Interesting rhythms/ drum programming

[SCUMM]

Hey people of Subsekt.

Can anyone point me in the direction of some sources for learning interesting rhythms and drum programming techniques. Im struggling at the moment with it in my productions. I recently signed up to a "drum programming masterclass" which turned out to be a load of rubbish. Have searched the forum and can't find anything in depth. Really like the programming in these two:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vu59MGWnqWM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pkK0sMqO6vQ

[Críoch]

Hey..

Look up polyrythms.

In the tracks.. maybe modulating the filter with a lfo on the sounds.. the hat or Porc.. over a couple of bars..

Maybe gate some of the stuff that clashes.

The kick doesn't have to be dead on 4/4 for the first one. Try a looping pattern over 3 5 6 or 7 bars.

Even experiment with odd bar lenghts that repeat every 8, 16 / 32 etc.. if it all gets a bit too mad.

That Skee Mask one is nice.

[sergiobR1]

it seems you are a man of culture.

Yeah, as Crioch said, those are call polyrithms or "odd times"

I really dig those rythms, I make those too.

I like to put the kick on 4/4 and the track follows the 4/4 production so DJ's don't fuck their set, and you can actually mix the track with another, then, everything else is crazy and polyrithmic in the mix.

but... everything on oddtimes might work, I have meet dj's that don't give a fuck when dj'ing, when they feel it, they bring down the fader and there you go.

[0dd]

Yeah that first one is pure polyrhythm . Second one is beautiful.

[dubdub]

Oh man, that first Abdulla Rashim was the first vinyl I've ever bought

One thing I've been doing recently is not looping stuff in full bar lengths, like you would on a step sequencer. So if one bar has 16 steps, looping stuff at 13, 17, or whatever steps. In the DAW it's easy to always stick to 16 step bars because that's the default but it's more interesting if you mix it up a bit.

[0dd]

Combined with some clever follow actions (if using ableton) you can get some really weird and interesting results. Also OP check out Steve Reich. He's the master of polyrhythms. youtu.be/Mv_8UaP_QRI

[pommel]

You can also look into the use of euclidean sequencers, they're still broadly polyrhythmic but it might help in regards to new programming techniques.

[SCUMM]

Yeah that first one is pure polyrhythm . Second one is beautiful.

Isn't it just, have it on repeat with days..... the atmosphere and emotion in the track is beautiful, the whole album is actually really good.

[SCUMM]

Combined with some clever follow actions (if using ableton) you can get some really weird and interesting results. Also OP check out Steve Reich. He's the master of polyrhythms.

This is what I'm looking for, suppose it's just a matter of sitting down and analysing the rhythms myself. Are follow actions set in the launch tab in Ableton? Have used legato mode on clips before so that they randomly trigger, had some interesting results too with it.

[SCUMM]

Hey..

Look up polyrythms.

In the tracks.. maybe modulating the filter with a lfo on the sounds.. the hat or Porc.. over a couple of bars..

Maybe gate some of the stuff that clashes.

The kick doesn't have to be dead on 4/4 for the first one. Try a looping pattern over 3 5 6 or 7 bars.

Even experiment with odd bar lenghts that repeat every 8, 16 / 32 etc.. if it all gets a bit too mad.

That Skee Mask one is nice.

Cheers Crioch!

Amazingly have never thought of using an LFO on my hats or Porc. When you say gate stuff that clashes do you mean to side chain elements to one another so that it gives them room when they clash? Some good advice there anyway, thank you and yeah that skee mask is beautiful

[SCUMM]

Oh man, that first Abdulla Rashim was the first vinyl I've ever bought

One thing I've been doing recently is not looping stuff in full bar lengths, like you would on a step sequencer. So if one bar has 16 steps, looping stuff at 13, 17, or whatever steps. In the DAW it's easy to always stick to 16 step bars because that's the default but it's more interesting if you mix it up a bit.

Great record for your first! Really like his stuff.

[SCUMM]

Found this while looking through Steve reich's stuff...... may be of use to someone else who's interested in the topic. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gy2kyRrXm2g

[Prophän]

I guess your questions has already been answered.

But you can also use ryhtmic delays on non-bass elements.
Resample it, Repitch it, Frequency shift it, ring modulate it, Reverse it You name it.

Can end up with some very interesting drums that way.

[0dd]

.
Resample it, Repitch it, Frequency shift it, ring modulate it, Reverse it You name it.

Buy it, use it... ffs brain

[0dd]

Combined with some clever follow actions (if using ableton) you can get some really weird and interesting results. Also OP check out Steve Reich. He's the master of polyrhythms.

This is what I'm looking for, suppose it's just a matter of sitting down and analysing the rhythms myself. Are follow actions set in the launch tab in Ableton? Have used legato mode on clips before so that they randomly trigger, had some interesting results too with it.

Launch section of the clips yeah. Hmmm never done legato. Where's that?

[sergiobR1]

there's another technique wich I don't share:

u can create the polyrithm and reset the loop at 32/64/128 beat. so it will remain 4/4 at long term.

[SCUMM]

[/quote]
Launch section of the clips yeah. Hmmm never done legato. Where's that?
[/quote]

Its a button in the launch window...... cool tutorial here on it https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dud5cqG ... =22&t=484s

[SCUMM]

I guess your questions has already been answered.

But you can also use ryhtmic delays on non-bass elements.
Resample it, Repitch it, Frequency shift it, ring modulate it, Reverse it You name it.

Can end up with some very interesting drums that way.

Have messed about with this type of approach before and got some really interesting results, have never ring modulated it though, will give it ago, thanks

[Lost to the Void]

as said above, polyrhythms, though really they can sound just as flat as a straight beat unless you give it some groove.

For good drum programming lessons just study drum breaks, copy them, learn how they work.

The Skee Mask track you link is just a straight up drum and bass beat, but less obvious sounds have been used to make the beat.

Biggest thing to get grooves going is ghost hits------- velocity programming basically.

A ghost snare can be used to lead in to the next accent part of the beat, like a kick or main snare.
Same with ghost kicks.
Combine that with grooves. You can use templates but they tend to be uniform and symmetrical.

Also anticipation can be used, pull a hit away from where it is normally expected, say once every 4 cycles, so the brain fills in the blank (or ghosted "blank") and sort of engages the brain to be a part of the beat, this is a great way of locking people in to the groove.

Again, study and deconstruct breaks and observe how you can have snares hard on the 1`s and 2`s, but other elements can be early or late, to slide in to the downbeat, or make the accent feel late.

A good groove will make a beat constantly roll forwards, giving forward momentum.

[SCUMM]

as said above, polyrhythms, though really they can sound just as flat as a straight beat unless you give it some groove.

For good drum programming lessons just study drum breaks, copy them, learn how they work.

The Skee Mask track you link is just a straight up drum and bass beat, but less obvious sounds have been used to make the beat.

Biggest thing to get grooves going is ghost hits------- velocity programming basically.

A ghost snare can be used to lead in to the next accent part of the beat, like a kick or main snare.
Same with ghost kicks.
Combine that with grooves. You can use templates but they tend to be uniform and symmetrical.

Also anticipation can be used, pull a hit away from where it is normally expected, say once every 4 cycles, so the brain fills in the blank (or ghosted "blank") and sort of engages the brain to be a part of the beat, this is a great way of locking people in to the groove.

Again, study and deconstruct breaks and observe how you can have snares hard on the 1`s and 2`s, but other elements can be early or late, to slide in to the downbeat, or make the accent feel late.

A good groove will make a beat constantly roll forwards, giving forward momentum.

Cheers for the advice, some really interesting techniques there, just what I'm looking for, the anticipation technique sounds really cool1 plenty there to keep me occupied for a while, thank you!