Bump in the trunk

Okay, need a little help. I've had my MPC for a few months, and I've figured out alot of stuff on my own. But, there's some stuff I haven't figured out with, so I need some feedback. Right now, my drum kicks are sounding dull and boring, and I wanna put some drop in them so they will actually bump instead of knock when I'm playing it in my stereo. Do I need different drum samples, or is there some eq's I need to twerk with? Somebody let me know...peace.

i basically have the same problem cuz i am limited to my equipment. so what i do and just started doing was copying my drums and layering them. and if that doesnt work, the drums that i copy i try doing things like filter them or i use decay. hope it helps a little bit. i just got my mpc to a little while ago so i can't help you that much but layering can fatten the beat up. peace

Its a couple of things.

1. Your samples, make sure the attack and decay settings are right for your sequence.

2. The 2000XL doesnt put out the greatest sounding kicks even with good samples, some nice compression will help either in the rack or a plug in, like Waves R Comp.

3. Buy a MPC 60 or 3000.

=)

word, the 2000 lacks a bit of bass.

If you create a hot beat it will still sound dope even if you use flat drums. Maybe its just me but I tend to avoid all that extra stuff.your main objective is to make a hot beat, then and then only do you layer and add effects. Just imagine always having to do that extra shyt, it takes the fun away from making music. My advice to you is to buy some professional kits with all that extra stuff already dun. The tutor seems to have some good shyt. You should consider getting some 808 and sp1200 drum kits, those are the best of the best industry standard sounds. The 808 drums and snares are incredible, and the sp1200 got some dope drums and grimy snares (a-la pete rock, primo, and 9th wonder). I cant imagine making a beat without the 808's.

i layer drums and shit and it doesn't take any fun out of it for me. dont get me wrong, once i get some money im gonna get me a mpc60 to add to my arsenal. but i think doing shit like layering and finding the right drum sounds is just as fun and does make a difference in the beat. Also i wanna get the most out of my mpc as possible. and if that means using everything it has to offer, so be it. peace

when my mixer is up i always have my kicks going through its own output- into eq and compression, ditto on snare....means you can really go to work on getting that cool sound...

i recently picked up a BBE 401 unimax- its a mono sonic maximixer (£40), this thing i use to add a bass element back into a kick or bass line...does something i dont quite understand with delaying and phase but rest assured gives that nice oomphy bass rather than the more toppy, audibe kind...

secret weapon stuff- howlett used to use something similar and he has fat bass drums...that or an spl vitalizer stereo jack....

there are software versions (if your that way inclined) the waves maxx bass does something similar- and definilty bangs!

greg

What is the difference between bumpin and knockin?
They both mean the same thing to me.

I process (meaning eq and whatever else the XL can't do) in Sound Forge.
So when I load up my samples in the XL they already have warm hard bass and knock?, bump?, pretty dam hard.

A batch converter like the one in CEP helps with processing many wav's all at once that need common processing.

Maybe try something like that.

layering works for me too
you will have to experiment to get the right sounds but that's with anything

The problem you're having is the samples. If you get a sample that wasn't properly eq'd with bass then you're not going to get alot of bass unless you assign that pad to one of your 8 outs and send it through a mixer with a 3-5 band eq and to your recording source. You just want to remember to sample a great sounding sample. I use instrument samples that are already tweaked and that's 80% of the good sounding sample battle. [For God has not not given you the spirit of fear, but power love and a sound mind..2Timothy 1: 6&7][/quote]

Yeah, if you sample junk then you get back junk. I tweak before my samples in Sound Forge before they ever touch my MPC and they sound phat like a dinosaur stompin on concrete. Most of my friends don't tweak stuff as hard as me but I help when I can you know.

some compression and eq should get that weak bass booming. Layering may help , but can also add more of the frequencies that affect that booming sound. For example , if you eq down at like 200 hz you can hear more if the boom Boom BOOM. Maxbass and BBE use harmonics to add bass to your sound. But it helps if you start with a good sample. peace

In sound forge I also go to tools, synthesis, drop down menu to 5khz sinewave (5seconds) then OK.. I use that as a start point when making my own bass.

elmacaco wrote:word, the 2000 lacks a bit of bass.

your trippin homeboy....look, take your drums and layer them up. Copy your drums over and use the Simultaneous feature. **** around with your parameters. Youll be surprised at what you can make the 2000 do.

you dont need a computer or any of that shit. Just make sure your samples are clear and use your parameters on the MPC and freak them. Thats what they are there for.