Drum programming in new 130 ish bass stuff

electrogrimey

Wanted to start a thread for discussion about drum programming for making the new bass/dubstep/garage/future/post whatever it's called stuff that's coming out now, around 128-135 type tempos. Just because it doesn't seem to be working off any of the standard starting points, like the basic house patterns, garage patterns, or dubstep patterns. As an example, stuff like this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=79J58LlPiAg

Quickly tried to analyse a few tracks like it, and came up with this as a basic type beat, but anyone chime in for anything recurring they've noticed about this kind of music.

krd

Try by starting with something like a snare or a clap on the 1.3.

Pencil in some kicks until you have a break bit type feel - the copy the pattern into a second bar and change some of the kicks. You don't have to radically change them.

If you keep playing with a two bar loop, it'll start to make sense.

What I have notice about that kind of music is the kicks are played on spots where a human drummer would not place them.

Drum and Bass is really hard to programme. You have to have a real feel for the runs - the shuffley bits.

On the Jacques Greene track he switches from the half time to 4/4 time and also sometimes runs his hats as if they're going over a 4/4 beat.

krd

The other thing to do - once you've got a kick pattern that flows - take out the snare/clap on the 1.3

I really like the Jacque Greene track. I think his thing is a dragging kick. Where he pulls at least one kick off the grid so it sounds like it's dragging.

He's got a really great vocal on that track.