Skip to main content

Hey RO'ers, I have a dilemma that I need help with. I am trying to teach myself how to program my own drum tracks using Reason's Redrum. I was wondering if anyone wouldn't mind explaining to me the whole "steps" and "resolution" concept. My problem is that I really don't "think like a drummer" so I'm having a hard time with programming my drums. Does anyone have any suggestions that would help me to understand drum programming better. I can make a basic dnb track but I would like to take it to the next level. Any suggestions, advice, or comments would be greatly appreciated. Does anyone happen to know of any good websites that have basic dnb tutorials using a drum machine such as Redrum? Thanks again and have a good new year.

BigTrey

Topic Tags

Comments

MadTiger3000 Tue, 12/26/2006 - 15:22

BigTrey wrote: Hey RO'ers, I have a dilemma that I need help with. I am trying to teach myself how to program my own drum tracks using Reason's Redrum. I was wondering if anyone wouldn't mind explaining to me the whole "steps" and "resolution" concept. My problem is that I really don't "think like a drummer" so I'm having a hard time with programming my drums. Does anyone have any suggestions that would help me to understand drum programming better. I can make a basic dnb track but I would like to take it to the next level. Any suggestions, advice, or comments would be greatly appreciated. Does anyone happen to know of any good websites that have basic dnb tutorials using a drum machine such as Redrum? Thanks again and have a good new year.

BigTrey

I don't use Reason, but I think the easiest way to learn this is to take MIDIs of some nice drum patterns, and import them into the program. Then look at the grid. It will be very apparent what is going on, and what you need to do. Then you can change them, and hear how it changes the pattern. Then, you are better able to make your own patterns.

anonymous Fri, 12/29/2006 - 21:53

BigTrey,
Of course you don't think like a drummer and unless you have devoted your life to drumming as I am sure you have at your instrument, you won't be happy with that part of your music. This is in essence why the whole "band" concept is largely underrated. Do you need to have a band to get good drumming (not necessarily). You just need access to a band. In the real recording world, a single artist has access to numerous studio musicians when recording. It is no wonder then, why their recordings are top notch.

Ever Consider getting a real drummer to do the tracks for your song? I do real drum tracks. I have a drum studio. I require a simple track with a click tempo that I can import and use as a basic track to build the drums upon. I can usually lay a track and in some cases have it back to an artist in less than an hour (fully mixed) if I attach it as an e-mail file. I am working with numerous other artists at this time. One project I did was for a guy in the Netherlands. HE USE TO PROGRAM TOO! ha ha.
Open Invitation To You My Friend
Tommy Bozung.

bozungandmoore@yahoo.com

ebbnglo Fri, 06/29/2007 - 14:58

Here's an old link from sound on sound article. the sites CSS makes the page look pretty bad, you'll need to scroll down a bit to actually get to the article (you'll see what I mean). Also there is a pdf you can download located in the nav bar towards the upper left hand side of the page. It contains basic programmed beats of various genres in a grid format, it may be useful to you. Definately worth a look since it approaches programming from a "not a drummer" perspective.

http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/mar98/articles/rythm.html

As stated in the article, try transcribing drum tracks one drum at a time. It'll help you correlate what you're hearing to what you need to program visually.

Hope its useful.