Swinging Drums

[JZTR]

Trying to improve my drum game on the SPs. Instead of loading in a break or drums I've made on the computer I wanna actually construct a loop in the box from individual pads (kick, snare, etc).

I'm currently using the resample method for my beats (pattern sequencer can be annoying). What I'm finding though is my drums seem to plod along with no real groove or swing.

I've also tried resampling chops while playing drums at the same time but this just turns out a mess.

So, does anyone have any tips or is it just a case of practice practice practice?

[squ!L]

What I'm finding though is my drums seem to plod along with no real groove or swing.

i have the same problem sometimes. one thing you could do is:
record a little bit of silence before every drum hit and then play a drum sequence into the sequencer. now you can tweak the start points of the samples to have different "grooves". e.g. have the snare hit later...

[blavatsky]

Everyone's opinion of what swing/shuffle sounds good is different, but I think the SP has a "sweet spot" for swing/hip hoppy drums that works well.

Quantize to Swing 16ths
Set Swing between 53 and 55


This way you get some nice bu-boom-boom BAP swing, but it's not overly sloppy or pushed. Here is an example of an older song using a similar setting (SP555)

http://soundcloud.com/blavatsky/profess ... ja-killers

Now , this wont' work as well for really off kilter/time drums, but those are better done unquantized anyway

[roygbivs]

^Pretty sure this isn't on the 404 or bellow, being able to set your swing for the quantize setting.

[Rabot]

404sx

Loop your drum break
DJFX with ctrl 1 about 12oclock ctrl 2 at like 0.9 (aka 5oclock)
Mess with ctrl 1 in between 10 to 2 oclock whlie sample play
Resample.


Enjoy the sloppyest glitch swing.

[tape smoke]

the same kinda works with tape echo with less glitch it works on loops and sequenced drum patterns, but you gotta resample that so something else, you can also try doubling your bpm and use 8.3 then fiddle with the bpm up and down untill you find the sweet spot for 404 swing.

[blavatsky]

sorry, didn't realize swing was only on 404sx and up

Not an exact science, but another method to humanize drums is quantize your snares (do first pass recording) at 8th or 16th for the tightness, then lay your bass / hh after unquantized with some feeling. The quantized snares will help make up for sloppier bass/hh.

Also with non-velocity SPs, it helps a ton to have at least 2 volumes (can be same sample turned down) for bass and/or snare, so you don't sound like a full velocity robot all the time (ex: bass can now go bo-BOOM instead of just BOO-BOOM)

[roygbivs]

Or use a midi controller since 303/404 can do velocity.

[JZTR]

Thanks for the ideas guys!

I'm using the resample method rather than quantizing with the pattern sequencer. Prefer working that way, feels a bit realer.

Also with non-velocity SPs, it helps a ton to have at least 2 volumes (can be same sample turned down) for bass and/or snare, so you don't sound like a full velocity robot all the time (ex: bass can now go bo-BOOM instead of just BOO-BOOM)

This was a huge part of the problem I think. Just tried it and it's loosened things up a treat.

Think my drum sounds themselves need tweeking though. Just taking hits from old breaks at the moment. Gonna download your "Drum Loops Vol. 2" blavatsky and see how I get on with cutting those up.

[Rabot]

Gonna download your "Drum Loops Vol. 2" blavatsky and see how I get on with cutting those up.

lol i've been using these since a month or so now..

[nobdy]

...

[roygbivs]

^I do the same thing but start with a snare/hat loop then just let that loop then add in main kicks. Resample from there. Also ditched the BPM/metronome a while ago. I also sometimes do hat loops in Reason/iPad BeatMaker then import those as base loops to start off with.

[nobdy]

,..

[tape smoke]

using the grab is raddest, for the tape echo and to mute snares from a break loop, then slap it on the sequencer and put your own snare in at quanitize then mess with the air trick

so here the instructions to change snares in breaks,

1. mute grab with isolator mute trick on the snare
2. resample it with the snare cut out
3. slap it on the sequencer to loop
4. put new snare in then mess with the timing swing with the air time trick.

[Rabot]

using the grab is raddest, for the tape echo and to mute snares from a break loop, then slap it on the sequencer and put your own snare in at quanitize then mess with the air trick

so here the instructions to change snares in breaks,

1. mute grab with isolator mute trick on the snare
2. resample it with the snare cut out
3. slap it on the sequencer to loop
4. put new snare in then mess with the timing swing with the air time trick.

wise