Making the drums punch!

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Dannymixer

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I often hear these Dance sample drum loops and think where did the drum sounds come from? If I try to recreate a Rythem pattern using my Roland JV1080s Techno board it sounds bland and so un professional even with compression e.c.t

If there is a drum machine that has the best sounds what one is it? Its like I hear these realy extended claps that just punch out in the mix and the kick alway fit with the bass nicely?
 
If anything, the compression will make a non-punchy sound sound even more non-punchy.. (you following me..?)

Compression smoothes out the peaks in volume, and makes everything one smooth volume.... which takes from the "punchiness"

by the way, that was a majorly simplified explanation of compression...


I would say, that it is bad sounds..... If you have a sampler buy some sample cd's with cool up to date samples....

I would stay away from Drum machines... The sounds are limited... and while some are actually good sounds, you will tire of them rather quicky..... (there are usually only 10-20 snares... 10-20 bass drums.. 10-20 cymbals......

And over the course of recording, they will dry up quicky.... (at least that is my experience....)

Try taking the existing roland sounds and eq'ing them or layering them..... (PS..... do they sound non-punchy when you are hearing them straight from the keyboard, or is at after recording?.....)

If that's the case it could be your recording methods...?

BG
 
I use compression to compress the dynamic range to tighten the drums up, If you dont compress the kick for exsample you can loose a good recording level.

Maybe I dident explain myself clearly im sorry, but when I hear a drum loop on a dance track I can hear a big difference between my drum tracks and the Pro marstered tracks from a CD.

Like my drums sound clear and punchy and that! but not like the preffessional drum tracks on CDs. theres somthink missing that I cant put my ear to? you know like when you can hear the difference between a home recording and a Studio recording.

Is there anyone out there that uses the Roland JV range drums or what ever that have done a pro recording that goes on the shelfs without using a sampler or pre sampled loops?
 
You achieve good recording levels by mixing the seperate drums properly in relation to each other.(and then add a tad of compression to tighten it all up
...Like when im doing drums, if the snare drum is too loud in the mix... I pull that level back on that one insrument... I would not use compression to fix this scenario...
.....To actually change instrument levels you gotta use alot of compression, which will make the drums sound so squashed and thin, that it might vary well be the source of your "non-pro sound"
...Try and keep your drums seperate in the mix.. and use your meters.... I can almost mix drums silently, just by watching the meters.. I mean I still need ears to eq them, but the levels show right on the meter(s)...
....For instance (when I mix) a seperate snare and bass drum beat , I want to make both meters meter to the same level, and you do that my pulling back or adding...

I doubt you will find a commercialy released modern pop song that uses stand alone drum machines or at least very few..... Almost everyone uses DAW and Samplers...Loops etc....
..Bif Naked's new CD "Purge" uses Roland Dr. Rythm 550 mkII (or similar) and you can hear the sterilness throughout...

....The "hit" thats on the radio "I love myself Today" is the only song with live drums.. and there is a major difference when you play that track.... those drums are sweet, and they are nite and day compared to the rest of the album...... But now im getting totally off topic

Roland has a drum machine out called DR Groove.. It's got some decent sounds... maybe try that...

See if you can rent a few different ones, and give them test drives..

I hope this helps you.... Im trying :)

BG
 
Thanks! Im sure Il get the sound Im after.

These samples that are used in pro tracks where did the sounds come from originaly or are they from every where and been processed on a individual basis before made into a full rythem loop.

maybe theres a good peice of software to create my own sample loops and inport the loop into cubase instead of using MIDI to construct my loops?

Also is there any particula Reverb that is often used with Dance rythem tracks.
 
Most loops are professionally made... and usually it is an actual live drummer... with some midi stuff going on behind....

For dance music... It's all about having up to date sampes.... Listen to a song close to the style you want to record and see whats happening wiht them drums... try to mimoc it... try and find the same sounds etc... (thats where a sampler would come in handy....(of course with a stack of samples also)...

You can pick up up decent used samplers for $300 I bought an AKAI S1000 with HD and CDROM Drive for $400... It's great....


Drums are pretty much dry in dance music.....But try some different reverbs and see what happens.... maybe you will come across one you like...

BG
 
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