SMALL CHANGES, BIG RESULTS
For our example, we’ve started with a ‘boring’ house groove using TR-909 sounds from a pack
Using a handful of small changes, the picture is transformed to something more memorable
VIDEO INCLUDED
How do we strike a balance between familiar drum formats and ear-catching experimentation? One approach is to start with an entirely conventional drum groove, and then add interest and subvert expectations.
Let’s return to the house example we mentioned on the previous page. Creating a ‘standard’ house groove is pretty basic. Start with a pack of TR-909 sounds (you can find some in the download links at this issue’s contents page). Create a two-bar MIDI clip and place a kick on every beat. Now add claps and/or snares on beats two and four and an open hi-hat on each offbeat. Use a few closed hats or percussion hits for extra variety between these elements. Try copying the pattern of a classic track, or follow our tutorials at bit.ly/FM44patterns.