vocal booth. The booth is the holy grail for rappers, providing the necessary professional touch to make or break a song or artist. As a home studio rapper you will not have this tool at your disposal at the start unless you build it. My suggestion if you go that route would be to make sure the booth is not square or even and lining up the insides with professional quality acoustic foam. Contrary to popular belief, the vocal booth does not need to be totally soundproof, only a good deal as the acoustic foam will take care of the rest. From my experience the material to build the booth will cost you about $150-$400 depending on how large it needs to be. If the booth is totally enclosed in acoustic foam you can double the previous amount to about $300-$800+. Windows are tricky to install right as you need two sets of glass with air trapped between them (also means they're gonna be hell to clean once fully installed, so put the Newports out before you enter the studio domain). If you want to go the semi-professional route, you can buy a pre-made vocal booth called the "Whisper Room", the snag is it costs. The results from a Whisper Room are amazing however. To find and purchase your own Whisper Room, just type that keyword into google and yahoo and it should be the first search result.

RECOMMENDED VOCAL BOOTHS (sorted by price, lowest to highest)

Whisper Room - Standard (s) Isolation Models

MDL 42308 - 3.5' x 2.5'
Price: $2760.00

MDL 1021865 - 8.5' x 15.5'
Price: $13,400 (!!!)

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XLR Cables

2008-08-17T01:31:00.000-07:00

The XLR Cables

If you've been dwelling in the pro-audio section of your local guitar center you've probably noticed these large funny looking plugs and have been scratching your head on why they look like that. These connection are "analog". meaning precisely opposite of digital, and are the industry standard in carrying sound waves from external audio gear. Unlike digital connections, these types of wires do not carry coded data or digital information, only the sound wave information. A computer microphone or cheap headset microphone have 1/8 inch stereo plugs most likely. A professional studio quality microphone will ALWAYS have XLR connections. The holes and pins are arranged in a triangle with two on the top, one on the bottom. In this arrangement the pin to the top left is always the ground wire. The pin to the top right is normal output. The pin on the bottom is inverting output. If the pins extend, meaning you can see them, then the extension is "male". If there are three holes instead of pins then the extension is female. Good brand names for XLR cords are Monster and Live wire.

RECOMMENDED XLR CABLES (Sorted by price, lowest to highest)

Live wire XLR Microphone Cable
20-Foot Price: $14.99

Monster Cable S-100 XLR Microphone Cable
15-Foot Price: $24.99
30-Foot Price: $39.95

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--------BEATSTUDIO--------

2008-08-17T01:24:00.000-07:00

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Chopping Up Samples

2008-08-17T01:23:00.001-07:00

The Chopping Up Samples

To chop up a sample you need either a high quality drum machine/music production sampler, a workstation or a computer. What is done is a marker or placement is put at the start and end points of the selected audio and then that portion of audio is cut out as a standalone sound. Advanced users may then cut many samples from this sample selection of audio and put the bits of audio together in creative ways, compare it to an audio jigsaw puzzle that when put completely together is artistically pleasing.

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Clearing Samples

2008-08-17T01:21:00.000-07:00

The Clearing of Samples

You may decide to use a sample from a source of copyrighted material. Without permission from it's respected owner or owners you are liable for legal prosecution which may come in the form of cease and desist or a lawsuit. Technically, all sounds in music are a sample in one way or another, but the ones used in keyboard workstation, drum machines, and drum kits in music production software grant you full permission to use their sounds on the purchase of their equipment. Sounds such as these are called royalty-free sounds, in order to have the same freedom as a sampler you would need to purchase royalty-free samples or follow the owner's directions on if they are able to be used commercially or not. To clear a copyrighted sample you will need the owner's written permission you can use the sound, often for a set fee, royalty, or percent of the gross income made from the sale of the instrumental. Unfortunately, the copyright owner can refuse to grant your request for any amount of money offered and may become spiteful from you boldness, attempting to sure you if you have already marketed the beat or allowed it to become commercial to the public. This makes sampler's instrumentals risky and costly to prospective buyers who are just as wary of the legal implications of using copyrighted samples in music.

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