No Static by Unseen Legion-The Beats
When we were trying to make beats in 1992, we knew that the future of music was in computers, and really it was already here. My man Barry, who I worked with at John's Grocery, showed me this program called SoundEdit on his Apple computer. When I took Prose over there to see how to use it, we both saw the amazing potential, but we didn't have a computer. I had Barry give me a hard disc copy and the plan was set in motion...to become digital.
When we finally did get a computer, it had no monitor, so the homie Dawit used his student discount and charge card to hook it up. Dawit was a student from Kenya who lived across the street from the house where most of the crew, and their homies, and some cousins lived, at 112 E. Davenport. That crib was always crackin, with at least 13 people living in the 6 bedroom house. Their are too many stories from this house to sum it up here, so we will leave that for another time.
"No Static" is the first beat I made with the computer and program on a fall afternoon in a basement room of that house. The drums were sampled from a beat on our Alesis SR-16 drum machine called "What Can U DO?"- programmed by Prose. The rest was samples from records- I think Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Jean-Luc Ponty, and Steely Dan. The vocal sample has many meanings behind it, but none more intentional than a tongue-in-cheek shout out to the 8-bit sound that we were working with that was based in a foundation of static. Also giving a nod to the record static pops, as well as trying to make a song that was just fun to listen to with the crew, with no static at all.
-DJ Earl-E
12/16/2011
11/18/2011
New Beat- Old Beat
Headnodz by Unseen Legion-The Beats
This is one of the first beats produced by Earl-E and Prose. This mp3 was ripped from the only existing copy that was recorded on a cassette tape sometime in 1993.
Since we didn't have a computer, a sampler, or any recording equipment, we used the studios at KRUI (University of Iowa) where we hosted a radio show at the time. The list of equipment and tools goes like this:
2 turntables
4 records (for samples)
1 Alesis S-20 drum machine
2 Reel-to-reel tape machines
1 cassette recorder
This is one of the first beats produced by Earl-E and Prose. This mp3 was ripped from the only existing copy that was recorded on a cassette tape sometime in 1993.
Since we didn't have a computer, a sampler, or any recording equipment, we used the studios at KRUI (University of Iowa) where we hosted a radio show at the time. The list of equipment and tools goes like this:
2 turntables
4 records (for samples)
1 Alesis S-20 drum machine
2 Reel-to-reel tape machines
1 cassette recorder
The Procedure of making the beat:
First, we created a drum pattern on the drum machine. The song had A and B patterns (8 counts each) with an C part(4 counts) programmed as well. That makes 3 separate parts.
Next, we determined which samples we would play over each of these 3 parts. We picked two bass lines to go over the two A and B parts, which would become the verse (A), and chorus (B). We then picked two samples to mix into the A and B parts- a horn for the verse, and a vocal sample for the chorus. Then we added thirdsample for the C part. The intro is the bass line from part A alone.
This is where it gets messy.
First, we played the drum machine, pattern A. Then mixed the bassline and horn sample live, recording the live mix, with drum loop, bassline, and horn onto a reel-to-reel tape.
We repeated this process for the 2 other patterns like this:
Drum machine pattern B, bassline #2, and vocal sample (MMM, MMM from Big Daddy Kane).
Drum machine pattern C, bass line #2 (Sly Stone).
From here we took the tape from the reel to reel machine and isolated loops with our different parts. When we were done, we had four separate tape loops that were about 8-10 feet of tape long, spliced together at the ends.
Loop 1: Bass line #1
Loop 2: Drum A, Bass line #1, Horn
Loop 3: Drum B, Bass line #2, vocal
Loop 4: Drum C, Bass line #3
Next, we played each loop on Reel-to-reel #1, looping the tape around a bottle of spray cleaner, and recorded several minutes of each loop onto tape on Reel-to-reel #2. We mapped out the song according to how many measures of each we would need, and then cut and spliced the tape from R-to-R #2 until we had a song structured with an intro, verse, chorus, verse, chorus, outro
Lastly, this final mix was recorded onto a cassette tape, which is the only copy ever made.
Earl-E
7/06/2011
Beat of the Week- #1
20s Remix by Unseen Legion Beats
BEAT OF THE WEEK: 20s Remix
Producer: DJ Earl-E
Year: 1996
Equipment: Mac Performa, Sound Edit (8-bit)
DJ Earl-E made this beat in a tiny upstairs one-bedroom in the underbelly of La Habra, California. The crib, housing myself, Vega$, Obskur, Juggla Vein, Earl-E, the homie Conflict, and some chick named Megan (don't ask), always had random other folks hanging out until all hours. Shadoe, Ben, The lil homies C-Rack and Lil Giddy-up... Blowin' trees, makin' beats and freestyling was an everyday thing. Gotta love ghetto livin'! It seemed like there were about 20 people there at any given time. It was around that time that we first started using the name 20 Kliks for the crew.
Obskur was the one who came up with the name 20 Kliks Records. I think it started around the idea of moving from the 20th century into the new millennium in which all the years started with 20. But there was much more to it. 20 is also a dub ($20), and a dub sack. Who doesn't love that? And Kliks are cliques (crews) and also a measurement of distance (kilometers). There's actually more to it than that as well but I don't wanna have to kill you for knowing too much. So I'll just leave it at that for now.
The beat is simply made with the Sound Edit program that gave the freedom to chop and layer samples, but had limited sound quality and no metronome. The sample may be from Grover Washington's "Mr. Magic," but really is probably only recognizable to true heads the way it was sampled, slowed down, and layered. This is one beat that didn't have any drums or bass added, just a string/keyboard sample that Juggla dug out of the crates and played from vinyl along with the beat until we found the right sound. We then decided to use the beat right away and recorded a scratch version of "20s-Remix" on the Tascam 4-track. We had just recorded the original version at a mobile studio run by some shady characters Juggla met at who-knows-where. They made us sign paperwork and we instantly knew we were never gonna pay the engineer for the master recording, so we decided to do another version that we would own outright. Since it was called 20s, you know I had to drop 20 bars.
Enjoy!
- Prose
BEAT OF THE WEEK: 20s Remix
Producer: DJ Earl-E
Year: 1996
Equipment: Mac Performa, Sound Edit (8-bit)
DJ Earl-E made this beat in a tiny upstairs one-bedroom in the underbelly of La Habra, California. The crib, housing myself, Vega$, Obskur, Juggla Vein, Earl-E, the homie Conflict, and some chick named Megan (don't ask), always had random other folks hanging out until all hours. Shadoe, Ben, The lil homies C-Rack and Lil Giddy-up... Blowin' trees, makin' beats and freestyling was an everyday thing. Gotta love ghetto livin'! It seemed like there were about 20 people there at any given time. It was around that time that we first started using the name 20 Kliks for the crew.
Obskur was the one who came up with the name 20 Kliks Records. I think it started around the idea of moving from the 20th century into the new millennium in which all the years started with 20. But there was much more to it. 20 is also a dub ($20), and a dub sack. Who doesn't love that? And Kliks are cliques (crews) and also a measurement of distance (kilometers). There's actually more to it than that as well but I don't wanna have to kill you for knowing too much. So I'll just leave it at that for now.
The beat is simply made with the Sound Edit program that gave the freedom to chop and layer samples, but had limited sound quality and no metronome. The sample may be from Grover Washington's "Mr. Magic," but really is probably only recognizable to true heads the way it was sampled, slowed down, and layered. This is one beat that didn't have any drums or bass added, just a string/keyboard sample that Juggla dug out of the crates and played from vinyl along with the beat until we found the right sound. We then decided to use the beat right away and recorded a scratch version of "20s-Remix" on the Tascam 4-track. We had just recorded the original version at a mobile studio run by some shady characters Juggla met at who-knows-where. They made us sign paperwork and we instantly knew we were never gonna pay the engineer for the master recording, so we decided to do another version that we would own outright. Since it was called 20s, you know I had to drop 20 bars.
Enjoy!
- Prose
5/23/2011
CHECK THE REMIX
I found out about this contest last week, and thought it sounded like good fun. I haven't been a pop music fan since Thriller, especially most of the new pop crap (ala BEP, etc.) that sounds like bad 80's techno, but this song has some great vocals and flavor. I also found out that Jason Reeves is from the same hometown as me, and has worked with people that I know, so seemed like a no-brainer, plus I could come out $500 bucks richer and a chance to collaborate with Jason in the future. GO VOTE NOW!
5/20/2011
BATTLE OF THE BANDS- WE NEED YOU!!!
ALL RAGE AREA FANS- THIS IS THE SHOW THAT YOU MUST NOT MISS! NOT ONLY IS IT IN A GREAT VENUE WITH 2 OTHER HAND-PICKED BANDS, BUT IT IS FREE, AND YOUR SUPPORT OF THE RAGE AREA CREW WILL HELP US MOVE ON IN THE COMPETITION. THE WINNER GETS TO PLAY THE THURSDAY NIGHT CONCERT SERIES UNDER THE STARS ON THE SANTA MONICA PIER, AS WELL AS OPEN FOR A MAJOR HEADLINING ARTIST TBD IN JULY.
2/16/2011
SOUND OFF!!!
The Sound and the Fury- the NEW song from E.P. (Earl-E and Prose).
This song was written and recorded in January of 2011, at a time in history that saw a popular people's movement erupt into revolution in Egypt and Tunisia, as well as street protests and demonstrations in Yemen, Bahrain and many other countries.
Even here at home in the U.S., we see injustices all around us and know that our voices continue to be unheard and our needs remain unaddressed.
Now, we don't promote violence, but we do believe in real freedom, and in standing up for what we believe in. For this reason, in solidarity with the worldwide call for human rights, justice and equality, we are sharing this song with as many people as possible.
We hope you will listen, forward and share it, online or in person, with as many people as possible, since history has proven time and time again that a united people with one voice can bring about great change.
Thanks for listening…and Power to the People!
-DJ Earl-E and Prose
This song was written and recorded in January of 2011, at a time in history that saw a popular people's movement erupt into revolution in Egypt and Tunisia, as well as street protests and demonstrations in Yemen, Bahrain and many other countries.
Even here at home in the U.S., we see injustices all around us and know that our voices continue to be unheard and our needs remain unaddressed.
Now, we don't promote violence, but we do believe in real freedom, and in standing up for what we believe in. For this reason, in solidarity with the worldwide call for human rights, justice and equality, we are sharing this song with as many people as possible.
We hope you will listen, forward and share it, online or in person, with as many people as possible, since history has proven time and time again that a united people with one voice can bring about great change.
Thanks for listening…and Power to the People!
-DJ Earl-E and Prose
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)