Discuss the various methods you use in music production, from compressor settings to equipment type.
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By MattMatiks PG Sat May 01, 2004 5:24 am
Alright... I know mad people have gotten down chopping breaks to a science... I personally have no problems getting maybe a nice snare and occassionally a nice kick out of the break...

But How do you guys deal with real complex breaks like RJD2 or Shadow style breaks... Wit like mad heavy cymbals and sh*t...

I'm lost... I chop it into individual hits but when I re-arrange it, it sounds like it's re-arranged... YOu can hear the sound of a cymbal cutting off too early or it ends up sounding re-programmed and not natural like RJ can do...

I've tried adding like a little echo or let's say a reverb or delay to the ends of the hits so that the cymbals fade out more naturally, but it still sounds entirely too chopped and un natural...

I don't know if you guys have had any success with this or if u even understand what I mean but any help would be greatly appreciated... MY production has been moving along at lightning speed greatly due to the tips and support of you guys, but this problem is just gettin in the way of my creativty... Let me know people.

Thanks in advance.

By ONE Sat May 01, 2004 5:50 am
I read that DJ shadow adds extra air or turntable static to his drum samples at the end and/or beginning of the sound to make them more natural sounding. Exactly how he does this and to what proportion.......I have no idea!
Last edited by ONE on Sat May 01, 2004 6:06 am, edited 1 time in total.

By elmacaco Sat May 01, 2004 5:52 am
Probably not chopping to individual hits but small phrases.
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By binger0 Sat May 01, 2004 7:27 am
yeah like cut a break into perfect 1/8 notes for a 2 bar pattern. Then replay em back at the exact same tempo. Turn timing off and try play from left to right

ex.
8 zones


play pads
1,2,3,4
then keepin time
play like
5,2,7,8
then go back to
1,6,7,4
I try to make my zones time streched so I can do that.

Recycle is the bomb for breaks though, you get a seq (midi) file of the chops it makes and it is tempo independent meaning that you can use that break at any speed.
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By MattMatiks PG Tue May 04, 2004 4:45 am
Yea... I've been usin recycle, but I find the MPC to be better because of the Zone feature (personal preference)... Thanks for the help everybody... Right now I'm just workin on programming drums... I'm learning how to program realistically (Ya Know like a live feel to the drum patterns)... And I'm learning how to double up snares to make em sound phat as shit in the mix... When I'm ready I'll step up to the big guns and start choppin complex breaks... In the meantime, I guess it's just reprogramming single shots of basic breaks... Thanks anyway fam... oNe.