programing drums

Can someone explain the layout of programing a drum loop. Do you do a 4bar or 8bar ect... how do you go about adding kicks snare,ect..It seems everytime i try making a drumloop, the majority of the times it sounds the same. Anytips would really be helpfull!!!!! lol

There is no exact layout that you should be following, just go with your heart and beat out on the pads. I sometimes pretend like I'm back in high school banging on the lunch table while my boy is rapping and another guy jumps in and starts beatboxin. Do it like that.

shoo the only RULE is:
seperate the sounds into diff tracks.
tr 1 = kick
tr 2= snare
tr 3 = hats
tr 4 = cymbals
tr 5 = floor toms

etc. when you are mixing adding efx, recording etc. this will make it much easier.

oh and next time, try laying down a simple loop and using edit mode to move stuff around to make variations.

In additon to the great advice that you've already gotten, I typically set my sequences to 4 bars. Usually rap verses are 12 or 16 bars. With the loop set at 4 bars, you just set your reps (in song mode) for 3 or 4 reps depending on whether your verse is 12 or 16 bars. Choruses are usually 8 bars so it makes sense, at least to me, to have the sequences set for four bars. Usually I'll copy the 4 bar verse sequence and add strings or something other and maybe mute some of the tracks from the verse to make the chorus. I hope that helps.

I would advise you try this trick. Set your sequence to 2 bars. Turn on your timing to 1/16. I myself on average usually stay between 86.5 and 90.5 as my tempo range. Go into your record mode. While holding down the note repeat play with the kick drum of your choice. let it repeat switch tracks and feel it in at your pleasure. Next hit the edit menu on the main screen, followed by the bars menu and on the left change the bottom number to 2 and on the right to 2as well and as for the bottom right number for 4bars enter 1, for 8 bars enter 4. Have fun experiment with this technique and you'll come up with some nice complex sounding drum patterns.

The last beat I made (2 weeks ago) was 118.3 and was hot as hell. I got one friend that everytime he hears a new beat on my MPC he will look at the tempo to see what I have it set at and he is always amazed. I don't stick to the normal 80-96 range that some stick to. But when you hear what it sounds like you understand I had to do it that way to get it to sound like that and it was all part of the vision. That will probably be the first beat I post on soundclick when I get my account going. I'm having probs with that.

mine range from 130 t0 220. although I have made a few at 86 & 90.

elmacaco wrote:mine range from 130 t0 220. although I have made a few at 86 & 90.

130-120? WTF??

130 up!

buttonpusha wrote:

elmacaco wrote:mine range from 130 t0 220. although I have made a few at 86 & 90.

130-120? WTF??

Hot beats can come in at ANY tempo it ust depends on the programmers skills. I make hardcore hiphop, something like DRE meets DMX and my stuff has wild ranges in tempos from ie. 60-140bpm. But when you hear the beats they sound like maybe in the 80-96 range. Many say my drums are not normal but bang nonetheless.