Drum and Bass Programming

So I would like to dive into the Producing some DnB Tracks and of course the drum programming is what I am goign to focus on at first to get that down

Would like some insight into creating some drum loops like the track below

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mejkcknok9A"]YouTube - (167) Drum n Bass Mix - Pieces - Chase & Status Ft. Plan B[/ame] 1:00 minute in

Any tips on what drum parts to use and what type of pattern's I should be starting with

Also what size grids and note lengths would be good to use

 

to be honest you couldn't do that beat exactly in Maschine... why?

because there are 2 beats going on. the first beat is quite a conventional rock backbeat... and to program that you need to listen carefully and work out where the beats are being played - the snare is on the 2 and 4, to start you off. however there is also a breakbeat going on in the background, which is being side-chain compressed by the main beat.

many producers will use a breakbeat such as the Amen and EQ out the low frequencies but also compress it. however, they will use other drums (such as the kick and snare) as the side-chain input. this means that when the kick and snare are playing the breakbeat is quieter, and when the kick and sare are not playing, the breakbeat is louder. as a result you hear extra snares and highhats but less of the break beat kicks and snare on the same beats as the programmed beat.

unfortunately Maschine does not have side-chain capabilities at the moment

sowari

 

Do you happen to know how I can find the DnB type samples on the maschine?

 

Drum n Bass still uses Breakbeats as part of the drum track. there are no Breakbeats in the Maschine Library.

if you don't mind me asking, do you know what a Breakbeat is?

there are numerous wiki pages about this and a website where you can download the drum loops:

http://www.junglebreaks.co.uk/

sowari

 

Yea I know what breakbeat is, are you suggesting to use those type samples layered with a base beat like the one i created below?

Well I just layered my base beats down, still need to add some more layers but heres the base...I am not using the maschine samples

http://soundcloud.com/ehunter/dnb-drums-part-1

 

yes i am suggesting you use that sort of beat as your "base beat", and then you layer a Breakbeat (there are loads on that site i gave you a link for) along with it. the trick is to get them to work together, this can be quite complex, as you might have to edit the Breakbeat in terms of how it plays back (meaning place the slices in a slightly different order) EQ it (to roll off the bass end) and use side-chain compression so that your base beat is always clear.

sowari

 

Ok sounds good, do you know where I can find better quality samples of similar breakbeats?

 

i tend not to buy loops and i don't make much drum n bass these days, but a quick internet search through this up:

http://www.loopmasters.com/product/details/29

maybe someone else can recommend other sources for Breakbeats?

sowari

 

Jungle Warfare series from zero-g is a classic imo, gets exellent reviews (well, back in the beginning at least, classic can also means dated...)
Not only breakbeats but also bass fx etc...

Download some taster packs here: (3 series, scroll to the middle of the page)

http://www.producerloops.com/download-drum-and-bass-loops-samples/index3.html

I suggest to try to copy them with maschines internal sounds, you can learn alot of that
Another trick is when you slice a loop from a sample cd/ demo loops, is to replace the individual hits (kick, snare, drum etc) with your own/ other/ machines sounds.

 

ore simply learn to play a drumkit!

 

check the first song on my myspace there is a decent DnB song there only MASCHINE drumz are recorded freely played eccept the hihats & rimshots in step mode and its a breakbeat just break your beat.
tip put a kick under your snare with a high tone makes the snare sound full and start of with a simple 2step dnb song
an i agree with NORD KIETZ ROCKER play and learn the way its supposed to be done
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how much bpm ? i make mine between 168 - 176 bpm
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use distortion on bass sounds and bass tone one shots

 

Hi,

Will Side Chaining be implemented at some point? I just bought machine to start music production. Im also into drum and bass and think that Maschine might not be the right thing.

Please tell me im wrong and its not useless for my needs.

At the moment im using Maschine as Plugin and export th drum Patterns. So im using my Daw most of the time. Hope to be able to use Maschine more because the workflow is kind of lame this way.

But maybe its just because im a noob.

Sparksta

 

i also want sidechaining in Maschine, but a workaround is to use Separate Outputs from maschine in your DAW, you will then be able to use a kick to sidechain something else.

sowari

 

Hi again,

as i said im a noob so sorry. Do you mean different Maschine instances or routing for example the kick on ext out 1 and so on?

Sparksta

 

you say your using a daw, well when exporting your drums, export them as differnt channels kick, snare, perc etc, then use your daw for sidechaining .

currently theres no sidechain in maschine in itself, but with the way you are using mashcine you should be able to sidechain in your daw.

 

man these replys here are quick.

actuallz i still have to figure out what sidechain is exactly and how to get cubase doing that. I already exportet my Kicks etc. seperate so i can adjust eq and stuff on every instrument.

The only thing i think to know is that sidechaining is like a talkover funktion?

Or to let a bassline roll the way the kicks or whatever you link to it roll?

Im a Dj since 8 Years but since 2 weeks i know how hard it is to make a beat.
I start from scratch and dont know anyone who produces so im on my own.

I guess i have all i need to start but i lack experience. So please help me out.

Am i right with my thought about sidechaining?

If someone knows how to setup a sidechain between a normal kick + snare and a breakbeat in cubase i would be very grateful!

Sparksta

 

ok on cubase, insert a vst3 plugin a compressor on the material you want to duck when your kick comes in,

theres a sidechain button on top of the window of that plugin press it.

next select your kick channel and insert a send to the compressor switch it on and slide the blue line to full,

now each time your kick hits, the compressor is activated, adjust the compressor to your liking and hey presto your side chaining.

 

Thank you very much. Ill try that.
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Guess im born for this... Made it first try thank you very much.

Now ill play a bit until the next big ? above my head
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And should someone know a way without exporting Audio i would be happy to know.

 

you have 8 stereo outputs, you can instead of bouncing audio route your sounds make sure you have the 8 outputs open in your vst rack press f11 load up[ maschine switch on the outputs and use the info i already mentioned to sidechain.

 

yeah i agree with u, smithwessen. best to do it that way cos then u can edit the drums in midi

sparksa, a good way to start is load up a rexfile of a dnb break (or put a break on a pad and autochop) and then make patterns with that, pick another group and start layering kicks, snares and then hats, shakers, percussion etc.

the main one people use sidechaining for is the kick to the bass, so the bass sucks out of the mix when the kick hits. however, u can sidechain anything..... a good one is snare to crashy ride cymbals etc. or snare to pad sound.

experiment and have fun!