What did you think of my 12-tone meets lo-fi hip hop first attempt beat? Too digested? What made it lo-fi or not lo-fi? In terms of creating a beat, what do you think I came through with? In what ways was I completely and utterly OFF? What are you listening to these days? What are you writing? What are your thoughts? Say it all, I'm all ears haha 😂 P.S. You all are the best, thanks for watching ❤
I'm not an expert on Lo-Fi Hip-Hop, but I really liked the inclusion 12-tone serialism! Also how the groove was appropriately behind the beat - and the general layering of rhythmic elements. I'd recommend experimenting with some low-pass filtering with a little automated filter-motion - also perhaps overlay a little vinyl crackle every now and then. Going with more detuning (or even tuning-automation in your DAW) might also spice it up a little more. :) I'm not writing much these days... trying to really learn Jazz and improve on the piano though, so that's a lot of what I'm listening to and playing these days - it's loads of fun!
2nd idea seems stronger. I don't listen to a lot of lofi hip-hop but do enjoy it occasionally. The first one seems too busy. If you were to edit out 80-90% it would come across as more minimal. The quantizing tends to make things too perfect. And the samples are too clean/not messy enough. Add a field recording, roll off high end and you're there 👍
mostly just timbre stuff like ur bass and pianos just sound kinda stock and uninteresting but thts nothing some effects cant solve also the 12 tone bassline was mad janky but i understand thts like kinda the point. otherwise the shits good especially ur plunky percussion stuff
Thanks for sharing Inspired me to comment and suggest two things: 1. The mix of chaos and groove reminded me of a new relationship (w/headphones, and/or bath rug + software, or other); scanning for intelligent life/sweet spots, curious, and interesting. This can be both send & receive signals in said relationship. (Lyrical thoughts) 2. 🎈🎯 Find a way to start switching the 12 tone, maybe dropping out some notes and playing musical chairs (maybe w/static sound to show changes), until the real groove is realized/purpose found, and, with the funkiness elevated, drop in your performance of the bass line from the Barney Miller detective show. You can add vocal lyrics or more instrumental lead, with the message/feeling of the purpose that you found. I'm not saying it has to be Barney Miller, but, definitely Barney Miller. If you listen to the lead guitar over that bass line (EDIT: and chord changes), you could imagine a powerful vocal. That's what I would do, if I had that bathmat, those headphones, and that software. ("That's all I need, this bathmat, oh and these headphones, and that's all I need, oh and this paddle ball. And that's all i need..." - Navan Johnson) PS guess my age 🙂 PPS Thanks again for the lesson on beginning. It was right on time and left my left ear grinning. PPPS My right earbud isn't, well, you know. It's not the earbud though;it's the wires. Does anyone make cords that protect the wires? Anyone?!! 🚣🏽♀️🚣🏽♀️🚣🏽♀️🐽
@@NahreSol Hey, Awesome Video in another video your on "Why Don't Classical Musicians Improvise?" at 30sec you showed a chart of how your musical time is used. What did you use to keep track, and then show the data?
Toooootally! Given that she's likely super new to hip hop, she probably doesn't know that dissonance / hip hop / jazz fusion was already in NY in the 90s
Damn i thought it was just me its not that easy to make good hip hop beats. This young lady is obviously musically talented, but this beat is awful its the toy piano the beat is pinched sounding you don't make the 12 bar release need more drums.
The high piano chords are close in pitch to the notes played near the end of every four bar phrase in DJ Premier's production on "N.Y. State of Mind". She's also double the synth bassline with a piano in the mid-range, the same way Primo did.
That's so precise to what i was thinking...and the beat she created labelled as "lo-fi" that doesn't even sound anywhere close to lofi. Or maybe i'm just wrong..maybe it's some other type of lo-fi that i'm not familiar with or maybe i'm just used to missing that "vinyl" sounds every time i hear someone mentioning "lo-fi" but that's what i'm used to suppose when it's about lo-fi. But i honestly feel with the sounds like those having in her "chosen list", she could've done way way much better than what she ended up with....but anyways, she tried her best and i can feel her passion in there...atleast she is trying to learn something new and i completely appreciate that.
Your videos are always so charming - like some super intelligent classical person who somehow missed all this modern music and is coming into it with an open mind and seems intrigued by everything. Great work.
@@BeatleJWOL true, but if the piece/song wasnt designed to be slow it may not sound "right". Though slowing/speeding up pieces/songs is a legitimate technique, so yeah good point.
OMG! This is one of the best days in my life! I'm so glad you love the playlist and right now this thoroughly magnificent video is here! It's really amazing that you're so open-minded that you're exploring every realms of creativity in music! As a Hip Hop lover/producer since my childhood/adolescence, I feel incredibly happy now! Thanks so much for preserving the cultural legacy of these marvelous genres and artists Nahre and can't wait to witness this amazing journey! As always, you're about to create a cultural phenomenon here! If this is your first beat, I can't even imagine what would the second one be!!! I think you feel Hip-Hop very intuitively and have this natural tendency to create wonderful soundspaces! This is inexplicably amazing!! 😊🚀🎶🎉❤️🧠💥
I think you're overthinking lofi. It's obvious your knowledge of music is out of this world and you seem to have all these ideas to make the perfect lo-fi in theory but its very straight forward I think. A simple beat with that modern snare everyone uses, a simple melody on repeat. Maybe add a bit more of that retro feel with the sound of radio noise in the background, maybe even start off with a famous speech from a movie or whatever. For your next attempt it would be very cool to see you sample from Shiloh. Many artists do and its a cool implementation to the lofi area that uses lyrics. You could possibly check out someone like "timmies" or "sagun" for inspo :) great work nonetheless
@@NahreSol Immerse yourself in the genre a bit more and absorb the emotions that are being created, and then build your next LoFi song that way. I look forward to part 2!
it's always scary to try and learn new kinds music especially after you become really proficient in one kind and many people would rather become complacent but I salute you on taking the plunge into new territories and pushing yourself as a musician great work Nahre
Here before Adam Neely writes "Great work, Nahre! Your classical approach to exploring contemporary styles and genres is always interesting, and imbues your own pieces in these styles with a unique character and musical outlook that is really refreshing and inspiring to the rest of us". Place your bets now! e: well, damn.
I guess if I have advice, less is more. I feel like there's too much going on with the drum tracking, or maybe the sounds you used were too conflicting. The 12-tone baseline was actually pretty interesting. Making that the focal point, and using the piano and drum track to highlight or accent certain key notes and beats would go a long way.
Lo-fi Cool. Idea: Try to play with your mood, I am convinced it will help. Create a mood or emotion around the track, Lo-Fi tends to be more somber but I am sure you can Feel outside the box.
Man, I used to play with this like that too and had no idea what I was doing. At times I got something special, but never really kept it. This brings back memories
I love how I'm eating french toast, plantains, bacon for breakfast with coffee to drink and you upload this calming yet informative video on beat making. I love it, Nahre!
@@NahreSol my grandma made the plantains. I just made the french toast and bacon for myself, coffee is amazing when it's made by simplicity. overall, it's pretty phenomenal and you're absolutely welcome. 💯
It sounds like a demented Wu-Tang Beat. That 12-tone bass gives it a real woozy but menacing tonality. Would sound crazy with some chopped vocal samples interspersed throughout. Honestly really great seeing you become more and more interested in new sounds and genres on here and Sound Field and expanding your horizons. It's also super interesting seeing someone obviously super talented branch out and practice integrating new and often intimidating styles into their musical repertoire. Pt.2 should be 🔥
Nahre! Adressing the fact that you feel like the keyboard is laggy when recording into logic. if you go to Logic Pro X > Preferences > Audio, and lower the I/O buffer size, there will be less delay between your midi controller and your ears. using quantise puts things completely in time but means you lose any syncopation that you might want to incorporate, or any errors that make a track sound more human and natural.
@@zan6585 ASIO is a windows thing, created by Steinberg to provide for low latency, as windows wdm/dsound audio drivers are horrible. The lowest latency that works well is a combination of a good soundcard with a good cpu, and using the appropriate drivers depending on the platform. Also some FX need some extra time to 'look ahead' for their processing and introduce extra latency (e.g. a lot of limiters/compressors do this), the DAW will then add latency on all the other tracks to compensate for this, increasing the overall latency. Most DAW's have the option to disable this latency compensation for recording purposes (then you mute the tracks with fx with latency, and use the built in metronome to record against, or just try not to use (or disable) FX with extra latency until most things are recorded). Loving your videos, and find it super interesting to see someone with your background and skills being intrigued by electronic/hiphop music, I really think someone with your musical knowledge working together with more seasoned sound designers / producers could result in very interesting stuff.
The CP88 also has an audio interface built in and transmits midi/audio over USB. Pretty sure she’s not using ASIO drivers as she’s on a Mac and not using Cubase.
@@zan6585 Which is too much, I can't play piano with delay more than 8ms at all. She should monitor her keyboard directly or get an audio interface that gets lower latency if she wants to play plugins live.
I’m not sure you realize how dope this is. Those interlocking tritones really make it stand out and it brings me back to a 90s DJ Premier feel. The fact that you took the time to compose the bassline and you really gave this some harmonic and melodic thought is what sets this apart in the chill hop in lofi hip-hop space. Keep it coming!
This video makes me feel more confident in my lofi beat making abilities. I was listening to It on my phone. Thanks for showing that even a classical musician has there doubts in certain aspects of music.
@@NahreSol thanks, I'd like to see you revisit the "as digested by a classical musician" videos every now and then, since you've probably improved in that style and or matured your ideas
Hopefully this won’t come across too negatively (because I really like your videos) but so far it sounds too random and disconnected, though I do love the interlocked tritones in there. To me, a huge part of the appeal of this kind of music is the production, the effective use of compression for example, so it all sounds less sterile and separated. I am sure some of your amazing music friends can show you sidechain compression if you don’t know about it already. Have you considered flipping a sample from a twelve tone recording instead to instantly get that lofi sample feeling, when you chop some pre-existing recording and re-arrange it? Again, just some thoughts, and obviously I can’t express everything within this limited space without overstaying my welcome. :)
totally agree. timbre, EQ, compression and other production techniques are pretty crucial parts of how people relate to electronic music and classical musicians (no offence) often aren't quite equipped to understand them. lo-fi isn't something you can transcribe onto sheet music.
Honestly she could play one of the pieces she has composed, then straight up sample and chop it up. Finger drum in some 808's and tastefully mix the production for taste.
Just discovered this channel and I love it. Really appreciate the amount of openness you display while exploring new concepts and musical ideas. I personally find it very inspiring.
I think it's a great start, Nahre! The first thing that comes to mind is that it just sounds un-mixed and un-mastered. Adding the right type of reverb, compression, panning, stereo imaging and a bit of delay on some instruments would definitely give the track much more depth. A huge factor to take into consideration with this type of music is not necessarily the notes and the rhythms, but moreso the texture, timbre and atmosphere of the various synths and instruments.
This was freaking awesome! As someone who is very down with making beats but has a massive love for music theory this was too much fun to watch! Very much looking forward to part 2!
Seeing that Nahre Sol just uploaded a video makes me ditch the TwoSetViolin upload that I started watching. 😀😀 (Both of which, of course, I'm doing instead of practicing.) 😎😎
A trick too is play notes microtonally tuned up and down a few cents , add old tape wobble. The rest is just standard hip hop beats along with the aforementioned wobbles and dirtying up, and add filters to make it sound old. Oh and bit crushing can sometimes work wonders too. No standards here , creativity is really unlimited, I loved the piece Nahre :)
i think people address the issues far better than i could, but as someone who loves lo-fi dearly, i find joy in the simplicity of the sounds. they're soothing, nostalgic, often sleep-inducing. rap trio epik high's last album uses elements of lo-fi in all the tracks in a very updated way, perhaps you could learn more from hearing how each track tackles the individual details of lo-fi. as i mentioned in another comment, nujabes really paved the way for the genre so its good to start your research there! many of his works were quite simple, often repetitive but memorable, and genuinely iconic. i hope to see you tackle lo-fi in a part 2!
That interlocked tritone reminded me of Nas' "NY State of Mind''s opening for some reason. This is a good thing. I wouldn't call what you put together "Lo-fi Hip Hop", it sounds closer to that Nas' track or other tracks from around that time, sort of a "Broken Down" aesthetic that Lo-fi flirts with but in a different way. It's cool to see that distill out so naturally. Really excited for the next iteration, I love the Lo-fi Hip Hop thing, so this is great.
Side note I LOOOOVE how your editing style has evolved, this dry sarcasm over such an adorable personality is hilarious. And that demonitization/copyright on off button had me floored. I’m not versed enough in lo fi to comment on that, but as someone who has already enjoyed watching and rewatching your videos, your style is becoming even more enjoyable. Keep up the great work
You are an inspiration when throwing yourself into the deep end of genres that are totally out of your comfort zone. The will to do this is what makes a good musician a great musician.
I'm sure it's different for everyone, but lo-fi hip-hop often makes me feel lonely, and nostalgic in a bittersweet way, like I'm thinking of times that are gone and will never come back, or time that was lost or wasted. It sounds like I feel negatively towards it, but its actually the opposite. Surprisingly, its mostly a very cozy feeling, the sad, sorrowful loneliness and regret that it makes me feel is like... the best way I can describe it is like seasoning, or ornamentation, on top of the far more dominant coziness. Cozy like a warm shower, or lying in bed on a rainy Sunday afternoon and just listening to the rain falling on the roof.
It sounds more like boombap, with the tritone making it feel super dark, unlike most lofi which is more lighter and lazy style composition. This was super intense and awesome but too mysterious and tense to fit into lofi, dope beat!!
Love the video, some small advice on the hip-hop aspect of the Lo-Fi genre: Lo-Fi hip hop has heavy late 80s/90s NY/East Coast hip-hop (such as Tribe Called Quest, Nas, and Producers such as DJ Premier and J-Dilla, also known as boom bap style of hip hop) Jazz and Funk influences. so when it comes to the groove, typically the Bpm is 75 to 90 which is the typical tempo for most Lo-fi beats/Instrumentals. Personally, a good place to start researching/getting inspiration (in sequence if desired) for Lo-Fi type of Music is: KRS ONE, Wu Tang Clan, J-Dilla, Tribe Called Quest, 9th wonder, Madlib, Nujabes, Bsd.u, Potsu, Chinsaku, Ninjoi, and Jinsang. these are my personal favorites, surface level to some, nonetheless, my favorites. I hope this helps, and keep up the good work!
Hi Nahre, i think you were onto something with the tune you created from 8:45! Your initial attempt I think veered off a bit from lo-fi. If you think in terms of Chopin, lo-fi is his raindrop prelude, and yours was a sort of slowed down fantasie impromptu. Still loved the process of watching you discover something and make it your own, tho!
It has an experimental vibe that I could see being the ground work for a lot of producers in the late 80s, early 90s (I'm thinking Wu Tang, specifically). It's missing the groove that hip hop is supposed to have. Also, there is a lot going on with the percussion. You've got drums, piano, the clicky sound effect, and another piano. Maybe offsetting the frenetic percussion with a simpler synth would smooth it out.
This was inspiring - the way you approached this. I was listening to Gang Starr earlier today and Guru almost could have rapped over this beat. You made this fun to watch and I like how you are using creativity. Some of us can lose that at times.
@@stevereaver No! This is the typical comment from someone who doesn't listen to jazz. EVERYTHING has a reason in jazz. You just don't know what it is. If they truly played random stuff, you wouldn't like the result.
I've just discovered your channel(I've only seen a video of you elsewhere)I'm still at the first part of the video but I love that even without knowledge of the headphones you could tell apart the use case for both - beyerdyamics were more intended for studio use(neutral), while meze are purely audiophile headphones for pleasure of listen. That tells me your legitimacy as a critical listener to music. I'm definitely gonna check out more of your videos.
Nahre was there any J Dilla, Madlib, or Nujabes on that playlist? IMO, those 3 are common influences amongst beat makers and held with highest regard that itd be a shame to miss them, especially since 2 of them are beatmakers that went out of their way for gritty unsterile sounds thats sought after in lofi. Theres so many mixes now with just their music but at the least check out these tracks on youtube: J Dilla - Life Madlib - Flowers Nujabes - Luv (sic) pt.2
I love watching you go through your creative process. I didn't care for what you came up with so much. But that little piece of music at the end was delightful! I also use that izotope vinyl vst. Love it.
This sounds like something you would hear in a comedy heist movie. Like when the crew in entering the building, and they're comedically getting past the guards, and the composer wants the audience to feel a little anxiety, but kinda lighthearted cause it's still a comedy.
Two of the defining features of lo-fi hip hop are white noise and aggressive sidechains. The composition is really cool and the sounds are great, but it's missing the production techniques that make them all come together. Some things that would help: Add a source of white noise Put a compressor on pretty much everything (including the white noise) and sidechain to the kick drum, ducking out the sound when it hits; this will give the song that clean kick and gentle pulse that makes it feel satisfying. I also recommend taking all of those bright sounds, the chords, piano doubling the bass, toy piano, etc. and bringing them down in the mix. They add such great texture, but when they overpower the other sounds they pull you out of the song a bit. Sound design and production are incredible art forms that are, in a lot of ways, completely different from composition. The only real way to learn them is to take the time to experiment. I'd love to see more stuff like this here. It's a journey I began just recently and would be fascinated to see you undertake. If you're interested in expanding your understanding of production and beat making, here are some albums to study. I don't listen to much lo-fi so this is a pretty mixed bag, but these are the artists I have learned the most from by just listening: Pretty Lights - A Color Map of the Sun KAYTRANADA - 99.9% RJD2 - Deadringer TOKiMONSTA - Midnight Menu Forest Swords - Compassion Iglooghost - Neo Wax Bloom
I really liked the sounds you've made at the end, but for now, it sounds too "clear" and modern; it doesn't really sound like Lo-Fi (low fidelity). Also, try using some vinyl and ambient sounds, and experiment with panning. Good start though!
