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It's quite a broad subject, but I want to know how the drums on songs like teardrop by massive attack and buiscuit by portis head are made to sound the way they do. I know there's a lot of white noise included but how specifically do they go about it?

If anyone knows of any sample packs which includr similar drum hits then that'd be great!


Thanks

Some filtering might help. Portishead use considerable compression.

Samples

A lot of softer live drum samples. High end percussion (shakers, hihats) with open transients and soft eq'ing. I think a lot of the skill lies in the eq'ing of it all, making the mixdowns deep enough and just a little muddy so it all feels warm and cocoon like.
Portishead used a fair chunk of geoff barrows drums I think, as well as old funk breaks being reworked.

I think also using more foley sample driven stuff, the aim being to make the music feel more organic and natural. Rimshots and hand clicks always help!

samples of folks playing quietly (esp. drums), compressed to all hell for impact and volume.

Sharmaji wrote:samples of folks playing quietly (esp. drums), compressed to all hell for impact and volume.

This.

Its how I did this :

https://soundcloud.com/fatkidonfire/leg ... lightly-ft

legend4ry wrote:

Sharmaji wrote:samples of folks playing quietly (esp. drums), compressed to all hell for impact and volume.

This.

Its how I did this :

https://soundcloud.com/fatkidonfire/leg ... lightly-ft

Can something like that be done with EZdrummer?

JamesHanvey wrote:

legend4ry wrote:

Sharmaji wrote:samples of folks playing quietly (esp. drums), compressed to all hell for impact and volume.

This.

Its how I did this :

https://soundcloud.com/fatkidonfire/leg ... lightly-ft

Can something like that be done with EZdrummer?

I haven't used EZdrummer for absolutely ages but...

Load up a soft/tight kit.

Play your drums with a low velocity and compress it to shit within the mixer inside ezdrummer.

Once you've got it sounding nice and rounded, add some layers for character, maybe push the cymbols to their own mixer slot (externally) and bring down the high end a bit, use a SSL compressor to glue it together ('the glue' is great for this).

I'd ease up on reverb and keep as just overheads.

Something along these lines should give you a similar sound.

I got this : https://soundcloud.com/legend4ry/love-isnt-blind from using ^ that technique but using Native Instruments' Drum Lab.

Its also funny that you mentioned Biscuit, I've been trying to recreate it for years.

My absolute favourite Portishead track.

Who are also my favourite band.

https://www.gearslutz.com/board/rap-hip ... +hop+drums

Paul Godfrey from Morcheeba talks shop on gearslutz!

fragments wrote:https://www.gearslutz.com/board/rap-hip ... +hop+drums

Paul Godfrey from Morcheeba talks shop on gearslutz!

This is sick!

Okay cheers, really helpful advice I'll definatley have a go. The drums in your tracks are exactly the kind of style I was looking for.

And indeed, buiscuit is a masterpiece!

legend4ry wrote:

fragments wrote:https://www.gearslutz.com/board/rap-hip ... +hop+drums

Paul Godfrey from Morcheeba talks shop on gearslutz!

This is sick!

I'm not sure I've got all the way through it ever, but started it many times. Well worth the read whatever kind of music you make.

Also get on the paralel comp or saturation. Also bounce out ur drum track as audio when ur happy with it and edit it like that cos I feel that's how the beats would have been done (except on a sampler)

I thought that both Massive Attack and Portishead used pitched down vinyl samples?

I also found it interesting that Morcheeba sampled other electronic music vinyls of the time and how Godfrey would use vinyl and the turn table to record synth hits and such in different ways.

Reading through that article makes me feel like working totally in a DAW is some kind of paint by numbers exercise even when I know better.

Ahh sound I just meant it would have been a sampled break or s.t.

Some jazz/funk drum samples (or cut out from breaks), lot's of reverb. Low olume.

I found turning the highshelf down helped, especially on the kick.

Yea to get that muffled thump! Everything should be covered up a little in the highs imo

I've put together an effect rack after reading up and watching a few videos (i apply this after i've compressed and saturated etc. the loop) Here's an image of it:



I've got this set up on drums, but it works with anything, just mess around with the hp and lp till it sounds right(I've added a bit of a sub kick underneath the drums to fill in the missing bottom end). Basically the filter delay is a spring reverb emulator (alothough i dont think its 100% set up right on the print screen), and the last delay is a tape delay so i have a nice speed up speed down effect.




This is also quite a nice thing to have on the master if the songs going to be sounding "vintage": although im not mixing on monitors atm so i could be wrong



this set up might not be the best if anyone sees anything wrong then let us know please!