Don't you hate it when...

[Teewok]

...ur halfway into making a beat that is sounding kinda whack... but still finish it anyway to not make the experience a complete waste..lol... is it a waste of time to finish it? Or should one drop it and move on to the next? The life of a beatmaker...

[DREWDANK]

i have like a million...i finished em all...i have a my music folder then on the inside of the folder. i put shit. haha then in that folder i all my fuck ups..

[niq names]

yeah u gotta save everything, thats like rule numba 1 for beat makers cuz u never know whatll pop!

[HxC]

I very rarely finish a beat in one sitting.
I'll start will a skel, then when I hit a wall I save & move on.
I often make reference mixes of the sketches to listen to away from my setup. Then I get new ideas on where to take them.

[PHeMoX]

...ur halfway into making a beat that is sounding kinda whack... but still finish it anyway to not make the experience a complete waste..lol... is it a waste of time to finish it? Or should one drop it and move on to the next? The life of a beatmaker...

Why not try to reassemble what you've already got? I do tend to ditch stuff quickly if there's nothing great inside. It makes no sense to waste too much time on a project if you're confident it won't ever become better.

But you know most beats start out rather weakish anyways, just check out the YouTube videos of other beatmakers, it takes time to polish it up and make it shine.

I once had a beat where 1 sample just didn't fit and ruined it all. I took it out, searched for a different one and bam saved the beat from being just another weak beat.

[ghost bazz]

...ur halfway into making a beat that is sounding kinda whack... but still finish it anyway to not make the experience a complete waste..lol... is it a waste of time to finish it? Or should one drop it and move on to the next? The life of a beatmaker...

I say take it to where you hit the wall and then step away from it for a little while, at least an evening. Similar to the point hXc was making.

Sometimes you can't force things, but it is good to go back to it with fresh ears and at least give a second or third effort. If the patterns aren't working, try to make some totally different variations... sometimes you'll stumble on a secondary pattern that when paired with the first attempt, makes a decent composition. Sometimes all it takes is a new groove from your drums to make things fall into place. For me, the sample chopping is the biggest time investment, so once I have my pad banks all filled with chops I usually don't give up until I've put together a song/beat out of em.

Of course there are also occasions where things just aren't coming together... or the samples end up being less inspirational than you were imagining they would be. I always back up my cards to the computer tho incase I find another application for the chops on em.

That's my 2 cents on the topic... it's probably different for everyone tho.

[Spideyjam]

Ear Fatigue can really cause a beat to get dumped prematurely. Just walk away before you kill it. You can leave alone for days even weeks. Not that I know much about beat making right now. I'm learning it though. Hail 555!!!!

[Euclid Ov Oåklånd]

I make so many crap beats it's insane, either track it as is so you can learn from it later or save it and rework it a little the next day.

[tape smoke]

everyone makes throw aways, the folder in the folder is a good idea.

but everyones goal should be to have 1 folder. the dope beat folder.

peace

[fauna]

i have three or four pieces on the go, usually. if one is sucking on it, i'll shift to another one.

sometimes i'll start something fresh instead, but i usually hover around those four at a time.

[Olerud]

Such a horrible feeling. Just like "Damn, this is actually super wack!" Sometimes I will make a string of good beats and forget about that feeling... but it always sneaks back, always keeping me in check.

[HxC]

Ah... but you ever give out a beat CD or post some... then heads end up liking the ones you thought weren't as hot the best?

[Teewok]

Ah... but you ever give out a beat CD or post some... then heads end up liking the ones you thought weren't as hot the best?

Hahahhah YES!

[drewzle]

Ah... but you ever give out a beat CD or post some... then heads end up liking the ones you thought weren't as hot the best?

oh man, ALWAYS!!

it's such a headfuck

[fauna]

Ah... but you ever give out a beat CD or post some... then heads end up liking the ones you thought weren't as hot the best?

damn near every time!

what's worse maybe is when peeps like the ones you like, and nobody says anything about the ones you were a little unsure about.

hmm. damn.