Drum Problems

[Fckthwrld]

Hey there,

i really have problems buildung decent drum kits. Im into Drum and Bass/Trip Hop/Breaks and "only" own Ableton Live Suite with all its Packs. I have the feeling that most samples dont quite "fit" into this genres. I have 2 quests, and i would be very thankfull if you would take time to answer them...

1. Where do you take samples from? Simply One Shot samples from Samplepacks?
2. Whats the easiest way to layer Drums/Process drums and save them? Just make 2 clips and record them playing the same sample together, and then save that? Do you have any recommendations on "creating" drums out of samples (layering, processing), id love to dig deeper with tutorials, books, videos.

Thanks in advance.

Fckthwrld

[Stromkraft]

Hey there,

i really have problems buildung decent drum kits. Im into Drum and Bass/Trip Hop/Breaks and "only" own Ableton Live Suite with all its Packs. I have the feeling that most samples dont quite "fit" into this genres. I have 2 quests, and i would be very thankfull if you would take time to answer them...

1. Where do you take samples from? Simply One Shot samples from Samplepacks?
2. Whats the easiest way to layer Drums/Process drums and save them? Just make 2 clips and record them playing the same sample together, and then save that? Do you have any recommendations on "creating" drums out of samples (layering, processing), id love to dig deeper with tutorials, books, videos.

Except the Suite ones I get those I like, which is about very few, but I picked up some here and there. I'm mostly interested in building my own sounds ín Operator, FM8, Tremor (Template Default) and so on. I may use samples, but usually I don't like many as is so I have to process them heavily. That's a good thing I think. I want excellent raw materials, not finished things. If it's too finished I throw it out.

I rely primarily on processing, like EQ, compression, saturation, distorsion and other treatments to get the sound I want. I usually mix one sample together with a synthetic drum sound, fusing them so it responds like one sound. Each chain gets its own treatment and the drum buss as well.

If and when I make layers I simply use the group function in Drum Rack. I only use my own Drum Racks and build my kits there. I extract all drums sooner or later so they have their own full tracks, even if I can play these from my rack track if I want. I own Battery, but I just use the samples. Same with Tremor or any other drum synth, I just put it into the rack, one voice per chain.

I'm moving all my drum hit samples to Sampler, including velocity layered samples into 128s sets. So for all closed hi-hats for example, I have sets of 128 each in collection presets saved in Sampler so I can switch between samples at will during play. Building 128s takes a lot of time. Just hi-hats are taking weeks for me to do, as they really improve with velocity layering. The latter I try to do only when working on something and even so I may tweak layers and EQ later if I'm reusing that drum voice later. I try to only make my own kits and see the Live kits as the being samples and examples to learn from. Sometimes I may be inspired by a kit and use something from that, but that's not typical.

Because I process all my drum sounds I feel I don't need many more samples. Just with Sampler you can really tweak even one single sample. Percussion samples are interesting though I don't know what I could need there and I have a lot already.

I may use the occasional break, but usually that's a recording I've made and made a loop out of. There may be percussion breaks I use, which I slice up and EQ to be layered with other drum sounds. With breaks I use the Audio to MIDI function in the adjusted slice (or just the MIDI or groove extraction) and run drum hits on a sibling drum track that's in time with the break.

I use gentle compression on a drum buss track to bring sounds together. While breaks are not my focus, I definetely lean towards a break sound rather than a drum machine sound. I like dirt I guess.

[antarktika]

Im into Drum and Bass/Trip Hop/Breaks

Sampled breakbeats, layered with one shots is probably the way to go for the styles you've listed! for me personally, I just scour the interwebs for stuff.

BHK has some good dnb packs, but you can also find plenty of free stuff with a little googling.

if you're layering, it's best to highpass your break, or sidechain compress the kicks and snares of your one-shot made beat to duck out the breakbeat when those hits come in. or, as was said above, slice your breakbeat, and rearrange it around the rest of your drums.

[Stromkraft]

I don't have the name right now, but I did read a very interesting interview with a drum'n bass artist in an older Computer Music Magazine that told he started out with his kick at -30dBFS. I suppose that's for making room for massive amounts of bass and yet keep head room for mastering. I'll dig it up later.
Personally I strive for -18dBFS RMS and -12 to - 6dBFS Peak. When I started out my levels were much too hot. I'm using Sonalksis Free-G for keeping tab on my levels.