Beats
A beat from DC Beats can be either a stock beat or a custom beat.
We also offer comprehensive package deals, see the pricing page.
A stock beat is one taken from the unused archives of DC Beats and is considerably cheaper than a custom beat. It does not require significant work to fit to a given project. Many stock beats will be available as demos on www.dcbeats.net until such a time as they are sold, at which point they will be removed from rotation here at the site and will be unavailable to future clients.
Generally, a custom beat production follows a similar workflow after one of the following types of requests:
Style Request
An artist or other client requests a particular style of beat from DC Beats. This may be either a genre request or a "sound-alike" request, where the beat is intended to mimic a particular existing song. Note that DC Beats will not perform arbitrary "biting." (We will not intentionally engage in copy-catting an entire song, though elements of a beat are valid inspiration)
"Flip this Sample" Request
With this type of request, the client presents a particular sample they'd like to use, and DC Beats will incorporate that sample into a beat, usually as the core element. Multiple samples may be presented this way simultaneously. Note that any samples used in a beat by a client of DC Beats must be cleared by the artist/client making final use of the sample, and DC Beats is not part of this sample-clearance process.
Process
After an initial concept is drafted out by the client, (in writing) the magic begins:
- DC Beats creates 3 to 5 initial ideas based on the concept, usually within a week of the concept draft, sometimes within a single day. If a beat is required at short notice, please specify in the concept draft. Concept ideas generally range from a 4- to 16-bar loop.
- Client reviews all presented ideas and chooses the favorite among these ideas. If none of the ideas fits the client's needs, a second round of drafts may be necessary. A maximum of 2 rounds of concept drafts is imposed on all projects to cut back on development time and allow quick turnaround.
- Chosen concept draft is developed into a full song arrangement and presented to the client. Any special timing or verse considerations should be specified ahead of time. (i.e., a 3/4 beat at a specific tempo with 12-bar verses and 8-bar choruses, in verse-chorus-verse-bridge-chorus format) General song format is assumed to be 4/4 time at any tempo, 16-bar verses and 8-bar choruses, in verse-chorus-verse-chorus-verse-chorus format.
- Client reviews full song arrangement and approves or requests changes be made. Up to two revisions may be made at this point.
- Final version of structured song is presented to client for review.
Final Product - What to Expect
Depending on the individual needs of the client, the final product can be a single mp3 or wav file, or it may be a set of wavs comprising the individual tracks used in the development of the finished beat. Given this set of multi-track data, the client is free to rearrange and further edit a beat produced by DC Beats. MIDI data and source samples will never be provided to clients, so don't ask for em! All arrangements are copyright DC Beats, though source samples (if any) may need to be cleared by the final publisher or artist.
Submit any comments or questions to beats@dcbeats.net.