Producing and Mixing Hip-Hop
About Course
Producing and Mixing Hip-Hop walks you through producing, arranging, and finishing hip-hop beats in both classic and modern styles. You start with a full section on classic hip hop, learning how to build boom bap drums, flip samples and melodic ideas, shape the low end around the kick, and arrange beats that feel gritty, musical, and ready for a rapper. From there, you move into a complete modern hip-hop section focused on 808 driven production, hard hitting drums, melodic loops, and the mixing choices that keep everything clean and heavy at the same time.
Throughout the course, Eric builds beats on screen while explaining his decisions in plain language you can apply in any DAW. You will see how to use EQ, compression, saturation, distortion, reverb, delay, stereo width, and master bus processing to get loud, punchy results without relying on complicated chains. By the end, you will know how to produce both classic and modern hip-hop instrumentals from a blank session to a finished master, and how to export streaming ready bounces, clean two tracks, and clearly labeled stems that artists and engineers can use right away.
What You’ll Learn
Hip Hop Foundations
Build classic style beats using sample driven ideas, gritty drums, and arrangements that feel natural for rappers.
Sampling and Creative Flips
Find usable samples, chop them into musical pieces, and flip them into new ideas that still feel familiar.
Drum Selection and Groove
Choose the right kicks, snares, and hats, program off grid patterns, and dial in swing that gives your beats real feel.
Basslines and Supportive Sections
Write basslines, counter melodies, and supporting parts that leave space for vocals and glue the beat together.
Modern Melody Loops and Textures
Create modern melody loops from scratch using layered instruments, ear candy, and simple FX chains.
808 Tone, Tuning, and Impact
Shape, tune, and gain stage 808s so they hit hard, sit with the kick, and still translate on phones and laptops.
Beat Mixing Essentials
Use levels, panning, EQ, compression, and saturation to balance your beat and place each element in the stereo field.
Mastering, Loudness, and Artist Delivery
Build a simple master bus chain and export loud two tracks and clearly labeled stems ready for artists and engineers.
Meet Your Instructor
Eric Diamond is a New York based independent musician, producer, composer, engineer, and sound designer who has worked with artists and brands including Curren$y, Ski Beatz, Snoop Dogg, Berklee College of Music, Roland Global, Jim Jones, Busta Rhymes, G Perico, and Wiz Khalifa. Trained in jazz piano, alto sax, and theory, he blends hip hop with jazz-fusion and soul using synthesizers and acoustic instruments. He teaches at SoundCollective and has been on faculty since 2022.
Is This Course for You?
This course is ideal if you want a clear process to produce hip hop in any DAW without guesswork. Beginners will gain a structured path from first loop to finished mix. Intermediate producers will sharpen drum feel, sample chops, and 808 control while leveling up mix decisions that translate outside the studio. If you collaborate with rappers or plan to pitch beats, you will learn arrangement cues, transitions, and file handoff practices that make sessions smooth and professional.
What’s Included
- Step-by-step lessons for classic and modern hip hop
- Project briefs to practice arranging for vocalists
- Mix walkthroughs using the class compositions
- Mastering and artist handoff guidelines
Student Ratings & Reviews
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