Dubstepforum.com

So I've been using downloaded samples for my drums/percussion, but I don't like using 3rd party samples in my music and most of the ones I've been able to find don't sound very good. I would like to make my own kicks, snares and hats.

How is this done in dubstep? Most of the synthesized drums know of, like the 808, sound very weak compared to dubstep drums. I want drums that are very fat, punchy, loud and harmonically rich. I can imagine that one would have to layer about 5 or 6 of those 808 kicks together and then apply extreme compression to get anywhere near that awesome dubstep sound. Is there some advanced drum synth out there that can generate sounds like the kicks and snares you hear in modern dubstep, right out of the synth with no external layering, processing or sampling?

well you have to break up the kick into different parts then combine them. for a kick its bassically 2 halfs. a sine wave with a nice attack. and a sine wave with a nice decay and some reverb. Getting synthesized drums to sound fat is going to be a pain. trust me theres good samples out there. just layer up samples and process them and you will have fat kicks in no time

I get most all my drum samples from here, they're free and actually very good quality. The electro pack has a few really nice snares, though all the packs have something nice to offer.

http://www.boyinaband.com/resources/sample-packs/

Yeah, I have the dubstep and DnB packs from him. They're pretty good, but I just don't like relying on 3rd party samples.

understandable. Open up the synth you use and scroll through the presets, there will probably be some drum and perc sounds. Load one up and start reverse engineering it, now you can make you're own and not have to learn a new synth.


for processing them, I usually split it to a bottom thump and a more punchy high-end one for systems with a little less bass in em. EQ plays a big part in it and proper compression, I'm still not totally fluent in treating drums so I generally end up tweaking the settings for an hour or so. A nice sidechain to give it room to breathe will also go a long way in giving it that big effect

TR-909

S1NTH3TIC wrote:understandable. Open up the synth you use and scroll through the presets, there will probably be some drum and perc sounds. Load one up and start reverse engineering it, now you can make you're own and not have to learn a new synth.


for processing them, I usually split it to a bottom thump and a more punchy high-end one for systems with a little less bass in em. EQ plays a big part in it and proper compression, I'm still not totally fluent in treating drums so I generally end up tweaking the settings for an hour or so. A nice sidechain to give it room to breathe will also go a long way in giving it that big effect

I don't have much luck with compression. If I go for the brickwall type with something like -20 threshold and a 5:1 ratio it actually makes them sound quieter and less punchy. If I go for something more subtle like -10 threshold and 2:1 ratio I can't hear any difference in the sound.

Jacob15728 wrote:the 808, sound very weak compared to dubstep drums. I want drums that are very fat, punchy, loud and harmonically rich. I can imagine that one would have to layer about 5 or 6 of those 808 kicks together and then apply extreme compression to get anywhere near that awesome dubstep sound.

jacob dubstep, it isnt for you.
if you think an 808 has no punch or isn't loud stop listening off your laptop speakers.

oprs wrote:

Jacob15728 wrote:the 808, sound very weak compared to dubstep drums. I want drums that are very fat, punchy, loud and harmonically rich. I can imagine that one would have to layer about 5 or 6 of those 808 kicks together and then apply extreme compression to get anywhere near that awesome dubstep sound.

jacob dubstep, it isnt for you.
if you think an 808 has no punch or isn't loud stop listening off your laptop speakers.

Jacobs post me lol also. let me know how that extreme compression on those layered 808 kick drums sound.

jacob it sounds like you just need more sample packs. you can create your own drums from using sample packs. pitching, layering, eqing sounds from a sample pack to make them your own. If you want to make your own drums, theres drummax in FL that enables you to do that, or you can use any synthesizer with knowledge about using envelopes to create drums.

Yeah, 808 kicks are bassy. They're not harmonically rich.

How about this one: http://www.robpapen.com/punch.html

It has dubstep presets too.

you'd be amazed at how much you can change the way a sample sounds with a little bit of EQing. and then when you layer them with others that you've changed, you really are making your own.

MDMK wrote:How about this one: http://www.robpapen.com/punch.html

It has dubstep presets too.

I would advise anyone new to production NOT to touch any synths with "dubstep Presets"

kong in reason 5

Jacob15728 wrote:I would like to make my own kicks, snares and hats.

http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/allsynthsecrets.htm
About the middle of the page is were the synthing drums start, get reading
(might want to read it all from part 1)

Jacob15728 wrote: How is this done in dubstep?

Most people just use the same commercial sample packs i.e. Vengeance.

Jacob15728 wrote: I can imagine that one would have to layer about 5 or 6 of those 808 kicks together and then apply extreme compression to get anywhere near that awesome dubstep sound.

I don't think many people are doing that, but it's worth experimenting with.

Jacob15728 wrote:Is there some advanced drum synth out there that can generate sounds like the kicks and snares you hear in modern dubstep, right out of the synth with no external layering, processing or sampling?

There are some good drum synths out there, but you don't really need one to make drums. Any synth worth it's salt can make drums, I synth most of my drums with Absynth, and Massive, because they are way more flexible then any drum synth. If you want to make your own drum sounds it isn't the quick way, it's going to take lots of time, but you will get benefits. If you just want the sound thats the hype thing, then just get a decent sample pack aimed at that sound.

Peace.

why wouldn't you want to "rely on" (as in USE) "3rd party" samples??

samples are diverse and fruitful. and often free. also, sample records of your own if you like. Synthing drums is cool and all, but better for electro house acidy shit etc...
if you want punch nick something with some punch. no one cares where you got it or what you "rely on"

lyons238 wrote:kong in reason 5

+1