50 Cent created his initial street buzz by releasing mixtapes.
A mixtape is a collection of songs or song clips that run together seamlessly, rather than as separate tracks. A mixtape is typically used to demonstrate the style and flavor of an artist's music. If you have a collection of rap recordings, you can edit them and include them on a mixtape. This way you'll have a single product that demonstrates the breadth and variety of your talent.
Instructions
1. Launch your preferred digital audio workstation, for example Pro Tools or Cubase.
2. Select your clips. Listen through your best five or six tracks and make a note of the sections that best demonstrate your personality and style as a rapper. Note down the exact times of each clip, relative to the song itself. For example, "Song 1, 2 minutes 34 seconds to 3 minutes 31 seconds."
3. Import the audio files of the songs. Typically the "Import" option is under the File menu. Select the songs from the browser. Each song will open in its own audio channel, represented visually as a sound wave graphic with peaks and flat-lines to denote volume.
4. Click "S" on the channel strip of the first track. This mutes all other tracks so you can hear it in isolation.
5. Hit "Play" and scroll the track along to the preselect part.
6. Click "Tools" and select the trim tool, typically denoted by a scissors icon.
7. Click the cursor on the audio sound wave on either side of the selection. Use the counter at the top as a time reference. This separates the audio from either side of the clip, leaving just the desired selection. Delete the superfluous audio. Repeat this section with each song so only the selected clips remain.
8. Organize your clips. Drag them onto the same audio channel in your preferred order. Leave a space of approximately 30 seconds between clips. If they are lined up flush, drag them to create a space. Move the last clip first, so they don't overlap. Create a four-bar gap at the beginning.
9. Open your preferred drum sequencer. A drum sequencer incorporates a grid interface, the vertical axis represents drum instruments and the horizontal axis represents time, measured in beats and bars. The sequencer enables you to create a beat intuitively, by clicking on grid squares to place drum strokes.
10. Click "Kits" or "Instruments," depending on which sequencer you use and select an appropriate drum sound, for example "Roland 808."
11. Sequence a four-bar beat by clicking in the grid squares.
12. Set up markers between the end of each clip and the beginning of the next. The command process varies according to which program you use, but typically it calls for you to click on the navigation bar at the top.
13. Drag the beat from the sequencer interface to the audio channel with the clips and drop it into the gap at the beginning.
14. Sequence a second beat and drag it into the gap between the first clip and second clip. Repeat this process so each rap clip is separated by a beat. This makes the mixtape flow.
