By Mitch Rice
When it comes to creating a song, most artists have a choice.
They can either commission a band or independent producer to craft them a one-off beat/ backing track. Or alternatively, they can use what’s known as a ‘type’ composition. A form of instrumental that’s seen a huge spurt in popularity over the past decade.
So much so, that type beats have even earned themselves a place in the charts, serving as the backbone to many a hit song. But with that being said, what makes ‘type’ instrumentals to the way to go in 2022? And crucially, if you’re an artist, what are the pros and cons of using one? Read on to find out…
Type beat VS bespoke instrumental
To the ear, there really isn’t much difference between a bespoke instrumental and a type beat. The difference only really begins to show when you drill down into the specifics of how they’re made.
A bespoke instrumental is a one-off piece, composed by either a band or music producer, to accompany an artist’s lyrics. Whereas a type composition is pre-made. It’s a piece of music that’s made by a producer to essentially imitate the sound of an existing artist. To do so, they incorporate elements of their song structure, BPM and even specific drum patterns.
And the great thing is that, while type beats began life as part of Hip Hop, they’ve since branched out into other genres too. So if you want to sound like Jennifer Lopez, then you can lay your lyrics over a ‘J Lo Type Beat’. Or if you want to sound like a UK Rapper, you can opt for a ’Skepta Type Beat’.
Why do artists choose ‘type’ instrumentals?
There’s a whole catalogue of reason why type compositions have gained such popularity over the past decade. Here’s just 4 to consider…
1: They’re cheap – As far as instrumentals go, type beats are some of the most affordable. That’s because unlike a bespoke instrumental, which would come at the cost of hiring a producer & potentially a live band, a type beat is leased. In short, you can purchase the right to use one of these ‘type’ compositions for a fraction of the cost – licences usually start around $60! So for any rookie musician or independent on a budget, they’re a very attractive choice.
2: Sound quality – With such entry-level pricing, you’d imagine that type compositions would cause you to compromise in terms of sound quality. However, that’s not always the case. Providing you don’t opt for the cheapest lease (usually an MP3 format), then the audio files you receive will be WAV. The same professional level of audio quality that you’d expect when recording a bespoke instrumental live in the studio.
3: They’re customisable – Despite type beats being leased, they do offer you as an artist, a decent level of control over your final sound. And while there are of course restrictions, providing your lease includes access to the core track stems, you can really make a type composition your own. All it takes is a bit of adjustment in your DAW.
4: They’re Accessible – While making a custom live instrumental is a fantastic one-off experience, there’s no getting round the fact that it takes time. Not to mention a lot of coordination to organise. In which case, to truly nail a bespoke instrumental you could be looking at not just days, but months! Whereas with a type composition, you can pay for the track & import the stems into your DAW within 15 minutes. A noticeable time difference, and one worth considering if your fanbase is particularly eager.
What are the disadvantages of a ‘type’ composition?
While type beats do come with their advantages, they’re not without their disadvantages too. Here’s 4 that you need to be aware of before making a purchase…
1: They lack originality – The one thing that a bespoke instrumental gives you that a type composition does not, is a truly original sound. With type instrumentals mirroring the sound other artists, in many ways they make it harder for you to stand out. Build your own unique sound and that’s less something you need to worry about, as you sound will speak for itself.
2: Your song could become obsolete – One of the major downfalls of a type composition is simply the fact that it’s leased. This means that even if you make a hit song using a type instrumental, but neglect to purchase the exclusive rights, your song could be taken down. That’s because once your lease expires, you’ll have to seek permission from the beat’s producer, as well as an artist who’s purchased the exclusive rights, should you want to extend it. Fail to get this permission, and you’ll have no choice but to take down your music.
3: They’re restrictive – Being leased, means that type instrumentals are not a free gig. In order to be used correctly, you & your song must adhere to certain terms & conditions. All of which will vary depending on the producer. However, common restrictions include:
- Amount of streams
- The extent to which the composition can be modified
- Usage of the beat (number of radio plays/ advertising promos etc.)
- Whether the beat can be used for live performance
In the case you as an artist exceed or break any of these conditions, the lease will have to be renewed. For those who have a song that’s proving particularly popular, this could come at a high cost.
Proof that type instrumentals can make the charts
Just because there are some disadvantages of using type instrumentals, that doesn’t mean they can’t be used to get into the charts. In fact, some of the largest songs ever to be made once started out as a type composition.
The majority of these chart-topping examples lead back to Hip Hop. One of the most notable being the beat used by Brooklyn rapper, Desiigner, for his viral hit, ‘Panda’. A song that spent 41 consecutive weeks at the top of the Billboard Hot 100!
