I spent 1000 days transcribing drum beats - here's what I learned

[@CaptainPikant]

Because many of you have been asking: The empty pattern templates as well as the drum pattern transcriptions are all available on our Patreon at www.patreon.com/captainpikant

[@nastybadger-tn4kl]

I want to find out what device enhance the sound and clarity. Like removing noise and clean up like chord mojo dac does. I want to create channel to have old music revamped. Not mixed. Original but no noise. What device will do that? Also make it sound vinyl not cd

[@ropesquid2085]

Ya boi Kavinsky really driving home that point about simplicity, bless

[@illegalgiant_]

i got a digitakt, then got a bass, and practiced practiced practiced. added a daw and learning about how music all works together... staved off a lot of gearlust and decided, you cant do it all. decided to go back to the basics and focus on just 'the rhythm section'. this viodeo is basically exactly what ive personally been wanting to do. understand drums (with kicks) and how bass fits in to be able to make things my friends and I can jam on. thanks for making everything so visual, well laid out, and perfectly concise. i genuinely appreciate you making a bridge for me forward!

[@CaptainPikant]

Thanks for your kind words! We're really happy the video was helpful to you :)

[@killstarpopper]

that's actually a very good advice to just focus on the rhythm section first.. thanks man!

[@jsteed10]

Rhythm is so important to the music! Ur right on

[@crimsonfancy]

exactly! congratulations!

[@MegaCadr]

The production quality of these videos is just nuts. Looks great!

[@kevinanderson7243]

How can I get a copy of your transcript for drum program patterns

[@puntig.1187]

This is one of the best produced/edited videos I have ever seen... Thanks for your extreme professionalism!

[@jtw-r]

there is Nothing cheating about slowing it down to half time to learn it. i’m gonna bet every musician has done this at least once in their life. i’ve tried to learn many instruments in the past and that is one of the first things teachers always say. play it in half time until you are comfortable, and your brain can understand all of the rapid fire actions you need. once you build the muscle memory, then you can begin speeding it up!

[@onpatrolforthejuice]

The very best way to practice anything is to do it slow enough that you can do it perfectly every time. Even if you are going at 5 bpm all that matters is that you get the entire thing completely correct. This is how you avoid bad habits. If you can doing something slow perfectly then you will do it fast perfectly in time.

[@mancavemusician]

These videos are the absolute benchmark for Quality. Nothing beats these for comprehensive instruction

[@johnoestmannmusic]

One thing that is worth remembering with the "Less is More" (7:45) section is that the non-drum instruments in those tracks create interesting rhythmic diversity. The Radiohead song, for example, has a steady 4/4 kick beat, but the rest of the song is in a different time signature creating a polymeter effect.

[@CaptainPikant]

Absolutely true! All the elements have to be balanced. Another example would be the noisy synths in "Nightcall" that take on the role of cymbals.

[@juliogarcia9738]

Captain Pikant Thank you for producing such high quality content and releasing it for free. It's very much appreciated and there are people out there that have never heard of you but the day they come across your videos they will be fans.

[@zach5539]

okay these videos are gorgeous well done!

[@gabedamien]

I don't know how I ended up here, I don't play drums or produce music in a DAW. But dude, this video is so beautifully made. Major achievement.

[@sinephase]

an interesting thing about tracker synths for beats is that back in the day a buddy of mine naturally was making aphex twin style drums in a tracker and doing an excellent job at it. triggering effects on a note by note basis is pretty powerful!

[@Cepheid-IDM]

Trackers offer an awesome degree of control over your composition! Love my M8 and even really liked my short time with Renoise and Fasttracker 2.

[@endoflevelboss]

What do you mean your buddy "naturally" was making aphex twin style drums?

[@sinephase]

@@endoflevelboss this was the late 90s and the tracker he learned to produce with from the start just enabled him to create very similar beats. I don't think he even heard of aphex twin at the time TBH. Being able to accentuate every note with an effect makes it easier, idk

[@emuemu8428]

It’s inconceivable today to people how hard it was for information to move around back in the 90s to even early 00s.

[@AdamsOlympia]

@@emuemu8428 I didn’t find it any harder to move info in the late 80s/early 90s.. just took longer, so we learned the arts of brevity (i.e. efficient music formats like .mod files)

[@DiegoMartinezRamos]

Incredible production, simple and elegant. Thanks!!

[@joelkulesha8284]

This channel really is such a fantastic source of information.

[@jamesaita]

God I love your videos. Never ever ever stop. I could watch all day long. Man they should be in a hall of fame.

[@Hyper5nic]

I opened a box of Shenannigans when I first bought a book on drum patterns, but your video explains the process of transcribing wonderfully and I now feel more confident about doing so myself. Many thanks for creating this awesome video, and all the best to you and your patrons!

[@CaptainPikant]

Thank you so much! Glad to hear that, sometimes all you need is a little nudge to start :)

[@QuimGil]

Curious about which book, if you don't mind sharing.

[@bigmistqke]

Those transcriptions look so beautiful

[@anzatzi]

I have been doing this on and off for two years. I found it really helped when I learned key 16 beat drum and snare positions

[@leezalee7378]

Wow. Such a unique and effective format for teaching this subject. I have to rewatch this video. Mind kind of blown, something about this video is so top notch. Not surprised to see others complimenting in the comments as well.

[@JorbLovesGear]

Great stuff, working on it every day is really inspiring and you've really proven its paid off. Makes me want to find my own 30 minute task. I play the Greg Phillinganes version of behind the mask in my DJ sets often, such a cool song.

[@CaptainPikant]

Thank you so much! The hard thing is to keep at it even when things don't go well :) Didn't know the Greg Phillinganes version yet, love it!

[@real_anxst]

Coming back to this video, I’d forgotten about the YMO ending. It being just days after Sakamoto passed away, it hit me pretty hard. What a fantastic video, though.

[@muppetpaster]

4:30 I see the analogy as instruments are the words in the language and the timing (i.e. the placement) of them are language "accents" (not accents as in emphasis, rather where it is from)

[@wbhub]

Fantastic video, clearly your passion extends to video production as well!

[@GTChris]

These videos are so good. Can't wait for more genre specific episodes.

[@zapmando]

I played RockBand for a long time, definitely helps visualize your rythmic instincts and get that initial estimate you talk about. Awesoem video

[@Paul-uy1ru]

Thank YOU for introducing ME to Yellow Magic Orchestra!

[@cutseencinematics]

production value super high. narration on point. excellent channel

[@georgeegan8682]

This is my first video I've seen of this guy and I already love him

[@paulflores7322]

I begun my drum programming journey of covers w my mc101 a few weeks ago and I think this video is very solid advice. The example of slowing aphex down is one of many “tricks” really a very important tool to see and hear more would love to keep seeing more videos like this ❤

[@envik5474]

man this video was wonderful. The visuals are amazing and the knowlege is almost overwhelming. have to watch it 2 or 3 times again to get everything. thank u for your input.

[@sadface]

I didn't know you could do so much with the closed and open hat patterns. Thanks for the inspiration!

[@autistikicecream]

Wow! Skinny Puppy! 8:50 They really had sophisticated drum patterns. Thanks for the video! ✨

[@KitKalvert]

Fantastic video! Thank you for taking the time to do this!

[@InnerVisions68]

Such great production values in your videos. Always so well done. Thank you

[@BIGV1N]

Woah, what a GEM of a channel you've got here! Looking forward to working my way through your catalog!

[@sinwithsebastian]

Have you ever thought of making them available, I know that logic has a way to import and save drum patterns

[@khz5324]

This is awesome. I considered doing this but thankfully you did it for me!

[@BrendanReape88]

This video was put together so insanely well. A+ man!

[@sub-jec-tiv]

We love you, Cap. You’re smart and fun. Thanks for showing me how great the TT-78 is, it’s now my favorite drum machine (besides the MPC of course).

[@russell_szabados]

I love drum machines and did something similar when I bought my first one in 1989. But not to the extreme you took it! I took about 6 or 7 of my favorite tracks and tried to recreate them on my Roland R-5. That was a great learning experience.

[@killroy123]

I found this channel randomly and omg, its what I've been looking for. The Technopolis ending was amazing! Sub and def going to be a patron. This was incredible!

[@RockLobster223]

Your videos are works of art in themselves, just stunningly done and very useful too. Amazing.

[@ethangilbertmedia]

DUDEEE the quality of this content is unreal 🙌🏻

[@agentmirv]

This is the video I've always wanted, seriously!

[@seanraye]

Crazy productions by bro.. I'm impressed

[@helenebradley]

Great video and topic! I made myself do something like this every day for a month last year and it definitely improved my drum programming (and general listening) skills. I really recommend it. And slowing it down isn't cheating at all, you are still trying to work it out for yourself :)

[@f55665566]

wow you're video style is so neat. Like it!

[@crimsonfancy]

Thank you! It is simplicity that can be the hardest concept to grasp. In all arts, simplicity requires most learning and experience and is the highest plateau. When we compose anything (certainly not only music,) we should find that we will do best by "removing" components rather than by "adding" components. Complexity is easy and when we throw every flavor that we love into the pot, we will obviously enjoy consuming it....! But to do this so often, we soon find that every pot tastes the same. Start with something wonderful, slightly embellish, and then leave it alone. Resist adding more! To arrive at "simple" is never the "easy" path.

[@jesseschneid1809]

This is the most well put together video I’ve seen on KZbin.

Thanks for the hard work,I spent 20n somethingish years banging out 4/4 distorted industrial beats, and the last 7 years doing ambient music with not much going on in the rythem area, but as of late I've been drum machine shopping, and thinking about how to make more interesting drum beats, so I have been snooping around your fantastic channel, it's been in a master class in drum machine programing. Now, I just have to decide what machine to buy, I'm leaning to the RD8 MK2.

[@Hezarfenmusic]

Beautiful content❤thank you😊

[@jayhillraps]

I'm excited for you learning about YMO, I love them. I have an MC-707 + the Microfreak and I'm hoping to bring their influence into my Rap Music

[@timnordberg7204]

future Rap Phenomenon

[@jayhillraps]

@@timnordberg7204 Working on it!

[@xtradany5398]

Well this channel was a nice find. The visuals were a treat for my adhd mind.

[@dirtysploof5890]

thank you for another banger!!! Probably gonna try this out soon

[@sleepy_onion4838]

You wouldn’t happen to have a pdf for those awesome drum pattern print outs would you?

[@Arnases]

These videos are so helpful and beautifully crafted!

[@djcj]

Amazing video. Wow

[@othaitai2356]

Such a good video, good knowledge and cool style, thanks!

[@melomania2637]

this is a beautiful video

[@tapsy]

You are awesome bro

[@djcj]

Thank you

[@IstyManame]

This editing is insane

[@slowcuber_aze]

this is so amazing, thank you very much. you inspired

[@nym053]

Maybe I should try this. Sounds similar to the process of listening to a piece of music and copying the arrangement. Automatically you'll start noticing different layers of sounds that you didn't before. Can learn quite a lot from it, and helps you breaking out being stuck in a loop 😊 Btw, I quite often use phasers myself. Usually subtlely. On drums I mainly use it as a variation for a certain section because most of the times I want my drums sounding stable. But adding a bit of instabily as contrast is a good variation and creates impact when getting back to the stable sound. You can also use a healthy amount of phaser on a certain sound that has impact to it (doesn't have to be drums) in a breakdown, and then take it away for the next drop. Quite effective.

[@JamesRamboPearce]

Such a fantastic video, definitely given me food for thought!!

[@GertoHeupink]

Missing the Kick under the Snare in Nightcall by Kavinsky (Graphically). I Think starting making my own beats. Good Idea. Thanx for your explanatory video. Great stuff

[@CaptainPikant]

Hi Gerto, thanks! I believe there's no kick on the 2 and 4. Listen for the transient and the "thud" of the kick, it's only on the 1 and 3. The snare is especially beefy though so it sounds a little bit like a kick or maybe Kavinsky put a very deep sine bass under both :)

[@GertoHeupink]

@@CaptainPikant Thanx for your dedicated and substantiated answer. Still I think there is a combination of the the both on 2 and 4... Kick and snare together but there is an interaction of the snare lows with the kick making the kick sound different when sounding together. It is just my way of listening to it with my experience....

[@bassline11]

I'm also pretty sure there's a kick there

[@CaptainPikant]

Hi again Gerto! We just experimented a bit with some LinnDrum samples and I have to admit you're right. The snare partially masks the kick drum, which removes the prominent "thud" when mixed this way. Thanks again!

[@GertoHeupink]

@@CaptainPikant exactly what I discovered. When I look at the waveform in Wavelab you can clearly see the Kick wave under the Snaredrum. Due to the Masking effect the 'Thud' of the kick becomes unclear because of the snare. The initial frequency of the kick lies around 50Hz. Although the snare is tuned down it will never reach as low as that. Nice discussion. Thanx

[@punk_mx]

Que buenos videos haces, tienes todo mi reconocimiento. You are my friend now bro.

[@LousyFacelift]

Great video! The best advice I could give - Be aware of what your machine can and cannot do. Many of the modern devices are easier to use at the cost of flexiblility, so they are less capable than some of the older ones. Listen really closely to short phrases and learn how to identify single measures in different time signatures by literally counting through their downbeats even if that makes you feel like an idiot. This can open up your consciousness for a whole micro cosm of rhythmic life that leads to a better understanding about what you want to create and how to do it. Remember - once you have figured out only one measure, you have basically unlocked the structure of the whole rhythm and are free to experiment.

[@BLACKDISC]

This is exactly what I've been looking for (even down to the song examples)! Incredible video!

[@geebee44]

Another awesomely taught lesson in sound... thanks

[@davidsanfeliumarco9664]

Awesome video as always!! Have you considered starting a full rhythm creation course for parteons?

[@CaptainPikant]

Not yet :)

[@davidsanfeliumarco9664]

@@CaptainPikant please please please! 😅

[@sailordave5292]

@@CaptainPikant I'd love to see that too!!! : )

[@CommunityGuidelines]

Educational, and helpful. The YMO cover was a nice surprise.

[@michaelkonomos]

This is hard but very good advice. No short cuts to building on all the human knowledge that has come before us if we are going to grow!

[@SONWU]

A++ Great teaching, great visuals. Perfect!

[@wiegraf9009]

Lots of nice advice, thanks!

[@markus6409]

I really like your channel. It is usefull and informativ and also nice to watch. There are so many synth channels nowadays just showing gear and talking a lot but saying almost nothing. So i wonder why these channels have much more subscriptions and clicks. It seems to be also a pattern because you can see this phenomenon through all themes. Thank you for your work. I really appreciate it.

[@railvolt]

Really comprehensive video & lovely editing. Also, 3:54 (edit) is sampled in NakeyJakey's ROMCOM album on the track Reeboks or the Nikes!

[@Oversampled]

Do you have these transcriptions in midi maybe?

[@CaptainPikant]

No the patterns are mostly spread across different drum machines and grooveboxes :)

[@Oversampled]

@@CaptainPikant but they're downloadable files? If so what format are they? I'm thinking I could learn something from these 😉

[@CaptainPikant]

@@Oversampled Yes they're PDFs

[@Veptis]

I have been playing drums for maybe 7 years and wrote down a bunch of stuff as well. When first getting into digital music production.... I overdid the drum part over everything.

[@stapizo]

This video didn't teach me anything but the quality is incredible. A like for the beautiful hard work !

[@bassline11]

In Kavinsky - Nightcall (@8:18), isn't the kick also playing on 2 and 4, together with the snare?

[@grimish_tunes]

This video is a huge help, since I'm passionate of all the drums patterns that shaped dance music ❤

[@inamortz2372]

This channel is a treasure.

[@jaspergray803]

Phenomenal work

[@eb7157]

You sir have just earned yourself a subscriber for life

[@puma4322]

Love it! I have now signed up to your Patreon. MAGIC

[@CaptainPikant]

Welcome aboard :)

[@juanchis.investigadorsonoro]

I'm so happy I found this channel. Instantly suscribed, have a great year everyone!

[@ksmusiclounge1648]

Great video man! 100% true!

[@rowdyvoyeur]

Awesome, as always. Thank you very much for your great videos!

[@AndrewJohnClive]

You are the Boss, Captain!❤

[@thomaslann5015]

Love your videos. Always fun and helps my visual learning. Also, very high quality

[@WillieCarpenter17]

This video is inspiring, also, I am in the midst of learning all sequences drum patterns myself, I love this! Also I love this channel so much can’t wait for upcoming content!!!!❤

[@EgozZzT1]

Amazing video, thank you for the dedication!!!

[@Johnstone565]

Great video, lad. Thanks

[@AudioMusicElectronics]

Thank you for introducing me to Yellow Magic Orchestra! :)

[@CaptainPikant]

My pleasure :)

[@sadhedonism7125]

So well explained and visualized!

[@djasynchronous7777]

you have sooooo many toys 😳 Love your work, your like 'This old Tony' only for music 🤙

[@taibksikes5086]

This is amazing thank you thank you

[@shuplitz2257]

Got really surprised hearing the beat of Fur Lined by HTDA. Good video!

[@MrArpSolina]

I generally sample a track, find the BPM, and visually analyse the drum elements in Sound Forge from the wave shape, so that I can find the various drum positions with great precision.