RULE's The Basics Series: Flow
Ok guys, heres a thread to explain the basics of how to have solid flow and multis in a text battle.
Step One: Syllable Count
Its strange how many established guys still struggle to get this most fundamental element of battling right.
One of the absolute basics that people must get right is having the correct syllable count in there verses. A broken multi-count will ruin the flow and immediately weaken your verse.
An example of a broken multi set:
I'm 'Packin the metal' like a QUARTER ROLL and it's ORDERED TO BLOW when they ''hunt down: coyote'' like BORDER PATROL!!
You'll notice the flow is off in this bar, the reason being that the first multi set (Quarter Roll) has one syllable less than the others which have four. Whereas there are ways to change syllable lengths and keep the flow going, until you reach a skill level where you are able to do so, i'd recommend you make sure all multi sets in the same bar have the same amount of syllables in it.
Now let me show you the difference it makes when a broken multi is fixed.
Drive-by and when i CORNER THE ROAD it's ORDERED TO BLOW when i ''hunt down: coyote'' like BORDER PATROL!!
Now that the first multi set has four syllables like the rest, the flow is instantly improved. simple things like that make a massive difference.
Step Two: Length Between Multis
Another common mistake that can hurt the flow of a verse is having overly long gaps inbetween the main multi sets. This is another element alot of people can trip up in, let me demonstrate how this can effect a verse.
Example of a overly long bar:
this guy is wack as hell, he's the sites most over-rated by FAR, THIS AINT HATE But im serious son no way are ya BARS FRICKIN GREAT! I mean only when he's using the "Keyboard" would this dude ever possibly "Become" ah STAR 'SHIFTING' EIGHT!!! (Shift & 8 = *)
All that uncapped section stretches the flow to the point that the bars loses all poetic value.
Now lets cut down the "filler" and tighten up the flow:
Dude overrated by FAR, THIS AINT HATE but think ya BARS FRIGGIN GREAT??? Son the "keyboard" only time you "become" a STAR 'SHIFTING' EIGHT!!! (Shift & 8 = *)
Cutting down all unnessicary filler makes the bar flow much better, and also frees up space for you to pack more impact instead of just filling the box with lines that dont add to your verse.
Step Three: Inner Multis
One other way to improve the flow on your verses is to incorporate inner multis inbetween your main ones. This is a good tool to use when you need to have longer builds to explain your bar.
My crew's a CRIMINAL LOT and trust me you dont wanna feel a PHYSICAL SHOT so you better duck cuz i got "Dots Flashin" like DIGITAL CLOCKS!!!
The bar is ok in that form, flows a bit stretched, but with inner multis we can not only improve the flow but make the punchline more conceptually connected too.
Look dude my crews a CRIMINAL LOT when that llama-peels you gonna-feel a PHYSICAL SHOT n y'all see "ock dashin" when "Dots Flashin" like DIGITAL CLOCKS!!!
A few changes here makes the flow of the bar much better, adding the word "dude" before the first multi set to rhyme with "crews" is a minor change but makes the opening soo much smoother. After the first multi set ive added an inner multi "llama peels ... gonna feel" to bridge the gap inbetween multi sets. And did the same again inbetween the second and last multis by rhyming "ock dashin" and "dots flashin". Now while this method does improve the flow, we can got even further by making ALL the inner multis the same scheme.
Ya "squad gassin" they actin like CRIMINALS DAWG when "y'all ass n start gaspin" from PHYSICAL SHOTS! see "ock dash when" ... "Dots Flashin" like DIGITAL CLOCKS!!!
By keeping the inner multis the same scheme, it makes the reader bounce inbetween the two schemes smoothly and makes the flow even better. You have to treat the inner multis with the same respect you treat the main ones tho. Notice the syllable count inbetween inner multis is exactly the same? In this occasion ive left no syllables inbetween the inner multis. SQUAD GASSIN, THEY ACTIN... Y'ALL ASS N, START GASPIN... OCK DASH WHEN, DOTS FLASHIN... If you wanna add a syllable inbetween multis, make sure you add the same amount to all.
REMEMBER that this is MERELY the easiest and quickest ways to improve your basic flow in a battle verse. Flow is one of the more complex elements of text battling with many different skills and styles you can use to elevate to even higher levels of battling.
1/
Battle Feed
RULE's The Basics Series: Flow
Threaded Mode