Drum loops vs Samples.. Thoughts?

M

Meliss2307

New member
It seems that most ppl these days use samples in their music.. Ppl have different opinions on the use of this, and that's fine..

But what is everyone's thought on using drum loops in ur music?

Being completely new to producing, I'm still learning to do drums.. Only attempted it twice :) how bad is it to use drum loops in the meantime while I get my skills up? I don't want my lack of drum skills to hold me back from making decent sounding music..

Curious to know where ppl stand on the subject.. Tks
 
Drum loops , are made out of samples, right?
Tbh, a lot of ppl use sampled drum sounds. You can than play them out on the keyboard or pad controller.
You could also synthesize drums and play those out on the keyboard or pad controller.
Than, there is having a real drum set and recording that.
Use whatever feels right. You can use the drum loops, you can play the drum loops out on a pad controller or keyboard, or you can play out samples on the keyboard, whatever feels right and you can combine as well.
Have a drum loop playing , than adding some drum samples played out on your keyboard.
Drum loop is a series of drum hits of different instruments or sometimes one instrument.
A drum sample would rather be a single hihat hit, or a single kick drum hit, etc.
 
Good producers avoid drum loops, not on any moral grounds or anything, but because you grow more as a producer by making your own and you have more control over the final sound. I don't think anybody actually has a problem per se with other people using them though.
 
It is okay to use loops in the beginning of producing or just for a quick way of laying down drums, but you shouldn't rely on them. Just learn the basics of drum programming and create your own stuff because it's much more personal and creative and you don't have a drumloop for everything. Maybe it's also better to just don't use loops in the beginning because you have to learn it and it's better you learn it as soon as possible than later.
 
Thank you all for ur feedback.. I guess it's back to the drawing board for me lol .. Guess one small step forward is better than no step at all.. :) tks
 
But what is everyone's thought on using drum loops in ur music?

I think it's fine. Better to worry about how YOU feel and not worry about how someone else feels.
Get used to that idea (of only caring about the people you are making your music for) and you'll advance faster and farther.

Good producers avoid drum loops
Until you count the 1,000s of classic and hit records using drum loops- created by legends. Not just 'good producers' but LEGENDS.

it's much more personal and creative
Personal is your personal opinion and creative instead shows that perhaps you lack creativity when it comes to using drum loops.

And if anyone cares to respond, I am open to hearing any LIMITATIONS I might have by using drum loops and explaining why they don't exist.
I can name at least 20 limitations/obstacles/hurdles for dudes that play their own drums or create kits from scratch.
 
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@ Griffin Avid - I see all your points :)

What throws me off is that most ppl view using samples as ok but have really strong opinions on drum loops.. I see both samples and loops being in the same playing field..

N this is not a discussion to make me feel better about using loops.. I do plan on improving my drum skills lol.. Just find this an interesting topic :)
 
Drum loops are still samples and they have always been heavily used in hip hop. In fact the origins came originally from finding great drum loops on records and making those longer
 
What throws me off is that most ppl view using samples as ok but have really strong opinions on drum loops..

I can explain that.
For a lot of sample-based producers, all they do is drop drums behind the sample. And even the ones that compose-
The melody is a simple 1-finger noodling so there's not a whole lot to take credit for in that department so it's the DRUMS!
Once again, how many dudes here obsess over the next man's drums?

For other genres, it might be the synth(s)...."What Synth Does....."
When dudes FIRST start making beatz, how many have as their question "Where can I find the best drums for...?"
Drums are the foundation.

There's an ego/personal slant to this where you have to have enough control over your production so that it feels like yours.
That's a line you set for yourself. If I play piano or keyboard, using a music loop might be taboo because that's my main contribution to the composition.
But if I was a drummer, using a loop of music would be no big deal.

There are tons of benefits to using drumloops.
And I just don't mean creatively, I mean educational reasons.
Learning about timing and sounds and their interaction.
I believe studying loops makes you a better programmer.
It will certainly make you turn off the quantize when you see how funky patterns are made.
You can look and hear about the importance of percs....the sounds that sound kinda corny in your keyboard, but you'll realize how limited your percussion is when your drum kit is nothing but hats, snares and kicks...

When you study velocity -- something that's built into using all of a drum loops parts and not just snatching out a Kick, a hat and a Snare.
Each snare sounds different. Each kick is subtlety different. The attacks....the volume.....the pitch.....
If you click on a drum grid to make your beats, you would have to program all of that in yourself.

There's just so much to drums, loops and percussion.
To take it all and say YOU CAN, YOU CAN'T, YOU SHOULD, YOU SHOULDN'T and the best .....ALWAYS
......seems nuts to me.
 
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