Making beats from scratch with an independent Australian producer
For independent artists, beat-making is often a practical, hands-on process rather than a polished studio fantasy. A laptop, headphones, a small MIDI keyboard and a folder of rough recordings can be enough to start shaping a track with personality. The real craft comes from turning those basic tools into a sound that supports an MC and survives outside the bedroom studio.
In this interview, Melbourne-based producer Kai Mercer explains how he builds hip hop instrumentals from the ground up. His approach covers drum programming, sample selection, basslines, arrangement and the small decisions that make a beat feel human. He also discusses the realities of working in Australia, where the market is connected but relatively compact.
Kai produces from a rented room in the inner north, works around neighbours and council noise rules, and sends most early mixes through online sessions. His method is economical, adaptable and focused on making space for the rapper rather than filling every bar with production tricks.
| Beat stage | Main decision | Practical result |
|---|---|---|
| Source material | Choose a sample, texture or original chord idea | Establishes mood and direction |
| Drum foundation | Set groove, swing and velocity | Gives the loop movement |
| Low end | Match the bassline to the kick | Creates weight without muddiness |
| Arrangement | Remove and reintroduce parts | Keeps verses and hooks distinct |
| Final check | Test on headphones, speakers and a phone | Reveals translation problems |
Finding the first idea
What usually starts a beat for you?
Kai Mercer: I normally begin with a sound rather than a full musical plan. It might be a dusty guitar chord, a field recording from a train platform or one note played through an old keyboard plug-in. I chop the idea into small pieces and play them back in a different order. That gives me a starting point without locking the track into a predictable four-bar loop.
Vinyl remains useful because its imperfections can provide character, but sampling is also a legal and creative responsibility. A short excerpt may still require permission, and Australian creators need to consider the Copyright Act 1968 before releasing a commercial record. For producers learning the process, this vinyl sampling guide offers a useful reference for digging, recording and reshaping source material.
Do you always sample records?
No. I often replay the feeling of a sample instead. I might play a simple electric piano line, record it through a cheap microphone or pitch it down until the original instrument becomes difficult to recognise. That keeps the emotional quality while giving me more control over publishing and clearance. The goal is not to make the source obvious; it is to create a musical world an artist can inhabit.
Building drums with feel
How do you stop programmed drums from sounding stiff?
I start with a kick and snare pattern that could be performed by a real drummer. After that, I adjust velocity rather than placing every hit at the same volume. A slightly late hi-hat or a snare that lands a fraction behind the grid can make a loop breathe. I do not randomise everything, because uncontrolled timing can sound careless instead of loose.
Australian listening habits influence my workflow too. Artists may test a demo on studio monitors in Sydney, then play it through earbuds on a tram in Melbourne or a small Bluetooth speaker at a Brisbane barbecue. A groove has to retain its identity in all three situations. I keep the kick simple, leave room around the vocal range and check whether the snare still cuts through at low volume.
Where does bass fit into the process?
Bass usually arrives after the drum pocket is stable. I play a few notes, mute the kick and listen for a line that supports the sample without copying it. If the kick and bass occupy the same low frequencies, I change the bass rhythm before reaching for heavy processing. Good low end often comes from arrangement, not louder plugins.
Giving the loop a moving shape
When does a loop become a complete beat?
It becomes a beat when the sections create a reason to keep listening. I may remove the kick for the first four bars, bring in a filtered texture during the verse and add a counter-melody only at the hook. Small changes can make a familiar pattern feel intentional. A rapper needs clear entrances, exits and breathing space, so I avoid arranging every section at maximum density.
Automation is one of the easiest ways to create movement without adding more instruments. I automate a filter opening into the chorus, a delay appearing at the end of a vocal phrase or a reverb send rising before a drop. These changes should support the arrangement rather than distract from it. Producers can explore more approaches in these track automation tips.
Do you arrange before the vocalist arrives?
I make a rough arrangement, but I leave it flexible. A sixteen-bar verse may become twelve bars when the MC finds the right flow, or the hook may need another two bars to land properly. I export a version with clear markers and send stems when the artist wants to experiment. Beat-making works best as a conversation, even when the first draft comes from one person.
Working inside the local scene
How does Australia shape your work as an independent producer?
The local scene is spread across cities, which can make collaboration slower but also more deliberate. Melbourne has a strong beat-making and live-band culture, Sydney offers a dense network of artists and venues, and Brisbane has its own creative communities and regular club nights. I might produce with someone in Adelaide one week and exchange stems with an MC in Perth the next.
The Australian market is smaller than the United States, so a producer cannot rely on one release or one local showcase. I build relationships through open mics, community radio, online groups and independent events. Tha Hop’s hip hop articles are the kind of place where artists can follow releases, discover conversations and stay connected to the wider culture.
What should new producers understand about business?
Keep records from the first session. Save project files, agree on producer splits and write down who owns the master and composition. If a beat is licensed non-exclusively, the artist should know exactly what that licence permits. It is also worth setting prices in Australian dollars and accounting for GST when the business reaches the relevant threshold.
I learned to separate creative generosity from unpaid labour. Sending a quick loop to a friend is different from arranging, mixing and revising a complete track. Clear expectations protect friendships and make future work easier. Independent production is still a business, even when the studio is a spare bedroom.
Finishing tracks without losing character
What is your final mixing routine?
I begin by lowering the master level and checking whether the vocal has somewhere to sit. Then I remove sounds that are competing rather than automatically boosting the important parts. I compare the mix on headphones, nearfield speakers and a phone. If the beat only works on expensive monitors, it is not finished.
I also leave time between the creative session and the final bounce. A night away can reveal a bassline that is too loud or a transition that happens too often. This is especially useful when working after a full day of employment, commuting or late-night sessions limited by apartment walls. A clean, balanced mix is valuable, but a distinctive texture should not be polished out.
What makes a beat worth releasing?
It needs a clear emotional centre. Technical quality matters, but an artist remembers a beat because of its tension, swing, melody or atmosphere. I would rather release a slightly strange instrumental with a strong identity than a flawless loop that could belong to anyone.
I also keep the promotional budget realistic. Studio money should not be mixed with recreational spending, and any online offer should be checked for eligibility, terms and local restrictions before someone pays or plays. That includes reading the conditions attached to a casino welcome bonus, rather than treating promotional language as free money.
Kai’s process returns to the same principle at every stage: start with a simple idea, make deliberate changes and leave room for the human performance. For Australian producers, that approach suits modest setups, long distances between scenes and a community where word of mouth still carries real weight. A beat made from scratch becomes memorable when its choices sound considered, not when it contains the largest number of sounds.