Discuss the various methods you use in music production, from compressor settings to equipment type.
By Simonskates15 Fri Sep 16, 2022 1:53 pm
Hey guys, I have been making beats for the past few months now, and I have gotten pretty good at the arrangement part of the projects. I have been trying to use audio processing effects to make my drum kits but don't really have much of an idea where to start. I know how to navigate my software but I don't know how or why to use audio processing effects. if you have any advice on starting to make my own sounds from samples let me know.
By daddy_Q Sat Sep 17, 2022 12:40 am
I’d suggest listen lots of music and find drum sounds that interest you. Look for a producer or interview to find what they used or what the technique is called. Once you’ve done that, you will start to hear some processing in your head then just apply that within mpc.

Some basic stuff, looking for lofi drum or low cut or high cut drum etc…
Or delay technique, distortion on drums etc…
By Avasopht Thu Feb 02, 2023 11:02 pm
Don't try to replicate anyone's drum sound.

Be inspired by them, but if Kanye West had to go to Timbaland to get that kick drum sound on Stronger (after asking a bunch of other top hit producers to replicate the sound), it's probably a fool's errand to start out by trying that.

Feel free to give it a go as it'll get your juices flowing.

I'd recommend starting out with the basics, and just find drum sounds you like and can work with for now.

The drums that come with the MPC are pretty solid tbh.

Next, learn to layer and parallel process.

I tend to layer lo-fi drums over a basic set. But that's my sound.

Sonics is something you'll want to revise over the years, but if you have a good ear and a scientific approach, you could pick it up quickly.

Don't waste your time searching for a hit drum sound. Signature sounds are harder to get right as they can cause listener fatigue real quick.

At some point, look at kick drum tuning. Thankfully the MPC has the drum designer.

Oh ... and you've got to get in bed with distortion. This might be best done on a PC when starting out (or as a separate project of its own so that you can go all out). Basically, you don't have to apply distortion to the whole signal. You can apply distortion to a filtered version of your kick, and then even filter the distortion. That can give you high-frequency harmonics from the low-frequency components of your kick that will give listeners with bad bass reproduction a sense of the bass, while also allowing you to make the drums sound more present while freeing up the bass.