Beatmaking

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The process of producing instrumental rhythms and backing tracks used in various music genres
2. Crafting musical beats and patterns that serve as the foundation for songs, particularly in hip-hop and electronic music
3. Composing and arranging rhythmic elements and percussion sounds to build the core track of a music piece

Etymology: "Beatmaking" is a plain compound of "beat" and "making", with no further history behind it. "Beat" in the musical sense, a regular pulse or rhythmic unit, is the older element: it comes from the Old English "bēat", a blow or stroke, and the musical sense developed from the idea of a repeated striking that marks time. "Making" is the ordinary gerund of "make", meaning the act of producing something. Put together, the compound names the activity of producing the rhythmic foundation of a track, the drums, percussion and pulse that other layers are built on. The word is a modern formation, and its meaning has narrowed over time from general music-making to the specific job of building the beat.

Synonyms: music production, beat production