Creativity versus programming

Now, just like everything in music, you can be as creative as you want to be, but here I will share some secrets as they relate to creating billboard charting drum loops and arrangements that have stood the test of time. Drum patterns, loops, or sequences are all about creating an underlying rhythm to your production; they are the foundation for how your song will move and how songwriters will cadence their vocals, and determine whether the song is upbeat, slow, heartfelt, or abstract.

The first point of origin is that, in rap, each coast has its own distinct sound and production style within the genre, and has a specific feel and style of drum programming. Rap music from the East and West Coast typically follows beats per minute (BPM) range of 80-100, whereas southern music typically follows a BPM range in double time of 130-150. This is important to understand as rap has become the cultural cornerstone of how every other genre now creates productions...