Drums

[Guest blsked]

Please note that I don't own any music equipment or hardware. The only instrument I have is my computer.

 

The process of making drum sounds. How do you do it? I'm asking that question, because I find it extremely difficult to develop or to find a kick or snare that has that keen and powerfull sound. Most of the time my drums sound very flat and therefore don't even fit in any of my tracks. Do you guys have any tips on how to proper EQ or even synthesize drum sounds?

[Guest Sprigg]

I've just recently started messing with them- I personally like to use a compressor and then I just mess with the EQ till it fits the track-- usually I cut out some of the mids, boost the lows and slightly boost the highs. Really it depends on the track though so far. As far as getting it really punchy, I'm still trying to figure that out myself.

[Guest blsked]

I've just recently started messing with them- I personally like to use a compressor and then I just mess with the EQ till it fits the track-- usually I cut out some of the mids, boost the lows and slightly boost the highs. Really it depends on the track though so far. As far as getting it really punchy, I'm still trying to figure that out myself.

 

So do you use samples and modify them (like the compressor you talked about) or do you make the sounds from scratch?

[cruising for burgers]

i want to do it both ways, so, i'll keep checking this thread

 

but yeah i think the main tricks are compression and eq

 

maybe some sidechain/parallel compression will help

 

been trying for ages, once in a while it sounds quite ok, but then i start adding stuff and it gets messy

 

one compressor for both snare and kick would also make a punchy feeling, but before this compression, i need to have single compressors for both snare and kick

Edited December 25, 2010 by THIS IS MICHAEL JACKSON

[cruising for burgers]

oh, and stuff like, send low levels of the kick and snare to the compressor, and rise it up on the compressor, that always give it a punchy feeling, but it also ruins the dynamics and adds clicks on the start of the samples

 

 

i "know" lots of theories but they never work as i would like them to, i wonder how Jackson manages to do those deep fat yet crispy and sharp drums

Edited December 25, 2010 by THIS IS MICHAEL JACKSON

[Guest blsked]

Compression seems to help a lot, but I think you have to be very careful with sidechaining. If you do it too much you'll get like a massive bass that sits on your track and messes up all the dynamics.

 

I tried reverb a lot for snares, but it can weaken the sound very easily, because it sounds "far away". One should rather use a snare that lasts very long, but cuts off very fast (IMO).

 

i "know" lots of theories but they never work as i would like them to, i wonder how Jackson manages to do those deep fat yet crispy and sharp drums

 

Jackson and his Computer Band?

[chassis]

Ive the same problem mate. Its all about practice, Im getting better. I used to rely heavily on breaks and chop them up. I dont really like doing that but now I will sample a snare or kick if I like them.

[cruising for burgers]

 

Jackson and his Computer Band?

indeed

Edited December 25, 2010 by THIS IS MICHAEL JACKSON

[Guest wake]

 

Layering, you silly goslings.

[Guest Adam]

kick>vintage warmer>eq>compressor

 

snare>valve distortion>bitchrusher>eq>compressor

 

hats>reverb>compressor

Edited December 25, 2010 by Adam Beker

[cruising for burgers]

 

Layering, you silly goslings.

definitely it's not only about layering. try layering without eq and compression, it will sound like crap, no?

Edited December 25, 2010 by THIS IS MICHAEL JACKSON

[Guest wake]

I never use any VSTs on my drums, I never EQ them, and I never compress them. It's all about how you sample.

 

http://w.uncorrected.com/girl.mp3

[cruising for burgers]

I never use any VSTs on my drums, I never EQ them, and I never compress them. It's all about how you sample.

 

http://w.uncorrected.com/girl.mp3

how you sample?? or what you sample??

 

probably most of the stuff you sampled already had been compressed and equalized, right?

Edited December 25, 2010 by THIS IS MICHAEL JACKSON

[Guest blsked]

I never use any VSTs on my drums, I never EQ them, and I never compress them. It's all about how you sample.

 

http://w.uncorrected.com/girl.mp3

 

But you can make them sound much more interesting with EQ and compression. Unless of course your sample already sounds amazing.

[Guest wake]

I never use any VSTs on my drums, I never EQ them, and I never compress them. It's all about how you sample.

 

http://w.uncorrected.com/girl.mp3

how you sample?? or what you sample??

 

probably most of the stuff you sampled already had been compressed and equalized, right?

Arg, so much goes into it. I sample all vinyl. I spit it all into one sampler, to color it, then into another for further coloring. I record 33rpm at 45rpm. Then I tune it down, usually. I shorten all the drums so they're quick and snappy. I layer shit so all the frequencies are filled in. I sample at a low bitrate. For adding oomph to kicks, I add sub bass that I usually create out of a single cycle of the low end frequency from one of the kicks. The list goes on. There you go! Stealing all my secrets.

 

 

But you can make them sound much more interesting with EQ and compression. Unless of course your sample already sounds amazing.

 

A long time ago, I read about some hip hop producers who never used compression on their drums, and their drums always sounded the best. So ever since then, I haven't relied on compression at all. Compression makes your shit louder, and if you have weak samples, punchier. But I find that my drums are more interesting without using it, and also more dynamic. I have no qualms with my drums.

Edited December 25, 2010 by wake

[cruising for burgers]

i was never really into sampling, i like to use roland tr's, but i can't make them sound 100% good

 

I never use any VSTs on my drums, I never EQ them, and I never compress them. It's all about how you sample.

 

http://w.uncorrected.com/girl.mp3

how you sample?? or what you sample??

 

probably most of the stuff you sampled already had been compressed and equalized, right?

Arg, so much goes into it. I sample all vinyl. I spit it all into one sampler, to color it. I record 33rpm at 45rpm. Then I tune it down, usually. I shorten all the drums so they're quick and snappy. I layer shit so all the frequencies are filled in. I sample at a low bitrate. For adding oomph to kicks, I add sub bass that I usually create out of a single loop from one of the kick drums. The list goes on. There you go! Stealing all my secrets.

nice, interesting, i've never looked at it from that point of view but it makes perfect sense

[Guest blsked]

Arg, so much goes into it. I sample all vinyl. I spit it all into one sampler, to color it. I record 33rpm at 45rpm. Then I tune it down, usually. I shorten all the drums so they're quick and snappy. I layer shit so all the frequencies are filled in. I sample at a low bitrate. For adding oomph to kicks, I add sub bass that I usually create out of a single loop from one of the kick drums. The list goes on. There you go! Stealing all my secrets.

 

No EQ and no compression - but it's still a way of processing, isn't it?

 

Interesting way though, especially the analog stuff might give it the right touch.

[cruising for burgers]

why sampling at low bitrate?

 

and could anyone explain the technique of using stretched kicks or kick loops to make bass??

 

sounds a bit harsh, can't imagine how to make it sound clean

Edited December 25, 2010 by THIS IS MICHAEL JACKSON

[Guest Adam]

I never use any VSTs on my drums, I never EQ them, and I never compress them.

http://w.uncorrected.com/girl.mp3

 

 

Well, probably that's why they doesn't sound good

[Guest blsked]

kick>vintage warmer>eq>compressor

 

snare>valve distortion>bitchrusher>eq>compressor

 

hats>reverb>compressor

 

Overlooked this post before. Thanks for the tip, appreciate it.

[cruising for burgers]

I never use any VSTs on my drums, I never EQ them, and I never compress them.

http://w.uncorrected.com/girl.mp3

 

 

Well, probably that's why they doesn't sound good

doesn't it?? wtf

 

 

yeah the order of the chain is another thing i have doubts, never got to a conclusion.

 

you work with hardware right WAKE???

Edited December 25, 2010 by THIS IS MICHAEL JACKSON

[Guest wake]

why sampling at low bitrate?

 

and could anyone explain the technique of using stretched kicks or kick loops to make bass??

 

sounds a bit harsh, can't imagine how to make it sound clean

 

Old school hip hop got a lot of its grit from low bit rate samplers like the SP1200 or the MPC60.

 

As for making bass out of a kick, it works like a synthesizer, you go in and loop a single cycle of the kick drum... then filter if it's too bright or harsh, and tune to your liking.

 

 

Well, probably that's why they doesn't sound good

lol

 

(edit: Take it from the guy who has Clark as his avatar to tell me my drums are shit 'cause I don't use compression. )

Edited December 25, 2010 by wake

[cruising for burgers]

As for making bass out of a kick, it works like a synthesizer, you go in and loop a single cycle of the kick drum... then filter if it's too bright or harsh, and tune to your liking.

SO, you let the transients out, right??

Edited December 25, 2010 by THIS IS MICHAEL JACKSON

[Guest wake]

As for making bass out of a kick, it works like a synthesizer, you go in and loop a single cycle of the kick drum... then filter if it's too bright or harsh, and tune to your liking.

SO, you let the transients out, right??

wat

 

This is what you should loop up:

[Guest blsked]

lol

 

The clap is nice and crunchy, but the rest is very clean, a bit generic, even though you seem to emphasize the analog warmness.