Discuss the various methods you use in music production, from compressor settings to equipment type.
User avatar
By justineastwick Mon Oct 02, 2017 8:19 pm
I've been looking for some samples, but I decided to try to make my own drum kit from drum samples that were taken from an actual TR-808 drum machine. I want to develop my own sound...

I got some cool samples, but is there a way to make those long 808 bass sounds (like the ones found in trap music)?

Somebody told me I can use three sine waves and go from there. Also, when I was looking at some YouTube videos, they were making those 808 sounds through a VST plugin in FL Studio.

Am I able to just make the 808 sounds and save it to one of my pads through some VST or something?

Thanks in advance - I know I probably sound confused.
User avatar
By Lampdog Mon Oct 02, 2017 10:36 pm
justineastwick wrote:
Lampdog wrote:http://www.mpc-forums.com/viewtopic.php?f=43&t=183788&p=1732399&hilit=sinewave#p1732399

I appreciate it! One other question: where can I get a sine wave? Can I use an online tone generator to make it?

Yep, sure can.

Change that 440 to 60.

Save that wave file.
Load into your gear.
Use a fade out at the back of the wave.
Chop the front to the length you want.
Basic sine wave, done.
User avatar
By justineastwick Mon Oct 02, 2017 10:58 pm
This is great! I'm going to have booming 808s, all thanks to the man with the golden letters.

Do I need three sine waves like the guy told me or would this one suffice?

I'm assuming that I would be combining the three sine waves into one sample?

While I'm at it: can I create a custom cymbal, snare and some hi-hats (open and closed) through this very same method?

Sorry I'm asking a lot of questions - I'm getting immersed in making my own drums kit from scratch instead of looking and downloading them.
User avatar
By Lampdog Tue Oct 03, 2017 12:45 am
Custom stuff would require a full audio editor, I’ve usd Sound Forge before to actually draw waves run waves through process tools and effects to get what I want.

If I loaded this online generator sine wave into my 4k, I’d put it through a low pass filter, amp it up just a touch, and yes I could put a triangle wave on another layer and play them together simultaneuosly. Layers are non-destructive (not permanent) and that would allow me to edit either wave seperately at anytime.
User avatar
By justineastwick Tue Oct 03, 2017 1:27 am
Lampdog wrote:Custom stuff would require a full audio editor, I’ve usd Sound Forge before to actually draw waves run waves through process tools and effects to get what I want.

If I loaded this online generator sine wave into my 4k, I’d put it through a low pass filter, amp it up just a touch, and yes I could put a triangle wave on another layer and play them together simultaneuosly. Layers are non-destructive (not permanent) and that would allow me to edit either wave seperately at anytime.

I can use an audio editor like Audacity? If I want to make other custom sounds, I should just change the frequency on the online tone generator? Like, if I wanted to make a snare drum, can just change the frequency to 220 hertz?
User avatar
By Lampdog Tue Oct 03, 2017 4:10 pm
It's not as easy as just changing a frequency for a snare. sub bass is easy cause it's a straightforward sinewave. Other things are not as straight forward as that. I don't know the inner workings on Audacity. I've used SF for years. Haven't lately but I KNOW SF can draw waves and has a mass amount of tools.
User avatar
By justineastwick Tue Oct 03, 2017 5:09 pm
Lampdog wrote:It's not as easy as just changing a frequency for a snare. sub bass is easy cause it's a straightforward sinewave. Other things are not as straight forward as that. I don't know the inner workings on Audacity. I've used SF for years. Haven't lately but I KNOW SF can draw waves and has a mass amount of tools.


I made a nice 808 sound with the parameters you gave me. I used 40 hertz though; I loved how it sounded when it came through my subwoofer. I think I might make an 808 with the 60 hertz parameter too. I guess I can use some variations in sounds.

I can send it to you if you want to hear it.

I'm going to make some more later on today and see if I can turn them and pitch them.
User avatar
By Lampdog Tue Oct 03, 2017 8:16 pm
I used the online generator you linked to, I wanted to see how it sounded. It's noisy imo but very doable. A much cleaner signal can come from a pro audio editor.
User avatar
By justineastwick Tue Oct 03, 2017 8:55 pm
Lampdog wrote:I used the online generator you linked to, I wanted to see how it sounded. It's noisy imo but very doable. A much cleaner signal can come from a pro audio editor.

You know what? I ended up using Audacity to generate the tone. Didn't even know that was a feature in the software... I used the same parameters and just scrapped the other one.

Now I'm trying to pitch the 808 sound I made. I want to have multiple pitches and map it to my pads. LOL, just got to get familiarized with the tuning and pitch shift thing in the MPC Live.
User avatar
By Lampdog Tue Oct 03, 2017 10:02 pm
You don't need to make multiple pitches, that's overkill and not needed at all.
Make a 60hz one, put that into mpc and use the tools in that to change/tune/pitch/edit.

The Audacity tone is much cleaner right?
User avatar
By justineastwick Tue Oct 03, 2017 11:43 pm
Lampdog wrote:You don't need to make multiple pitches, that's overkill and not needed at all.
Make a 60hz one, put that into mpc and use the tools in that to change/tune/pitch/edit.

The Audacity tone is much cleaner right?

Yeah, much cleaner! I think I'll make a 60 hertz 808 sound and shift the pitch of it. Thanks again man. My drum kit feels more custom now. I've also been messing around with pitched snares, hi-hats, cymbals and kicks from TR-808 samples I've gotten and I've been picking out the ones I like.
By Tomes Wed Oct 04, 2017 4:52 am
If you have a iphone or ipad, there is this nice 808 like drum synth called ruismaker(and fm drum synth called ruismaker fm). I highly recommend on checking them out. Its really fast to make good 808 type sounds(and more) from scratch and its easy to sample(and layer) drums to mpc