Breaks vs drum programming

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plotneezy

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Hello! So up until today I've been programming all of my own drums, but today I decided to experiment with some drum breaks (Amen break, some stuff from Ultimate Breaks & Beats), and I like using them, but I find it hard for me to get drums to layer over well, and to make it sound less messy as well. So, how do you guys manipulate your breaks or combine breaks and drum samples, or do you think that at this point you may as well just program?
 
I was just working on another one like that tonight... If you're using a sample, and layering the new drums by "playing them live" (which you pretty much have to do, unless you want to get into some dubious-at-best beat-matching software apps, or if you want to spend hours editing audio slipping and sliding around), try to take a few practice passes, and then as many tracking passes/punch-ins to get a good feeling, solid drum track where the layered snare really matches time-wise. After that, it's just a matter of mixing (mostly volume, but panning, EQ, and compression play their part) to make everything sit right with the pre-recorded/sample track.

I've found that compressing the new snare, adding some verb or delay, plus a _light_ touch of over-all verb on the track to help glue it all together works well.

GJ
 
I use breaks rarely.
But when i use em, I chop them up in ReCycle or other software and make my own sequence in DAW. Every chop is on separate Mixer channel so I can manipulate the sound. They always need this chain:
EQ Compression Limiter and some ReVerb(snares only).
 
I've chopped up some drum loops and made my own drum pattern with them..
 
when i do dnb i chop breaks into equal pieces so i can play them in any order, for hip hop i pattern drums. a simple trick i use it to use at least 2 bass drums, even if it's the same drum tuned down -1. also use at least 2 hats, sometimes 2 snares, claps, crashes, just a variety to make it sound better. should speak for itself but one bass one snare one hat is some 80s ****. of course make the drums serve the track, don't try doing some prog rock 10 minute drum solo ****.

---------- Post added at 01:04 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:00 PM ----------

the best drums are pretty much dr. dre imo so listen to him but there's a ton of producers whos drums should inspire you.
 
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^^^^

Sure sounds like pitched-up Led Zep/"When The Levee Breaks" to me!

GJ
 
be careful about what breaks you layer and find something that meshes well.
 
breaks are cool because they have the human element of a person actually playing a drum loop on a drum set

however, some drums are programmed well and sound perfectly off beat to simulate someone rocking the drums (dilla is the perfect example)

when it comes down to it, both can be dope if used correctly

last but not least, my rule of thumb for drum programming is NO QUANTIZING
 
sarnanimal said:
breaks are cool because they have the human element of a person actually playing a drum loop on a drum set

however, some drums are programmed well and sound perfectly off beat to simulate someone rocking the drums (dilla is the perfect example)

when it comes down to it, both can be dope if used correctly

last but not least, my rule of thumb for drum programming is NO QUANTIZING
Click to expand...

Not true... drummers hit the kick and snare right on most of the time, they do mis-time alot of ghost notes, or light strokes, and the hi-hat is almost never perfect... but not quantizing at all, especially with midi latency and what have you is going to make it a little more time-consuming in the end; nudging all those little blocks into place... That's one of the reasons I use Reason, quantizing can be done in percentages, so there's a randomness to which ones get it and don't... But NEVER quantize the hats... EVER!!!
 
I'm not a fan of breaks just because I feel that they severely limit what you can do with the drum patterns. I do play around with them from time to time, just because theres a chance I may discover something, but for the most part, I'd rather look for interesting sounds to cut/edit from breaks.
 
I use breaks all the time and chop them up so I have (I do this lately), for example, 2 kicks, 2 snares, more hats and so on to have some variety in your drum sounds. The fun and good thing about using and layering breaks is that you can create your own unique drum sound(s).

When it comes to layering, it all starts with a GOOD sounding break or sample. Maybe some tips for layering: Let's say you like the bass of one kick, you can boost that frequency a bit with the EQ and layer it with another kick where you think that kick (between the low and mid range) itself sounds pretty nice and EQ that frequency and so on and maybe cut some of the low of that kick.
The same goes for snares. If you like the punch of a snare you can EQ that punchy frequency and layer it with a snappy snare and EQ that frequency. Also, there's no limit on how many drums you layer as long as the outcome is good.

When you've done that you can compress all the individual drum sounds (that's what I do) or record the drums layered and apply it on that, EQ a bit. Whatever. It's all in your imagination and creativity.
 
BeatComMusicGRP said:
Not true... drummers hit the kick and snare right on most of the time, they do mis-time alot of ghost notes, or light strokes, and the hi-hat is almost never perfect... but not quantizing at all, especially with midi latency and what have you is going to make it a little more time-consuming in the end; nudging all those little blocks into place... That's one of the reasons I use Reason, quantizing can be done in percentages, so there's a randomness to which ones get it and don't... But NEVER quantize the hats... EVER!!!
Click to expand...

ok I agree with you about NEVER quantizing your hi hats

I use Reason and I often quantize when recording or copy ReDrum patterns to the track

However, I almost always go back and adjust the position of most, if not all of my drums (including kick/snare)

it may be time consuming, but it's just a personal style

I should experiment with quantizing in percentages though
 
Loop, then build the vibe, white noise, snare, claps, hi hats, fx, filter, eq.. there you go!
 
I used to program drums but have developed a fondness for drum breaks. I just feel the loop sounds more groovy than my programmed drums.
 
i hardly use drumbreaks.
Only time i use a drumbreak is when i use it as the sample for my entire beat.
I don't combine a drumbreak with an other sample. Normally that sounds ****ed up together.
I basically only use drumbreaks for composed beats.

I recommend Addictive Drums VSTi if you want realistic sounding drums with tons of patterns build in them.
 
I allways use my own drums, no real reason other than the fact it helps to distinguish my own sound i think
 
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