Another great drum and bass tutorial from the much-loved Stranjah!


Music Production tutorials; How to produce Baddadan by Chase & Status.


Introduction:

Welcome to our in-depth exploration of the music production techniques used in the creation of "BADDADAN," an amazing track by the legendary Chase & Status. In this blog, we will dissect the various elements that makes this a drum and bass masterpiece.

This comes from our favorite drum and bass YouTube educator, Stranjah. Always fun, engaging, educational, and respectful. His video demonstrates how to recreate the main components of the song. 




For other drum and bass tutorials from Stranjah, I would recommend his Jungle Drums series and DNB bass patterns, or Detuned Sine bass sound design tutorials.

Alternatively, you can view his other chase and status re productions here 

So let's dive into the specific production techniques outlined in the video.


Drum Production:

Stranger starts by dissecting the drum patterns used in the track. He explains the use of a standard drum and bass pattern, characterized by a fast tempo and syncopated rhythms. The drums feature prominent kicks and snares, with hi-hats on every quarter note, which is a standard rhythm in the genre. Additionally, Stranger introduces a shuffle rhythm and variation to add groove and excitement to the beat.


Main Lead Synthesis:

The iconic main lead sound in "BADDADAN" is a critical element of the track. Stranger demonstrates how to create this sound using Serum, a popular virtual synthesizer plugin. The main lead consists of two Sawtooth waveforms, one playing the root note and the other a perfect fifth. LFO modulation and various effects such as distortion, hyper dimension, and reverb are applied to achieve the desired wobble effect. This lead adds melody and character to the track.


3. Wobble Bass Sound:

The heart of drum and bass, the wobble bass, is recreated using Serum as well. Stranger uses a preset from his gnarly Serum preset pack as a starting point and then explains how to shape it further. The process involves oscillator modulation, filter, distortion, and various effects like chorus and reverb. The wobble bass provides the track with a powerful, growling bassline that drives the energy.


4. Sub Bass Production:

Creating a solid sub bass is crucial in drum and bass production. In this section, Stranger demonstrates how to craft a sub-bass using a sine wave. He then adds filtering, distortion, and reverb to give it depth and character. The sub bass reinforces the low-end frequencies, adding weight to the track.


5. Vocal Pad Melody:

Throughout the song, there's a subtle vocal pad melody that adds depth and atmosphere. Stranger shows how to sample a vocal snippet, loop it, and apply crossfading to eliminate clicks. Filtering and heavy reverb are applied to create a smooth, ethereal sound. This vocal pad melody contributes to the overall texture and mood of the track.


Rhythmic Techniques:


1. Drum and Bass Pattern: "BADDADAN" follows a classic drum and bass rhythm, characterized by a fast tempo and syncopated drum patterns. The drums feature prominent kicks and snares, with hi-hats on every quarter note, which is a standard rhythm in the genre.

2. Shuffle and Variation: Stranger introduces rhythmic variation by incorporating a shuffle rhythm. This shuffle adds a unique groove to the drum pattern, especially in the second eight bars. Rhythmic variation is a common technique in drum and bass to keep the beat engaging.


Equipment/VSTs Used by Stranger:

Stranger provides insights into the tools and VST (Virtual Studio Technology) plugins he uses in the tutorial to recreate the elements of "BADDADAN." Here's a summary:


1. Ableton Live: Stranger uses Ableton Live as his digital audio workstation (DAW) for this tutorial. Ableton Live is a popular DAW known for its flexibility and real-time performance capabilities.

2. Serum: Serum is a widely used virtual synthesizer plugin. Stranger utilizes Serum for both the main lead synthesis and wobble bass sound. Serum is known for its versatile wavetable synthesis capabilities and extensive modulation options.

3. ShaperBox: ShaperBox is a plugin used for creative sound shaping and manipulation. In the tutorial, it's applied to add distortion and texture to elements like the kick drum.

4. Kilohearts Chorus: For adding chorus effects, Stranger mentions using the Kilohearts Chorus plugin. Chorus effects can thicken and widen sounds, creating a sense of depth and movement.

5. Various Effects: Throughout the tutorial, Stranger applies various effects like EQ, hyper dimension, reverb, and filtering to shape and enhance the sounds. These effects are standard tools in music production for sound design and processing.


While this provides an overview of the equipment and VSTs mentioned in the tutorial, it's important to note that music producers often have a wide range of tools and plugins at their disposal, and the choice of specific equipment can vary based on individual preferences and project requirements.


To help you with your music production, we would also like to recommend checking out these drum and bass products.

Out-of-this-world liquid drum and bass samples! a great product from cloudy samples which includes loops, MIDI, and synth presets, making it a seriously flexible package. The Demo is beautiful.

Otherwise, check out our other drum and bass sample collections for plenty of choice.


We hope this comprehensive blog has been informative and inspiring for all aspiring music producers. Happy producing!