Arts & Entertainment, Science & Tech, Music
Song Origins: “Gossip Folks”
Lesson time 04:51 min
Timbaland’s collaborations with Missy Elliott are dynamic and iconic. Here Tim shares how they worked together to create their hits and shows you how vintage samples can bring a beat to the next level.
Students give MasterClass an average rating of 4.7 out of 5 stars
Topics include: Missy's Additions
Preview
Now, when it comes to me and Missy, Missy likes to be in the room. So when I was making that, she had construct me how-- the beat. Take that out. No, keep it simple. She's hands on. Missy like-- she don't-- and I don't be in the room when she do her vocals. She kicks me out every time. So I never heard her do her vocals. So she'll be in a room while-- she got to be in the room while I'm making the beat because she has to fill it. She all-- and she was the main-- she was the-- my sister was the one who taught me about filling. I'm like-- I do-- I should do beats. And she'd be like, but, yeah, it's dark. I've got to-- I'm a girl. She always-- I got to move. I got to dance. I got to fill it. Like, I got to perform this song, so when I do a groove, she'll bop. And she's like, uh-uh. Take that out. Take-- take-- you know, she was very particular about what I put in my tracks, the sounds. Because it's going to mess up how she write to it, you know? So it had to be-- less was more for her. I had a-- a little chop, a little piece of a horn saying, (SINGING) wen, wen, wen. I just kind of, like, (SINGING) wen, wen, wen, wen, wen, wen, wen. Just kept hitting it back. (SINGING) Wen. And then I just found little, just like I did with the track before, I found little elements to fill up the space. So let's hear it. Let's play it. [MUSIC - MISSY ELLIOT, "GOSSIP FOLKS"] (RAPPING) Yo, yo, move out of the way. We got Missy-- See? (RAPPING) --Elliott coming through. (RAPPING) Girl, that is Missy Elliott. She lost a lot of weight. I heard she eat one cracker a day. There's where it upped the key. (SINGING) Wen, ten. (RAPPING) --and started fucking with Trina. (RAPPING) I heard the bitch got hit by three zebras. So-- (RAPPING) I can't stand the bitch anyway. Stop it. So it's only the kick, snare, and the shaker, and a little sound that give it the rhythm (CLICKING). That's it. So let's hear it from-- again, if you hear it. I'll point it out. [MUSIC - MISSY ELLIOT, "GOSSIP FOLKS"] (RAPPING) Yo, yo, move out of the way. We got Missy Elliott coming through. Congo, topless-- topless, snare, kick, shaker. She like when I just pick one or two or three, not clutter it. You know what I'm saying? So she can (SINGING) do, do, do, dee, doodle dee. So if it had a (SINGING) ding, ding, ding, ding, it would throw her off. Had to be (SINGING) bing, ber, sayee, wong. So she can-- she's a mach-- she's a instrument herself. So she has to be an instrument. So when it comes to gospel, I just have to find the right sonics so she can capture that-- that character. And we just went through a bunch. And I did that loop. I did, and I did (SINGING) ban de ban de, ba ban de ban de. And I just went (BEATBOXING). She was like, yeah. She started writing to just that, then I just start shh, adding the shaker. The, like, (BEATBOXING). And I had his other sound, (BEATBOXING), so I just left it...
About the Instructor
Grammy-winning music producer Timbaland takes you behind the boards to teach you his process for creating iconic tracks with artists like Jay-Z, Missy Elliott, Justin Timberlake, Beyoncé, and Aaliyah. In his first-ever online class, learn how to collaborate with vocalists, layer new tracks, and create hooks that stick. Step into Timbaland’s studio and learn from one of the industry’s most innovative hit makers.
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Timbaland
Step inside the production studio with Timbaland. In his first-ever online class, Tim teaches his process for creating infectious beats and making sonic magic.
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