How can I improve my drum loops?

Try sampling from drum break records if you don't already, try to compress all your drums together to make them sound more together. but the best thing you can do is just try to analyze the drums you like to listen too
 
Just get the right samples first, these are pretty typical oldschool vinyl drums.
Then pick a tempo and analyze the drum pattern itself, honestly I can't hear anything exceptional, its a straight programmed beat.
 
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Good samples are a must, I have to agree. Let's not forget about the partially genre-specific style of processing that goes on them too. Sounds like there's definitely some distortion of sorts on those drums. Also, if the overall track is mixed well, everything tends to sound better in the context of it all too. This is definitely within your reach dude.
 
good sound selection. Good levels, good EQ, Good compression, good swing. For high hat, play with the notes velocities so that they feel more human played.
 
BeatbyAS said:
good sound selection. Good levels, good EQ, Good compression, good swing. For high hat, play with the notes velocities so that they feel more human played.
Click to expand...

make that
  • sound selection
  • level balancing (your levels)
  • eq
  • compression
  • swing - what you actually mean here may be different to what others mean so be more specific like mpc66% swing
  • humanisation tips like small randomisation of velocity and small nudging/random displacement of individual timing by small amounts

and it is reasonable advice - by loading it with the value judgement word "good" you assert that there is also the possibility of bad (which is true - but why saddle someone with additional task of determining if their choices are good or bad without giving them a benchmark to compare against?)
 
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No, I add "good" because just by doing these things you named, people expect to make incredible music and when they compare it to professionals mixed & mastered track, they feel like complete shit because they thought they only needed to do those things.. but no, they need to do it in a good way.

There is no good or bad way, but there sure is a quality way.

"why saddle someone with additional task of determining if their choices are good or bad without giving them a benchmark to compare against?"

Because that is the only way they can make progress. If they don't determine wether it's good or bad, how will they know they are making progress. As far as the benchmark, 1 - they are the ones who have to train their ears & 2 - what can sound good to me might not sound good to them.
 
you missed the point - a benchmark of what you consider to be good is needed if they are to make those value judgements otherwise they are shooting in the dark
 
Find an interesting grove with the beat your writing on. Tap your feet and hands while the melody is playing and then put kicks where your feet tap and snares where your hands tap.

Hope that helps.

​'willmarinbeats
 
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