SP Studio Systems SP-12 manual Appendix E Tips on Creating Realistic Drum Parts

APPENDIX

APPENDIX E: TIPS ON CREATING REALISTIC DRUM PARTS

If you’re a drummer, you probably don’t need to read this. But for those of you who are primarily melodic players and are using the SP-12 to augment your recordings or live act, read on.

Listen to drum parts by good drummers. Whenever a record comes on, study the drum sound. Note how the drummer not only sets a solid base on which the other instruments can play, but makes creative use of both notes and spaces.

Keep it simple. Drums are not a melodic instrument, but a rhythmic instrument. Often a simple backbeat is more effective than trying to do elaborate series of drum rolls.

Beware the three-armed drummer. Remember that a drummer has two feet and two hands; therefore, you can’t have a bass drum, high hat, two toms, a snare drum, and rim sound occurring at the same time. Make sure that your parts are physically consistent with the way people play drums, or they will not sound “right”.

Use dynamics creatively. A drum part without dynamics isn’t much of a drum part at all.

Work carefully with bass instruments. The bass and drums should lock together into a cohesive sound. If the bass player syncopates in a particular way, try to match that with the drums.

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