Altering Drum Samples for 3 Different Genres

Drum samples come in a lot of flavors in this golden age of music production. The trouble of choosing genre-pleasing sounds is as much of a blessing as it is a curse. This mix and match policy employed by program library editors serves to inspire new beat makers but also confuses them. When looking for complementary drum samples to use with the currently selected sounds, what’s a guy to do? Look through potentially thousands poorly and inaptly-named files to locate the next one? There must be a better way. So with this said, let’s take at a few modifications you can have a go at immediately.

Drum Samples: Uncompressed or Not?

Using uncompressed drum samples is really the domain of those who can spot the potential in samples. Rarely do thin ears spot this potential, and this is why over-compressed drum samples are peddled by most drum samples websites, and successfully so, I might add. Compression is basically the process of increasing the volume of the quiet parts of a sound sample so that the distance between the highs and lows (in terms of volume!) is lessened.

Changing Swing of Drum Samples

Music producers – veterans and newbies alike – mostly do not pay attention to two of music’s topics that are vital to a great beat and great song – density as time goes on and the swing applied to drum samples and instruments. The second topic, swing, will be the focus of this article and hopefully we will all learn something on the topic.

Drum Samples and Panning

Sequencing drum samples is very important, but of the same high importance is panning drum samples for palatability in a music scene where packing instrument upon endless instrument is becoming the trade of many seasoned producers and amateurs.

Types of Kick Drum Samples

There are many different types of kick drum samples. Beat making is an activity that is so oft-repeated that using the same kick drums in every single beat is going to really drain your creativity. Because the kick especially is so ubiquitous in every type of music from rock to rap and hip hop to RnB, having a varied selection is absolutely essential. Knowing the types of kicks is the beginning, but is definitely essential.