Beat School

On today’s episode of #Q&AwithKia I answer a question by byu/grvyrdlvr about how to stay inspired and remain motivated even when you don’t feel like it. - Have a question you want answered? Slide in the DM @kiaorion or email me: kia@kiaorion.com - This episode is brought to you by: My free beat making masterclass “The Top 3 Mistakes Beginners Make (And How You Can Avoid Them)” If you are struggling to get started with production OR if you are not progressing as quickly as you’d like to, this masterclass might help you realize a couple of the pitfalls I see a lot of folks make when they’re first starting. - Subscribe & Review in iTunes Are you subscribed to this joint? If you’re not, why you sleepin on the boy? I’m adding a bunch of bonus episodes to the mix and if you’re not subscribed there’s a good chance you’ll miss out on those. Click here to subscribe in iTunes! Now if you’re feeling extra loving, I would be really grateful if you left me a review over on iTunes, too. Those reviews help other peo

On today’s episode of #Q&AwithKia I answer a question by Rjkking about how you can tell if the music you make is good or not. - Have a question you want answered? Slide in the DM @kiaorion or email me: kia@kiaorion.com - This episode is brought to you by: My free beat making masterclass “The Top 3 Mistakes Beginners Make (And How You Can Avoid Them)” If you are struggling to get started with production OR if you are not progressing as quickly as you’d like to, this masterclass might help you realize a couple of the pitfalls I see a lot of folks make when they’re first starting. - Subscribe & Review in iTunes Are you subscribed to this joint? If you’re not, why you sleepin on the boy? I’m adding a bunch of bonus episodes to the mix and if you’re not subscribed there’s a good chance you’ll miss out on those. Click here to subscribe in iTunes! Now if you’re feeling extra loving, I would be really grateful if you left me a review over on iTunes, too. Those reviews help other people find the pod and they’r

On today’s episode of #Q&AwithKia I answer a question by byu/joviahmusic about how to record faster and add improvements to workflow. - Have a question you want answered? Slide in the DM @kiaorion or email me: kia@kiaorion.com - This episode is brought to you by: My free beat making masterclass “The Top 3 Mistakes Beginners Make (And How You Can Avoid Them)” If you are struggling to get started with production OR if you are not progressing as quickly as you’d like to, this masterclass might help you realize a couple of the pitfalls I see a lot of folks make when they’re first starting. - Subscribe & Review in iTunes Are you subscribed to this joint? If you’re not, why you sleepin on the boy? I’m adding a bunch of bonus episodes to the mix and if you’re not subscribed there’s a good chance you’ll miss out on those. Click here to subscribe in iTunes! Now if you’re feeling extra loving, I would be really grateful if you left me a review over on iTunes, too. Those reviews help other people find the pod an

Should you pursue college or music? In this episode I give some unqualified life advice to a stranger on what I think is best for them. Is this recommended? No. Do I still do it anyways. Absolutely.  - Have a question you want answered? Slide in the DM @kiaorion or email me: kia@kiaorion.com - This episode is brought to you by: My free beat making masterclass “The Top 3 Mistakes Beginners Make (And How You Can Avoid Them)” If you are struggling to get started with production OR if you are not progressing as quickly as you’d like to, this masterclass might help you realize a couple of the pitfalls I see a lot of folks make when they’re first starting. - Subscribe & Review in iTunes Are you subscribed to this joint? If you’re not, why you sleepin on the boy? I’m adding a bunch of bonus episodes to the mix and if you’re not subscribed there’s a good chance you’ll miss out on those. Click here to subscribe in iTunes! Now if you’re feeling extra loving, I would be really grateful if you left me a review o

What do music producers need to know in order to be successful? Here are my top tips on what music producers should do when they're beginning and what I WISH I'd known when I fist started.  - Have a question you want answered? Slide in the DM @kiaorion or email me: kia@kiaorion.com - This episode is brought to you by: My free beat making masterclass “The Top 3 Mistakes Beginners Make (And How You Can Avoid Them)” If you are struggling to get started with production OR if you are not progressing as quickly as you’d like to, this masterclass might help you realize a couple of the pitfalls I see a lot of folks make when they’re first starting. - Subscribe & Review in iTunes Are you subscribed to this joint? If you’re not, why you sleepin on the boy? I’m adding a bunch of bonus episodes to the mix and if you’re not subscribed there’s a good chance you’ll miss out on those. Click here to subscribe in iTunes! Now if you’re feeling extra loving, I would be really grateful if you left me a review over on iTu

When should you hire a music manager? Do you NEED a manager? If you think you do, you might be right. But you might not... Listen and find out!  - Have a question you want answered? Slide in the DM @kiaorion or email me: kia@kiaorion.com - This episode is brought to you by: My free beat making masterclass “The Top 3 Mistakes Beginners Make (And How You Can Avoid Them)” If you are struggling to get started with production OR if you are not progressing as quickly as you’d like to, this masterclass might help you realize a couple of the pitfalls I see a lot of folks make when they’re first starting. - Subscribe & Review in iTunes Are you subscribed to this joint? If you’re not, why you sleepin on the boy? I’m adding a bunch of bonus episodes to the mix and if you’re not subscribed there’s a good chance you’ll miss out on those. Click here to subscribe in iTunes! Now if you’re feeling extra loving, I would be really grateful if you left me a review over on iTunes, too. Those reviews help other people fin

How to make your melodies sound more full? In this episode we break down what music producers can do in order to set their tracks apart and come up with interesting melodies. - Have a question you want answered? Slide in the DM @kiaorion or email me: kia@kiaorion.com - This episode is brought to you by: My free beat making masterclass “The Top 3 Mistakes Beginners Make (And How You Can Avoid Them)” If you are struggling to get started with production OR if you are not progressing as quickly as you’d like to, this masterclass might help you realize a couple of the pitfalls I see a lot of folks make when they’re first starting. - Subscribe & Review in iTunes Are you subscribed to this joint? If you’re not, why you sleepin on the boy? I’m adding a bunch of bonus episodes to the mix and if you’re not subscribed there’s a good chance you’ll miss out on those. Click here to subscribe in iTunes! Now if you’re feeling extra loving, I would be really grateful if you left me a review over on iTunes, too. Those revi

How much music theory do you need to know to be good at music production? I give you my recommendations on how to come up with interesting chord progressions and if music theory is NEEDED to make dope beats. - Have a question you want answered? Slide in the DM @kiaorion or email me: kia@kiaorion.com - This episode is brought to you by: My free beat making masterclass “The Top 3 Mistakes Beginners Make (And How You Can Avoid Them)” If you are struggling to get started with production OR if you are not progressing as quickly as you’d like to, this masterclass might help you realize a couple of the pitfalls I see a lot of folks make when they’re first starting. - Subscribe & Review in iTunes Are you subscribed to this joint? If you’re not, why you sleepin on the boy? I’m adding a bunch of bonus episodes to the mix and if you’re not subscribed there’s a good chance you’ll miss out on those. Click here to subscribe in iTunes! Now if you’re feeling extra loving, I would be really grateful if you left me a revie

Struggling with writer's block? Maybe it's because you're writing for 200x more hoes. Get my recommendations on how to write better materials and stay inspired EVEN when you don't feel like it.  - Have a question you want answered? Slide in the DM @kiaorion or email me: kia@kiaorion.com - This episode is brought to you by: My free beat making masterclass “The Top 3 Mistakes Beginners Make (And How You Can Avoid Them)” If you are struggling to get started with production OR if you are not progressing as quickly as you’d like to, this masterclass might help you realize a couple of the pitfalls I see a lot of folks make when they’re first starting. - Subscribe & Review in iTunes Are you subscribed to this joint? If you’re not, why you sleepin on the boy? I’m adding a bunch of bonus episodes to the mix and if you’re not subscribed there’s a good chance you’ll miss out on those. Click here to subscribe in iTunes! Now if you’re feeling extra loving, I would be really grateful if you left me a review over o

How much time should you be spending on your music? In this video we talk about mixing and mastering hip hop tracks. My 3 big recommendations when it comes to DIY mixing and how to step it up.  - Have a question you want answered? Slide in the DM @kiaorion or email me: kia@kiaorion.com - This episode is brought to you by: My free beat making masterclass “The Top 3 Mistakes Beginners Make (And How You Can Avoid Them)” If you are struggling to get started with production OR if you are not progressing as quickly as you’d like to, this masterclass might help you realize a couple of the pitfalls I see a lot of folks make when they’re first starting. - Subscribe & Review in iTunes Are you subscribed to this joint? If you’re not, why you sleepin on the boy? I’m adding a bunch of bonus episodes to the mix and if you’re not subscribed there’s a good chance you’ll miss out on those. Click here to subscribe in iTunes! Now if you’re feeling extra loving, I would be really grateful if you left me a review over o

Are you struggling with beat block? Feeling unmotivated? In this video we break down a way to stay inspired and keep making beats even when you don't feel like it. - Have a question you want answered? Slide in the DM @kiaorion or email me: kia@kiaorion.com - This episode is brought to you by: My free beat making masterclass “The Top 3 Mistakes Beginners Make (And How You Can Avoid Them)” If you are struggling to get started with production OR if you are not progressing as quickly as you’d like to, this masterclass might help you realize a couple of the pitfalls I see a lot of folks make when they’re first starting. - Subscribe & Review in iTunes Are you subscribed to this joint? If you’re not, why you sleepin on the boy? I’m adding a bunch of bonus episodes to the mix and if you’re not subscribed there’s a good chance you’ll miss out on those. Click here to subscribe in iTunes! Now if you’re feeling extra loving, I would be really grateful if you left me a review over on iTunes, too. Those reviews help ot

THIS ONE. Gems dog. Want to know how to crack into the Youtube game? This is an episode you don’t want to miss. I share my exact process on how I was able to start making sales from Youtube and other places online. Case and point: it’s not about spamming people, it’s about continually showing up and providing value. DMing people a spammy soundcloud link ain’t gonna cut it. You have to actually treat people like...people. What a concept. If you want to start making sales you have to put the work in. But it might not be as hard as you think. As long as your beats are decent you’ll be able to make sales. And don’t underestimate the power of free. Give this one a listen and let me know if you need help getting bites on your beats, that’s what I’m here for.  - Have a question you want answered? Slide in the DM @kiaorion  or email me here: kia@kiaorion.com - This episode is brought to you by: This episode is sponsored by my masterclass “Blueprint To Beatmaking”, my proven 3-step system for mastering the f

OOOHHH YOU AIN’T READY FOR IT. I probably get too personal on this one, but it’s my podcast. So fuck it. This is the most difficult question to answer, because I’m an extreme guy. It’s actually this exact question that inspired me almost exactly a year ago to sell all my shit, quit my job, and buy a one way ticket to Thailand. Full time jobs blow. Unless you’re one of those people that like your job. Then you’re lucky. And I’m jealous. But I never liked working full time, and I realized after having a series of big boy jobs that all I really wanted out of this life was to travel and make music. So that’s what I do now. It was easily the best decision I’ve ever made. I could continue to rant about happiness and life purpose, but for the sake of your sanity let’s just say balancing a full time gig and music is not easy...but it’s possible. - In this episode I dive into my top resources and recommendations on how to maximize your time outside of work to be productive. It’s for this exact reason I created my new

Get creative! Watch some videos of Timbaland in the studio and you’ll see how many interesting sounds he makes himself. Have a microphone? Go record random stuff in your kitchen. No microphone? No problem. Use your iPhone. Using sounds you record yourself can be a really fun and creative way to incorporate more of yourself into your music. I also recommend layering sounds. If you don’t want your tracks to sound like everyone else then don’t use the same samples as everyone else. OR...start with samples you like but layer other interesting sounds on top of them. Think outside the box. In this episode I give you some resources and inspiration to set yourself apart.  - Have a question you want answered? Slide in the DM @kiaorion  or email me here: kia@kiaorion.com - This episode is brought to you by: This episode is sponsored by my masterclass “Blueprint To Beatmaking”, my proven 3-step system for mastering the fundamentals and mindset of music production. If you are struggling to get started with prod

Have you been trying to make a track louder but can’t seem to bump up the volume no matter what you do? I got you. Truth be told a lot of volume issues stem from a bad mix. Mastering a track isn’t rocket science, the real key to getting a loud track actually happens way before you start to bring up the master volume. In this episode I give you my tips and tricks on how to mix a track properly so that by the time it comes to mastering all you have to do is use a limiter to raise the volume and add some final touches. - It’s not always about making the track louder, it’s about carving out space so each instrument has a place to live and interacts with the other elements of the track. There’s no secret to making an amazing mix from the jump, it’s a skill you have to learn from doing it over and over again. So listen to this ep and then get to mixing! Nothing to it but to do it.  - Have a question you want answered? Slide in the DM @kiaorion  or email me here: kia@kiaorion.com - This episode is brought

YES. Yes. and...Maybe. This is a tricky question because it honestly depends on where you’re at in your career. I’ll say this time and time again, it doesn’t matter how fancy your plugins are if you’re trash at making beats. It’s like anything else. Master the basics first and the rest will follow. Plugins are the icing on the cake. Want to be an amazing boxer? It doesn’t matter if you have the nicest gloves if your footwork is whack. Now, once you’ve got your fundamentals down and you want to level up plugins can be a great way to do it. I’ll be doing an episode soon on my favorite free plugins, but for now if you want to know some great paid and free resources you can download my guide where I go in-depth on both at www.kiaorion.com/software.  - Have a question you want answered? Slide in the DM @kiaorion  or email me here: kia@kiaorion.com - This episode is brought to you by: This episode is sponsored by my masterclass “Blueprint To Beatmaking”, my proven 3-step system for mastering the fundament

Woo! Now THIS is one of ‘dem ones! Want to stay creative? Put yourself in positions to constantly feel creative shit. Music and art are emotions. Period. It’s important to treat your creativity like a job. But it’s equally necessary to have life experiences to draw from to encourage that. I spent most of my 20’s trying to reach arbitrary milestones with my music. Instead what happened was I let some of my best years pass me by. In this episode I take a deep dive into what I’ve found the best practices to continually be creative and bust through plateaus. Staying inspired when you’re doing the same work every day over and over can be difficult. I share my top recommendations on how to balance your creative work with your real life and how they don’t have to be mutually exclusive.  - Have a question you want answered? Slide in the DM @kiaorion  or email me here: kia@kiaorion.com - This episode is brought to you by: This episode is sponsored by my masterclass “Blueprint To Beatmaking”, my proven 3-step

This is an important episode. I give you my top resources online to find inspiration and interesting sounds. By incorporating different and unique sounds you can really breathe a lot of life and character into your tracks. So, where to find these sounds? Listen to the episode to find out! Or you can download the guide here lol. When you approach your next track try to include a sound that you’ve never used before, bring some ambient noise in to tell a story with your beats.  Have a question you want answered? Slide in the DM @kiaorion  or email me here: kia@kiaorion.com - This episode is brought to you by: This episode is sponsored by my masterclass “Blueprint To Beatmaking”, my proven 3-step system for mastering the fundamentals and mindset of music production. If you are struggling to get started with production OR if you are not progressing as quickly as you’d like to, this course will help you get there. I’ve recently updated the course and will be launching the new version soon! So - head over

As I’m sure you probably guessed...it depends. There is a strategy to how you send beats out, and it depends on where you’re at in your career/what you’re shooting for. Peep the episode to hear what my current tactics are with sending beats to artists, and the recommendations I give for a few different scenarios.  Have a question you want answered? Slide in the DM @kiaorion  or email me here: kia@kiaorion.com - This episode is brought to you by: This episode is sponsored by my masterclass “Blueprint To Beatmaking”, my proven 3-step system for mastering the fundamentals and mindset of music production. If you are struggling to get started with production OR if you are not progressing as quickly as you’d like to, this course will help you get there. I’ve recently updated the course and will be launching the new version soon! So - head over the course page to claim your spot.  - Subscribe & Review in iTunes Are you subscribed to this joint? If you’re not, why you sleepin on the boy? I’m adding

Music is a collaborative process. That’s not a secret. So where are the best places to connect with other producers? I’ve got a few recommendations for ya. Building your community is a huge element of success. They say you’re an average of the 5 people you spend the most time with and I have found that incredibly true in my own life. There are a few places online in particular that I recommend looking for community and support when it comes to music production. Hip-Hop producers are notoriously a creative and reclusive bunch, but also many are very helpful and willing to show share tips and tactics. I also recently started to build a community of music makers online, DM me to find out more if you’re interested! Have a question you want answered? Slide in the DM @kiaorion or email me here: kia@kiaorion.com - This episode is brought to you by: This episode is sponsored by my masterclass “Blueprint To Beatmaking”, my proven 3-step system for mastering the fundamentals and mindset of music production. If you are