![]() I often like to place other high-frequency rhythm instruments in this category as well, such as tambourines and shakers. A sixteenth note or offbeat hi-hat pattern can add energy to an overall drum pattern, while crashes and other cymbals can help define different sections of a track and add dynamics. The cymbals are the upper register instruments in a traditional drum kit setting. In a little bit, we'll discuss how you can use the backbeat to manipulate your backbeats and make them sound a bit more human. It takes the role of the primary form of syncopation, providing momentum and energy to help better define the drum pattern's groove. The backbeat or "two and four" of the drum beat is typically performed with a snare drum or clap. The first thing a producer will likely lie on top of a kick drum loop is the backbeat. When programming, I often like to keep the kick more "on the grid" than other percussive instruments.Ī kick has more of an ability to define the sonic characteristics of a track, such as a genre or style. I often like to think of the kick as the most rigid percussive element. From rock to hip-hop to house music, the kick is what keeps us tethered to the tempo. You can think of the kick as the anchor for most drum grooves. On that note, let's look at the various parts of a conventional drum groove and how they might work with one another to form a rhythmic foundation. Until a producer is able to establish a basic foundation, they'll never be able to move into the more intricate complexities of expert drums programming. As I alluded to earlier, drums are the backbone of just about any modern composition. You can gain quite a bit by dissecting a good groove and looking at its foundations. To understand how the groove is formed, we need to start by looking at the basics of drum programming. If there isn't a science, the question then becomes, Luckily, there isn't a science here, and there are many approaches to finding a groove, whether you're making a 100BPM hip-hop track or a 175BPM drum and bass track. It's more than likely that you want to make people dance and tap their feet when listening to your tracks. The basis of almost every track you make, unless it's some strange, ambient, experimental track, should be a groove. It can feel kind of difficult to explain why we feel so connected to one drum loop versus another, and the simplest way I have found to put it into words is ![]() So, what makes great drum programming so, well, great? In essence, you are creating drum patterns that can rearrange, loop, and create variations within. Rather than playing the drums live, you arrange them in a specific sequence.ĭrum programming differs from synthesis, as you aren't necessarily creating the samples or sounds you are using to compose, though many producers include drum synthesis in their programming methods. ![]() I like to think of drum programming as drum composition. Let's start by answering the important question, However, taking that same drum pattern and spicing it up with unique samples, syncopation, envelopes, and more can breathe life into it and add a new level of interest for the listener.Ĭome dive in with us as we explore the ins and outs of drum programming and how you can apply expert techniques to your productions. Your generic four-on-the-floor drum pattern with the same 808 sample pack that every producer and their mother has used will sound boring and mundane. Humans are hard-wired to recognize good rhythm, even on a subconscious level.Įven if you don't know how to describe it, you know when you hear a song with excellent drum programming.Īny great drum programmer will tell you it's all in the details. The ability to sequence rhythmic patterns has been around since the dawn of hardware drum machines, which rose in popularity during the 1980s to replace human drummers and push the limits of what was possible with drums.īecause modern music is so reliant on rhythm, being a skilled drum programmer can make or break your ability to become a successful music producer. Drum programming is one of the most essential skills in any music producer's arsenal. ![]()
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