Knowledge is not only power, it's the single greatest equalizer within this society. In fact, more often than not, knowledge trumps talent and cash combined. This is the reason why higher educated people consistently hold an advantage in this society; it's also the reason why some recording artists and music executives succeed and maintain longevity, while others struggle and lean into failure. The more education that you have of any given craft or field, the more likely you will be successful in that craft or field. Likewise, the less knowledge that you have of a given craft or field, the less likely you will be successful in that craft or field.
Sure, who you know will always play some role in your ability to succeed. However, if your goal is to earn a reasonable living as a beatmaker (music producer) in today's music scene, you should be aware that the "it's who you know" factor doesn't matter nearly as much as it might have 10 or 15 years ago! The music industry, once a mighty sector of the entertainment branch of the American economy, has been on a steady decline since the late 1990s. Outright dubious decisions, made by major label executives and well-known recording artists over the past decade, have plagued the music industry to the point were the music scene is wide open. Truly anyone with a morsel of talent, the right know-how, guts, and drive to succeed can make it in the current environment, where the major label system and the music industry in general is in dramatic transition--if not absolute disarray. And thus, if you're going to enter into such a climate, it's better to maneuver into the scene, equipped with the most helpful form of knowledge than it is to dive head first into the scene without it.
Furthermore, consider this: The new economics of the entertainment and media industries demand that players of the game know their field. This is exactly why self-help resources like The BeatTips Manual are even more necessary now than in any other time in the history of the music industry. Make no mistake about it, in a world where millions of people now have the capacity to make beats and fashion an album, rare knowledge about the art, history and craft of beatmaking and hip hop production is a difference-making commodity that allows beatmakers (producers) to distinguish their music from others. Again, the democratization of production tools means that everybody, not just a chosen few, has access to the sort of tools commonly used to make beats. However, it is the knowledge and understanding of the art form that separates one beatmaker from the next. Without this rarest of commodity, talent remains minimal.
Finally, it's worth mentioning that the world of music is currently like a crowded highway. Indeed, the number of new albums released in 2004 were 44,000; in 2006 the number jumped to 60,000. That's a whopping 36 percent increase each year—and that's not even counting the 10s of thousands of mixtapes put out every year. Similarly, the number of free tracks uploaded online to MySpace alone was 300,000. As more and more people make music, this dramatically increases the number of available music goods manifold. Indeed, within this climate, the highway of beatmaking gets increasingly more crowded. Thus, the key to getting off of this crowded highway and driving in your own lane is through the acquisition of rare knowledge and information.
The BeatTips Manual. "With the right knowledge, no one can stop you." —Sa'id
The BeatTips Manual:
Beatmaking, the Hip Hop/Rap Music Tradition, and the Common Composer - Fifth Edition
by Amir "Sa'id" Said
The most comprehensive book on beatmaking ever written, and one of the most striking and poignant studies of hip hop/rap music to come along in the last 25 years, The BeatTips Manual is truly groundbreaking work. Extremely accessible, yet intensely thought-provoking, The BeatTips Manual is destined to serve as the standard text for beatmaking (hip hop production) education for many years to come; and it is certain to become one of the leading studies on the
origins of hip hop culture and the art of hip hop/rap music.
Paperback: 437 Pages
Publisher: Superchamp Books
ISBN: 978-0-9749704-5-5
List Price: $44.95
Your Price: $39.95
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