Is it possible to learn to rap. Basic rules when rapping

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The rap language is a mix of music, rhythm, recitative and poetry. In order for all components to be perceived harmoniously, a novice artist will have to work hard on himself. Let’s try to figure it out together how to become a rapper who will be listened to and respected.

Needless to say, in addition to a great love for hip-hop, a future artist must have obvious skills: a sense of rhythm, an ear for music, clear diction, the ability to write lyrics, as well as charisma and a memorable appearance? In addition, you simply must listen to tons of rap music, understand the subgenres, and know the work of iconic (and not so iconic) representatives of hip-hop. This will help you develop your own direction, understand what exactly you like, who you would like to target in your own songs.

First you need to learn to feel the music. Turn on your favorite track from your favorite artist and try to feel the rhythm. How the beat sounds, at what speed, how the words fall on it. Try to read the text along with the performer, adhere to the given rhythm, place pauses and accents, get in time, as the original does.

The language of rap cannot be called simple, so first learn any song by heart, find its minus and rehearse, repeat the artist’s style, bring in your own tricks. Be sure to record the result and evaluate the recording objectively. A very good practice would be to perform one track to different beats, with different melody and even rhythm. The goal of such training is to develop and hone the sense of rhythm, not be afraid of improvisation, and keep attention on yourself.

Try writing your own texts. You don't have to be born in the ghetto to rap, you can write about current issues and draw inspiration from everything that surrounds you and worries you. Try to objectively evaluate the fruits of your creativity, read poetry to friends and listen to criticism, this will help you achieve a better result and get used to the public.

Read more good literature and classical poetry. This will expand your vocabulary and your rap language will be filled with beautiful wordplay and witty metaphors. Try to avoid flat texts, humiliating comparisons, obscene speech (rapping without swearing is possible!), respect your listener.

Get a paper notebook and take it with you everywhere. Inspiration can come unexpectedly, and ideas are quickly forgotten. In addition, text written by hand and on paper is perceived somewhat differently than that typed on a computer. Write in pencil, re-read the lines, evaluate them objectively and edit if necessary.

How to Rap: Technique Basics

Good lyrics and a pumping beat are important components of success. But besides this, you need to be able to present the material in such a way as to hook the listener from the very first lines. How to rap effectively, clearly and intelligibly?

Highlight the consonants. They should sound firmer and clearer than in everyday speech. Speak competently and confidently, do not lose the ending.

Remember that rhythm plays a major role in rapping. Even if you get lost, catch the beat and continue.

At performances, try to act naturally, choose comfortable clothes that highlight your image and do not hinder your movement. But do not overdo it with gestures and movements so as not to look comical.

Where to perform?

Of course, the artist must be heard, so study the clubs in your city that cooperate with newcomers and knock on the door.

Another great event that will allow you to reveal your potential and show yourself is a rap battle. It's no secret that it was the rap battle that became the launching pad for many famous rappers, such as Noize MC and Oxxxymiron. Participating in rap battles provides a tremendous experience, where you can easily hone your reading skills and see the public’s reaction to your work; this is a good way to test yourself, learn how to write lyrics on any given topic. Face-to-face rap battles are especially popular now (like the already famous Versus Battle), when you have the opportunity to look your opponent in the eyes and prove that you are the best. However, not everyone dares to enter the competitive stage, because rap battles are often designed for people with certain experience. There is also a light version of such events - online battles, and if this is your first experience of public competition, then it is better to start with them.

You should not bypass special rap schools, where competent and practicing specialists will develop your voice, develop the necessary skills and give an excellent start to your musical career. One of them is the Myrapgame Rap School, where Al Solo from the group Bad Balance teaches. The guys regularly conduct trainings and webinars on reading, including free ones. Also, quite recently, St. Petersburg performer Kazhe Oboima opened his own rap school.

Be sure to record your songs and post them on the Internet, read comments and listen to public criticism, because the further development of your creative path depends on it.

By the way, who knows better how to rap than Eminem. We invite you to watch a video on this topic from the king of hip-hop 😉

Rap has long gained popularity in Russia and abroad. This is explained by the frankness and emotionality of the rhythm and lyrics that are memorable. This is why many people want to become rappers.

There are no universal techniques and methods that teach how to rap talentedly. And none of the famous rappers went to a music school where they taught him this. This means that anyone can learn to write and read rap. This requires desire, effort and daily training. You need 2 components: lyrics and rhythm. Teach This will provide a couple of tips to help you master this type of creativity yourself.

Work with text

To learn how to rap, you first need to write it. Every self-respecting rapper knows that texts must be clear and sincere. Some rhyme their emotional experiences or write “banter.” What to write is up to you to decide. But remember that every line must reach the heart of the listener for him to understand everything. The lines to a new song can come at any time, anywhere, so keep a tape recorder or pen and notepad with you.

Do not use the most complex rhymes, since rap is a type of improvisation. Here are some rhyming rules:

There is no need to rhyme a verb with another verb, for example, stick around - scream. Use different parts of speech. The best option would be verb + adjective or noun.
Use approximately the same number of syllables in each line. The test will sound more rhythmic and smoother.
Every line should have some meaning. And make the text itself coherent and logical. Don't use rhyme for rhyme's sake, spend more time choosing words rather than using ones that sound better.

After you write the text, show it to your loved ones: relatives or friends. Because only they will express correct criticism of your work.

Once you have done all this, you need to move on to learning how to read the rap you wrote.

Text readings

Innings in this musical direction - this is the most difficult, but also the most important. Sometimes, even though the lyrics are excellent, the composition may not resonate. Remember that rapping is primarily a game of rhythm and intonation. Here are some training tips:

Intonation- This is the most important factor for a successful performance. Put emotion into every word you say. To do this, feel what you wrote. The combination of beautiful text and emotional reading is the key to success.
Reading technique– this is also not an unimportant parameter. It is determined by the speed and diction of pronunciation. Diction develops in different ways: regular articulation exercises, you can talk with something in your mouth, for example, nuts, try to pronounce a lot of tongue twisters. Also important for most pronunciation speed. Note that you won't have high speed at first. Work on quality first, and only then speed up the pace. Speed will come with time.
Rhythm is the basis of rap. Therefore, pay attention to developing the skill of mastering rhythm. The reading often has the same rhythm, but this is only for beginners. Professionals change the rhythm in each new act. But do not forget that, under no circumstances, do not deviate from the size of the text. To develop a sense of rhythm, you can buy a metronome and constantly read the texts to it. For each new blow of this device, a new line must begin. After a while, the beats of the metronome will remain in your head, and you will be able to practice the lyrics without it.

Tact (bar) contains 4 bits (beats).

This is not an entirely accurate definition, because rappers and musicians have different meanings for the word “bar” (bar, stanza, verse). For many rappers, a verse is two lines of text (one full rhyme). For other rappers, it's one line of text. For a musician, the word bar (bar) has nothing to do with the text at all, but is associated with beats. This is the definition we will use.

A beat is the time it takes to count to 4 to the rhythm of the music. This is only true for music written in 4/4 time, but all rap music is written that way. As a rule, the drum beats occur on the 2nd and 4th beats of each measure. Most rap verses are between 8 and 16 bars long. A line is a text spoken by a rapper for one beat.

Basic rules for rapping

Each rapper has his own unique rapping style, but there are a few general rules that help improve rapping.

1. Count the syllables

Counting syllables is the easiest way to make rap reading continuous, without gaps. The number of syllables per line depends on reading speed, but usually one line contains 10-16 syllables. You need to try to have the same number of syllables in the lines. For example, what happens if the number of syllables does not match. The lines below have some good elements, but the end result is a complete disaster, the rap lyrics fail.

plus you know I got more bars than the candy aisle
in 7/11

The problem is that the second line has too many syllables. The breakdown is as follows: the first line has 14 syllables, the second line has 18 syllables. In general, this scheme is not suitable for writing normal rap text.

But this is easy to fix. You just need to remove some 4 syllables from the second line, so as not to distort its meaning. To begin with, we will remove the words “plus you know” from the second line. This phrase is not needed at all, it is just a filler to fill the space, it just gets in the way. So, 3 syllables out, now you need to remove one more syllable. Let me change “the candy aisle” to “candy aisles,” the second phrase is one syllable shorter, so we got rid of one more syllable. Now this is what happened:

My lyrics are so good, God's reading them in heaven,
I got more bars then candy aisles in 7/11

This is already much better. The first line has 14 syllables. The second line also has 14 syllables. Reading is much smoother. Most advanced rappers, consciously or not, put an equal number of syllables in their lines. Look at this example from Chamillionaire's "Riding Dirty," his big 2006 single. Chamillionaire, a talented Houston rapper who was friends with Paul Wall as a teenager, rose to national fame as Houston took over the hip-hop scene in late 2005. With "Mixtape Messiah," Chamillionaire made a name for himself with his deep, versatile voice and lively lyrics.

Lines number of syllables
Houston Texas, you can check my tags 9
pull me over try to check my slab 9
glove compartment gotta get my cash 9
cause the crooked cops try to come up fast 10

In these lines, Chamillionaire uses the same number of syllables, except for the last line, where he uses double the time on the introductory words of the cause the line. If you, like Chamillionaire, put an equal number of syllables in the lines of your text, then they will no longer be jerky and awkward. However, sometimes rappers put different numbers of syllables in lines to blend them up, but they do it deliberately.

This is an article: “How to rap correctly?” will bring you a little closer to the best ms. But it’s all about practice, this is literature for learning how to rap correctly and it’s not a fact that after reading it you will rap correctly.

Rap is a difficult musical genre that requires from the performer not only talent, but also perfected technique. We will tell you further about how to learn the difficult skill of rap.

What does it take to make a good rap?

Rap is an artistic recitative that is pronounced to the rhythm of the selected music track. Not every performer is capable of working in this musical direction. To really read rap in a high-quality, professional, interesting way, you need:

Have well developed lungs. This will allow you to pronounce long lines without hesitation, in one breath. To do this, go jogging and swimming. Learn to hold your breath for a few minutes.
Have impeccable diction. Rap is a quick recitation of poetic forms, and if you pronounce the words unclearly, crumpled, then listeners simply will not be able to understand what you are rapping about. Tongue twisters will help develop diction.
Know how to work with voice. The ability to vary the timbre during a reading, lower and raise the tonality, speak a little hoarsely or, on the contrary, very softly and smoothly, is extremely important for a beautiful, emotional performance. Find out about all the possibilities of your voice and try to develop the skills given by nature as much as possible.
Have charisma. A real rapper certainly knows how to work with the audience perfectly. He conveys the meaning of words through facial expressions, gestures, eyes, and internal energy messages. Learn to completely liberate yourself on stage, flirt with the audience where necessary, convince them of something through your music and performance.
To be on trend is to understand which topics are most relevant and interesting to listeners. At the same time, it is very important to learn to distinguish high-quality texts from superficial, frivolous, and fake ones.

First stages of training

Learn rap terminology. This will allow you to better understand the meaning of thematic sites, articles, magazines dedicated to this style of music in the future.
Carefully study the work of recognized masters of the chosen genre of rap. At the same time, it is advisable to read articles that describe the MC technique used and the style of performance.
Write yourself a few exercises to develop diction and devote a couple of hours a day to practice.
Learn to feel the rhythm. To do this, turn on rap and quietly repeat the words after the performer, trying to get into the tempo of the piece as accurately as possible.
Having learned to clearly and quickly pronounce phrases of rap verses to music, pay attention to the artistry of the song’s presentation. Work with facial expressions and gestures. Video recordings of performances by famous MCs will help here.
Master complex rapping techniques that will make your performance truly professional and beautiful.

Rapping Techniques

Thus, venerable professionals are critical of Russian rap, since it very often uses so-called “square” rhymes. By them we mean the imposition of text clearly under certain sections of the backing track - that is, for each measure, which consists of 4 bits, there are 4 lines of text. This technique is well suited for beginners, but for professionals this technique is inappropriate. Solid rap is the ability to make complex rhymes that start or end a little before or after the end beat of the bar. To do this, you will need to learn how to stretch or, conversely, “cut” individual words, and use other techniques.

Double Time and Fast-Flow. These are techniques in which reading text is 1.5, 2 or more times faster than the rhythm of the beats. In addition, you can slightly speed up or slow down the reading of individual syllables of a word.
Tung Twist. This is a rather complex technique in which one or more syllables in a word are repeated several times.
Triplet. This is a method of reading rap using Doubble Time/Fast-Flow, Tung Twist and other similar techniques that make the reading broken, and therefore more emotional and interesting.

The following techniques, related to the skill of creating texts, also greatly enhance the reading of rap:

Spelling. The use of not just suitable-sounding words within the framework of rhyming, but vivid expressions characteristic of modern rap, is a completely special, “branded” play on words.
PunchLine. This term means placing a semantic emphasis on the phrase that completes the square. Typically this is achieved through comparative turnover.

Use different intonations when reading texts. Read incrementally to the peak and then down. Or read the lines in waves. For example, one line is ascending, the other is descending.
Feel the tone of the music and try to emphasize it in your rap. To do this, it is advisable to study at least basic music theory and consolidate it by listening to tracks with different keys.
Don't forget about backing vocals if you record the piece. It will make the work even more colorful and atmospheric. To process backing vocal entries, it is convenient to use, in particular, Adobe Audition and Sound Forge programs.
Do your chants before your performance. To do this, take a low note and sing the letter “A” for a minute, as if you were at a therapist’s appointment, showing him your throat. Try to keep the sound even. After this, take a higher note and sing “E”. Then even higher - “I”. After this, you need to take a sound lower than that for “A”, sing “O” and finally even lower “U”. As a result, you will spend only 5 minutes of time (one for each sound), but will perfectly prepare your chords for the performance.

We also suggest that you read other articles on this topic.

It’s no secret that professional rappers don’t like to talk about the secrets of their skills, while never tired of noting that they achieved everything only thanks to talent, work and determination. But many young people are very concerned about the question of how to learn to rap. That's why we decided to give a little help to beginning performers who want to express themselves in this popular musical direction today.

Let's start with the fact that each rapper has his own signature rapping style - a special manner of performance characteristic of the musical style in question. But for any artist it’s important to hit the beat. It is not so easy. Despite the fact that rap melodies seem quite primitive at first glance, they are very rhythmic and important to catch. Start your training by downloading your favorite song with a backing track (without lyrics), the manner of performance of which you already know well, and try rapping along to it. At the same time, it is not at all necessary that your reading be identical to the original one - you can stretch out the words, add your own intonations, and pause. In general, don’t be afraid to experiment, because for now this is just training, and at the same time a search for your own “I” in rap.

If you've been listening to this for a long time, you've probably noticed how quickly some performers sometimes read. It's like a tongue twister with musical accompaniment. At the same time, all the words are perfectly audible and understandable to you. Therefore, if you have trouble with your diction, there are some defects, stuttering, burr, then this is extremely bad for your career. You may write wonderful lyrics and music, but listeners simply won’t be able to understand what you want to convey to them through your songs. You can and should work on diction no less than news anchors and other radio and television programs do. Start with traditional exercises - tongue twisters of varying degrees of difficulty.

Some beginning performers have breathing problems. There may be several reasons for this - smoking, asthma, etc. This is also not good, because the reading in some places of the composition should be performed, as they say, in one breath. And if in the studio while recording songs you can somehow “touch up” it, then at a live concert you won’t be able to get out of it. You should develop your breathing capacity. You can start by quitting smoking, and then go in for sports, yoga, performing various breathing exercises and gymnastics (for example, oxysize). In addition, it is important to write the texts correctly so that there are pauses in certain places just so that there is an opportunity to take a breath.

Emotions should be present in general in any songs, regardless of Well, in rap, with its lyrics of social, political and other orientations, they should be even more so. In addition, emotions help convey to the public the meaning of the song, your words and thoughts regarding the problem raised in the track. Therefore, you yourself must not only understand, but also feel what you are singing about, experience it. And it doesn’t matter what kind of emotions they are (joy, disgust, anger, pity, hopelessness, etc.). The main thing is that they simply exist. You should also train yourself in this. For example, try saying simple phrases (“I love you” or “I have a laptop”) with different emotions (fatigue, anger, joy, fear, etc.).

Rap: delivery and singing

Presentation and chanting are important components, which together give the compositions dynamism and enliven them. The first is a loud reading, but not reaching the point of yelling or screaming, which is characterized by emotionality. It should also be developed by training your voice, which is very easy to break during a live performance.

Chanting represents a transition from reading to half-singing. There are a lot of such examples in the songs of foreign rappers, as well as in our Noise MC, when after the reading verse there is a very melodic chorus. Therefore, it is not enough to learn to read; you also need to have an understanding of at least the basics of singing.