This tutorial is made by my favorite youtube educator in drum and bass, Stranjah!
Stranjah is super fun to watch and has serious tricks and tips up his sleeve. His drum programming, sound design and use of effects are well worth any producers time.
He'll teach you to sound like Shy Fx, Sub Focus and Nosia, just to name a few, covering sub genres like Minimal drum and bass, Jump up, Liquid and my favorite, Jungle!
He mostly uses Abelton, but all the techniques are convertible to other DAW's.
He specialises In Abelton and uses their stock plug ins but also uses a variety of big named VST's, which shows you just how convertible the techniques are.
This is the first of an outstanding 3 part series in producing jungle beats.
There are many ways to sequence and produce Jungle drums and this tutorial will explain different methods of programming in Ableton - from laying down the foundation of your beat with basic drums, adding some simple amen breaks, and finally adding some Loops or single hit drum sounds on top for texture and punch.
The "Amen Break"
The Amen break is a famous drum break sample which originated from The Winstons' 1969 song "Amen Brother".
One of the most distinctive sounds in Jungle Drum Programming, watch Stranjah use the AMEN break, combined with his drum sequencing skills to create that staple Jungle sound. The tutorials also expands on how to then process the individual sounds and loops as a whole.
07.00 – 10.00 Jungle drums EQ
Stranjah will show you the fundamental frequencies to enhance drum transients, modernize the sound or just work the whole channel into the mix.
10.00 – 11.00 Pitching drums
Not always something producers experiment with, this section will change you mind. A tool that can change the way your loop sits in the mix as well as its characteristics.
11.00 – 12.00 Additional hits
Using layering to enhance individual drums sounds with more control on the mix will bring your loops to a whole new level.
12.00 – 14.00 Multiband compression/Distortion
Enhancing or reducing transients, toughening up your loop and parallel compression can glue and control you loop.
14.00 – end – Adding a simple bass
A simple bass to hear the whole loop in the mix.
Click here for Part 2
Click here for Part 3