machinedrum snares

derma_tek · Post by **derma_tek** » Wed Aug 29, 2007 3:58 pm

ok so i've had the machinedrum for a few days now, and i couldn't be more happy with the purchase, i've been able to make some really great kicks with ease.

but...

i'm kind of struggling at making some usable snares, i realize there's a bit of a learning curve as i used to just load up some samples in battery and tweak the samples as desired, and now i have an actual drum synth.

so do you fellow users have any tips for making good snares?

i'm doing trancey EBM type music if that helps.
also, feel free to have a listen at: www.myspace.com/dermatek to listen to my older material in which the drums were done with samples.
obviously i want to evolve my sound a bit and not simply recreate my old drums, so i'm open to any techniques you guys have for making any kind of snare that you really like.

thanks in advance guys.

megawatt · Post by **megawatt** » Wed Aug 29, 2007 4:01 pm

Layer Layer Layer....

Try mixing different machines together and have a spread of frequencies.

JSRockit · Post by **JSRockit** » Wed Aug 29, 2007 4:29 pm

What kind of snare are you looking to make? I find the the TR snare is cool layered with any of the other snare machines (for added noise) as long as they are pitched together. I have the luxury of having the UW model...so I tend to layer samples with MD machines.

derma_tek · Post by **derma_tek** » Wed Aug 29, 2007 4:52 pm

JSRockit wrote:What kind of snare are you looking to make? I find the the TR snare is cool layered with any of the other snare machines (for added noise) as long as they are pitched together. I have the luxury of having the UW model...so I tend to layer samples with MD machines.

yeah i'll have to try layering some different things when i get home today, just wanted to see what other people are doing. so far i gotta say i love this piece, it definitely forces creativity, i'm glad i spent the money

derma_tek · Post by **derma_tek** » Wed Aug 29, 2007 4:53 pm

megawatt wrote:Layer Layer Layer....

Try mixing different machines together and have a spread of frequencies.

yeah i'll definitely try this tonight.

thanks for the advice

JUGEL · Post by **JUGEL** » Wed Aug 29, 2007 6:18 pm

I found it a waste of time trying to get a 12 bit sounding snare out of that thing... so I either used a 12-bit drum machine or a 12 bit sampler along side of it.

I really suggest using the Machinedrum with other drum machines/samplers.

JSRockit · Post by **JSRockit** » Wed Aug 29, 2007 7:06 pm

JUGEL wrote:I found it a waste of time trying to get a 12 bit sounding snare out of that thing... so I either used a 12-bit drum machine or a 12 bit sampler along side of it.

I really suggest using the Machinedrum with other drum machines/samplers.

12 bit? That's what the UW is for (though I know it wasn't out at the time you owned one).

JUGEL · Post by **JUGEL** » Wed Aug 29, 2007 7:11 pm

bah .. I don't like all my sounds coming out of one box... stilling running out that DAC.

JSRockit · Post by **JSRockit** » Wed Aug 29, 2007 7:21 pm

JUGEL wrote:bah .. I don't like all my sounds coming out of one box... stilling running out that DAC.

I hear ya...even though I'm basically making all of my new stuff using just the Monomachine and Machinedrum...with a little CS01 and FR Revolution sprinkled on top.

Rusty O'Hara · Post by **Rusty O'Hara** » Thu Aug 30, 2007 1:38 am

derma_tek wrote:i'm doing trancey EBM type music if that helps.

As suggested before; layering is your friend.

For my trance projects and playing live; I tend not to use the MachineDrum overly heavily. Other stuff like techno and electro it rocks.

In the last few days I have managed to clear out all my settings off my MD and start from scratch; working on a new live set and was thinking about relying heavily on the MD for drum work; but the temptation to utilise samples I have already made (or have on computer) is very tempting.

The post processing aspect relating to trance drums (or what I make as trance) is quite integral to my sound; and some stuff is just not possible on the MD.

I'm going with the best of both worlds and using a RS7000 (drums and vocal samples etc) and a MD. I guess I'm saying don't feel constrained to only use the MD now that you have it. Some things it rocks; some things I can do quicker other ways.

Also; and I may be wrong; but I think most peeps who have a MD aren't making trance type stuff. I know quite a few people who have one; and they all make stuff around the realm of minimal/techno/electro.

Check out: http://www.elektron-users.com as a resource.

And if you do make some awesome trance kits; let me know

eminor9 · Post by **eminor9** » Thu Aug 30, 2007 10:05 am

Layer different machines and use LFO's to modulate the sound on one of the machines so that each hit never sounds exactly the same. You can go from very subtile to very wild.

Fwiw, while the MD already gets far on its own using the stereo outs, true aural bliss comes with using individual outs and post processing.

Almost forgot - though quite improtant: make sure you learn to use the dynamix and eq section !

phloem · Post by **phloem** » Thu Aug 30, 2007 2:57 pm

To be honest, my favorite snares on the Machinedrum come from the white noise. Just white noise with different filtering, distortion, reverb, LFOs, etc applied.

I'm not sure if the noise machine is an option without the UW. Is it?

**EDIT: I just remembered, the white noise is part of the "GND Machine", so I think it should be on the regular SPS-1 too.

derma_tek · Post by **derma_tek** » Thu Aug 30, 2007 3:08 pm

phloem wrote:To be honest, my favorite snares on the Machinedrum come from the white noise. Just white noise with different filtering, distortion, reverb, LFOs, etc applied.

I'm not sure if the noise machine is an option without the UW. Is it?

**EDIT: I just remembered, the white noise is part of the "GND Machine", so I think it should be on the regular SPS-1 too.

good idea, i forgot about the GND, i'll try that tonight

derma_tek · Post by **derma_tek** » Thu Aug 30, 2007 3:15 pm

so i spent some time in the studio last night and layering really did the trick. i did some post compression in logic [the machinedrum compressor is kinda weird] and i was able to get some really killer drums

as an aside, i also noticed that i most people with machinedrums tend to do more IDM type stuff with it, but i've been able to work it into my setup fairly easy, i'll be sure to update here once i have a new track done with it, if anyone would like to hear the machinedrum in a different context.

thanks for all the help guys

JSRockit · Post by **JSRockit** » Thu Aug 30, 2007 4:37 pm

phloem wrote:To be honest, my favorite snares on the Machinedrum come from the white noise. Just white noise with different filtering, distortion, reverb, LFOs, etc applied.

Yeah, I like this for backround percussion as well.

machinedrum snares

machinedrum snares

Re: machinedrum snares