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  • What's up everybody it's Dono.

  • I got a question about how you can use a broader vocabulary to not sound so generic.

  • So in this video that's what we're going to cover, some ways to expand your vocabulary,

  • how to use that in your verses, and let's get into it.

  • So, a key component of expanding your vocabulary and sounding less generic is to use different

  • kinds of words.

  • There's really two parts that funnel into this, one is having a vocabulary that you

  • can pull from and the other part is being able to integrate that vocabulary into your

  • verse.

  • So let's start off with a couple ways to increase your vocabulary.

  • Number one, a really quick way that you can start expanding your vocabulary is to read

  • through the dictionary or get a random word generator and look up the definitions.

  • This is probably one of the most intense ways to increase your vocabulary it also can make

  • you run into some really obscure words but, you've probably heard a lot of rappers were

  • reading through the dictionary and that's how they got access to so many words.

  • So if that appeals to you, that's one way that you can start getting more words in your

  • vocabulary.

  • In addition to that, once you get the words, try to integrate them into a line.

  • You're not really going to understand them unless you start using them.

  • Number two - use a thesaurus to substitute out words.

  • So as you're going through one of your verses you may find that you've used one word like

  • ten times.

  • If you're sick of saying bad and want to say something else you can get a thesaurus and

  • sub those words out.

  • That way you lose some of the generic-ness and gain some creativity.

  • The only problem with that, you have to keep in mind that as you substitute these words

  • out your syllable counts need to match up, your rhymes, all that stuff still needs to

  • be coherent.

  • But that's one way you can use less generic words and start being more specific.

  • The third way you can really start expanding your vocabulary is to just read more.

  • It may seem pretty simple but the more you read the more words you're exposed to.

  • A lot of people like to circle words that they don't understand while they're reading

  • and then go back and look up the definitions.

  • Now, another part of this is you have to be reading material that is going to introduce

  • you to new words.

  • If you're reading the cat in the hat, you're never going to learn anything from those because

  • the language is so simple so make sure the materials you choose, if your goal is to increase

  • your vocabulary, is something challenging to you that's going to expose you to new and

  • different ideas.

  • Now if you feel confident in your vocabulary but you're just having a hard time integrating

  • that into your lines there's a couple more strategies that you can try.

  • One is to pick a topic and stick with it.

  • You know like, write a verse out around baseball for example and make sure every single component

  • has to do with baseball.

  • You'll quickly use up your generic lines and then have to dig deeper and get more specific

  • to continue writing the verse.

  • By sticking to a topic that's one great way to stop being so generic.

  • Finally, the last idea that I've got for you to integrate more specific vocabulary into

  • your verses is to stick with a certain rhyme scheme.

  • If you use just one rhyme scheme you're going to quickly run out of words that rhyme with

  • that, that you know off the top of your head.

  • It's going to force you to one - be more specific and two - get more rhymes and think a little

  • bit harder.

  • Don't be ashamed if you're having a hard time coming up with rhymes by like line 10 to use

  • a rhyming dictionary or look some stuff up.

  • That's a really quick way to get more vocabulary and increase your rhyme base at the same time.

  • Now, with all that being said, I want to point out a couple other things.

  • You don't necessarily have to use this crazy wicked vocabulary, especially if it bogs down

  • your verse to the point that it's incomprehensible.

  • This video and these strategies are mainly for people who feel like they're being too

  • generic but you don't have to use crazy words to get a message across or to have an impact.

  • Another thing that I run into with this is people who want to use this big words just

  • to sound smart.

  • That's really not the reason you should be expanding your vocabulary or trying to be

  • more specific.

  • You should be doing it to try to get your message across cleaner or improve your poetic

  • skills but if the goal is just 'I need to use incontrovertible in one of my verses'

  • there's so many difficulties with that, that it's not necessarily worth it to use it just

  • to use it.

  • I mean, in-con-tro-vert-i-ble is 6 syllables that's like half a line potentially.

  • When you could get the same message across with you know two or three syllables.

  • You've just got to keep this stuff in mind and don't just use vocabulary just to use

  • it.

  • The other thing is if you are going to start using more complex words make sure that you

  • know what they mean and you're using them correctly.

  • There's a bunch of songs out there with these really awkward wordings of lyrics where the

  • person is trying to sound smart or be fancy or whatever then if you sit for a minute and

  • try to think about what they're saying, it doesn't make any sense.

  • So, just to reiterate and clarify, you don't have to use this crazy vocabulary to come

  • off with a good verse.

  • Now what having a good vocabulary does for you is give you access to a lot more creativity.

  • You have a lot more rhymes, you just have a lot more language to describe how things

  • are working and if that's why you want to build your vocabulary, great.

  • If you want to do it just to sound smart....man....I mean.

  • But really, you don't have to go too crazy with the vocab to really get your message

  • across or to have a good verse.

  • Focus on pushing outside your comfort zone a little bit at a time and learning and if

  • this is a weakness for you focus on it, but besides that I wouldn't make it a huge priority.

  • That's all I've got for this video, as always feel free to leave your questions down in

  • the box below.

  • I've got a website for you to check out www.rapbetter.com I've also got my full 30 day course I'll have

  • a link to that in the description but beyond that keep practicing and I'll see you next

  • time.

  • Peace.

  • Don't forget to subscribe so you can stay up to date on the videos if you have any questions,

  • comments, concerns but them down in the comment box and I'll get to them as quick as possible.

  • See you guys.

What's up everybody it's Dono.

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