01.28
Thopoles
Lows: The kick drum. The kick drum is the anchor of the drum section and generally, every other part of the drum pattern is based on what occurs with the kick. Together with the snare/claps (the mids), the kick establishes the basic beat pattern.
Mids: Snares/Claps/Tom-Toms. The mids consisits of snares, claps and percussion instruments such as the congos and bongos. The mids accent what is occurring in the kick drum or accent different beats other than the kick in order to give the song a syncopated feel. The combination of the kick and snare/clap pattern establish the main beat of a song.
Highs: Hi-hats, shakers, maracas. The highs connect the lows and mid together and provide a sense of motion to a track.
Because drums are so important to hip-hop, it is important to take the time to perfect your drum tracks. Often, the difference between a good sounding track and a great sounding track is what occurs in the drums. Drum skills consist of two parts, sound selection and programming the actual beat pattern. For those serious about beat making, devote time to building a good drum library. Two sources for drum sounds are:
Self-Made: Sampling drum hits from existing records, recording your own samples, or using a synth to generate electronic sounds are one method of developing drum sounds. The internet has a ton of information on how to make your own drum sounds. The advantage to this approach is that your sound is guaranteed to be unique. However, sound design is a craft within itself that requires practice and patience in order to get good at it. However, applying effects or editing existing sounds can also add new flavor to existing sounds.
Sample Libraries/Companies: There are now companies dedicated to providing drum sounds to producers. Going this route, you'll have quality sounds without having to design them yourself. However, other producers will have these same sounds. Modern Beats and Bangin Beats are good places to start.
The method you choose is really a matter of preference, but regardless, always stay on top of your drums and move beyond the stock sounds that come with your synths (they are almost always out of date).
In closing, I'd like to leave you with a closing concept. Do not underestimate the importance of the hi-hats in a track. The hi-hat controls how time is perceived in a track and experienced beat makers can use this to make the perception of time speed up or slow down without controlling the tempo. As an experiment, make a basic rock pattern with a kick on 1 and 3 and a snare on 2 and 4. Now, have 8th note hi-hats playing throughout the whole bar. Now, switch it to 16th note hi-hats on the whole beat and notice how the song feels faster even though the tempo is the same. Try using this in transition from verse to chorus and back again. Also, try experimenting by slightly nudging the hi-hat before or after a beat (you don't want it perfectly aligned on the beat) and notice how it gives the track a delayed or rushed feel. Use this in your music.
Drums are the most important part in a hip-hop beat, so take your time to perfect them. Next week, we'll talk about the pads and their role.
Mids: Snares/Claps/Tom-Toms. The mids consisits of snares, claps and percussion instruments such as the congos and bongos. The mids accent what is occurring in the kick drum or accent different beats other than the kick in order to give the song a syncopated feel. The combination of the kick and snare/clap pattern establish the main beat of a song.
Highs: Hi-hats, shakers, maracas. The highs connect the lows and mid together and provide a sense of motion to a track.
Because drums are so important to hip-hop, it is important to take the time to perfect your drum tracks. Often, the difference between a good sounding track and a great sounding track is what occurs in the drums. Drum skills consist of two parts, sound selection and programming the actual beat pattern. For those serious about beat making, devote time to building a good drum library. Two sources for drum sounds are:
Self-Made: Sampling drum hits from existing records, recording your own samples, or using a synth to generate electronic sounds are one method of developing drum sounds. The internet has a ton of information on how to make your own drum sounds. The advantage to this approach is that your sound is guaranteed to be unique. However, sound design is a craft within itself that requires practice and patience in order to get good at it. However, applying effects or editing existing sounds can also add new flavor to existing sounds.
Sample Libraries/Companies: There are now companies dedicated to providing drum sounds to producers. Going this route, you'll have quality sounds without having to design them yourself. However, other producers will have these same sounds. Modern Beats and Bangin Beats are good places to start.
The method you choose is really a matter of preference, but regardless, always stay on top of your drums and move beyond the stock sounds that come with your synths (they are almost always out of date).
In closing, I'd like to leave you with a closing concept. Do not underestimate the importance of the hi-hats in a track. The hi-hat controls how time is perceived in a track and experienced beat makers can use this to make the perception of time speed up or slow down without controlling the tempo. As an experiment, make a basic rock pattern with a kick on 1 and 3 and a snare on 2 and 4. Now, have 8th note hi-hats playing throughout the whole bar. Now, switch it to 16th note hi-hats on the whole beat and notice how the song feels faster even though the tempo is the same. Try using this in transition from verse to chorus and back again. Also, try experimenting by slightly nudging the hi-hat before or after a beat (you don't want it perfectly aligned on the beat) and notice how it gives the track a delayed or rushed feel. Use this in your music.
Drums are the most important part in a hip-hop beat, so take your time to perfect them. Next week, we'll talk about the pads and their role.
About the Author:
A part of the Jam Sonic production team, "The Architect" has been producing and composing music for over 10 years. He currently produces music full-time for artists and small businesses. Please visit his website to access beat making articles and videos and hip hop beats for sale.
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