Okay now we are going to dive into one of the most important chapters of this book, bars and counts. I gave you a brief description of this in chapter 6.
Now lets look deeper into this. I may be the only person who writes like this or it is possible I may not be. But I remember when writing my rhymes I would put a dot(point) over the word so I know exactly how I wanted to say it over the beat. Just like the examples of the
verses at the end of chapter 2. Not only that but that point let me know where I was at and how far I had to go to
complete a 16 bar verse.
I knew with the technique I invented if I counted 32 points I had 16 bars.
(16x2) Each bar has 2 main points.
Before I lose you let me explain further.
I came up with 8 counts, or you can say 8 points within each bar. We have 4 solid points(The points in the example verses are 2 out of the main 4 which are the solids) and 4 not solid points. The 4 solid points are solid because they land on the primary position in a unit of
measure or bar. This primary position is basically where the beat falls. For
example tap your finger on the table now, right now 4 times. Okay good now do that four more times keeping the same rhythm.
1,2,3,4,1,2,3,4...or 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8.
Now be sure to count out load or in your head with each tap. Now you know 8 points that’s 1bar. Do that 16 times and that’s the length of 1 verse. Now do that same thing over again. Now this time on 1 start with your fist and 2 with your fingernail, but only do it in a 4 count measure, meaning only count to 4.
So it’s like this-fist, nail, fist, nail, a count of 4. Now The Official How To Rap Manual shows this as fists and nails being solid points and the space that is between fist and nails(of course when your not tapping) are not solid points.
Try this a few times tapping with a bit and you should get the picture. Get this down now because you will be putting
words together within these points.
Now lets take this 1 step further.
All solid and not solid points are equal.
Meaning you can start your rhyme anywhere within that 8 count and anywhere within that 4 count. For example 1 bar can be started and ended on all 4 solids and then also fit within all 4 not solids.
Get it? Hope so.
Now lets look at this 8 count a little farther. The Official How To Rap Manual shows this 8 count like
○●○●○●○●
. The 4th and 8th count will always have a line directly in the center of them. The first line shows a half a bar(the first 4 points) and the second line completes a full bar(the 8th point).So it looks like this:
Note between every point there is a ½ point. Big would utilize this a lot in his rhymes. The solid points are the
primary position. The two points with the lines in them are usually where the treble hits within a song landing on points 4 and 8.
Now below, remember how I told you all points are equal? So notice under the heading 8 count I have 2 bars to show comparison. On each side of the 2 bars I have 2 group of numbers. The left side shows the original. The right side in parenthesis is its equal. For example 1-8 count is equal to 5-4 count. In other words a rhyme starting in 1 and ending on 8 counts is equal to a rhyme starting at 5 and ending on a 4 count. Get it? Now I break this down all the way to a 2 count.
1 count is just that one point over each count. Thats sort of self explanatory.
One syllable usually fits on one point.
A quick Two syllable word can also fit on one point. An extremely fast three
syllable word is possible but Twister will have to spit that for you.(Laugh) So now that you studied the verse examples try rhyming within each of these points from 1-8 or 2-6. Shouldn't be hard. But if you have questions contact me. I will write you back. Okay now get to it.
Now below practice combinations of different bars. In other words try rhyming a 1-6 count bar with a 1-8 count bar. I have a whole list of combos below.
1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4
Rhyme can be started and ended at any point -Half a point before or after all points -One full point before or after any point -Or exactly on any 1 point
-Also 3 or 4 points before or after all points (Below is equivalent to a 16 bar verse)
Rhyme 4 ← Primary(Before) 1- 4 /→ Secondary 5-8 (After ) Shows Rhyme points and
10 11 12 13 14 15 16 1
Below shows where words rhyme. For example lets look at 1 word rhyme L1. Under that we have the number 1 followed by other numbers in
parenthesis. This shows how you can make one word or one syllable words rhyme within a line.
So lets say you make point 1, which is the 1 followed by parenthesis under the 1 word rhyme section, rhyme within that line with a word in point 8. So it would be similar to bar one looking like “Plush all I do is make the ladies fuss”. Get it? Plush lands on point 1 and fuss on point 8. You can do the same with 2 word or 2 syllable words as well. Even with 3 syllable words. Its all right there for you to try. Lets try one more with 2 word rhyme. This time we will use 34and78. Thats a easy one. “I move to quick in my drop blue whip” Points 3 and 4 is to quick while 7 and 8 is blue whip.
Now you try a few.
Line 1
1 Word Rhyme L1 2 Word L1 3 Word L1
1 (8,7,6,5,4,3,2) 12(34, 45, 56, 67,78) 123 (456, 567, 678) 2 (8,7,6,5,4,3) 23(45, 56, 67,78, 81) 234 (567, 678) 3 (8,7,6,5,4) 34 (56, 67, 78, 81) 345 (678)
4 (8,7,6,5) 45 (67, 78, 81) 678
5 (8,7,6) 56 (78, 81)
6 (8,7) 67 (81)
7 (8)
Line 2
L2
1 Word8 (16, 15, 14, 13, 12, 11, 10) 7 (16, 15, 14, 13, 12, 11, 10, 9) 6 (16, 15, 14, 13, 12, 11, 10, 9, 8) 5 (16, 15, 14, 13, 12, 11, 10, 9, 8, 7) 4 (16, 15, 14, 13, 12, 11, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6) 3 (16, 15, 14, 13, 12, 11, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5) 2 (16, 15, 14, 13, 12, 11, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4) 1 (16, 15, 14, 13, 12, 11, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3)
L2
2 Word12 (34, 45, 56, 67, 78, 89, 910, 1011, 1112, 1213, 1314, 1415, 1516) 23 (45, 56, 67, 78, 89, 910, 1011, 1112, 1213, 1314, 1415, 1516, 161) 34 (56, 67, 78, 89, 910, 1011, 1112, 1213, 1314, 1415, 1516, 161, 12) 45 (67, 78, 89, 910, 1011, 1112, 1213, 1314, 1415, 1516, 161, 12, 23) 56 (78, 89, 910, 1011, 1112, 1213, 1314, 1415, 1516, 161, 12, 23, 34) 67 (89, 910, 1011, 1112, 1213, 1314, 1415, 1516, 161, 12, 23, 34, 45) 78 (910, 1011, 1112, 1213, 1314, 1415, 1516, 161, 12, 23, 34, 45, 56) 89 (1011, 1112, 1213, 1314, 1415, 1516, 161, 12, 23, 34, 45, 56, 67)
L2
3 Word123 (456, 567, 678, 789, 8910, 91011, 101112, 111213, 121314, 131415, 141516) 234 (567, 678, 789, 8910, 91011, 101112, 111213, 121314, 131415, 141516, 15161) 345 (678, 789, 8910, 91011, 101112, 111213, 121314, 131415, 141516, 15161, 1612) 456 (789, 8910, 91011, 101112, 111213, 121314, 131415, 141516, 15161, 1612, 123)
4 WAYS LINES BEGIN
1 SYLLABLE 2 SYLLABLE 3 SYLLABLE
CHILL MONEY MEDICINE 2 1 SYLLABLE WORDS together can replace 2 SYLLABLE POINTS
Ex. Take That
-Even think about making the consonant sounds match and stand out putting that extra emphasis on the beginnings and endings. Also focus on consonants said in frontal lip area.
-Also make words rhyme with similar syllable structure.
J spit it bangsy expose they did it Made me up those