How do <you> program drums/generate new beats?

G

GiR

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Hi,
This is kind of like a polling, though I'd also very much like some advice, (I've been having a horrible time trying to come up with cool new patterns on my own). So, how do you do it, what do you do it on? Does anyone have a pattern based machine that they love most?

Myself, I've had zero luck with harware but the most luck so far with Redrum!
 
i usually hear em in my head first, put what i got down on the redrum, then add to that from there
 
For me, I try to imitate beats with my own kits. After I think I have the foundation laid down, I'll experiment with effects to create the continuity.
 
both posts above this are the 2 schools
good postings
 
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Load up Battery with whatever kit I want to work with.

Lay down a kick and some basic hats, then I start building around that until I've got something groovin.

After that I start messing with bass lines.

Luv Battery!!
 
I somewhat follow epexen's method. I play it all by hand on a keyboard and then lay what I hear next in my head by beat box'n the melody and continueing on from there.
 
Try this,
listen to a beat on the radio, one you like, have you noticed that the snare is allways on 2 & 4. The kick varies but is very simple. Do the same thing with your kick and snare. Make your snare on 2&4 for 2 bars and put the kick in really simple places. Now add to the kick a high hat, then maybe 808, then all the bells and whistles. Kanye West is the hottest thing going right now. I've found his beats to be super simple buts it's how he uses the samples around the beats that make people go crazy.
 
FaderMaster said:
Try this,
listen to a beat on the radio, one you like, have you noticed that the snare is allways on 2 & 4.
Click to expand...

this is generalizing. be aware snares / claps are mostly 2 & 4, but men not always.. and what is heard as 2 & 4 could be 1.8956 and 3.9556. im concerned that using words 'radio, always and 2 & 4' maybe someone reads this and mistakes generalizations for rules
 
Cool, thank you for the advice! I've wondered how much of the beats on the radio ect. are loops, (alone they always felt insincere to me...)
 
I listen to music when getting ready for work, going to work, coming from work, and going to sleep. By the time I sit down to record, I have drum patterns and basslines in my head. It's usually an amalgamation of what I've been listening to all day.

My first step is to tap out the drum pattern on the drum machine and quantize when needed. I don't stop working on drum programming until I have something groovy and inspiring.

Next, I pick up the bass and jam until I get the bassline in my head to lock in with the drums. Again, I don't put down the bass until the rythm makes my face scrunch up.

The songs seem to write themselves after that. I usually reach for the guitar or synth next to lay down some rythm parts.

My best results come when I sit down with an idea already in my head. The times I've gone to record and tried to come up with something on the spot were frustrating.
 
i dunno if im the odd one out, but i never hear .... in my head long enough to get it down. I just dump as soon as I sit in front of my gear, it just kinda flows out and makes itself. (ohhhh, ahhhhhh)

BTW, I second the "loading up battery" post.



tim
 
Get a groove box man!! mc 303 505 or 909. Even a yamaha rmx1. or a phrase lab by roland. very easy to get a groove and they have the ability to create your own "sound" once the sequencer is running. All my tracks originated with some type of kick on my 909. It flows like water once you have that kick running through you speakers.
 
The best advice I can give is to lay down your drums realtime. Quantize to correct off notes but do not quantize 100% leave some room for humanazation.

In the past I used to just point and click where I wanted my kicks/snares/hats. It was easy becaus e I had these patterns in my head I could lay down... BUT I always had the same patterns. After I started doing things realtime, I started feeling it rather than thinking about it and the drum tracks usually sound much better.

I also don't start out with a perfect drumtrack anymore. I usually lay down a simple kick/snare/hat pattern and add a coulple of instruments. a bassline and maybe some piano chords to dictate the progression. Then I clear my kick/snare and re-record them listening to the music. This helps me to make my drums fit better with the music. Even if I end up with a simple pattern, it usually fits well enough that it doesn't matter since the drums are supporting everything else.
 
I follow NFX and Bezo methods. If i am using a melody sample, I sometimes build the drums around that. It all depends on how i feel about the music i'm working on.
 
Thank you very much for the posts!! I've fought the urge to pick up a groovebox for like years (arguing that software has made them out of time.) Maybe I'll try the 303 (sooo cheap now!) or rm1x, I'd love to find a Redrum-type hardware piece. I've already got a PX-7 for every sound I'd want but the midi on that seems more like a full-sequencer than a fast programmable step-groove machine. I also tried grid with Cubase, I'll try the realtime method now.
Thnx again for the posts!!
 
x0x sequence on redrum in reason, or key play drums from my controller on to sequencer (either mpc or reason), or play with pads on mpc. Also sometimes i sample loops or sometimes i will have the drummer in my band play some riffs
 
I have A MC909 and an RM1X. The more the merrier. It makes feeling a groove so simple. Then I usually build around it. Most of the time I dont even use the actuall drum track thats paying but it helps setting up foundation for a track. Then I will tweak or do whatever to achieve a filthy souding kick or layer a few together or something like that.
 
NFX said:
I also don't start out with a perfect drumtrack anymore. I usually lay down a simple kick/snare/hat pattern and add a coulple of instruments. a bassline and maybe some piano chords to dictate the progression. Then I clear my kick/snare and re-record them listening to the music. This helps me to make my drums fit better with the music. Even if I end up with a simple pattern, it usually fits well enough that it doesn't matter since the drums are supporting everything else.
Click to expand...

Bingo!
 
GiR said:
Thank you very much for the posts!! I've fought the urge to pick up a groovebox for like years (arguing that software has made them out of time.) Maybe I'll try the 303 (sooo cheap now!) or rm1x, I'd love to find a Redrum-type hardware piece. I've already got a PX-7 for every sound I'd want but the midi on that seems more like a full-sequencer than a fast programmable step-groove machine. I also tried grid with Cubase, I'll try the realtime method now.
Thnx again for the posts!!
Click to expand...
That PX-7 is lovely! I use it more like a sound module becase I do the programming in Pro Tools, but that thing has every drum sound I need.

I'm still learning how to use it. I haven't done anything other than use the drum sounds from it.
 
NFX said:
I usually lay down a simple kick/snare/hat pattern and add a coulple of instruments. a bassline and maybe some piano chords to dictate the progression. Then I clear my kick/snare and re-record them listening to the music. This helps me to make my drums fit better with the music.
Click to expand...

This is the same process I use. I usually write from bassline up or melody down, and I fill in the percussion later, just writing around a simple 4/4 kick, 2/4 clap and off hats. Then I nuke it all, pick the samples that fit, and rewrite the percussion, the effect/eq/compess.

Here's a tips:

If you're using Reason, don't use the Redrum. Use an NN-19 or NN-XT and load the samples into them. You have so much more control over the samples that it makes a huge difference.
 
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