Break beats, and how to make them

Alright peoples, I have a mighty question that has been irking me since I have been trying to create beats. My question is, how is a break beat supposed to be crafted? The song I want to use as an example, would be the beat to this song produced by Tom C3 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vbu92Q1q4Dg / The beat is fairly simple, yet I would consider it a break beat. Now I don't want to go raiding someones personal techniques, but rather I would like to find what makes this song sound break beat, and not mainstream or whatever you want to use as an example.

To me, this beat is nearly perfectly crafted, and sounds simply great (to my ears.) What I am trying to find is, Why is it that it sounds that way, is it the drums, the bass, the samples.... Is it simply just what one does? Or is it simply, what it sounds like? Thanks for reading!

Vinyl.

Dig it.

I have vinyl, I have the tables, but the vinyl breaks? Nah, I got stuff like Company Flow, Dr. Dooom 2, Telicatessan, E-Dot, and others to name a few, but all new stuff. What would you say kind of vinyl would I need? Really honestly, I've always wanted to get into break beats, but the stuff that makes them, always throws me off!

Sm0keydaBear wrote:but the stuff that makes them

drums?

Grenozh wrote:

Sm0keydaBear wrote:but the stuff that makes them

drums?

I guess what I'm talking about is them sounds that make you wanna do a headspin on the carpet no matter how much it hurts to a windmill that burns the hell out of your back but still feels good.... I guess drums as well as the composition that gives it that classic sound. (Forgive the talk about the bruising windmills and whatnot, I love the breaks haha)

As The Grublet said go crate-digging. I'd add try to find some 70s funk record, some Rhythm'n'Blues and some Soul ones.

Start sampling and dissect it in quarters, half bars or whatever you feel. Analyze, try to re-bang them on...

Focus on the swing the snare has... the syncope on the Kick drum...

Listen, listen, listen.

Have fun.

Peace

Appreciate the replies guys! Yah, I'm always trying to craft something new, but I feel that it's overdue that I overlooked break beats. Some of the most influential to me, and definitely some of my favorite beats.

This is a great little video on drum programming from an actual drummer: http://thedspproject.com/alvaro-lopez-o ... rogramming

Sm0keydaBear wrote:I have vinyl, I have the tables, but the vinyl breaks? Nah, I got stuff like Company Flow, Dr. Dooom 2, Telicatessan, E-Dot, and others to name a few, but all new stuff. What would you say kind of vinyl would I need? Really honestly, I've always wanted to get into break beats, but the stuff that makes them, always throws me off!

trying to create a break by sampling from sample-based hiphop is like trying to bake a cake by buying a load of cakes and putting them in a bowl.

you need the raw ingredients! funk, soul, motown, disco ... whatever has the ingredients you need

Pastor-of-Muppets wrote:
trying to create a break by sampling from sample-based hiphop is like trying to bake a cake by buying a load of cakes and putting them in a bowl.

you need the raw ingredients! funk, soul, motown, disco ... whatever has the ingredients you need

unreal! an excellent comparison. I can NOT figure out the dudes who sample hip hop to make hip hop. this is exactly what it is like.

Thanks again for the replies guys. One last question... any suggestions on a starting point, anything to look for??

Maybe try to check the classic breaks that have been used by almost everybody in the 80's and 90's:
James Brown: Funky drummer
Honeydrippers:Impeach the president
Roy Ayers:The boogie back
Skull Snaps: It's a new day
Al Green: I'm glad you're mine
Funkadelic: I'll bet ya
...
And try to memorize the name of the drummers in the LP's where you find dope breaks, and then buy LP's where they play!

Sm0keydaBear wrote:Thanks again for the replies guys. One last question... any suggestions on a starting point, anything to look for??

Peep the Crate Diggers forum, it's all been said before some great advice in there.

James Brown was very populair for that type of breaks. Especially funky drummer. Check out Bob James 'take me to Mardi Grass' and Honey dippers' Impeach the president. They've been overused by now. But listen closely to those breaks and learn form it.

Alright guys thank you very much, time to go staring at the crate diggers forum