As an indie artist or even an established artist, you know that having a great beat is essential to creating a successful song. But finding the right beat can be difficult – especially if you don't know where to look and what to look for.

In this guide, I'll show you everything you need to know when you're ready to buy beats online that fit your budget and help you create the sound you're looking for. We'll also provide tips on how to find the best deals and avoid scams.

So whether you're just starting out or you're looking for an upgrade, keep reading and I'll give you more than enough info to get you started buying beats online.

Table of Contents

• Getting started
• What is a Beat License?
• What Is a Beat Lease?
• What Is An Exclusive Beat License?
• Exclusive Beats vs Beat Leases
• Best Place To Buy Beats Online
• How To Avoid Scams From Beat Makers
• Audio Stems Important When Buying Beats
• Get High-Quality Audio Files With Your Purchase
• Know The Beat Structure You Want Before Buying
• Buy Beats For Songs
• Buying Custom Made Beats
• How To Buy Beats Online The Ultimate Guide Conclusion

Your Beats Buying Guide

When it comes to buying beats, there are a several things you should consider in order to get beats that match your style of music, your budget size, legal requirements, and where you are in your music career. Today we're going to go over everything that you need to find the best beats with the confidence knowing that you have all of your bases covered.

If you're just starting out, I suggest going to a beat marketplace such as SharePro Marketplace so that you have confidence knowing that the beats you buy come from verified sellers and with digital licenses so you're covered for all types of uses. But before jumping in keep reading so that you're up to date on everything you need to know about buying beats online.

Once you've found a few reputable sellers, start by comparing prices of the beat makers, check out comments of the previous buyers if that is available, or just save time and send them a direct message. You'll find that if you're looking to find some of the best beats you'll need to search by "exclusive beat licenses" (which we discuss in much more detail later).

So enough of my rambling, let's get to it so you can get to making your hit songs!

What Is a Beat License?

A beat license is a type of copyright that allows an artist to use someone else's beats for their own song. In order to obtain a beat license, the artist must first get permission from the beatmaker.

The beat license is obtained by purchasing the beat license for a price the beatmaker chooses, which will give the artist the legal right to use the beats in their own song. Beat licenses may also come with terms and conditions on how the artist may use the song and where the song may appear while using the beat license.

While some artists may choose to use unlicensed beats, doing so can be risky, as it could lead to legal action being taken against you. Do not steal beats unless you are prepared to give up the profits you make from the song that uses the unlicensed beat. It's just not worth it when you can buy beats for just a few bucks.

Therefore, it is always best to obtain a beat license before using someone else's beats.

What Is a Beat Lease?

A beat lease is a type of agreement between a music producer or a "beatmaker", and an artist, in which the producer leases a pre-recorded musical track (the "beat") to the artist for use in creating a new song. The artist then pays the producer a set fee for the use of the beat which results in the artist receiving the beat lease agreement.

Beat leases are commonly used in hip-hop and electronic music, as they provide artists with a cost-effective way to obtain high-quality beats without having to pay for exclusive rights to the beat. However, this means that the beatmaker can resell the same beat they sold to another artist and usually put restrictions on how much profit can be made from songs using their beat lease.

In many cases, a beat lease is a great way to get your feet wet in the beat-buying process and also sample the quality of the music producer's work. However, if you're looking to release music to a wide audience and get paid for it then you'll need something more open-ended than a beat lease known as an Exclusive Beat License.

What Is An Exclusive Beat License?

An exclusive beat license is an agreement between music producers and artists that grant the artist exclusive rights to use the music producer's beat. These licenses are often used by major labels and established artists who are looking to protect their investment in a track.

Under an exclusive beat license, the producer agrees not to sell the beat to anyone else while the license is in effect (very important you get a signed agreement). This can be for a set period, or as most commonly done, it can be indefinite.

Exclusive licenses typically cost more than non-exclusive licenses, but they offer the artist a higher degree of protection and distribution freedom. In some cases, music producers may also agree to give the artist exclusive rights to the master recordings of their tracks. This type of agreement is known as an exclusive master license.

Exclusive Beats vs Beat Leases

When it comes to music production, one of the most important decisions you'll make is choosing the right beats. This will be the foundation of your song, and it can have a major impact on the overall sound and feel. However, there's a lot to consider beyond the quality of the beat because we need to know where and how we can use the beats we want to purchase.

There are two main options when it comes to acquiring beats: buying an exclusive license, or renting a beat (known as a lease). While both options have their advantages, there are some key reasons why buying an exclusive beat is often the better choice.

For starters, an exclusive beat will be unique to your song. This means that you won't have to worry about another artist using the same beat and releasing a competing track. This eliminates any concerns of copyright suites being filed by other artists who may claim you are infringing on their rights as they may register their song using your beat with a copyright office and sue you down the road.

With a leased beat, on the other hand, there's always the risk that another artist will lease the same beat and put out a similar song. This can lead to confusion among your fans, and it can immediately stop your chances of getting radio play or landing placements in films, videogames, or TV shows.

Another advantage of buying an exclusive beat is that you'll generally have more flexibility in how you use it. With a leased beat, you typically only have the rights to use it for one song or have limitations on where your song can be distributed and even how much money you're allowed to earn from the song when using a leased beat.

But with an exclusive beat, you can generally use it however you want - for example, you could create multiple versions of the song or use it for remixes or live performances. You could license songs for TV or film, get radio airplay without fear of copyright issues, or even sell the rights to your songs just for starters. This gives you much more creative freedom, and it allows you to get more value out of your investment.

So if you're looking to create a truly unique track that will stand out from the crowd, buying an exclusive beat is generally your best bet. Not only will you have a greater degree of control over how it's used, but you can also be confident that no one else will be using the same beat for their songs.

When Beat Leases Might Be The Best For You

If you're looking to buy beats on a budget then buying a beat lease might be the way to go. When you purchase a beat lease, you're only paying for the right to use the beat for a certain number of streams or downloads. This means that you can save money by only purchasing the rights that you need.

Second, if you're just looking to put a demo together to showcase your skills for record labels or music managers, there's rarely a reason to shell out big money on an exclusive beat as those you are trying to impress will most certainly have their own vision for your music. Beat leases are also helpful for mixtape projects where you want to get your music floating in the street to build a buzz and start booking some small local shows.

That's why many indie artists purchase beat leases to save money on their promotional songs to be able to spend more on marketing themselves, building their brand, and making connections.

All things considered, purchasing a beat lease is generally the better option for indie artists who are just starting out or need beats for mixtapes, promos, or freestyle sessions.

Buying beats online can be a super easy and fun process if you know what you are looking for before you start shopping. Know your sound and find producers who fit who you are as an artist.

Best Place To Buy Beats Online

SharePro Marketplace is a great starting place if you're looking for high-quality beats from music producers from around the globe. The SharePro Marketplace offers exclusive beat licenses, beat leases, affordable beats, and free beats across several music genres. The easy-to-use catalog is searchable and sortable, so you can find the perfect beat for your project.

Whether you're looking for hip-hop beats, trap beats, R&B beats, EDM beats, rock beats, alternative beats, or any other type of music across 20+ music genres, the SharePro Marketplace has what you need. You can check out the beat catalog here as it's constantly updated with new beats, so you'll always have fresh options to choose from. For those looking for beats for their next album, SharePro has multiple beat licenses that are digital downloads and come with every purchase.

How To Avoid Scams From Beat Makers

When it comes to buying beats, it's important to do your homework to avoid being ripped off. There are a few key things to keep in mind when purchasing beats that can help you avoid being scammed. First, while an obvious one, you should only buy from reputable sellers. Check out online marketplaces and make sure the music producers you purchase from have a good reputation.

Second, get a contract in writing. It's OK if it's a digital agreement or license just make sure you receive it immediately upon purchase. This will protect you in case the beat turns out to be lower quality than expected or if the producer tries to sell the beat to someone else after you've purchased it.

Watch out for copyright infringement. Just because a beat is for sale doesn't mean that the seller of the beat is the person who created it or has the right to sell it. There's a possibility, even if it's slight, that the beat you buy might not belong to the seller. Again, get it all in writing.

Unfortunately, there are few if any publicly available tools for verifying your beat's exclusiveness (like the ones record labels use to find illegal streams of their music), however, you can always make sure that when buying exclusive beats your agreement with the seller is in writing and has terms stating that they are indeed the copyright holder and that you will be able to be compensated, and legally protected should this turn out to not be true.

Audio Stems Important When Buying Beats

When shopping for beats (more specifically exclusive beats), it's important to pay attention if the audio stem files will be included with your purchase. Before you do start down this road, you must first understand what audio stems are and if you are at the point in your music career where you need to use them.

Audio Stems are individual tracks that make up the final mix of a song. For example, an audio stem might include all of the drums, piano, sound effects, or elements that make up the beat you purchased. Keep in mind that these files are not just the instruments, it's the instruments played on their own single audio track at the exact time they played within the full beat.

By purchasing beats that come with high-quality audio stems, you'll be able to create a professional-sounding mix. If you're ready to take your song to the radio, you need it to be mixed and mastered. During the mixing process, your audio engineer (if they are legit) will ask you for the audio stems that make up the beat and vocals.

It's common to buy exclusive beats and forget to ask about the audio stems. A lot of music producers nowadays aren't prepared to provide audio stems which forces you into 2-track mixing or mixing without separate audio tracks for your beat which holds your song back from having the highest audio quality possible.

In addition, audio stems can be very helpful when making adjustments to the mix. For instance, if you want to boost the level of the drums in your mix, you can simply turn up the stem that contains the drum tracks, or lower the piano and raise the hi-hat. There's a lot of important flexibility that comes with having the audio stems during your song-mixing session.

As you can see, audio stems can be a valuable tool in the mixing process. When shopping for beats, be sure to look for audio stems as additional files you receive to get the most out of your purchase.

Get High-Quality Audio Files With Your Purchase

When you purchase a beat, it is important to make sure that you are getting both an MP3 and an uncompressed high-quality audio file. The MP3 file is perfect for listenings on your phone or computer, while the high-quality audio file is perfect for mixing and mastering.

By having both files, you will be able to get the most out of your beat and ensure that it sounds its best. There are times when you'll be requested to supply a high-quality version of your song such as to radio, music licensing for films, tv shows, or videogames so it can be helpful to have this type of file on hand just in case.

Make sure to ask your music producer for both files when you purchase their beat so that you can have the highest quality final product.

Know The Beat Structure You Want Before Buying

If you don't have any music production skills it's going to be important to purchase beats that fit the structure of the songs you create. For example, if you like to write songs with three verses, an 8-bar intro, 8-bar hooks, and a 16-bar outro, then you have a specific beat structure you like your beats to fit.

This is very important because if you want a specific beat length or structure but cannot edit the beats you buy on your own, you're going to need a music producer or beatmaker to edit your beat to fit your song structure needs. So if you don't have anyone to edit the beat after you purchase it, you have to make sure you buy beats that are already in the structure you are looking for.

A lot of times I see rappers buy beats and then write raps that fit the beat they purchased, regardless of the length of the track or if it has a spot for a chorus, an intro, a breakdown, etc. What ends up happening is that you have an album full of tracks by different beatmakers who have their own natural beat structures which makes your album not as cohesive as it should or could be.

So my advice here is to have a plan for what you are looking for before you buy your beats. Plus, if you can find beatmakers who are cool and willing to work with you before you purchase their beats could mean they might be willing to edit their beats to fit the bar structure that you are looking for.

Make sure to do your homework and don't be afraid to ask the beatmaker to adjust their beat to your writing and performing style, especially if you purchase exclusive beats and will be paying big money for it.

SONG STRUCTURE 101 (Pt. 1-A) - THE BASICS: Verse, Chorus, & Bridge

Buy Beats For Songs

Regardless of what style of beat you are looking to purchase for your next song, make sure the beats you buy are specifically made to be written to. I've seen over the years beatmakers who do not understand the concept of leaving room for the artist to perform and have too many instruments or a lead instrument that acts like a lead performer.

This type of instrumental is what many call "elevator music" where the rapper or singer is subbed out with a musical instrument to take the lead on the song. There are some producers out there who do not understand the concept of making beats for songs and don't understand the concept of creating beats to rap to instead of rap instrumentals to listen to.

Buying Custom Made Beats

Whether you buy beats from famous producers or looking to buy industry beats you will find that you will need to make edits to the beats you buy. One of the cool things about buying custom-made beats is that you can have producers make beats exactly what you are looking for.

There are advantages and disadvantages to buying premade beats or custom-made beats. Premade beats can be less expensive and easier to find, but they may not be a perfect fit for your song idea. You also have to consider that nearly all music producers want to premake their beats so they can sell as many as possible.

When they decide to make a custom-made beat it means they are busy working on one or two beats at a time, locking their time up which they don't look forward to. So what you'll find is that you will have to create a working relationship with beatmakers to get them interested in creating custom beats for you.

Custom-made beats will be tailored to your specific needs, but they will be more expensive. However, as we mentioned earlier in this article, if you don't have any music production skills of your own, you will not be able to edit the beat to fit your needs after you buy it. In cases like those, your best bet is to have the beat custom-made so that you end up with the type of beat structure you are looking for and will not need any further editing.

Ultimately, the decision comes down to what is most important to you. If you are looking for a beat that perfectly captures the feel of your writing style, then you may want to consider buying a custom-made beat. But if you are working with a limited budget, then premade beats may be the better option at the end of the day.

How To Buy Beats Online The Ultimate Guide Conclusion

We hope you now have enough info to confidently jump into buying beats online without fear of not getting what you're looking for. With the number of music producers and beatmakers out there, it shouldn't be too hard to find them by searching:

• Twitter
• Soundcloud
• Soundclick
• SharePro Marketplace
• Bandcamp
• Airbit
• Audiomack

That's just to name a few of the places online where you can quality beats out there. And there's a reason we didn't name all of the most popular places online to buy beats because they are oversaturated with buyers and you'll most likely end up buying the same beats leases as everyone else.

If you found this guide helpful, please help other music producers out there by sharing this article outline. Happy beat hunting and we look forward to hearing your next hit song on our SharePro Marketplace when you're ready to share it with the world.

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