Get a free copy of Acid Xpress. While it used to be that only paid users had access to well-known Acid sound mixing software, a free version of the celebrated software is currently available at Acid Planet (see Resources below). The free version allows for limited numbers of tracks, but can it still be utilized for a good variety of beats. Other programs such as Audacity (see Resources below) are free, but do not contain as many of the features that make Acid better for beat mixing. However, Audacity is still a good compliment for occasional use, as it does feature some neat sound effects that Acid Xpress does not.
Practice using the sample track provided with the Acid Xpress download. The most important thing about Acid Xpress is the grid feature. Acid Xpress allows you to lay out sounds on a chronological grid, meaning that the first item on the grid plays first, the second item plays next and so on. Items can also be layered over the same grid location, so you could have several sounds playing first, then only one sound playing second and several coming in third. The grid is crucial for making custom beats because it allows you to rhythmically arrange short sound clips to play repeatedly or in an alternating pattern, thereby making a steady beat.
Turn on snapping by clicking on the "Options Menu," selecting "Grid Snapping," then clicking "Enable." The aforementioned grid is set up in even chunks, and snapping automatically locks sound clips into the grid for steady, rhythmic playback. You can turn off snapping and go freestyle after you've made a free basic beats and get the hand of it. When you're still learning the program's basics, grid-based beats are easiest and will sound the best. Press F1 for Acid Xpress's "Help" file if you can't get yourself easily acclimated to the program.
Download drum loops. AcidPlanet.com provides sample eight-packs of pre-recorded loops. Another good site is Free-Loops (see Resources below). Whenever downloading pre-recorded beats, make sure the loops are royalty-free. Most sites feature royalty-free loops, but checking the user agreement to make sure is always a safe bet. If you plan on posting your beats on the Web or playing them in a club, you need to make sure the sounds you are using are truly free for public use.
Import pre-recorded beats over some of the beats you've made by snapping items to the grid in Step 3. In addition to allowing you to lock sounds into a grid for steady beats, Acid Xpress will automatically loop longer sound files, meaning that pre-recorded beats will essentially play on repeat for as long as you designate via the "Paint Tool" in Acid Xpress.
Layer downloaded loops and grid produced beats after you have imported the loops. Layering is the best way to make a good song. In layman's terms, layering is the practice of adding and subtracting sounds as the song progresses, giving the listener different combinations of beats throughout the song. If you don't layer, you'll be stuck with a boring, repetitive beat.
Utilize Acid Xpress's easy volume level and tempo adjustments. If a certain beat is too loud or soft, the decibels can be adjusted by simply clicking and dragging the volume bar for the individual sound file. Additionally, the song's tempo can be changed easily with another click and drag. For further help using Acid Xpress's many features, consult the program's "Help" file.
Get a good adware and antivirus scanners. Free versions of Lavasoft's Ad-Aware and AVG's Antivirus Protection (see Resources below) offer great protection from ads and viruses. It's important to protect your computer; perform regular system scans whenever you're doing large amounts of downloading on the Internet.