Is this a real bass drum or is it synthesized?

tun · 2nd December 2011

Drum gurus, I've been trying to recreate this kick sound with no luck so far:

1978 disco track

Is it a real, heavily processed kick, or is it synthesized? If it's real how the hell did they get that punch?

It's driving me nuts!

chrisso · 2nd December 2011

Sounds like a drum machine. Each hit is basically identical. Almost impossible with an acoustic drum performance.
You should be able to get there quite easily with a well chosen sample, maybe some eq and compression .

tun · 2nd December 2011

Hi Chrisso, it's 1978 though, there weren't any digital drum machines back then, and it certainly doesn't sound like a processed analog drum machine to my ears... I could be wrong though, and back then they used to record the drummer and loop the tightest bar(s) of the performance for that metronomic beat.

Julien · 2nd December 2011

Heavily compressed real kick with a keyed/gated low pitched synth underneath, perhaps?

biggator6 · 2nd December 2011

Quote:

Originally Posted by tun

Hi Chrisso, it's 1978 though, there weren't any digital drum machines back then, and it certainly doesn't sound like a processed analog drum machine to my ears... I could be wrong though, and back then they used to record the drummer and loop the tightest bar(s) of the performance for that metronomic beat.

I'm with Chris.. I think you can get that kind of sound out of an analog drum machine - especially with some post processing.

Jim Williams · 2nd December 2011

I used a garage door once as a kick drum. The drummer forgot the drum, brought the rest.

So he set up against the door and used it as the diaphram.

Worked great!

tun · 2nd December 2011

Quote:

Originally Posted by biggator6

I'm with Chris.. I think you can get that kind of sound out of an analog drum machine - especially with some post processing.

OK, If you're correct, let's consider what analogue drum machines were available in '78, it doesn't sound like a Roland CR and this is pre 808 or 909 days

biggator6 · 3rd December 2011

Quote:

Originally Posted by tun

OK, If you're correct, let's consider what analogue drum machines were available in '78, it doesn't sound like a Roland CR and this is pre 808 or 909 days

Very true, but it could have been made with an analog synth/sequencer. Arp 2600, MS20 or any other semi-modular would likely have done the trick.

tun · 3rd December 2011

Thanks biggator... I hadn't considered that option.

relayer · 7th December 2011

Could be a Syndrum. They were around starting in '76. Kraftwerk used a lot of synthetic percussion in the mid-'70s, but I think they used stuff that they built themselves. If you're just trying to recreate it, there are plenty of freeware early drum machine emulators around, and many of them will do the trick.

Good luck.

Steve

Rolf Fiesel · 7th December 2011

snappy kick its a machine of some type !!!

2nd December 2011	#1
tun Gear maniac Joined: Dec 2009 Location: Bangkok Posts: 173 Thread Starter	Is this a real bass drum or is it synthesized? Drum gurus, I've been trying to recreate this kick sound with no luck so far: 1978 disco track Is it a real, heavily processed kick, or is it synthesized? If it's real how the hell did they get that punch? It's driving me nuts!

2nd December 2011	#2
chrisso Gear Guru Joined: Oct 2002 Location: Oz Posts: 16,836	Sounds like a drum machine. Each hit is basically identical. Almost impossible with an acoustic drum performance. You should be able to get there quite easily with a well chosen sample, maybe some eq and compression . __________________ Chris Whitten

7th December 2011	#10
relayer Gear maniac Joined: Oct 2007 Location: Atlanta Posts: 219	Could be a Syndrum. They were around starting in '76. Kraftwerk used a lot of synthetic percussion in the mid-'70s, but I think they used stuff that they built themselves. If you're just trying to recreate it, there are plenty of freeware early drum machine emulators around, and many of them will do the trick. Good luck. Steve __________________ Intel i7-2.80GHz Quad Core-8GB RAM-W7x64-RME HDSP 9632-SONAR X1 Producer

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2nd December 2011	#4
Julien Gear Head Joined: Jul 2006 Location: Europe Posts: 40	Heavily compressed real kick with a keyed/gated low pitched synth underneath, perhaps?

2nd December 2011	#6
Jim Williams Voiding warranties Joined: Feb 2004 Location: beautiful Carlsbad, CA Posts: 10,054	I used a garage door once as a kick drum. The drummer forgot the drum, brought the rest. So he set up against the door and used it as the diaphram. Worked great!

3rd December 2011	#9
tun Gear maniac Joined: Dec 2009 Location: Bangkok Posts: 173 Thread Starter	Thanks biggator... I hadn't considered that option.

7th December 2011	#11
Rolf Fiesel Gear nut Joined: Jul 2009 Location: Newmarket Posts: 137	snappy kick its a machine of some type !!!