Drum Samples: Kicks
There are many different types of kick drum samples. Beat making is an activity that is so oft-repeated that using the same kick drums in every single beat is going to really drain your creativity. Because the kick especially is so ubiquitous in every type of music from rock to rap and hip hop to RnB, having a varied selection is absolutely essential. Knowing the types of kicks is the beginning, but is definitely essential.
A kick drum has a few different phases, like any sound wave. First we have the start or the attack, and this is really what cuts through any mix. If you can get a kick to have a sharp attack, it will be able to be heard through any number of surrounding and opposing layers of different sounds. An attack that does not have such a strong starting point will need to have two strong elements that follow - so it's necessary to really be careful about picking them. The starting phase can be augmented with other samples.
The sustained kick, which pertains to the second phase of the audio sample, is the sound that stays with you the longest, much more memorable than the initial attack. If you have a great attack, you can afford to have a weak mid-sound (or sustained sound), because we have heard that the kick is there, but it can't be both at the same time; if the attack is weak and there is no sustained sound, you don't have a kick, you have a melon.
If you want to adjust your kick's volume in proportion to the other drum samples, there are hundreds of ways available to you. Your main sequencer program probably has a few different places with volume controls, and even if it doesn't you can just as easily download a free plugin or program to help you achieve this goal. Most drum machines and software on Macs and PCs offers easy volume manipulation on both the main mixers and the additional nested devices, so check them out and read your manual.
If you do not wish to use any device or plug-in inside your host or hardware unit, you can certainly adjust the volume in any one of the editors (both free and paid-for versions) that are available. Most already have the functionality or offer different plug-ins to help you crop and adjust volume and fading. The free programs like Audacity are great and even match the professional edition programs in many departments.
Lastly, you should know that different programs include different drum samples. The libraries that ship with Reason and FL Studio, for example, are vastly different. They are both good, but if you find yourself making beats with the same drum samples over and over, look for some expansion packs or third party sounds to expand your choice, or modify the samples yourself if you have the time and skill. - 18418
A kick drum has a few different phases, like any sound wave. First we have the start or the attack, and this is really what cuts through any mix. If you can get a kick to have a sharp attack, it will be able to be heard through any number of surrounding and opposing layers of different sounds. An attack that does not have such a strong starting point will need to have two strong elements that follow - so it's necessary to really be careful about picking them. The starting phase can be augmented with other samples.
The sustained kick, which pertains to the second phase of the audio sample, is the sound that stays with you the longest, much more memorable than the initial attack. If you have a great attack, you can afford to have a weak mid-sound (or sustained sound), because we have heard that the kick is there, but it can't be both at the same time; if the attack is weak and there is no sustained sound, you don't have a kick, you have a melon.
If you want to adjust your kick's volume in proportion to the other drum samples, there are hundreds of ways available to you. Your main sequencer program probably has a few different places with volume controls, and even if it doesn't you can just as easily download a free plugin or program to help you achieve this goal. Most drum machines and software on Macs and PCs offers easy volume manipulation on both the main mixers and the additional nested devices, so check them out and read your manual.
If you do not wish to use any device or plug-in inside your host or hardware unit, you can certainly adjust the volume in any one of the editors (both free and paid-for versions) that are available. Most already have the functionality or offer different plug-ins to help you crop and adjust volume and fading. The free programs like Audacity are great and even match the professional edition programs in many departments.
Lastly, you should know that different programs include different drum samples. The libraries that ship with Reason and FL Studio, for example, are vastly different. They are both good, but if you find yourself making beats with the same drum samples over and over, look for some expansion packs or third party sounds to expand your choice, or modify the samples yourself if you have the time and skill. - 18418
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