A quick vid on correctly pitching drums (My 1st tutorial attempt)

Mr Fletch

aka KRONIX
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Aug 6, 2009
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G'day fellow dnb heads. So I've finally managed to set up my little studio, got everything I need now, and figured I'd start making some tutorial video's. Obviously I'm new to the whole thing so it's not gonna be anything amazing. But I figured I'd start with a simple technique that alot of new producers overlook........Pitching of the drums!



If there's any other tips n tricks you'd like to see a video of, let me know and I'll make one (If I know how to do the tip in question lol)
 
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thanks man, does sound marginly better, wud prefer to hear it with a more put together track.... to really see the effect of it more but hey, thats me being greedy :p
 
Ah very nice tutorial! This is something I haven't really done much with, I've known about it for a while but never really seen the importance.

How important would you say it is for the majority of tracks?
Because usually when I'm playing with the pitch of drum samples in a sampler, they sound really crappy when I pitch them down to the right key for the rest of the track, so I usually just keep them on or around the original note because that's where it sounds best imo... :confused:
 
Haha, yeah I hear ya. I spose I could open a completed track of mine from the past, and shift the drums into C, then record that, so you can hear the difference on a whole track?

---------- Post added at 14:51 ---------- Previous post was at 14:49 ----------

Ah very nice tutorial! This is something I haven't really done much with, I've known about it for a while but never really seen the importance.

How important would you say it is for the majority of tracks?
Because usually when I'm playing with the pitch of drum samples in a sampler, they sound really crappy when I pitch them down to the right key for the rest of the track, so I usually just keep them on or around the original note because that's where it sounds best imo... :confused:

It's important for every single track IMO. If you are working in a low key, like G for example, try layering your drums up, so you pitch some UP to G, and some Down to G. That way, when played together you'll get the higher sounding snap, along with the lower octaved thud!
 
Good tut! Been trying this lately in my tracks, really does seem to make things fit together better!
 
It's important for every single track IMO. If you are working in a low key, like G for example, try layering your drums up, so you pitch some UP to G, and some Down to G. That way, when played together you'll get the higher sounding snap, along with the lower octaved thud!

Alright man I will have to try this.
How would you accurately check the pitch of the sample then? You say most are in C, but not everything is gonna be is it?
I've tried checking on Edison but sometimes it just doesn't bring anything up aha.
 
Alright man I will have to try this.
How would you accurately check the pitch of the sample then? You say most are in C, but not everything is gonna be is it?
I've tried checking on Edison but sometimes it just doesn't bring anything up aha.

try pithcing up the samples an octave or two, probably get more of a tuner friendly note then
 
Alright man I will have to try this.
How would you accurately check the pitch of the sample then? You say most are in C, but not everything is gonna be is it?
I've tried checking on Edison but sometimes it just doesn't bring anything up aha.

From my personal experience, almost all drum sample packs are in the root key of C. And if they arent, then the name of the sample would usually specify what key it is in.

thanks for the tut man i haven't been doing this.

does the same apply in regards to layered breaks?

Yep, if you are working in A# (Like in my vid) then once you have layered a break underneath it, you'd pitch that down 2 semitones too
 
Nice tut man..

---------- Post added at 15:49 ---------- Previous post was at 15:48 ----------

+1 on how do you find out the pitch of drums etc

Melodyne would be able to tell you which notes the drum hits are in :)
 
+1 on how do you find out the pitch of drums etc

Well like I've already stated, almost all drum sample packs are in C. And usually, of they're not, then the name of the sample will include the key! I use all vengeance packs, the Danny Byrd pack, and the nu-tone pack. All of which have their drum hits root note as C
 
My drums are a complete mess and there not labeled for shit. That melodyne plugin looks pretty nice tho going to have alook at it :). Nice tut aswell fletch!
 
Nice tutorial but personally I dont think all (or most) drum samples in sample packs are in C, when listening through drum samples you can clearly hear the different keys. And what ive noticed is that most drum sample packs often have the same groups of samples, just pitched to different keys to fill out the pack.

And remember that samplers (or at least Simpler in Ableton does) default everything to C note anyway.

Also, pitching drums say 3 or 4 (or more) semitones will drastically alter the sound. That nice snare you liked the sound of now sounds like shit because you pitched it so much to get it in the same key as the rest of your beat.

I think the only way to check the key of your samples is by running them through Melodyne first.
 
I agree with parts of your point. Like if you pitch too high or low then the sample will sound like shit. But as far as the sample root notes go, I've never come across a sample pack that has randomly pitched samples in it? That would be pointless surely? I know they all sound different but that comes down to the frequencies of the sample? For instance, a high snappy snare could sound like its on a different key to a low thumping snare? Purely because of frequencies.

I've been producing for around 3 years now, and never come across sample packs that are in various keys. That's not to say I'm right lol! Far from it! I could be completely wrong! It's all just from my experience so far.....
 
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