Drum samples

[TLMUSIC]

Hi, being pretty new to all this stuff i have alot of questions - some pretty mundane. Like this one. I was wondering whether when creating a beat you guys would ever use something like the preset sounds in EXS24 or whether you would always use some other samples or kits? Would buying some samples from some place like modern beats make much of a difference in quality to using the sounds in EXS24 for example or is it just a case of talent and what you do with them?

Many Thanks

[blayz2002]

I'ts all about the sound you want, if your finding the samples in EXS24 don't give you the sound your after, then yeah look around for others.

For hip hop drums are the most important element for holding the track together, producers like Timberland, Neptunes, Just Blaze and Dre to some extent have actually built their styles around the drum sounds they use and how they get them to sound.

I've bought samples form modern beats myself, which along with a load of samples from all over the place have transformed my production, but bear in mind stuff like modern beats are usually following the above mentioned guys ..so your stuff can end up sounding like copy cats of their styles.

I would say if you looking for stuff to compliment heavy melodic tracks then you should simply go with what makes the track work, but if your looking for a signature sound then I would try and build your kits from well chosen samples, and some sound libraries or midi stuff then tweak and layer to taste.

[TLMUSIC]

Thanks for the help Blayz. Yea i was just listening to one of my tracks then i compared it to Frontin' by The Neptunes and the beat just sounded so weak in comparison. Like you said - hunting down some good samples may be the best answer.

[Maddstone]

U can also check out FXpansion's drum samples for the BFD and DR-008.Pretty good stuff, I must admit.Worth a look into.U can also convert the samples into other formats if u so choose to use in other software or hardware, using some converter like Awave.

[JHOOKS]

yea man try to stay away from stuff like modern beats, i mean why would you want a dre kit???? or a neptune kit??? unless you want to sound like em? me personally i get samples from everywere. but the secret is in laying your sounds and the biggest secret of all is EQ and compression! the neptunes from personal experiece eq the dear life out of there drums, believe it or not they use regular sounding drum kits, but the magic like i said happens in layering, eq, and compression. also keep in mind these guys are using the best of the best. so comparing your mix to there mix is a bit unfair.

but more on the practical side. if you want a nice thud type kick. here's how i do it. i take a 808 kill the attack and shorten the release and then i take a nice low mid kick and layer them together. the 808 gets turned down in volume. im making the kick so you can feel it. play around with this trick. be careful to leave room in you low end department.

[TLMUSIC]

Originally Posted by JHOOKS

yea man try to stay away from stuff like modern beats, i mean why would you want a dre kit???? or a neptune kit??? unless you want to sound like em? me personally i get samples from everywere. but the secret is in laying your sounds and the biggest secret of all is EQ and compression! the neptunes from personal experiece eq the dear life out of there drums, believe it or not they use regular sounding drum kits, but the magic like i said happens in layering, eq, and compression. also keep in mind these guys are using the best of the best. so comparing your mix to there mix is a bit unfair.

but more on the practical side. if you want a nice thud type kick. here's how i do it. i take a 808 kill the attack and shorten the release and then i take a nice low mid kick and layer them together. the 808 gets turned down in volume. im making the kick so you can feel it. play around with this trick. be careful to leave room in you low end department.

Many thanks jhooks - very useful advice.

[TLMUSIC]

Originally Posted by Maddstone

U can also check out FXpansion's drum samples for the BFD and DR-008.Pretty good stuff, I must admit.Worth a look into.U can also convert the samples into other formats if u so choose to use in other software or hardware, using some converter like Awave.

I have been looking at the 8 bit BFD kit since i already own the original BFD. Looks good - anyone else using it?