drums or sample first?

I have had my mpc2kxl for 4 months now and I still am not really really happy with anything i have created. I usually start with a sample or compose with the midi controller AND THEN lay the drums over it. I was watching a couple videos and noticed just blaze and a couple others laying down drums first....what do most of you do? also, i noticed some people use drum samples of like 2-3 seconds like a series of drum hits (breakbeats) instead of a single snare hit or kick, do a lot of you do drums like that?

sicilianoNYC wrote:I have had my mpc2kxl for 4 months now and I still am not really really happy with anything i have created. I usually start with a sample or compose with the midi controller AND THEN lay the drums over it. I was watching a couple videos and noticed just blaze and a couple others laying down drums first....what do most of you do? also, i noticed some people use drum samples of like 2-3 seconds like a series of drum hits (breakbeats) instead of a single snare hit or kick, do a lot of you do drums like that?

Depends, I tend to find a sample I like then create the drums round it therefore I can make a pattern round the sample. Though you could do a basic beat track then drop a sample on top then alter the beat to fit the sample. I sometime do both... Normally if its a loop I'll make a beat to it and if its single note samples I make a beat first..
I tend to just use single hits for drums but you can cut a loop with say a roll at the end of it and then layer thar for example so it lines up with the snare that way you don't have to program rolls and can get the swing of a live drum loop..

Hope this helps.

Peace

sicilianoNYC wrote:I have had my mpc2kxl for 4 months now and I still am not really really happy with anything i have created. I usually start with a sample or compose with the midi controller AND THEN lay the drums over it. I was watching a couple videos and noticed just blaze and a couple others laying down drums first....what do most of you do? also, i noticed some people use drum samples of like 2-3 seconds like a series of drum hits (breakbeats) instead of a single snare hit or kick, do a lot of you do drums like that?

Yeah I know how you feel. Whenever I start with samples i'm rarely satisfied with the drums I put over it. I later realized that I had more success when I started with the drums. I think if you can get the drum groove down it's much easier to fit the sample. I believe the drums should be the backbone of your beats.

Make a geneatic drum pattern just to get a flow then lay the sample over it. once thats done i go back and reprogram the drums.....

yeah thats what I do snares on 2 and 4 and kicks on 1 and 3 then i go back once you have finished the melody and bass and all that to do up the drums differently. Then I go back and maybe change up other things if the drums lead me in a different direction.

it depends,

if i'm using a loop i'll get that right first and then add drums on top.

if i'm going more of a collage route i'll do drums first and build from there by layering on top.

both work for me it's just how i feel like working in the moment.

Both ways work. Beats first, sample first, drumloops, single hits... A basic beat first, then the samples, then the real beat is also a good way.

Just don't expect to make absolute hotness 4 months after buying an MPC... I know some people do, I don't think I did myself. You're learning. Hopefully, you'll still be learning in 10 years time - otherwise it wouldn't be much fun, would it?

yeah classic thats exactly what i do

I also do that... I have the same drum pattern every single time I start my beat and then change it after I've got the main sample or composition laid down

jonathan morris wrote:it depends,

if i'm using a loop i'll get that right first and then add drums on top.

if i'm going more of a collage route i'll do drums first and build from there by layering on top.

both work for me it's just how i feel like working in the moment.

Works fine for me. In the words of 2nd II None, "let the rthym take you"!

I always make the drums first.

I can't really find the loop I want programming the chops to a click

Playing along to the drums I can discover ways to play the chops that I didnt think of without it.

HA HA HA HA HA!!!!!!

Nice TRUFO.

for me its the opposite of making different patterns with chopped up samples
i think of different things without drums and with the clicks
i guess
so i usually always lay samples chopped or looped first
sometimes ill throw a snare in first depends
i use to do the opposite
peace

sicilianoNYC wrote:I have had my mpc2kxl for 4 months now and I still am not really really happy with anything i have created. I usually start with a sample or compose with the midi controller AND THEN lay the drums over it. I was watching a couple videos and noticed just blaze and a couple others laying down drums first....what do most of you do? also, i noticed some people use drum samples of like 2-3 seconds like a series of drum hits (breakbeats) instead of a single snare hit or kick, do a lot of you do drums like that?

Give it some time. I use a variety of ways, so I don't get tired of the same thing over again.

What works best for me is I'll chop my samples how I want 'em first... before I even sequence the samples I'll lay down a hi hat for 4 to 8 bars. Use the hi hat to sync up the samples however I see fit, then I let the result of that dictate how simple or complicated the drum pattern is gonna be.