How To Make Hip-Hop Beats For Sale (Purchase Beats): The Drum Machine
The focus for today's article is on the drum machine and its function. This will be the beginning of a series of discussions that will explore pieces of equipment that are core to hip-hop production.
It is important to note that in modern production technology, most equipment that exists today does a variety of tasks. Thus, one piece of equipment may be a sampler, synthesizer, and drum machine in one package. This can make it confusing at times to distinguish between the different functions of any give piece of equipment. However, the best way to overcome this confusion is to think of the categories of equipment as bundles of functionality rather than an actual program or piece of hardware. Once you understand what certain sets of functionality does, you'll be able to see if the software/hardware that you desire contains this set of functionality within.
The drum machine's first task is to play drum sounds. When drum machines first came onto the scene, they came with a predetermined set of sounds that could not be altered by the user. If a producer wanted new sounds, he had to buy a new drum machine. All of this changed with sampling drum machines. Sampling drum machines allowed the user to change and continually update the drum sounds that he/she was using. The producer could acquire these new sounds by buying them from sound design companies, sampling sounds from records or other audio sources, or by recording his/her own drum sounds.
The second function of a drum machine is a beat programming function that allows the producer to program drum parts on the machine. This beat programming function essentially serves as a sequencer optimized for drums. This allows the producer to program constant 8th note hi-hats on a bar with ease by either filling in notes on a step sequencer type layout (think of Reason's ReDrum or Fruit Loops), or using drum pads that often have note repeat function like in Maschine or the Akai MPC.
The two core functionalities of 1) playing drum sounds and 2) beat programming are the critical components of what can be called a drum machine today. However, in modern times, even the most basic machines have more functionality than the two functions we just discussed.
The focus of the next article will be on some of the more advanced functions of drum machines. This will allow you to be a more educated shopper and will allow you to be certain that you are getting the functionality you want when you buy your next piece of software or equipment.
It is important to note that in modern production technology, most equipment that exists today does a variety of tasks. Thus, one piece of equipment may be a sampler, synthesizer, and drum machine in one package. This can make it confusing at times to distinguish between the different functions of any give piece of equipment. However, the best way to overcome this confusion is to think of the categories of equipment as bundles of functionality rather than an actual program or piece of hardware. Once you understand what certain sets of functionality does, you'll be able to see if the software/hardware that you desire contains this set of functionality within.
The drum machine's first task is to play drum sounds. When drum machines first came onto the scene, they came with a predetermined set of sounds that could not be altered by the user. If a producer wanted new sounds, he had to buy a new drum machine. All of this changed with sampling drum machines. Sampling drum machines allowed the user to change and continually update the drum sounds that he/she was using. The producer could acquire these new sounds by buying them from sound design companies, sampling sounds from records or other audio sources, or by recording his/her own drum sounds.
The second function of a drum machine is a beat programming function that allows the producer to program drum parts on the machine. This beat programming function essentially serves as a sequencer optimized for drums. This allows the producer to program constant 8th note hi-hats on a bar with ease by either filling in notes on a step sequencer type layout (think of Reason's ReDrum or Fruit Loops), or using drum pads that often have note repeat function like in Maschine or the Akai MPC.
The two core functionalities of 1) playing drum sounds and 2) beat programming are the critical components of what can be called a drum machine today. However, in modern times, even the most basic machines have more functionality than the two functions we just discussed.
The focus of the next article will be on some of the more advanced functions of drum machines. This will allow you to be a more educated shopper and will allow you to be certain that you are getting the functionality you want when you buy your next piece of software or equipment.
About the Author:
Find out more about hip-hop beats for sale? Check out Frank Lubsey's website in order to purchase beats and to read articles on beat making.
No comments