Layering and Processing Drum Samples

So far I’ve researched production techniques that I want to try and implement more often, one which I can practice on my own and another that requires getting musicians and artists into the studio so I’m going to go back into the box and research some more tips and tricks that will help me get better and have more confidence in my productions. This time I’ll be focusing on layering and processing drum samples.

There are countless possibilities when creating a drum pattern and because of this, it can become a daunting task. Things that I’ve picked up from other artists and producers that I look up to is that there are no right or wrong ways to creating a drum pattern but there are some things to keep in mind when layering drum samples. I came across another Pro Audio Files article on layering drum samples which are quite interesting because obviously, you can give tips and tricks and how to layer drums but you can’t be taught how to make a good sounding drum loop or pattern because there really is no rule. If you’re a drummer and have that musical knowledge that obviously your drum loops are going to sound more rhythmically pleasing and or complex as opposed to someone who doesn’t play the drums. So I’m going to try to and give some advice on how to create a good hip-hop drum loop and how I would go about it.

What I find is the best thing to do when creating a drum pattern is to have a good foundation before creating the drums, this is a technique that Noah ’40’ Shebib uses where he will initially play some keys around a click drake then let those keys or synth drive where the drums should go. Another thing that 40 explains that simplicity with authenticity at the same time is difficult so to make something simple but good is what he says is extremely difficult which I strongly agree with.

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Some the best pieces of music that I’ve heard have such simple yet powerful drum patterns and processing gone into making the track, for example, Wet Dreamz and Power Trip by J. Cole, just to name some. Here's a beat breakdown of Wet Dreamz, Remade by Sandurz.

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Here's how J. Cole made Power Trip, Still one of my favourite tracks to this day.

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So the main thing to take away from this is that sometimes just go with what you think works and obviously don’t overdo it just because you think there aren’t enough layers or sounds. Don’t try to force something that just doesn’t work. Obviously is easier for well-known artists to create drums around samples but what I like to do and have noticed artist like Timbaland do is create what sounds like a sample but is just a loop with some processing to make it sound like it’s been taken from somewhere else, for example, the intro of The Woods by Juicy J Ft. Justine Timberlake sounds like a sample.

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If you’re looking for inspiration, check out Timbaland’s productions, what’s interesting that I found is that he actually layers his own vocals which sound like drum elements, like beatboxing, layered with drum samples. What I noticed in The Woods, Timbaland processed and layered his vocals with an 808 kick to make it sound as if he’s making the 808’s with his voice. Here’s another example of Timbaland beatboxing and layering his sounds with drums.

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Going to back to layering drum samples, Matthew Weiss discusses in his article things that you need to keep in mind when layering say multiple kicks or snares to make is sound cohesive and not just two obviously different kick or snare sounds. Weiss examples that if you have a sample that works but lacks punch, for example, you can layer it with a punchier kick, preferably one that blends well with the original sample that you like. However sometimes you’ll have to adjust the pitch of the sample and what you’ll notice is that if you pitch it down, you’ll lose some of that punch and result in a softer attack or if you pitch it up.

you’ll get a harsher attack and more of a spike than a punch. Another thing Weiss mentions is the decay of the samples, if they are longer or shorter and don’t blend well then you’ll have to adjust the envelope of that sampled drum and see what fits well.

Next, Weiss talks about tone balancing between the sampled drums, if your original drum has a nice punch in the mid-range or some really really nice sub-bass and you want to have a wider bandwidth of frequency content then us an EQ to glue the two kicks together by either low passing the nice low frequency kick while high passing the other clicky kick.

Also, you can do crazy experiments with the sample, like what Weiss likes to do which is bit-crush, add a phaser or some other effects and crazy EQ then layer that experimental sample or kick with another normal or familiar kick to that genre and layering it together to create something new. A great example of this is in Snoop Dogg and Wiz Khalifa’s track, Kush Ups, where an 808 style sub-bass heavy kick is layered with a more mid-rangy kick which literally sounds like the kick is barking, in my opinion.

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Lastly, which is one of the most important factors to keep in mind when layering drum samples is the phase and often something I forget to check when mixing. Weiss discusses using a plugin like InPhase by Waves which is a $179 plugin that obviously has some nice fancy features to it but If you’re just starting out like myself, it’s easier to just put on a simple stock plugin like an EQ on Pro Tools that allows you to flip it out of phase and see if the kick sounds fatter or thinner. What you can also do is delay one sample by half a millisecond and see if that helps get rid of phasing. In the end, there will always be more tips and articles out there to help better your productions, you just have to continue practising and doing your research and learning from the best.

Resources:

Matthew weiss. (2014). The Pro Audio Files. Retrieved, from https://theproaudiofiles.com/layering-drums/

Wavescom. (2017). Wavescom. Retrieved, from http://www.waves.com/plugins/inphase

Break Down - J.Cole explains "Power Trip" production, Youtubecom. (2017). YouTube. Retrieved, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hjxdny59Coc

Noah '40' Shebib on producing Drake, Youtubecom. (2017). YouTube. Retrieved, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cl23qnQQ3J0

Beat Breakdown - Wet Dreamz by J. Cole (prod. J. Cole), Youtubecom. (2017). YouTube. Retrieved, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_JwwQKZL-Fs

Juicy J - The Woods (Ft. Justin Timberlake), Youtubecom. (2017). YouTube. Retrieved, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hjbe9fTSEBg

Snoop Dogg feat. Wiz Khalifa - Kush Ups [Official Music Video], Youtubecom. (2017). YouTube. Retrieved, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6IS6g3_pp1I

Snoop Dogg - Snoop Dogg (What's My Name Pt.2) (Official Music Video), Youtubecom. (2017). YouTube. Retrieved, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=75_Buezzrbk