how to use percussion in a beat?

R

RhyanCrisis

New member
i was looking at a beat video.... How to make Justin Bieber beats - YouTube
and i can't seem to get percussions down... not only for this beat.. but as far as using them in any beat... when's a good time to use them.. what are some good patterns.. when am i supposed to play them. etc... basically tips and advice with perc... as far as mixing them in with a snare and kick.... (not as far as using FX on them or nothing..)
 
More specific please - percussion includes more than 1000 different instruments, each which have their won ways of being used and typical patterns.

Are you looking to substitute for hi-hats, looking to use in addition to hi-hats, use as colour fill, ?????????
 
ummm well as far as something that goes along with the kick and snare... or between those two... i think its called an agogo?... or wood block?... basically things i can play along with just a kick and snare... like conga, bongo etc.. if you go to my link above... the guy uses the agogo and wooden block.... he says something about he puts the wooden block on ever 3rd beat?... is there some theory behind perc instruments? basically playing it along with my kick and snare to add flavor or bounce to it
 
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A big George Martin thing was to have Ringo play a tambourine hit on 2 and 4.

Later Jim Steinman (Meatloaf, Bonnie Tyler, himself) under Tod Rundgren's production used the same idea - big tambourine hits smothered in reverb on beats 2 and 4.

Some producers use certain percussion instruments as part of their signature, others use them for colour.

Check out the range of instruments used in afro-latin percussion and the basic beats each is expected to play for each dance type (most afro-latin is dance music)...

Some terms first:
Clave: is Spanish for key. This is the overarching rhythmic structure of Afro-Latin percussion it is a five stroke pattern over 8 beats.

It is usually shown as a two bar pattern though it can be put into one bar by halving all the durations:

3/2 clave

1+2+3+4+|1+2+3+4+:|| ||:1e+u2e+u3e+u4e+u:||
X--X--X-|--X-X---:|| ||:x--x--x---x-x---:||

​
2/3 clave

1+2+3+4+|1+2+3+4+:|| ||:1e+u2e+u3e+u4e+u:||
--X-X---|X--X--X-:|| ||:--x-x---x--x--x-:||
​
Some folks just use the 3 part of the clave pattern continuously:

1+2+3+4+|1+2+3+4+:|| ||:1e+u2e+u3e+u4e+u:||
X--X--X-|X--X--X-:|| ||:x--x--x-x--x--x-:||
​


Check out the following articles and tutorials on how to use afro-latin percussion more effectively
 
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I always use percussion when I think the beat sounds a little empty. Most of the time I put them between the kicks and snares but I don't really think there are any rules. You just have to play them on your keyboard and see whatever fits best to the beat.
 
haha your questions way to generalized dude. But going by how you said it, theres no real correct way to do it. Just add things in where it sounds good and you feel its right.
 
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