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 most well-known mids are the snare drums and claps, but tom-toms and other mid-range percussion like the congos/bongs are a part of the mids as well. The mids are the other half of the basic beat (along with the kick), and the mids either accent what is occurring in the kick drum or it accents different beats than the kick in order to give the song a syncopated feel. It is the interaction between the kick and the mids that establish the main beat of a song.
Highs: Hi-hats, shakers, maracas. The highs link the lows and mid together and gives a sense of timing and movement to the beat.
Within hip-hop, it is critical to devote the time to perfect your drum tracks. The difference between an amateur sounding track and a polished one is usually within the drum section. Drum programming skills consist of drum sound selections as well as the actual drum pattern. For those serious about beat making, devote time to building a drum library. Where to get decent drum sounds? There are two main sources:
Self-Made: Recording acoustic instruments, sampling drum hits from records, or using synths to create sounds is a proven method of developing drum sounds. The internet and You Tube have good sources of information on how to do this. With this approach, you will learn to craft your own unique sound, but, sound design is a skill that requires practice and patience to learn. Editing existing sounds by applying effects or tweaking them is another way to add flavor to existing sounds.
Sample Libraries/Companies: Another route to acquire drum sounds is through online companies that specialize in selling drum samples online. Modern Beats and Bangin Beats are good places to start. With this route, you'll have access to quality drum hits without spending hours designing your own sounds. The drawback is that other producers will have the same sounds as well.
The route you choose is a matter of choice. Whatever you choose, I encourage you to move beyond the stock sounds in your synth as they are generally almost always out of date.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.
Take your time to perfect your drums as they are the core of hip-hop. Next week, we'll discuss pads and their role.
Mids: Snares/Claps/Tom-Toms. The most well-known mids are the snare drums and claps, but tom-toms and other mid-range percussion like the congos/bongs are a part of the mids as well. The mids are the other half of the basic beat (along with the kick), and the mids either accent what is occurring in the kick drum or it accents different beats than the kick in order to give the song a syncopated feel. It is the interaction between the kick and the mids that establish the main beat of a song.
Highs: Hi-hats, shakers, maracas. The highs link the lows and mid together and gives a sense of timing and movement to the beat.
Within hip-hop, it is critical to devote the time to perfect your drum tracks. The difference between an amateur sounding track and a polished one is usually within the drum section. Drum programming skills consist of drum sound selections as well as the actual drum pattern. For those serious about beat making, devote time to building a drum library. Where to get decent drum sounds? There are two main sources:
Self-Made: Recording acoustic instruments, sampling drum hits from records, or using synths to create sounds is a proven method of developing drum sounds. The internet and You Tube have good sources of information on how to do this. With this approach, you will learn to craft your own unique sound, but, sound design is a skill that requires practice and patience to learn. Editing existing sounds by applying effects or tweaking them is another way to add flavor to existing sounds.
Sample Libraries/Companies: Another route to acquire drum sounds is through online companies that specialize in selling drum samples online. Modern Beats and Bangin Beats are good places to start. With this route, you'll have access to quality drum hits without spending hours designing your own sounds. The drawback is that other producers will have the same sounds as well.
The route you choose is a matter of choice. Whatever you choose, I encourage you to move beyond the stock sounds in your synth as they are generally 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.
Take your time to perfect your drums as they are the core of hip-hop. Next week, we'll discuss pads and their role.
About the Author:
A part of the Jam Sonic production squad, "The Architect" has been producing and composing music for over a decade. He currently produces music full-time for artists and small businesses. Please visit his site to view beat making articles and videos and hip hop beats for sale.