by CYM6

"Utilizing Real Drums Without Needing A Drum Set, or, Making Your Drum Tracks Sound More Realistic.....For Free."

When I first starting producing music, the many "electronic" drum sounds that came with drum machines, or were already preset on other types of groove box's were sufficient. However, I quickly grew tired of them and began fiending for authentic drum sounds. As much accoustic as i could get. I thought of this process myself one day as I thought of the ways I could add real drums to my beats. I'm not quite sure if anyone else uses this process. I have found that this technique adds, if wanted, more character, swing, and space to your drum tracks; even if your using a sequencer with limited functioning. This is a fairly simple process that allows anyone with a sampler to use real drum sounds in their mixes.

1. Equipment: Your going to need a software editing tool such as CoolEdit or another program like it if your production is software based. Almost any hardware sampler will do.

2. The Break: Find an old break beat/loop that you appreciate, or don't. Sometimes the odd ones that sound crappy at first become very useful tools when effects/pitch shifting/filters are thrown in. There are hundreds of sites that host drum breaks across the net. You can get all the ones you need for free. The key is finding the ones that are actually real drums. You may run into the occasional site where someone has programmed a few drum beats then uploaded them. Also, watch out for the ones that try to get you to pay. You can also use drum sample/loop CD-ROMS from,.....we'll say AMG, Zero-G and Homegrown. But for the net, try a vague search in google or yahoo. Something like: "Breakbeats".

3. Load or sample the break onto your sampler/software editor.

4. Editing the Samples: Begin splicing the seperate drum sounds. (i.e. bass kick, snare, hihat, open hihat...etc.) Then label them accordingly and save them. When doing this, it may help to leave a tab bit of "space" in the sample before and after the actual drum hit that you are editing if the other sounds in the mix allow. (For example, if I were editing a drums' sound parameters and there was a bit of space in between a hihat sound and the next snare hit, i would expand the sample as much as possible to where i could not hear the hihat being struck, but the sample began a bit before the snare was actually struck) Get it? I hope so. I sometimes leave space after as well depending on how I want the beat to sound.

5. Programming In Your Sequencer: It may be a bit tricky at times getting the timing right in your sequencer. This is the trial and error part. Your gonna need to make fine adjustments to arrange when the drum sound will actually sound and correspond with the other sounds by editing the sample parameters. Try cutting a little off the beginning of the sample. If it is still off in timing, repeat the process til correct. This is where most of the swing and stuff will be added depending on where you assign the drum sound in the sequencer and when the drum sound actually signals. This kinda kills the "programmed" sound of regular sequencers with pre-cut drums. With a little practice you'll have authentic drums in your tracks that will be difficult to differentiate from an actual drummer.

You can use this technique in many ways and you will learn several variations in the process to build it to your satisfaction. I myself, like to keep as much noise as possible in the drum sounds. Like reverb from the others, or loud cymbals in the background. Stuff like that. I hope you find this useful as well as enlightening.