programming ‘real’ drums

Many computer musicians shy away from programming their own acoustic (as opposed to electronic) drum tracks, understandably concerned that since they don’t know how to play a real drum kit, any attempt to create a performance on a virtual one will fall short in terms of technicality and sound. Others go in the opposite direction, naively and over-confidently penning beats that at best would require five or six limbs to actually play, and at worst come across as mad and unconvincing, even to the untrained ear.

The fact is that programming realistic, groovy drum parts is well within any desktop producer’s abilities. All you need is a MIDI sequencer, a quality sound source and some insight into the rules, limitations and standard practices that real drummers work to and within. But is it really worth the effort? Why not just use sampled loops of real drummers playing real drums to create your percussion parts?

While the above is always a wholly viable option, the results will be qualitatively different to what you’d get from building your own parts. You would have to choose a loop based on its particular production and rhythmic qualities, and you’d have a very finite level of control over them. Program your own drums, though, and you have total command over every element of the ‘performance’ – from the notes themselves to the sounds of the individual drums and cymbals. So, if you really want to take full ownership of your beats, building them yourself from the ground up is the way to go.

Same difference

If you’ve programmed electronic beats before, you’ll be glad to hear that the rhythmic paradigm that governs