Rappers and their 16 bars

[Scholar]

Ok im no rapper nor would i like to be,but i need to know how to properly construct a 16bar verse. shit you know how niggaz be just writing till they feel its right,end up with a 43 1/2 bar verse like "what you think" and im like"man that shit way to long" then they look at me and say "what?! its a hot 16." . so any help is welcome.

 

[Greg Savage]

Ok im no rapper nor would i like to be,but i need to know how to properly construct a 16bar verse. shit you know how niggaz be just writing till they feel its right,end up with a 43 1/2 bar verse like "what you think" and im like"man that shit way to long" then they look at me and say "what?! its a hot 16." . so any help is welcome.

are you saying u want to write 16 bars of lyrics or Make a 16 bar verse on the beat?

 

[Scholar]

Lyrics. that way when i get a clown who dont know how to write i can help him.

 

[bigdmakintrax]

Ok here you go man this is how I do......1 bar = 1.2.3.4 count (in 4/4 time sig) Most MC's usually like 8bars for the intro, some 4......then the next 8 count (from above) for the verse, next 8 count for the hook so pretty much...you can shorten the hook if you want...
8intro 8verse 8hook then into the second verse for another 8 then the hook again and so on......but there is no hard set way to do it.......I have heard beats and songs that do this.......16 bars of pretty much a loop then 16 bars of a different variation...=32 but usually the MC still gonna use about 8 on the intro non verse material......

go pick apart some songs and count for yourself you will start seeing how you need to structure, in freestyle or whatever sometimes they add and extra 4 or 8 bars....

 

[Greg Savage]

^^ good Suggestion

I dont know really i mean the people i've worked with they normally just write to the beat so...

 

[dj imperial]

(4/4) common hip hop time signature
1 bar = 4 beats
16 bars = 64 beats
learn how to count bars and you'll be straight.
like big d said theres usually a 4/8 bar intro followed by a 16 bar verse then a 8 bar hook and so on.
im not sure how were helping you but the rappers i work with already know how to structure their lyrics so tell dude to step his game up.

if you dont know how to count bars, then count the snares that land in their respectable places (beats 2 & 4 or steps 5 & 13) and divide the total by two. if you count up 32 snares in their respectable spots then you have a 16 bar loop if you count 4 then you have a 2 bar loop and so on. i hope im not confusing you...

 

[bigdmakintrax]

yeah my bad I had 8 up there for the verse good look Imperial

 

[Scholar]

ok the problem isnt me. thanks though for a more "writer" veiw of things. i know bars in a beat and sometimes i make suggestions to cats and they looking at me like "this nigga dont even rap how he gone tell me" so then i end up having to explain so they dont feel like im trying to "change their flow" as i have been accused of doing. OT: im beginning to think i have out grown these hard head clowns. im ready to say the hell with it and form a jazz band... hmmm. I can hear it now "and on the Bass" Scholar!...lol

 

[bigdmakintrax]

YOU= The producer.......MC=LYracist songwriter........the math needs to come out the same or somebody goes to sKool....feel me.?......a song has structure......a freestyle Doth not......I have run into pairs of MC's ......that one of them knows what they are doing ans sometimes a not so knowledgdgeable MC is writing to the beat at the same time....MC's that know the dealio have no time for some ni99a that cannot write or understands structure......break your MC's in.....find yourself a song with that structure....keep it handy in the studio as a proof.....when you have a problem play the song and tell them to count......always know the song and have it fit exactly what you say.....there there can be....no doubt

 

[Scholar]

thanks man. one of my rappers is so ill,but dont know how to count bars. i went with the snare approach, no go then i hit him with some reading material. so he get upset tells me i dont tell you how to make beats,so i tried the calm approach and told him "but you could give me some advice on the beats" so he thinks im trying to control him and leaves. i just want to be better prepared but if worse come to worse he and i will walk diff ways. thank for all the advice.

 

[dj imperial]

thanks man. one of my rappers is so ill,but dont know how to count bars. i went with the snare approach, no go then i hit him with some reading material. so he get upset tells me i dont tell you how to make beats,so i tried the calm approach and told him "but you could give me some advice on the beats" so he thinks im trying to control him and leaves. i just want to be better prepared but if worse come to worse he and i will walk diff ways. thank for all the advice.

ive never dealt with any hard head rappers like that but most of them dont like me telling them what to do either cuz most of them are usually like 7 years older than me and stuff...im 15.

if dude doesnt want to take your advice let him go. he'll have the same problem with every other producer he encouters as he goes on with his career and will realize you were right and end up feeling like a real dumbass.

when he writes to the beat do you have the beat already setup with a 16 bar verse and then an 8 bar hook or do you just have the verse looped over and over again? if you do have it looped it'll proobably help to give him the structured beat to write to so he can get an idea of when to end his verses.
as you work with more and more people you will gain experience and will find out how to deal with people like this so keep doing your thing and continue learning.

 

[Scholar]

structured either three 16's or sometimes ill do two 32's. but its really hard because he'll write right into the hook like its not broke down...lol and it wouldnt be so bad if the bars was on point instead its like 18 1/2 bars or 12 bars or 33 bars just wierd shit.

 

[LEJENDERY]

two 32's? hmmm, interesting... anyway, if u do the math it'll always back u up...for example, 4bar intro/ 16bar verse/ 8bar hook/ 2nd 16bar verse, etc.... in that structure your intro starts @ 1, verse @ 5, hook @ 21, 2nd verse @ 29, etc... the mc should fill in 5-21(16 bars). hope that helps

 

[Corpz]

^^^^
good way to think about it.. but it the mofo still dont listen then chop his verse up in pro tools and turn it into a second verse ive done it plenty of times!

 

[sYgMa]

The best advice (the one I use) was given by BigD in my opinion... find an artist they like and find one of their song where they use that structure (8 bar intro/16 bar verse/8 bar hook... and so on) and just talk about the beat itself... not about what you think... that way it'll look like you're not schooling them but giving them direction to be more professional... If one beat is not enough, take more... and different artist, in case they think it's only one artist who does that...

I've had the same problem, and what I said to them was that, for people who'll listen to the track, that structure helps them to get in the groove and know what's up... when the hook is coming and all. Plus, it gives a more professional sound/feel to the beat...

some songs are not in that structure, but then, it demands more work... (dont say that last part to them, though, cuz they'll use it as an excuse...