I want to create a drum sound from Rihanna`s S.O.S song

J

JAMESUK

New member
Hi everyone,

I would like to create a drum sound which seems to be sequenced in Rihanna`s S.O.S song. The best way to describe the actual sound is that it sounds "electronic" almost from the Electro genre. This particular sound also appears in the Janet Jackson song "Pleasure Principle too. I am not sure if this specific sound is some sort of pre-set patch from a DAW or from a specific synthesizer but I would love to create it and add it to my songs.

Any help will be gratefully received.


Many thanks.
 
Ya, it's also in Air Force Ones by Nelly.

There's going to be a lot of factors involved in recreating that drum. Download relevant drum kits online and you'll probably find something very close to it, though. Shit, google "laser sample download" and I guarantee you'll find it within the first few kits.

But the fact of the matter is this: those SONGS are also mixed close to perfectly.

What that means is this:
Without everything else being cleared out of the way of that drum, you wouldn't even be able to hear it.

If tomorrow you or I sampled that exact same drum and made our own song using it, it still wouldn't sound anything like what it does in Rihanna's song. There's a mixing philosophy behind the creation of it that only the most trained ear would be able to recognize.

I spent so long trying to find that particular "snappy", hard hitting snare sound that you hear in hip hop in just about every song. It wasn't until I realized those sounds were a result of the entire mix that I began to learn how to recreate them.

Other instruments are definitely cleared out of the way in both Janet Jackson & Rihanna's song to make way for it. Also, it sounds like it has some predominant frequencies boosted as well & is somewhat compressed.

Hope that helps!
 
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Hi Free Spirit,

Yes your advice helped a lot. I am a newbie with regards to home recording and I come from the old fashioned way of recording with eight tracks etc lol How things have changed huh? Mixing and production these days is so technical and is an art form in itself. But after your advice I am sure I can find a good pre-set that will give me a similar sound.

Thanks again for taking the time out to respond. I wish you a very creative and productive week too.
 
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