13 Beatmakers to Follow on TikTok

Whether you’re a beatmaker yourself—or just love watching people put their production skills to work and inspiring absolute banger Duets—there’s no doubt that beatmakers and producers are exciting creators to follow on TikTok.

We stopped our delighted scrolling for long enough to reach out to a handful of our favorite creators to learn more about their musical journeys and their go-to gear.

Who are some of your favorite TikTok beatmakers? Let us know.

After you're done, head over to Beatmaking Week on Reverb, where we have seven days of deals, free production lessons, and sure-to-please sample packs for everybody.

Homebase: California, USA

Influences: I pull inspiration/techniques for my work from many sources, but the producers who have had the biggest impact on me are Rance Dopson and Beats by J Black. When I attended 1500 Sound Academy (2019), I received mentorship from Rance & the rest of the Academy staff that helped me lay the foundation for my journey in music production. During the pandemic, I learned everything I know about finger drumming and MPCs by taking lessons with Beats by J Black.

The Gear That Really Opened Things Up: While I was attending the Academy in 2019, I was given a Komplete Audio 6 Interface and a Komplete M32 MIDI Keyboard—at the time I had barely any equipment at all besides my laptop, guitar, and a cheap mic, so these really opened my setup. And of course, in the past year, my Akai MPC One Retro is what really changed the game for me in my beatmaking and content videos.

Current Setup: I still have the previously mentioned Komplete Audio 6 interface, Komplete M32 Midi Keys, and my Akai MPC, but now also use an AKG C414 condenser mic, and a pair of Yamaha HS7 monitors.

Homebase: California, USA

Influences: Timbaland, Hucci, Pretty Lights, Scott Storch.

The Gear That Really Opened Things Up: Native Instruments Maschine.

Current Setup: Maschine, Komplete Keyboard, Middle Eastern instruments—Persian setar, Persian tar, Arabic oud, Turkish saz, and tanbur, and Italian mandolin, guitar.

Homebase: Florida, USA

Influences: Madlib has definitely had the biggest impact by far. I became infatuated with sampling and crate digging after I discovered his Quasimoto albums. That combined with early Soundcloud underground artists such as Lil Ugly Mane, Raider Clan, and more have shaped my sound today.

The Gear That Really Opened Things Up: The MPC. Fell in love when I saw Dilla using one many years ago. Anything by Akai has a place in my heart.

Current Setup: I currently keep it light with just an MPD 226 and FL Studio. I'm more focused on crate digging than I am on using any of my samplers or MPCs at the moment.

Homebase: California, USA + London, UK

Influences: This is actually a constantly evolving list but, right now, I am being gorgeously influenced by Black Coffee, Bicep, Le Youth, and HAAI.

The Gear That Really Opened Things Up: As a producer and for workflow (this is going to sound so unglamorous) I think a fast enough computer that could process what I’ve figured out how to do in the box in Ableton and Logic was a game changer. I also think on a practical level, the Arturia MKII KeyLab 61 controller has made me work so quickly and natively within DAWs.

But there’s no doubt that, creatively, my Prophet-6 synth has really opened up my creative brain for building the arps and synth patches that really create the foundation of my sound.

Current Setup: I produce with an Apollo Twin, an Arturia KeyLab MKII workstation, my Prophet-6, my favorite vocal mic is an Aston Origin mic that I usually use within a Isovox Booth for really clean vocals.

For live, I use a Focusrite Scarlett 18i20 interface since it has so many outputs and I can really give the live audio engineers control over everything separately. I also use my Prophet-6, a Novation Launchpad to trigger MIDI-mapped FX and scenes in Ableton, an Akai sample pad to trigger Ableton drum rack samples, a Roland SPDSX drum pad, and my Hofner bass. Oh and vocally, i run my live vocals through a TC HELICON VoiceLive Touch live because that harmonizer patch is stunning.

Homebase: Georgia, USA

Influences: Boonie Mayfield, Troy Taylor, and Timbaland.

The Gear That Really Opened Things Up: Akai XR20.

Current Setup: MPC Key 61, Nord Stage 3, Moog 37, Roland Fantom, MPC-X/Live, Ableton Push.

Homebase: New York, USA

Influences: Madlib, Thundercat, Questlove, MF DOOM, Leon Sylvers III, DJ Harrison.

The Gear That Really Opened Things Up: Fender Mustang and Aguilar amps got me going in the right direction.

Current Setup: Bass: Kiesel Custom PJ 5-String + Fender Mustang 4-String. Pedals: Jad Freer Audio CAPO, 3Leaf Audio Doom 2, Octabvre, Proton. Strings : Jim Dunlop, D’Addario. Amps: Gallien Krueger Head, Aguilar Cabs. Samplers: Roland SP404-SX, Isla instruments S2400.

Homebase: Texas, USA (by way of Chicago)

Influences: "40," who has produced most of Drake's albums, is definitely someone I love watching because his style is so simple in some way. He approaches beatmaking and producing from a much more musical standpoint.

The Gear That Really Opened Things Up: I honestly have never been much of a gear head. I always made due with what I had. BUT I think the most important tool that people often overlook is their DAW. So when I got Logic Pro about six years ago, that's when things really started to shift. Free programs are obviously great to start with, but the extra tools and flexibility that come with a professional DAW is what really started a shift for me.

Current Setup: Recently some super nice people at Arturia gifted me a beautiful KeyLab 88 MK II, so that is my main keyboard/beat pad. I also have a UA Volt, JBL Monitors, Beyerdynamic headphones, and a couple of Rode microphones. I like to keep my set-up extremely minimal, and simple to use with high quality gear. Less is more in my opinion especially when you learn how to use everything for your specific needs.

Homebase: Girls Make Beats is a non-profit organization (and Reverb Gives grant recipient) based in L.A. and Miami, with virtual education opportunities worldwide. We asked Tiffany Miranda (president/founder) and Whitney Taber (L.A. chapter leader/head of partnerships) to fill us in on their influences and gear picks. You can learn more about their work with Girls Make Beats here.

Influences: Some of our favorites are Missy Elliot, Timbaland, Pharell.

The Gear That Really Opened Things Up: Being a producer and artist, Tiffany is inspired by her art and loves creating with Ableton Push 2, NI Kontrol S88. Whitney is very inspired by the girls and performances so she loves creating with AX-Edge Keytar, along with Ableton.

Current Setup: In the studio, we have an AKG C414 XIII mic, Apollo Twin, JBL 708 monitors, Ableton Live, Pro Tools, Ableton Push 2, NI Kontrol S88, Pioneer DDJ SZ2, Pioneer FLX6, Roland AX-Edge Keytar, Melodyne, and Launchpad for the students to explore.

Homebase: Leamington Spa + London, UK

Influences: My top three producers that I’ve been inspired by are Lido, Swindle, and Timbaland.

The Gear That Really Opened Things Up: When I got a Maschine MKII, it really changed everything for me.

Current Setup: Maschine, MPC, Komplete Kontrol S88, M32 Keyboard, Korg Minilogue XD, Lumi Studio Keys, Tascam Model 12, Shure SM7B are the main things I use the most in my studio.

Homebase: Florida, USA

Influences: Guys like Quincy Jones, Flying Lotus, and Madlib.

The Gear That Really Opened Things Up: The Korg Kaossilator. It was my first music toy that comes with a lot of great sounds.

Current Setup: TR-08 is always in rotation, as well I have my BopPad and Lumatone always in reach.

Homebase: London, UK

Influences: The Neptunes and Nick Mira.

The Gear That Really Opened Things Up: Definitely the Arturia Polybrute, Juno-106, and Fender Strat.

Current Setup: For my current setup, I'm using the Mellotron, Rhodes Mark I, Polybrute, Juno-106, Triton, Prophet-6, and Sub 37.

Homebase: Hawaii, USA (by way of ATL)

Influences: 9th Wonder, Madlib, J Dilla (of course), and STNLDRMS.

The Gear That Really Opened Things Up: The SP-404SX opened a ton of opportunities and content for me.

Current Setup: Currently I use the Maschine Mikro MkIII, SP-404SX, and a Minilab Arturia MIDI Keyboard.

Homebase: Brixton / South London, UK

Influences: EL-B, Fourtet, Bonobo, and Floating Points.

The Gear That Really Opened Things Up: the combination of my Elektron Octatrack and my modular synth.

Current Setup: Elektron Octatrack, Elektron Digitakt, Elektron Syntakt, Ableton Push, UDO Super 6, Moog DFAM, Pulsar-23, 14U modular synth, Monome Norns Shield, Monome Grid, Boss Space Echo RE-20 pedal and a Walrus Audio Ages pedal. When recording jams outside of the studio I also use a Zoom H6 to capture all the audio.

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Head over to Beatmaking Week on Reverb, where we have seven days of deals, free production lessons, and sure-to-please sample packs for everybody.