Last week as I was chilling at Port bell drive Music I happened to land into a conversation with Nase Avatar on music production and later with Analytical Alz on more ideas of beat making, which was quite insightful. We spoke of Beats, Instrumentation and hip Hop production in general. The conversation didn’t really center around who a beat maker and a producer is?

We all I assumed unconsciously that the two are of course different. We were having a casual conversation that we strike every time we are in studio.

How is that above important?

Well if you didn’t know Nase Avatar is a full-time producer at Port Bell Drive and Analytical Alz is more occasional a producer and in most cases will be called a Beat maker. Doesn’t make sense right?

Then Lets Move on with the Difference between A beat Maker and A Producer:

A Beat Maker is …..

“Usually this is the person who sells or leases the beat to an artist before ideas, lyrics, arrangements, etc. are done. This person has no influence on how the record turns out or the direction of the project. Once you get the beat, exclusivity not a lease, your pretty much done with this person until your album is released.” Extracted from IndieHipHop.net

So the Beat Maker, is that guy who pretty much lays the first instrument, develops the bass, lead drums and puts the melodic instruments to form what you call a beat or instrumental. In most cases has even no idea how a rapper will jump on it. The beat maker then should be called the first Baker who prepares the dough for the cake. In Tucker HD’s Voice., “Ya Dig”

Moving on

A Producer Is….

As we spoke with Nase he mentioned something about Dre and the likes of Timberland, (the two are American Producers). Our conversation was about ideas that producers over see or influence on a “record.”

This explanation can try to define a Producer, ” A producer has many roles that may include, but are not limited to, gathering ideas for the project, selecting songs and/or musicians, coaching the artist and musicians in the studio, controlling the recording sessions, and supervising the entire process through mixing and mastering.” From an online forum Via Future Producers.com

The producer is the guy with the icing as regards making of the song after the beat was produced. He is responsible for making Rapper X and Vocalist K sounding amazing on the beat by Beat maker B ( Not for Baru though)

But isn’t Beat Making Part of the Production Process? Don’t Producers Beat make?

When I left the studio I remembered ALZ telling me of Jah Lil Beats’ (American Beat Maker’s) story. And I immediately recalled we have Baru Beatz here locally.

I am sure Baru before producing a whole song with the lyrics and other important details was a beat maker. Now the boy / Young King Now is an in-house producer at Dustville Records. A beat maker some times could have his hands on the whole production process and literally he becomes a young producer as it sounds like.

A producer technically does the mixing and mastering, and may influence where which verse and hook should be. He is the person at Post Beat Production in most cases.

I use Baru because he was once a typical beat maker and now a full time producer ,who has mastered the craft of complete songs or produce artistes.

ALZ on my way out, he speaks of how he is much more interested in making beats than the whole production phase. Dang! This got me thinking, yes beat makers contribute to the first step and the producer (in most cases) continues with the beat made.

How Comes we don’t get to hear of Beat makers?

Beat makers don’t seem to get credited in most cases especially if the final track comes from a popular studio or even the fact that it is from that studio X its made by Producer G. Do you remember one of the reasons for Who Killed Hip Hop?; stealing beats!

Is the Conversation Still On?

Of course not, As I wrote this I considered two things;

1. some people can’t differentiate the two individuals, and 2. it’s not clear for some if a beat maker can be a producer or the other way round.

Sometime a producer may not lay a finger on instruments but has the direction of the project and yet it is not possible for a beatmaker not to at least contribute a WAV.

Cover Photo: Pexels

About Author

Ayella

Founder NuveyLive.org. I am Ayella NuveySHAWN. I love music, I write a lot about Ugandan Hip hop. I am opinionated. I Content Create, I teach , write, love ,invest, I make music, I manage talent and I am a poet.

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