…that one parameter twist to rule them all, can be found on pretty much all elektron devices…
and with such universal parameters like amp envelope’s decay, it’s also on multi twisted monsters like the syntakt just one twist away…
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Just copy Afro Cuban clave rhythms and you’ll be good
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can relate
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Personally no.
Personally no. I dont really do 4 on the floor.
Tricky. I’m a drummer, so put toms where I would play them as a drummer. Drum machine Toms can be amazing if you can pull it off, but I get why people dont like them. And you dont have to.
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Do you mind if I ask how to control the decay of all machines/tracks?
I know you can do it individually per track, but if you can do it globally…
Thants right… I usually put morph or course there… but if I remeber, it will save the settings of mutliple ctrl parameters… like put trig conditions for course, swap out for something else?
I think holding down a step and changing a value is a trig condition.
Thank you for this… Im going to go down the entire thread and try all of these suggestions just to get beast at tom work.
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I would ask where that is, but Im sure it depends on the song, and whats written for it.
Correct.
And also remembering that- Most human drummers only have two arms, so you can’t hit the tom if your hands are hitting two other drums. Feet are independent of course, so hats and kicks can happen at the same time as toms, although it generally sounds better to seperate kick and toms. Especially low tom. But there’s no hard rule, and even if there was, break it.
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True… I thought there might be a rule of thumb like how snare is on 2 and 4, but thats not always true… might be an edm/hiphop thing
Two things really helped me with my toms:
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If you’re starting from a blank pattern, try thinking about linear programming-- treat your toms, cymbals, and perc sounds like a monophonic instrument with only one hit happening at a time. Instead of writing individual patterns for each instrument, write a single phrase that stretches across them. Once you’ve got that phrase sounding good, add in a backbeat using your kick and snare sounds.
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If you’re trying to fit toms into an existing pattern, try and have them hit just before or after a down beat. So in a 16 step grid, focus on steps 2,4,6,8,10,12,14, and 16, that way your kick/snare can still drive the beat forward and your toms can add in some unexpected variation.
Like anything with music these aren’t hard and fast rules, but good things to refer back to when things are sounding a little off.
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This is exactly what I was looking for… Thank You!
I just wanted a start to get going, then Im sure I would go off the path a bit…
but I can incorporate this into the other suggestions to work out some things!
I appreciate this!
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I’m not a drummer, but it seems to me that rhythmic patterns that heavily feature toms are often used in rock music in build-up sections (intros, bridges) - I’m thinking of Tool in particular. And then the kick-snare backbeat comes in as the release or payoff. That general idea could also be used in electronic music.
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Brilliant! Hahah! I really like this analogy!
So maybe with velocity control and careful mixing, you can ensure people notice the idiot a little less 
Personally I think understated toms can be fun for syncopation. I like syncopation in general, not only with toms… And not in all parts of the track either of course.
For DnB, do you use samples of breakbeats, played on real drums? Like from funk records and such? I love DnB and I like chopping old breaks and tend to use the tom slices sparingly, but not in the more “driving” parts of the music. More like in breakdowns I think.
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To be completely honest, I only started to.
I bought a bunch of DnB packs with drum loops, but they sound like DAW produced with Serum or Vital.
I also got packs from Stranjah and DJ Crystal. They are more traditional but more heavily processed.
Lastly, I bought all of AJ Halls drum breaks and fills. Black Friday he had a huge sale. So they are all played by him on a kit, and are the most traditional. I haven’t got to them yet.
I’m using the first ones I mentioned the most right now.
In terms of how I use them, I’m taking baby steps. I basically see which one has a 4 bar variation and one that is a 4 bar repeat.
Then depending on how they are composed, I do a call and response between them, or I pattern the breaks in a step sequencer, having it choke itself out. So it’s basically retriggering the same break in different ways on the downbeats.
I have yet to fully chop a break because if I go that granular, I would make a pattern on a drum machine, and make my own loop, with the sample track I chopped helping guide where to put the kick and the snare on 2 and 4 always.
Hope I’m being clear about where I’m at with this. I’m about over a year in and I’m getting to a point of understanding to where I see where my weak points are, and my strengths are not very strong yet.
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Listen to @ylva
Their Tom programming is top notch. It’s like Phil Collins level.
Their music is on band camp. Ylva Trax.
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Oh yeah. I should follow some Tool.
Funny thing about them. I worked in the film industry a bunch and one of the jobs I had was managing a warehouse studio in downtown LA.
It was a shithole. But in the corner, was the camera rig (no camera just the frame), that was used to make the stop motion for the Sober video. It’s just a bunch of metal tacked to make a frame. But was fun to know.
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Phil is looking gansta with Dat Thang tucked in his waistband. (the tambourine)
Here’s a real world drummer use of toms. There is a regional variant of soul/r&b/funk from the 70s called “the Philly sound”. One of the frequent drum tropes is to play the low tom under the 4 of the backbeat during the chorus. It adds an undeniable lift to both the groove and the song.
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I appreciate that. I will look into Philly sound.
But I have to look up backbeat as well!
Still a noob.