This sparse beat provides the perfect rhythmic backdrop for a shimmering Rhodes and murky double bass accompaniment.

Beat Dissected is a regular series that deconstructs drum patterns, showing you how to recreate them in any DAW. Just copy the grids in your own software to recreate the loop.

Here’s the complete beat we’ll be making this week:

Spec

Tempo

75-85bpm

Swing

50-80%

Sounds

mostly organic / real drum sounds - although 808-style hits can work too

Step 1

This deceptively simple beat – which provides a great stripped rhythm on which to build shimmering Rhodes and murky double bass lines – starts with a simple kick line with a couple of ghost hits hinting at what is to come. Depending on how busy the bassline is, you may want to experiment with kick drum samples with a long, ‘flappy’ release – either from a real kit or a boomy 808-style kick hit. (You can click the image for a larger version).


Step 2

Still keeping the groove simple, a heavily reverbed rimshot follows, interplaying with the kick. Experiment with the reverb settings: if you’re using convolution try spring recreations; also try some of the more lo-fi reverb plug-ins that frequently come bundled with a DAW (like Logic’s otherwise rarely used Silver Verb).


Step 3

A combination of two closed hat samples is used to make a rich sounding hi-hat pattern. Closed Hat 01 falls on straight 8ths, with velocity tweaks to make it less mechanical. Closed Hat 02 plays occasional 16ths in-between Closed hat 01, again using changes in velocity to add to the groove. An open hat sits on the downbeat at the end of each bar, neatly easing the beat forward. You can afford to go pretty lo-fi with these open hats: try sending some (or all) of the signal to an overdrive or tape saturation plug-in.


Step 4

So far, so dull. Now for the magic, in the form of a low organic or mechanical drone that pulls all the beats elements together into a single unified whole. Another two subtle details inject  additional interest. A single bass hit in the first bar replaces a kick while bar two is rounded off with a soft crunchy shaker that acts almost like a drum fill, pulling your ears from the hi-hat pattern. Compress liberally to taste.

Author Mr Hoodee, The Groove Criminals
28th June, 2012

Comments

  • Great beat. I mixed up the sounds a lot then very heavy, sucking 1176 compression for a dirty lofi vibe.

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  • the full mix files dont play/work on chrome or safari (or period?)

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  • theres a few tutorials with this issue – check it out

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  • Working fine for us on both Chrome and Safari across multiple computers Jacob — have you got latest versions?

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  • full mix dont play on my chrome either, and its not just this tutorial

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  • the ghost Kicks have same midi velocity as main kick hit, how did you achieve the lower volume? automation of track level?

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  • All the MIDI parts have same velocity, but when played they have different volumes. If MIDI velocities are the same, how do you achieve the different volumes of each hits?

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  • Can U PLEASE send Me some Boom Bap Drum Patterns…??? I would greatly appreciate it… I waited to I’m 60 to start working on the Boom Bap… I LOVE IT… I’m working with FL Studio 21… TRULY Exclusive… Thank U In Advanced… U can send Me as much Patterns on Boom Bap, Hip-Hop, R&B, Reggae, House, Club

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