We all have different studio setups based on preference, space, budget, and other factors.  If you don't have the gear or software we discuss here, figure out a way around it.  Getting buried under patch cables, real or virtual, is integral to exploring new sounds. I use the computer sometimes to create sounds for easy loading into my hardware sampler.  You may work on a cassette four-track and import into a software sampler.  If so, we want to hear about it and hear those sounds.

The fastest road to sounding unoriginal is to use manufacturer presets.  Granted, it’s easy to dial up “Urban Kit #3” on your software drum machine, but is that setting you apart?  What we hope to accomplish in this series of tutorials is to give you some ideas for creating unique timbres for your drum kit.  When you hand craft each of your sounds to your liking before you lay down your first note, you put your own stamp on even the smallest building blocks of your production.  Imagine sounds that never existed before coming together to create something completely original and your own.  

Layering

One of the oldest tricks in the book is to layer multiple samples to create a thicker, more interesting sound.  But have you ever considered doing this in preparation for beat building?  I suggest you spend a few sessions making multiple folders of original sounds and then going to town without having to locate a kick from here and a snare from there.  First thing you should do is create a new folder on your hard drive (you’re using an external drive dedicated to audio, correct?) for all of your new samples.  From there, you should create other subfolders for the following tutorials and all of your experimenting.  This will prove as an endless resource of original sounds for the rest of your life.

Now I know I just bashed preset sounds, but they can be a good source for this exercise.  So can sounds recorded with a microphone, from records, drum machines, or anywhere.  Let’s start with kick drums.  Because of their obvious low end characteristics, phase cancellation is more likely than with snares or other parts of the kit so keep your ears open.  Import five to ten bass drums that you like the sound of into a DAW (or into your hardware sampler).  Try to be diverse and find ones that have various characteristics: boom, punch, beater, thump, etc.  Begin by creating 5 audio tracks and lower all of the faders to about -10dB because clipping will occur if you do not.  Also, create a master fader (mono preferred) to control the level and sound of everything.  Lay the samples down so they all have the same start point. (See Fig. 1)

Now, the first thing you hear may be a loud mess or it may be interesting on the first try.  Export this into a new folder called “Layered Kicks” and the date or something to that effect.  This will be one of many exports. Any time you come across something you like the sound of, immediately export it.  You’ll never know what these will sound like tomorrow or in five years as your ears become more tuned to what samples you like in your tracks, so it's good to capture many.  Next thing to do is play with the mute buttons and see what combinations of sounds work together.  Usually, it only takes 2 or 3 kicks to sound great without phasing but you never know.Anything sound good?  Export it. 

Fig. 1: Five bass drums lined up in a DAW before any muting, levels, or plug-ins

Work with levels.  You may choose to automate the fader of individual tracks or the master fader to create a desired envelope - whatever it takes to get something that sounds good to you.   Keep exporting as you find balanced levels that you like.  Now, we get to the fun stuff – effects.  Put plug-ins on your master fader as well as the individual tracks.  Try combinations of eq, filters, and compressors to sculpt bass drums that make your speakers bump.  Remember to export anytime you come across something good.  Next, try more extreme effects: distortions, amp simulators, etc.  Now may be a good time to import some alternate samples to replace the few that you are working with.  Continue to fine tune and bounce a variety of sounds.  For bass drums, I would probably do the bounces in mono.  It’s a good idea to leave a little headroom on a stereo master fader when bouncing to mono to avoid clipping.  Go back and listen to your exports and see how they sound before moving on to another part of the kit.

For claps and snares, stereo is good.  Try importing a wide variety of claps and snares and introduce panning to your process.  Again, begin with a few dry sounds, and then play with mutes, levels, and panning to achieve new timbres (See Fig. 2).  You can layer many claps and snares together and it will still sound great.  Offsetting them by a few milliseconds is the key to getting a rich sound like a clap track.   Check out Fig. 3 to see the waveform of a 909 clap.  Work the basic effects and then try more extreme things.  Did I mention that you should be exporting often?  After that, try making hi hats, cymbals and especially miscellaneous percussion both electronic and acoustic.  We all are into different styles, but we can all benefit from things outside of the traditional drum kit instrumentation.  The possibilities are endless. 

Fig. 2: Several snares and claps lined up with panning, levels, and plug-ins.

After a session like this, you should have a bunch of folders of your own original raw materials.  The next few beats you make will contain sounds that have never existed outside of your studio.

Fig. 3: The classic 909 clap sample is comprised of several claps with some spacing, just like a real human clap track.