Off beat drums? Dilla Lotus style.

This is a strange question. I love the offbeat grooves some of these producers make. My problem is that I have been playing drums to a metronome for 10 years... so even with quantization off I still land on beat. LOL. I have tried to get this off beat type groove because I love the awkwardness it creates, but it usually just ends up being a normal groove (which I am okay with because that is very much my style). I like knowing how these producers do things though for my own edification and knowledge base about production.

Any suggestions.
The only thing I can think of is to add space at the beginning of my samples, because I will still play on beat but the drums will be off. That is the old school way. I have started doing this on the Roland SP 404 because there are no waveform views so you have to chop by ear which makes your chops off somewhat.

Anyone know how they make these grooves without playing them yourself?
I have bumped stuff before with the quantize fix, but even that bumps it 1/16, 1/32 note later which is still on beat.

Shift the recorded notes?

_Stilo_ wrote:Shift the recorded notes?

I already tried that as stated above. Not to mention if you shift all the recorded notes it still just shifts them.... but they are still the same distance apart so the groove is still mechanical and intact.

I guess I will just play them and maybe add space in front of just the hi hats or something.
I just didn't know if someone had some insight to this.

I heard Black Milk say that the offbeat drum style from Detroit developed because people just don't have great rhythm and they didn't use quantize on the hi hats. Or something like that. But my rhythm isn't that bad. LOL. I tried and I just can't make myself play offbeat like that.

Fung45 wrote:SWING

BAHAHA. Swing is still technically on beat. It is intervals that are pushed behind the beat creating a new rhythm.
There is a difference between off beat and swing.

Not to mention swing only effects sixteenth notes for the most part.

U R Trippin

Get drunk

Use fingers you normally don't use - like your left ring finger or something


Shifting notes won't affect them all if it's on an MPC in step edit. Just one

DukeNewport wrote:U R Trippin

How am I tripping? Because I have questions that aren't adequately answered. I am sorry I want to be better at my craft and can't find some of the answers I need.

ssnedden wrote:Get drunk

Use fingers you normally don't use - like your left ring finger or something


Shifting notes won't affect them all if it's on an MPC in step edit. Just one

This is going to sound ridiculous, but when I lay down drum tracks I use 8-10 fingers.
I can play all the drum tracks in one take usually (and love doing it because its challenging), and can sometimes even play the sample tracks at the same time as the drum beat and just knock it all out.

However getting drunk would probably solve all of that.
But then I would have a drinking problem because I make beats all the time. LOL

Best advice yet though.

objektivone wrote:But then I would have a drinking problem because I make beats all the time.

That would pretty much be me

ReckOne wrote:

objektivone wrote:But then I would have a drinking problem because I make beats all the time.

That would pretty much be me

Mad respect then because alcohol is expensive as hell.
HAHAHA. I like your style son.

evrything adds to the feeling but how you lay your hihats and percs n stuff makes a big difference, quantize off and get 'the awkwardness'

ShakyCrates wrote:evrything adds to the feeling but how you lay your hihats and percs n stuff makes a big difference, quantize off and get 'the awkwardness'

That is what I was wondering. Thank you. I had a suspicion of this and had tried it a couple times, but it wasn't awkward enough for me. I suppose I might have to just mix some of these suggestions and try alcohol without quantize....

The only reason I started this thread though is because I didn't know if there was some technique to this besides just being off beat or playing without quantize. I know there is like 10 ways to do one thing on an MPC a lot......

objektivone wrote:

DukeNewport wrote:U R Trippin

How am I tripping? Because...

Because, fam

U just decided that Dilla = offbeat - baseless. and dat comment bout no rythm? c'mon

Lay down your drums with the quantize off.
Use step edit, as previously mentioned.
Shift each drum hit a bit, season to taste.
Your done.