Can someone explain the Nujabes style of drum sampling?

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Dr_Acula

New member
I usually make hip-hop/trap or EDM music and those drums do vary, but I have NO idea how producers like nujabes and dj shadow get their drums. Are they samples or do they have some kind of kit? It sounds like the kicks, snares and hi-hats all merge together as a similar sound.
Also, I have no idea where to even get those type of drum kits from
 
Hmmm, I'm not sure that I understand your question, and I doubt anyone can without you pointing-out some tracks and asking more specific questions...

In general, I suppose Nujabes and Shadow are similar in that they prefer "groovy," organic drum and percussion sounds, from diverse sources like soul/r&b and jazz. It sounds like Nujabes in particular used some very classic tracks from the jazz and soul genres (everything from Ahmad Jamal "Live at The Pershing" to Creed Taylor productions to Stax/Al Green type grooves) as the looping basis to build some pretty standard 90's "boom bap" beats. So they're using pre-recorded samples to make loops, then layering more (fairly organic, standard hip-hop sounding) drums on top of those loops, and layering additional samples and effect elements on to those. The original drums "sound like a kit" because they are/were; they were originally live drums played by a live drummer and recorded in a room with a band all at the same time. Vintage records that were made that way will sound like that. Same reason J. Dilla preferred those records.

Is that what you're looking for? If not, you need to get more specific!


GJ
 
Ok you literally answered my question completely. Im guessing I need to find some tracks to sample AND get some generic kits (If you know any, please let me know). I want to post a link, but im still under the 5 post limit and I cant post links until I hit 5 >_>...
look up "With rainy eyes" on youtube. I love those drums for example and would like to know how he got that sound. Thanks
 
Well, if I've got the right tune (Emancipator - With Rainy Eyes - YouTube ; there were a couple different things posted as "With Rainy Eyes"), he's using two different drum loops, one with the piccolo sounding snare and the side-stick sound on the breakdown, and the heavier set which itself uses what sounds like a heavily layered snare (multiple samples a la Dr. Dre). The initial loop has 16ths on the hi-hat, the overlay has 8th notes a bit looser, half-open sounding, and maybe slightly swung. The snare drum definitely sounds like several snares blended, plus there is maybe a heavy shaker (ganza or chocalho-type) on top of the hi-hats. I can't tell you where the drum samples themselves came from, but they seem fairly generic.

GJ
 
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