Hey guys, I used to make a lot of EDM focused music, but took about a year break from making any kind of music because I was stuck in a very specific kind of sound that was becoming boring and bland to me.

In the last year I've got into more trip-hop/downtempo/jazzy kind of stuff in my own listening, and in the last couple weeks have put together my DAW setup again to get back into the music making. I've played with elements to four or five songs mostly as practice, and I've made one song all the way to completion doing so.

I've been using sampled loops for the most part for the drums while playing around with stuff. I've used Studio Drummer by Native Instruments and it leaves a lot to be desired for me. Perhaps it's a great program and I just don't have the EQ/Effects skills to really make it pop, but something just sounds off when I use it that I can't get the same kind of feeling from a sample pulled from an old record off youtube or from a sample pack specifically made with that sound in mind (the sample packs are even harder to wade through than just sampling old records!)


Emancipator - Old Devil

Frenic - Deathless Audio

Hugo Kant - The Meeting

Short of recording my own drums on a set (don't have access to one/don't know how to play), what do you guys think is the best route? Whether it's using a drum library in Kontakt/OtherLibs or putting my own stuff together in a capable VST drum engine, what is the route some of you would take to get the same kinds of sounds consistently? Any effects/EQ'ing advice is appreciated too!

 

Last edited: Oct 9, 2017

Toontrack Superior Drummer 3

 

That's exactly the kind of thing I was looking for! The audio sample to midi stuff looks killer.

 

Don't look at the library, look at the guy or gal behind the drums.

 

Yeah its all bout Sd3 really....
You gotta do what makes you feel comfortable ultimatley.
Personally id be looking more toward Somethn like sd3 or maybe addictive drums 2 rather thn a kntkt kit....You got Geist up there too which is very good all rounder....

But Sd3 is an incredibly impressive piece of software
Killer machine..

 

Sd3 is perfect for that, but for a "sample feeling" the best way is to build your drum with it, put the effect need on it (you can add some tape simulator and/or background vinyl noise if it suit your taste) and then export the loop you made and use it the same way as an old sample. Like this you can create different groove variation and the chop sample will give the sensation of using an old break sample drum, and can sound better (at least in that context) that just playing a midi sequence with the plugin

 

hi my friend,my personal favourite : https://www.xlnaudio.com/addictivedrums

also nice to see that someone listens to trip-hop around here

also if you want to "lofi" things this is really great :

 

Last edited by a moderator: Oct 9, 2017

I went through all your videos and I think "Drum Drops" libraries are close to your sound references.

To my ears, I think it has the same kind of feeling that you are looking for.

Click on the "The Sound" tab and listen to some presets medley demo from their homepage link below:

Suggestion for "Emancipator - Old Devil"
-- Drum Drops - Vintage Folk Rock Kit
https://www.drumdrops.com/drum-samples/vintage-folk-rock-kit/the-drum-kit

Suggestion for "Frenic - Deathless Audio"
-- Drum Drops - 1970s Slingerland Classic Rock Kit
https://www.drumdrops.com/drum-samples/1970s-slingerland-classic-rock-kit/the-drum-kit

Suggestion for "Hugo Kant - The Meeting"
-- Drum Drops - Roger Big R Dub Kit
https://www.drumdrops.com/drum-samples/rogers-big-r-dub-kit/the-drum-kit

 

The best route is the one that suits you most.

Mainly there are three routes:
1.: loops. pros: sound. cons: given rhythm and breaks
2:: samples. pros: sound, free choice of rhythm and breaks. cons: dynamic and round robins
3.: drum machines (soft or hard). pros: free choice of rhythm and breaks, dynamics, round robins. cons: you have to make the sound yourself (eq, compression, distortion)

The available libraries (in one way or another ) are more important than the drum machine itself, be it SD, ED, BFD, Addictive or whatever.

So it's your choice what is most important for you.