Basic structure of Drum and Bass?

axeld93

New Member
Joined
Aug 19, 2009
I'm a bit noobish... Can anyone give me a basic beat structure for Drum and Bass? I've got a kick on 1/16 and 11/16, a snare on the 5/16 and 13/16, and a hi hat on every 16th. It sounds really sparse... don't know if thats because I haven't added the rest of the parts or whether I need another drum beat or whether I need more beats on my existing beats.

Also, how do a make a decent sub-bass and bass, using Sytrus or another tool on FL Studio? My attempts have failed and the existing Sytrus synths are shit.

Cheers,
axeld93
 
...or whether my samples of kick and snare and hihat are shitty... does anyone have some good files/ways to synthesize good beats?
 
I'm a bit noobish... Can anyone give me a basic beat structure for Drum and Bass? I've got a kick on 1/16 and 11/16, a snare on the 5/16 and 13/16, and a hi hat on every 16th. It sounds really sparse... don't know if thats because I haven't added the rest of the parts or whether I need another drum beat or whether I need more beats on my existing beats.

Also, how do a make a decent sub-bass and bass, using Sytrus or another tool on FL Studio? My attempts have failed and the existing Sytrus synths are shit.

Cheers,
axeld93


use the 3ocx thing an set the note really low
 
sounds good so far. try adding some more hihats and maybe some shuffles.

for subbass, try the 3xosc with a pitched down sine. gl!
 
Sorry, but what are shuffles?

I'm not sure but I think its ghost drum rolls and hits to make the drums sound fuller.

But I would like to know how to get these in fruity? Do you have to just cut breaks up and add them your self or does fruity have some built in?
 
I'm a bit noobish... Can anyone give me a basic beat structure for Drum and Bass? I've got a kick on 1/16 and 11/16, a snare on the 5/16 and 13/16, and a hi hat on every 16th. It sounds really sparse... don't know if thats because I haven't added the rest of the parts or whether I need another drum beat or whether I need more beats on my existing beats.

Also, how do a make a decent sub-bass and bass, using Sytrus or another tool on FL Studio? My attempts have failed and the existing Sytrus synths are shit.

Cheers,
axeld93


Alex, that is a good start.

Typically the dnb beat is 1-5-11-13.

The real art is in between those hits, how you spice it up.

having just 1-5-11-13 sounding good is hard, each hit has to be energetic and loud and sound GOOD. for example, listen to Ed rush and optical - Alien Girl

They use pretty must the 1-5-11-13 beat 90% of the time in that song with nothing much else on percussion. But it sounds badass because Ed rush and O emphasized those hits well.

Now take a hear at Bachelors of Science - Song for Lovers, that song is fancy with lots of intermediate hits.

Those intermediate hits occur between the 1-5-11-13, see what I mean? And the hits are also slightly over or underpitched to get that up-down-up-down energy.

It's hard at first but you gotta practice.
 
And what is the purpose of subbass? I can't really hear it that well on FL.


From what I've picked up, subbass is a more prominent than an average bassline, and is a totally different part of the tune.

Like in Dubstep when the main melody stops and you get a different part consisting totally of bass as the main feature.

Hard to explain, not like I've explained it well. :confused:
 
Subass is what you feel in your heart... on a decent soundsystem. Get a spectroanalyzer to make sure you're doing it right. In FL just try using Fruity Parametric EQ2. Look for notes on 3xOsc that causes the 30-90hz range go mental.

And for the love of god, don't you dare think about leaving out the subass in Drum and Bass ;P
 
Subass is what you feel in your heart... on a decent soundsystem. Get a spectroanalyzer to make sure you're doing it right. In FL just try using Fruity Parametric EQ2. Look for notes on 3xOsc that causes the 30-90hz range go mental.

And for the love of god, don't you dare think about leaving out the subass in Drum and Bass ;P

I shed a tear when I read this...
 
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