Are you in the music business?

[Uber V8]

It's cool to see a few members here that are DJ's, recording engineers, record producer's, etc...

I've been a record producer unofficially since I was 16 years old (just turned 30 couple days ago) and have been officially making profit from music this past year.

My current setup:

FL studio 10
Axiom 61 key midi keyboard
KRK Rockit 6 V2's
Focusrite Saffire Pro interface
2 TB hardrive PC with 8 gigs of RAM (Gonna switch to Mac soon)
Maschine
AKG C414 and MXL-890 Mics with pop filter and reflexion filter
All Mogami cables

Most notable artist I've worked with is The Game.

My genres are hip hop, pop, R&B, dubstep, boom-bap, electronic, and experimental.

I'd love to work with: Jhene Aiko, Lorde, Childish Gambino, Pharrell, (obviously) Kendrick Lamar, Calvin Harris, AfroJack, Rihanna, and James Fauntleroy.

Here's a link to some older music of mine www.soundcloud.com/tpratt

Let's talk!

[Whostheboss]

You wanna work with Pharrell? Aren't you Pharrell? you wanna work with your own self? J/K.
Why switch to Mac?

[Uber V8]

Originally Posted by Whostheboss

You wanna work with Pharrell? Aren't you Pharrell? you wanna work with your own self? J/K.
Why switch to Mac?

haha...I want to learn and master Logic X and its native to Mac's only.

What about you?

[P1]

No, I am not in the music business.

[Whostheboss]

Originally Posted by FwdFtl

haha...I want to learn and master Logic X and its native to Mac's only.

What about you?

Nice to know.
Congrats dude. Looks like you've messed with some big name artists. Goodluck in the future.

One of my boys is an inspiring Rapper, next time we're on the West coast, i'll deff hit you up.

For me, i love music of all genres. My fav are Rap, Hip hop, Rock, Ethnic (My country music) some classical and pop. But when it comes to singing, i'm the worst ever. If i started singing the whole room will get up and run away. Music has always been difficult for me growing, i can never grasp the method and concept of singing and producing music, maybe this is why i love music so much.

As for my talents, I'm completely in love and very passionate about drawing and painting. I will draw/paint my heart out all day everyday. I don't use my art to make money, i just do it for hobby.

[Whostheboss]

Not to change the topic of your post but here is my latest drawing. These are fictional characters that i create.

Now back to Music... lol

[Uber V8]

Originally Posted by Whostheboss

Nice to know.
Congrats dude. Looks like you've messed with some big name artists. Goodluck in the future.

One of my boys is an inspiring Rapper, next time we're on the West coast, i'll deff hit you up.

For me, i love music of all genres. My fav are Rap, Hip hop, Rock, Ethnic (My country music) some classical and pop. But when it comes to singing, i'm the worst ever. If started singing the whole room will get up and run away. Music has always been difficult for me growing, i can never grasp the method and concept of singing and producing music, maybe this is why i love music so much.

As for my talents, I'm completely in love and very passionate about drawing and painting. I will draw/paint my heart out all day everyday. I don't use my art to make money, i just do it for hobby.

Thanks! me and my team have been offered some pub deals this year, but my attorney and I agreed they were all duds. Supposedly Rick Ross is interested in one of my tracks, but it's been a lot of back and forth lately.

I'd like to hear your friends music, I'm always interested in unsigned hype.

As for your talents, hey music creating might not be for everyone just like I suck at art/painting! I actually did have an idea where I'd like to incorporate painting and music. Basically a large canvas that an artists paints and the CD jewel sleeve would be made out of a piece of the work of art.

Still have yet to complete that.

EDIT: DAMN! You have skills man! Nice!

[Whostheboss]

He's based in Atl. We talk every now and then. He was just up here in NY/CT area doing some local concerts. I'll hit him up and see what he's up to.

Thanks dude.

Rick Ross is big name, i can't even imagine how much stressful it is dealing with top $$$ artists.

So school me on the beat making game. How does it work? As a producer, you come up with instrumentals and if a rapper likes it, you two get to work on a track? is that how it works?

[kscarrol]

Originally Posted by Whostheboss

Not to change the topic of your post but here is my latest drawing. These are fictional characters that i create.

Now back to Music... lol

Almost as good as Billup's work!!! Joking, I'm joking!

[Litos]

Originally Posted by Whostheboss

Not to change the topic of your post but here is my latest drawing. These are fictional characters that i create.

Now back to Music... lol

all you did was take The Rock and gave him a mohawk......

[Whostheboss]

Originally Posted by Litos

all you did was take The Rock and gave him a mohawk......

LOL yea, i used The Rocks FF6 pose as my reference. A lot of skills are still required.

[Whostheboss]

Originally Posted by kscarrol

Almost as good as Billup's work!!! Joking, I'm joking!

lol

[Litos]

Originally Posted by FwdFtl

Let's talk!

i could say i'm in the music bizz, but in a different way...

i can't go more than 20 minutes without listening to some music....

if i'm in a meeting at work, my brain starts singing "Ramblin Man" by The Allman Brothers or "Cowboys Like Us" by George Strait or even "Pocket Full of Stones by UGK......

my iphone is actually going hard right now with some "Louisiana Saturday Night" by Mel McDaniels (it's ok, go ahead and look it up, it's old school country ).

i choose my music based on what mood i am in. it's like an extension of how i'm feeling and where i'm at emotionally.

my genres are spread reaaaaaaaly wide:

classic rock: anything from the 60's/70's (Led Zeppelin/Rolling Stones/CCR/Bob Dylan)
country: anything from 1985 to today (George Strait/Alan Jackson/Kenney Chesney/Brad Paisley/Taylor Swift/Randy Travis)
old country: country from 1959 to about 1980ish (Willie Nelson/George Jones/Merle Haggard/Waylon Jennings/Conway Twitty)
Rap: any song that has rappers that use the word neeega and cuss waaaaay too much to play at my dad's house (NWA/Getto Boys/Eazy-E/The Game/UGK/2Pac)
Hip-Hop: any song from 1985 to today that doesn't sound overly gangster (Lil Wayne/Eminem/Kanye/Outkast/Naughty By Nature/Cypress Hill/Kriss Kross/Dre/Snoop/Macklemore)
Pop: anything that sounds like a teenage girl would listen to HHAHA !!! (Miley Cyrus/Katy Perry/No Doubt/Uncler Cracker/Train/Sugar Ray/Sublime/Sean Paul/Rihanna/Pitbull/Pink)
Tejano: yes, i keep a playlist on my phone so that i can throw it down with some "Cumbias" just in case i need it HAHAHA !!!!
Screw: i'm sure you've heard of that slowed down gangster shit in Cali. and yes, it's a Houston thing, and yes, i can listen to it even after listening to my entire Bob Dylan Playlist...

music makes me feel a type of way

[Whostheboss]

Originally Posted by Litos

i cou...
Screw: i'm sure you've heard of that slowed down gangster shit in Cali. and yes, it's a Houston thing, and yes, i can listen to it even after listening to my entire Bob Dylan Playlist...

music makes me feel a type of way

Never heard of Screw

[Uber V8]

Originally Posted by Whostheboss

He's based in Atl. We talk every now and then. He was just up here in NY/CT area doing some local concerts. I'll hit him up and see what he's up to.

Thanks dude.

Rick Ross is big name, i can't even imagine how much stressful it is dealing with top $$$ artists.

So school me on the beat making game. How does it work? As a producer, you come up with instrumentals and if a rapper likes it, you two get to work on a track? is that how it works?

Man, there is literally a book about it! "All You Need To Know About The Music Business" - Donald Passman (Music Bible)

But anyways, in short what you're referring to is called getting a major placement. You'd make a few beats that you'd have in mind for a few major artists. (this is usually as far as millions of so called producers stop)The next step is to actually get your music heard by the right people. This is usually the main step that separates those who make money from music and those who don't. Next, the major artists' manager would let the artists know that so an so's manager said you should check out these tracks. Then either the artists likes it or not.

If they do like the track, it can go one of three ways. If you're a nobody, they'll offer you "chump change" for exclusive rights to the beat (anywhere from $1,000 - $3,000) and no royalty percentages which is where most money is made from selling a beat/song.

If you're a mid level producer they may offer you nothing upfront, but 3% royalties. Or a mixture of upfront and royalty rates. If it goes platinum on 3%, $30,000 in your pocket.

If you're at the Timbaland, Neptunes, Swizz Beatz, MikeWiLLMadeIt, Kanye West, Dr. Dre etc... levels...you basically charge your own rate and terms. Few years ago these guys were getting up to $1M per song upfront! But the music industry has evolved so much that those deals are non existent.

Songwriters get a good bit of money too. Last year, Adele made roughly $900,000 from royalties off of her single "Someone Like You" which did 5x platinum.

Originally Posted by Litos

i could say i'm in the music bizz, but in a different way...

i can't go more than 20 minutes without listening to some music....

if i'm in a meeting at work, my brain starts singing "Ramblin Man" by The Allman Brothers or "Cowboys Like Us" by George Strait or even "Pocket Full of Stones by UGK......

my iphone is actually going hard right now with some "Louisiana Saturday Night" by Mel McDaniels (it's ok, go ahead and look it up, it's old school country ).

i choose my music based on what mood i am in. it's like an extension of how i'm feeling and where i'm at emotionally.

my genres are spread reaaaaaaaly wide:

classic rock: anything from the 60's/70's (Led Zeppelin/Rolling Stones/CCR/Bob Dylan)
country: anything from 1985 to today (George Strait/Alan Jackson/Kenney Chesney/Brad Paisley/Taylor Swift/Randy Travis)
old country: country from 1959 to about 1980ish (Willie Nelson/George Jones/Merle Haggard/Waylon Jennings/Conway Twitty)
Rap: any song that has rappers that use the word neeega and cuss waaaaay too much to play at my dad's house (NWA/Getto Boys/Eazy-E/The Game/UGK/2Pac)
Hip-Hop: any song from 1985 to today that doesn't sound overly gangster (Lil Wayne/Eminem/Kanye/Outkast/Naughty By Nature/Cypress Hill/Kriss Kross/Dre/Snoop/Macklemore)
Pop: anything that sounds like a teenage girl would listen to HHAHA !!! (Miley Cyrus/Katy Perry/No Doubt/Uncler Cracker/Train/Sugar Ray/Sublime/Sean Paul/Rihanna/Pitbull/Pink)
Tejano: yes, i keep a playlist on my phone so that i can throw it down with some "Cumbias" just in case i need it HAHAHA !!!!
Screw: i'm sure you've heard of that slowed down gangster shit in Cali. and yes, it's a Houston thing, and yes, i can listen to it even after listening to my entire Bob Dylan Playlist...

music makes me feel a type of way

Yea, I know a bit about H-Towns Chopped and Screwed. I remember Paul Wall, Slim Thug, Lil Flip, and UGK (RIP Pimp C) to name a few. 'Sittin Sideways" is still one of my faves to this day!

Bet you don't know who coined the phrased you keep using "some type of way" without using Google

[Litos]

Originally Posted by Whostheboss

Never heard of Screw

then you're not into the music business as good as you thought you were.

shit is nationwide - been around since the early 90's...

[Litos]

Originally Posted by FwdFtl

Bet you don't know who coined the phrased you keep using "some type of way" without using Google

i'll be honest with you - i didn't know who it was 3 weeks ago and had to look it up HAHA !!!!

some rapper that looks like Trinidad James HAHAHA !!!!!

and "Sittin Sideways" is a staple here in Houston, just like "June 27th".

i believe "June 27th" is the most iconic and meaningful screw session ever to come out of Houston....

[Uber V8]

Originally Posted by Litos

then you're not into the music business as good as you thought you were.

shit is nationwide - been around since the early 90's...

Not to sound like a dick (but I'm going to sound like one anyways!) From what I've read, neither of you are involved in music business, more like music consumers! haha

You do have an impressive, eclectic choice in music though

Originally Posted by Litos

i'll be honest with you - i didn't know who it was 3 weeks ago and had to look it up HAHA !!!!

some rapper that looks like Trinidad James HAHAHA !!!!!

and "Sittin Sideways" is a staple here in Houston, just like "June 27th".

i believe "June 27th" is the most iconic and meaningful screw session ever to come out of Houston....

Ha! He does look similar to Trinidad James. Side note, Trinidad James signed a $2M deal off of his terrible "All Gold" song. Just goes to show it's not always talent, but who you know to get you a deal.

[Litos]

Originally Posted by FwdFtl

Not to sound like a dick (but I'm going to sound like one anyways!) From what I've read, neither of you are involved in music business, more like music consumers! haha

i'm not in the "music bizz", but i just love music from all different genres and eras.....

i don't produce or mix or rap or play any instruments...

i just listen to music to know that i'm still alive.....

[Whostheboss]

Originally Posted by Litos

then you're not into the music business as good as you thought you were.

shit is nationwide - been around since the early 90's...

OK i know this genre. I though it was called Chopped & Screwed.

[Whostheboss]

Originally Posted by FwdFtl

Man, there is literally a book about it! "All You Need To Know About The Music Business" - Donald Passman (Music Bible)

But anyways, in short what you're referring to is called getting a major placement. You'd make a few beats that you'd have in mind for a few major artists. (this is usually as far as millions of so called producers stop)The next step is to actually get your music heard by the right people. This is usually the main step that separates those who make money from music and those who don't. Next, the major artists' manager would let the artists know that so an so's manager said you should check out these tracks. Then either the artists likes it or not.

If they do like the track, it can go one of three ways. If you're a nobody, they'll offer you "chump change" for exclusive rights to the beat (anywhere from $1,000 - $3,000) and no royalty percentages which is where most money is made from selling a beat/song.

If you're a mid level producer they may offer you nothing upfront, but 3% royalties. Or a mixture of upfront and royalty rates. If it goes platinum on 3%, $30,000 in your pocket.

If you're at the Timbaland, Neptunes, Swizz Beatz, MikeWiLLMadeIt, Kanye West, Dr. Dre etc... levels...you basically charge your own rate and terms. Few years ago these guys were getting up to $1M per song upfront! But the music industry has evolved so much that those deals are non existent.

Songwriters get a good bit of money too. Last year, Adele made roughly $900,000 from royalties off of her single "Someone Like You" which did 5x platinum.

Thats insane. WOW! Thanks for that brief knowledge lesson.

[Litos]

Originally Posted by Whostheboss

OK i know this genre. I though it was called Chopped & Screwed.

yes - hence "Screw"

back in the late 80's and early 90's, DJ Screw started dabbling in this type of music.

"...He would take his mother's B.B. King and Johnnie Taylor records and scratch them on the turntable the way DJs did, slowing the spinning disc and then allowing it to speed back up, playing with sound. Davis began buying records of his own and would spin with his friend Trey Adkins, who would rhyme. "Screw had a jam box", Adkins told Texas Monthly, "and he hooked up two turntables to it and made a fader out of the radio tuner so he could deejay." Adkins said if Robert Earl didn't like a record, he would deface it with a screw. One day Adkins asked him, "Who do you think you are, DJ Screw?"..."


ya'll probably don't care about Screw, but this June 27th Freestyle is the most iconic DJ Screw inspired recording ever.

people around Houston still remember this recording every June 27th...

all the hip/hop radio stations play this 35 minute freestyle, which features some of the all-time great Houston rappers and freestylers.

it started with a birthday party for a dude named D-Mo - quite a few people passed around a mic for 35 minutes while DJ Screw the record.

no one knew it would have turned into the most remembered and listened to rap songs in Houston.