Drum Theory

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is there such a thing? and if so, can someone explain to me the background on drums....such as why in techno the kick seems to be the predominant drum sound, and in rap it's most often the hi hat that hits every quarter note or so. i'm interested in how the low and high frequencies affect a listener.

thanks
 
pks said:
i'm interested in how the low and high frequencies affect a listener.

thanks
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Well, as far as the WHOLE recording, I personally dont like to much Highs on the vocals. Sometimes it can be too harsh when they sing something with an "s" in it, such as "so", so dont turn the highs up too loud. On drums, (as im a drummer), you dont want to be afraid to throw in a lot of lows. Without the lows, you lose the kick, which is extremely important. Not too much highs, as the cymbals can become harsh. If you didnt know already on drums the Lows are: Bass Drum, Mids are: Toms, Snare. Highs: Cymbals.
 
thanks for the informative reply

this brings another question -

does one always need a low mid and high in a drum track?


also, since i have no experience with drums and don't own a kit, I use drum synths and samplers. I find it hard to find a happy medium of extravagant, overbearing drums, and too simple, boring drums. With the simple ones, I am much more comfortable creating the rest of the song. With the complex ones, I find that the drums interfere with the overall song too much. Also, since I don't know how to make fills sound appealing or what kind of sound to use in a fill, I end up with a pretty boring drum track.

i really want to change this, so i've come here for help. i guess ? questions remain -

how do i analyze what frequency a certain sound is?

is there any way to detach yourself from the intensity of making a song? i find that stuff sounds like crap while i'm making it, but when i go back after a while and listen i like it.

are there any tips to finding a drum sound one is looking for? usually i'll end up losing my vision of what i wanted for a drum track in the process of find the sounds for it

thanks for the help again, greykitkat36
 
The term "drum theory" can be interpreted in different ways - but I assume you mean - What is the "role" of drums in a song?

The snare identifies the beat (meter) and would mormally be a 1/2 note falling on the 2 & 4. The kick works in conjunction with (some may say counter to) the snare and is often a 1/2 note on the 1 & 3 or a 1/4 note on the 1, 2, 3 & 4. The Hi-hat keeps a "flow" fro the snare and kick and is normally played as 1/4, 1/8 or 1/16 notes.

Combined the snare, kick and hi-hat are the main part of the drums and establish the "groove". Toms and cymbals are used to create color or "melodic lines" to accent certain parts of a songs (fill into a bridge, etc.)

The kick occupies the low end and is often about the same level in the m9ix as the bass guitar - but accents the attack. The sanre falls into the low-mid to high-mid range (depending on the sound) and is normally slightly louder in the mix that the kick/bass gtr. The hi-hat is a high-mid sound that should be slightly lower in the mix than the snare.

So, yes you do need high, mid & lower to capture a good drum track. But the focus should always be on the snare/kick/hi-hat and how they relate to the bass guitar.

If your mixes sound to cluttered - you may have too many notes playing - or you may not be keeping the snare/hi-hat out or the low/low-mid range
 
thank you very, very much! a lot of very helpful stuff in there! you interpreted my question perfectly :)
 
The need for lows, mids, and highs is dependant on the style / groove you are looking for. I can think of many drum tracks that have one or more of these ranges of frequencies accented or muted, depending on what sound they were going for. It also needs to be said that how the drums are eq'd is highly dependant on the context of the rest of the instrumentation. For example...

Lots of high crispy acoustic guitar = less highs on the drums
High bass guitar funk groove = more low end on the kick and toms.

Let your ear be the guide. Listen to lots of stuff in the genre you are creating. You will learn a lot. While you may be going for a unique sound, there are good guidlines to follow.

Hope that helps!

- Christopher Jorge

http://www.VideoDrumLessons.com
 
these are great tips! thanks chris!

they're helping me already :)
 
less can be more...

i know that sounds cliche, but it's so true when it comes to drum tracks. it's all about how a pattern meshes with the rhythm of other tracks, as well as keeping the frequencies from stepping on each other.
another thing to think about is that the space between the notes is part of the rhythm of drums. simple well placed notes can help make for more a dynamic drum track that grooves harder.
just a couple more thoughts for ya to chew on. these guys already gave you some great advice.
good luck - jv
 
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