Old School style of producing vs modern techniques

Joined
Mar 19, 2017
Location
Casselberry, FL
So ive been going though threads on this forum and one thing that I notice not only from here but from most drum and bass artist is that producers seem to use really old breaks. I personally dont sample breaks because thats just the way i have been doing it since i learned how to produce drum and bass like three years ago. I have watched a lot of master classes that are posted in the masterclass thread and most of them use choped up break.

Do you think this is a must or is it really on the "do what best works for you" area?

Do you sample old breaks and chop them up or do you write you own breaks? Why?

Im personally not a jungler but I do respect the style and jam to it on the clubs. Do you think this is a thing of old producers thing or do you think its something that "HAS TO BE DONE"?

Lets talk folks!!!

Cheers!!
(sorry for my grammar, English is not my main language)
 
I think you can get amazing results using drum VSTs like Superior Drummer, but personally I love finding old breaks. There is something about the sound and the groove that does it for me. Mainly the groove. Each to their own though.
 
I think you can get amazing results using drum VSTs like Superior Drummer, but personally I love finding old breaks. There is something about the sound and the groove that does it for me. Mainly the groove. Each to their own though.

Oh ok I see where you're coming from. I do use reaktor and battery for drums. I think I just haven't had that "AJA!" moment with old breaks but I will indeed look around to see what I find.
 
I think you can get amazing results using drum VSTs like Superior Drummer, but personally I love finding old breaks. There is something about the sound and the groove that does it for me. Mainly the groove. Each to their own though.

I think it's about staying true to the Genre and knowing your roots.
you can get good results from both techniques and I think as a producer you shouldn't only use one technique you should try many.
another point is that in the 'Think Break' the shaker is possibly one of the best-recorded shakers I've ever heard it sits perfectly in the mix, they may be old breaks but they were masters of their craft.

Ben
 
It depends what you want from the song. I tend to either:
1. find a break I like and then layer some different kick and snare sounds over it.
2. Make a [Kick snare kicksnare] pattern first and get the sounds I want, and then add in a pitch-shifted break to fill in the gaps.

And whichever way it's all sent to an over-all drum bus for EQ-ing and gluing together.
 
It depends what you want from the song. I tend to either:
1. find a break I like and then layer some different kick and snare sounds over it.
2. Make a [Kick snare kicksnare] pattern first and get the sounds I want, and then add in a pitch-shifted break to fill in the gaps.

And whichever way it's all sent to an over-all drum bus for EQ-ing and gluing together.
This
 
...This is true. I forgot to ask what kind of stuff you are making? If its synth heavy with lots of stuff going frequency wise on then you probs want to start with a kick and snare that does the right job cutting through and sounding good. Then a hi-hat. Then maybe cymbals and subtle breaks. If you are making something open sounding like liquid dnb then its probs going to be more breaks led. And I agree with Morah on the Think break.I use it loads. Even just the tambourine break seems to sit so nice on everything. Other breaks I find sit well in most instances are:

Amen break (well duh)
Hotpants break (similar to the Think, great skip and tambourine, but beware the woolly kick)
Cold Sweat break (nice clean cymbals, subtle ghost snares)

Including the Think break(s) they are my big 4.
 
I have to say, that proper drum breaks layering moved my tracks faaar forward. I would say, there are styles like tech step and proper neurofunk, where it´s not necessary, but you have to program all the drums and percussion to be interesting and evolving...

But it´s still easier to chop break, clean it, make some variations, replace or layer snare and kick... and there you go
 
...This is true. I forgot to ask what kind of stuff you are making? If its synth heavy with lots of stuff going frequency wise on then you probs want to start with a kick and snare that does the right job cutting through and sounding good. Then a hi-hat. Then maybe cymbals and subtle breaks. If you are making something open sounding like liquid dnb then its probs going to be more breaks led. And I agree with Morah on the Think break.I use it loads. Even just the tambourine break seems to sit so nice on everything. Other breaks I find sit well in most instances are:

Amen break (well duh)
Hotpants break (similar to the Think, great skip and tambourine, but beware the woolly kick)
Cold Sweat break (nice clean cymbals, subtle ghost snares)

Including the Think break(s) they are my big 4.


Well i tend to do more synth heavy stuff so the vst drums help a lot a cut well through the mix. But ill start to experiment with old breaks when it comes to liquid stuff. I will look for those breaks too!
 
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