Learning about rhytmical section on the OT

I am going back to basics with my rhythmical section on my track. While salivating on the DFAM, I feel I haven’t explored at all using the OT as drum machine.

Using the Digitack in the last year, the creation of a drum-kit/drum track seems more approachable and a bit more intuitive. But now I traded the DT and I’m fully committed to the OT.

While learning about synthesis, from the synthesizer cookbook, to other really interesting material, I don’t find a lot of material on creating a drum track from samples or from a drum synth. I might not be looking in the right direction. Are there book on that subject? Or should I simply go with a Learn to Drum type of literature, but then how about all the rhythmical wisdom of the rest of the world.

How are you guys approaching the rhythm section in your composition? I have a really hard time just buying a drum kit and using that. I like to create my own drum sound on my Mopho and sampling that, which is great but also have it’s limitation. I haven’t tried a drum synth at this point, although I’m sure my synth have enough sound power to make a good drum synth (Medusa, Typhon and Mopho). But creating all my sound also limits my exploration.

I understand the basic concept of Drum, Snare, Hi Hat, and some basic construction, but I’m definitely looking into expanding these concept and deeper understandings .

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Wait, just to understand, are you asking this to learn understand drums from a sound design point of view, or wanting to gain more deep understanding of rhythmic compositions?

I am surprised how good sampled drums sound on the OT.
You can setup a “part” dedicated to making new drum loops for other projects.

I always thought making drum beats on the OT was one of the easiest things to learn on the OT.

There are so many videos on Youtube on how to make a beat on the OT that I’m surprised you could not find any of them. All you do is set triggers in the sequencer to trigger drum samples.

Try this video. I have it fast forwarded to where he shows how to use the triggers.

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Well a bit of both at this point. I’d like to be more knowledgeable on the sound design of kicks and hits (I do also sample from my own table, shakers, frame drum and other instruments) but I’m also really interested in learning the compositional aspect of it.

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Right, yeah I get the basics down fairly easily, but then, what’s next? I understand this idea of dividing your rhythm in 16 or 64 and then adding some break in there, to bring more movement. But I’m looking into more conceptual ideas of layers and creating full compositions. Like the why and the how you would go in a direction or another. How does the BPM affect the listener, what about polyrythm in composition etc…

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With regards to programming: definitely fun to look into Euclidean rythms. Will find you a good video.

But maybe also read up from more “traditional” drums handbooks. I’ve learned drums from this book 15 years ago, maybe somewhere to be found online second hand?

https://www.tipbook.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=122&Itemid=556&lang=en

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This is one of my favorite video’s on percussion synthesis. Something from nothing
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wiIOGJuxl4Q

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Depending on the gender there are several videos on YT to apprehend drum programming. Since you get the basic elements concepts you can look for basic patterns for insert gender .

Basic drum patterns would teach you how to layer the different elements and understand the structure of a pattern.
Once you copy a pattern, you can move the kick, divide or multiply the tempo of a track,…

You can also use samples of drum kits, chop them, random slices, apply FX… it’s a long road to experiment but it’s worth it.

You don’t have to make a pattern based on 16 steps.
One hi hat track can be in 10 while the kick in 6 and a snare in 7.

I think the answer for both of these questions is: your taste.
If you like what you hear, if it makes you wanna move or contemplate or wanna run, chances are someone else will.
I tend to try not think about how people would receive my music because it is so different for each person, that would be endless.

Do you care sharing what kind of music you like to do?

bedtime reading:
http://cgm.cs.mcgill.ca/~godfried/publications/banff.pdf

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:ok_hand:

I did not see any of these clearly mentioned in your OP.

I must confess I have not sought out formal training in composition, let along the composition of rhythms. I have relied much more on intuition and improvised play to create rhythms.

Perhaps videos by these popular music theory influencers may be of use to you

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kZxsewYjkWs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=htbRx2jgF-E

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rEbUNDW9bDA

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And just in case you really wanna go down the rabbit hole, there’s the Sound on Sound Synthesizing Percussion series. I read some of it for fun on holiday, but it gets too dense / mathematical for me at the end of the day:)

https://www.soundonsound.com/techniques/synthesizing-percussion

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That last one was so much fun I remember!

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And here’s a simple video on Eucliadian rythms in case the bedtime reading left any questions:)

Fairly simply applicable with OTs individual track lengths per track. Just pick whichever track length, choose a number of trigs, space them as evenly apart as possible; et voila

Non-Binary ? :content:

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that made me smile too :smiley: