Open a new blank "Hip Hop" canvas in Logic. On your left you should see a library of sounds, volume and mastering control to the right of that. To the right of the volume is some preset sounds that are given to you whenever you open a "Hip Hop" canvas. On top of the list of sounds you were given, there is a plus sign. Click this plus sign to make a new track. Logic will ask what type of track you wish to open, press "Audio."
Find a song that you'd like to sample. Usually with Kanye West, the sample is the base of the entire instrumental, its all about which part of the song you wish to sample and in which ways you flip the chopped samples into your own melodies. The second strong part of Kanye's production is the drums which are just as important. These are the main factors.
Download the song or do whatever you can to make the song your own mp3 file.
Drag the file from wherever it is into the empty track that you've created on Logic. Find where you want to sample and convert it into its own sampler track. You can either cut the audio section that you want out by using the scissor tool or you can find the tempo of the entire song and cut it into equal sized slices depending on the space between each slice. #*Choose the space between each cut by cutting the first section at a certain location and holding the "option" button on your macbook as you click the pad. If there's only one section of the song you want you can cut that out just by using the scissor and the pad alone and then converting it into a sampler track.
Convert your section(s) into a sampler track if you want to. They must all be highlighted and then at the top of your screen go to "Track" and click "Convert to new sampler track." Choose how many keys you want to use to control the samples and then click okay.
Control the samples you've just created with your keyboard. On the left side of your canvas there are three section, the library, the mixer, and list of sounds that Logic has already chosen. In the mixer section you can add effects to your sample. Above the volumes will show the effects you've chosen. Right now that entire section is empty (it's labeled "Audio FX") because you haven't added any effects to your sample cuts. Kanye is known for his distorted drums and his high pitched sampled, those are only two of the many effects you may use in Logic.
Change sounds. Logic Pro X comes equipped with hundreds of thinks you can do to sounds. Kanye West does not always add effects to his samples but sometimes he does. Being that this is not a tutorial on mastering and mixing the beat but simply putting it together like Kanye West would, there won't be a description for each effect and the hundreds and even thousands of things you can do to samples and any sounds on this program. Think outside the box when messing with effects and sample melodies, remember that the possibilities are endless and that there are no limits.
See what effects you want. Before pressing record and layering the track's samples into songs, you must first . Kanye's signature effect was the high pitch vocals in his samples. So he would take sample cuts of songs where there were vocals of the singer, and then bring the pitch up to a squeaky mouse-like pitch that actually sounds pretty cool. To do this you must make sure your track of samples is highlighted and then go to the effects section above the volumes. Click on an empty space and a menu will appear. these are the effect titles and each option has a list of effects you can use. For distortion on your choice of drums, just go to the "Distortion" option and chose any type of distortion you like, and then experiment with the settings to get the exact amount of distortion that you want. You can also add distortion to your sample. Kanye West has done that before. For pitch altering, you go to the "Pitch" option and click on the pitch options. For a high pitch like Kanye West, just click on pitch shifter and turn the mix that is at 25% all the way up to 100% and you should hear the change instantly.
Layer your tracks. There is no limit to the amount of drums you can have in each track, nor is there a limit on the amount of tracks you can create, you can make as many drum patters and sample patterns as you want. It's best to play with your samples first and get a groove. After you decided your melody, and made your tempo (most of Kanye's beats are around 80-100 BPM) press "R" on your keyboard and record your melody, this may take a while and some practice but when you get the melody down, double click on it and the piano roll will show and you can perfect the pattern down there. The colors of the lines are based on how hard you pressed down on your USB piano keyboard keys. If you think you pressed too hard or too soft during your recording of your pattern you can edit the velocity on the meter to the left of the piano roll entitled "Velocity." Record as many sample tracks and patterns as you want, you can have samples on top of each other or you can have different sample patterns for different sections of your beat.
Hit hard in an artistic way. When it comes to drums Kanye West is very aggressive, tribal, digital, and creative. So they have to hit hard in an artistic way if you want them to sound how Kanye West would like them. Which patterns are the verse and the hook of the beat are completely up to you. Now, all that's left after you have all your sample and drum patterns figured and you know where you want to put each patter, you just have to get it there. #*Verses for hip hop beats are usually about 16 bars and you can read how long your bar patterns are using the numbers at the top of the Logic pro X canvas. The hooks to songs are about 8 bars. They usually repeat the 8 bar hook and 16 bar verse pattern about two or three times. It is suggested that you record an intro pattern, bring your drums in for the 8 bar hook, and then change to another pattern for the 16 bar verse and repeat that two or three times or whichever sounds best to you.
Experiment and try not to make your beat sound generic. Kanye West is very innovative so there is never a right way to end a creative beat. Use affects, time your transitions well and do things that are polarizing. Browse through sounds and remember that there are no rules to music production. If you need any musical guidance it is suggested that you listen to Kanye West's entire discography. Have fun!
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