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drum machines for dummies


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hm so i'm learning how to use logic and such. but making techno beats is kinda confusing (considering i have never really made them before).

 

how do you guys start songs? so far i'm learning that a bass synth is what makes the trancy background beats that i like in my techno/trance songs. but what about drum lines? what instruments do they usually use?

 

i know there's lots of "claps" and i have found some that i really like. but what other instruments do you guys recommend trying out and such? and what instruments do you edit to make techno/trancy?

 

right now i'm on garageband but i'm hopefully gonna be using ultrabeat in logic express 8 soon :)

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You're probably best off starting with a very simple basic pattern and then piddling around with it.

Kick (bass drum) on 1,2,3 and 4 (I can't believe I'm saying that! :wink: ) snare or handclap on 2 and 4 and either 8s or 16s (or a combination) on the hi-hats.

 

Kicks are usually on or around C1,Snare on D or E above,and hi-hats on F# (open hat on A#)in GM standard mappings.

Once you've got that going you can play with the swing quantize,shift things around,add and remove,change pitch (which part of the kit) and indeed change kit.

Keep reviewing and you'll get the hang of a simple groove before you know it.

Fills:

Now that's another story...

Hope this helps.

Have fun.

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  • 10 months later...

Ultrabeat is cool for techno.... i use it loads.

 

Use the swing dial techno is heavily swung. Also check out the step edit section, once activated the GUI lights up yellow... you can now automate the steps in your pattern.. increase the pitch muck about the the filter endless possibilities for weird effects. Also check out the noise oscillator... ultrabeat is three oscillators all going into a filter if you turn the top and bottom ones off so you are just left with noise if you play about with envelope 4 which is the main volume envelope you can get some nice noise sweeps if you set a long decay.... or hi hats with a short decay ...or even a clap if you add an LFO.!!!!! many many possibilities with it. Techno also uses lots of reverb i find the platinum works best for single hits, use something like a clave... (you can make a clave in ultrabeat if you use the model section on oscilator 2)

 

So techno percussion use ultrabeat.... Reverb.... lots of swing and noise

 

Big up

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