Most Producers Make This Mistake...

Don't make the same mistake that almost all producers make! Watch this video, and learn how to make better MIDI drum beats. This lesson is inspired by “Arba” from Tatran - Foresee. **
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In Tatran’s new album “Foresee” that just dropped yesterday, Dan Mayo (who’s one of our favourite drummers!) brings the groove BIG time, reminding us that humans do it best! Now, while it’s impossible to replace a great drummer with a computer, it is possible to learn their hacks and use them in our MIDI drums. And that brings us to the No.1 mistake almost all producers make with their drums: They learn how to program them from other producers (and their MIDI drums), instead of learning from the only true source, real live drummers. So if you wanna program better drums, learn from great drummers!
We’re using Tatran’s new track “Arba” as the inspiration for this video, and what you see on the screen right now is a summarised version of Dan’s opening drum groove. So, start by setting up two bars of 4/4, with your grid set to 1/16 notes, and your tempo set to 86 BPM.
Step 1 - What to Play
Now, there’s a lot we can learn from a great drummer like Dan Mayo, so for this video, let’s just focus on one thing: Depth. So, Dan is playing a regular backbeat snare on beat 2 and beat 4. And that is actually about as deep as many producers would go with their snare pattern, but Dan adds another layer to his groove by playing three more snare accents in each bar. Then he adds a third layer to his snares, by playing ghost notes. Ghost notes are super soft snare hits, which add depth and texture to a groove. And finally, he plays a tom on beat 4 of each bar, which boosts the snare on that beat, making it sound bigger than the snare on beat 2. And with that, Dan has created four layers on his snare drum alone. That’s a lot of depth!
Step 2 - How to Play
Right, now that you’ve programmed what you wanna play, it’s time to program how you wanna play it. This involves changing each note’s velocity (which is how hard it’s hit), as that creates even more depth. Also, depending on what genre you’re working in, you could move the notes slightly off the grid for a more human feel. If you want an urgent feel, then move them a fraction before the beat. And if you want a chill vibe, move them a fraction after the beat (like we did with ours). Now, back to velocity. As an example of this, when a drummer plays two 1/16 note kicks in a row, their foot can’t kick the second note as hard as the first note**, so pull the velocity down on that second note. And another cool velocity hack is to change every single note individually, as that way each note has a slightly different velocity, which is how a drummer would play it.
**Good drummers can obviously do this (3:29), it's just an example!
Step 3 - Watch & Learn
Conveniently, Dan Mayo actually has a KZbin channel, so head on over there to watch and learn! And if you wanna check out another one of our favourite drummers, watch Adam Deitch, who’s the drummer in Lettuce and Break Science. We’ll link to both of these drummers in the description, so go and watch them play. And once you’ve found a couple favourite videos, slow them down, and program the MIDI for what they’re playing. Then, use those drum hacks creatively in your own music. Doing this will make your drums better than 99% of other producers’ beats. Guaranteed!
DRUMMERS
►Dan Mayo: / danmayodrummer
►Adam Deitch: • Adam Deitch - PASIC 20...
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ABOUT
Hack Music Theory is the pioneering notation-free method for making great music that stands out, so you can get discovered! Taught by award-winning music lecturer Ray Harmony, and his protégé (and wife) Kate Harmony, from their studio in Vancouver BC, Canada. Ray is the author of critically-acclaimed book series "Hack Music Theory", and has made music with Serj Tankian (System of a Down), Tom Morello (Rage Against the Machine), Steven Wilson (Porcupine Tree), Devin Townsend (Strapping Young Lad), Ihsahn (Emperor), Kool Keith (Ultramagnetic MCs), Madchild (Swollen Members), and many more! Kate has the highest grade distinction in Popular Music Theory from the London College of Music, and is the only person on the planet who's been trained by Ray to teach his method. On that note, the "Hack Music Theory" KZbin channel teaches relevant and instantly-usable music theory for producers, DAW users, and all other music makers (songwriters, singers, guitarists, bassists, drummers, etc.) in all genres, from EDM to R&B, pop to hip-hop, reggae to rock, electronic to metal (and yes, we djefinitely djent!).
MUSIC
►RayHarmony.com
►KateHarmony.com
COPYRIGHT
© 2018 Revolution Harmony
Revolution Harmony is Ray Harmony & Kate Harmony
All content (script & music) in video by Revolution Harmony

[@HackMusicTheory]

Hack Drum Beats (PDF) - Everything you need to know for making beats in one PDF: HackMusicTheory.com/Drums

[@Someman1209]

You two have made another great video tutorial. Your humanizing method is right on the money. Some DAWs have a humanizing function built in but not Studio one. Thanks Again

[@pstephens__]

Videos like this are so practical and helpful! Thanks again for creating yet another video that makes me appreciate the complexity of simplicity in layers in this beautiful art form of music! Side note: The drink of choice during the time of this comment is water. Not always the most attractive selection but it gets the job done. LOL!

[@HackMusicTheory]

Hiya P. Stephens, thanks so much for stopping by and connecting, it's lovely to meet you! And welcome to the Hack Music Theory community, we're super stoked to have you here! I dig your view of music, we too think it is a beautiful art form :) What kind of music do you make? Also, water, is the best drink of choice! Where would we be without water?! All our best, Kate :)

[@lordnicholas92]

you guys rock thank you so much!! be cool to see a J Dilla style video "drunk drummer" style

[@WizardOfArc]

Ghost notes are what separates real drummers from wannabes like me 🤣

[@HackMusicTheory]

We’ll be hanging out today (1 Dec) from 12pm - 1pm PST, drinking tea and chatting with you in the comments. Come say hi, and tell us what tea you’re drinking :)

[@Marxlrose]

Great vid again! :)

[@HackMusicTheory]

Hey hey Mark, lovely to see you, as always! Hope all's great your side. I was just trying to catch up in the Network, but multi-tasking never works haha, so I'll head on over there later. I noticed you'd posted a few things though, so I can't wait to catch up! See you in there later :)

[@Marxlrose]

@@HackMusicTheory Hey folks, its all going gravy thank you. I'm looking forward to your christmas special surprise for us :)

[@HackMusicTheory]

Haha oh yeah, Christmas! Hmmm... we haven't even thought that far yet, to be honest, as we've been working so hard on finishing Apprenticeship #2, which is now pretty much done. Wooohooo!!! We still need to write lyrics and record vox, but all the episodes are filmed, and we absolutely cannot wait for you to hear how it turned out (it's EPIC!!!). On that note, we'll be posting a new episode tomorrow, so stay tuned...

[@jabababafruitloop2930]

Passionfruit & papaya all day👌👌

[@louisliu2432]

I like these short and digestible short videos!! very useful

[@FarisMonshi]

Loved the tips on humanizing with ghost notes and velocity variation! I personally struggle the most with drum programming, over any other part of the production process. I welcome the challenge of being creative with my drums/percussion and thinking like a drummer, but my true frustration lies in not having a smooth workflow for it. By the time I bring up my sample folder, find a decent kick sample, drag it in, etc. and rinse repeat, SO much of my creative energy has been zapped and the enjoyment of the process turns to tedium. I’ve tried hardware and software like Maschine and Battery, but nothing has quite clicked yet. I’d be curious to hear more about your drum production workflow, MIDI or otherwise, and maybe a look into your organization habits for samples and such. Rock on!

[@HackMusicTheory]

Hey hey Faris, lovely to see you! Hope all's well down in Cali :) Super happy to hear you enjoyed this video, and that's a great topic you're hitting on there. Firstly, I'm so sorry to hear about your frustrations in this area, that really sux! But, as you're now an apprentice of ours, you can say goodbye to that frustration, as this is covered in great depth in our course. Also, something to look forward to... we go even deeper into this whole issue (and a bunch more!) in Apprenticeship #2, which will be out early next year, so stay tuned for that. So yeah, in Apprenticeship #1 you will see my whole workflow from start to finish, which will provide you with a solid structure for the music making process, cos making music really is a process (not a mystery!) when you've got Hack Music Theory powering you! Thanks again for stopping by, Faris, and we'll see you over in the Network! Ray :)

[@UriahBennett]

I'm glad you guys are still making awesome videos. This was gold.

[@LouisSerieusement]

Ah !!! Thank you that's a hack of public interest, so many people don't even use velocity !! That's a must do !! I hope this video become popular because it deserves it !!

[@awoyks]

you guys are amazing thank you so much ! best music theory channel !! learn so much

[@HackMusicTheory]

Aww thanks so much awoyks, and a warm welcome to our Hack Music Theory community! We publish new vids every Thursday, so we hope to see you again soon for more theory hacks! Until then, have a wonderful week/weekend :)

[@glynneowen]

You have no idea how grateful I am for this video🙏 thank you both.

[@oli_dall-r4112]

I love you guys’s positive energy

[@HackMusicTheory]

Aw thank you kindly, and welcome to our Hack Music Theory community, we're super stoked and grateful to have you here :)

[@simonon-music]

I'm a simple person, i see dan mayo i hit like!

[@Chamaenerion-angustifolium]

you are amazing, guys

[@HackMusicTheory]

Aw thanks, my friend! Ray :)

[@Nora-tl5lg]

Amazing video! The video was both helpful and entertaining. Perfect combination! Keep it up.

[@zipnone1996]

awesome groove tips!

[@StahBoi]

I appreciate this channel so much

[@HackMusicTheory]

Aww, thanks so much, Frazer! We really appreciate you being in the Hack Music Theory community :) By the way, what kind of music do you make? Hope this finds you happy and healthy :)

[@StahBoi]

@@HackMusicTheory on this channel I make Hip Hop but on another one in development I am producing EDM. I browsed your catalogue and saw a lot of helpful videos (now on my Watch Later) that I can use to help get me out of ruts. One of my biggest pet-peeves is using cliches (lyrically and musically) and your content definitely helps inspire originality. So thank you.

[@HackMusicTheory]

Amazing!!! And wow, thank you for saying that our videos help inspire originality, that's the best compliment ever :)

[@felinephase]

Thank you to cover again subjects I'm concerned with. ;)

[@Mehdi.Borousan]

You guys Are Awesome. Thanks for helpful videos.

[@PhilippeBlancR5]

Drums& tea. Good program😎😎

[@Justin_the_Analog_IC_architect]

Excellent information - as always! Keep up the fabulous work!!!

[@HackMusicTheory]

Hey Justin!! How are you, and how goes your music making these days?! We'd love to hear what you're making, so please do share in the apprentice network. It's really pumping, with tons of people sharing works in progress, and getting supportive and encouraging feedback from all around the world! All our best and happy music making and tea drinking! Kate :)

[@miguechupete]

This one is gonna be useful ✨ thank u guys

[@ghostuncle]

I sometimes use what claims to be an "artificial intelligence" plugin that writes very humanized beats. I edit them to make them my own, but with the software's help, I write much more interesting grooves. Should I name the software? I don't want to seem like a shill.

[@HackMusicTheory]

Hey hey Peter, thanks for stopping by and connecting, it's lovely to meet you! And welcome to the Hack Music Theory community, we're super stoked to have you here! Yeah the whole AI thing is fascinating, and it's gonna be interesting to see how it continues to unfold in the music industry. Music has always been about connecting people though, so I have no doubt that after the pendulum has swung full AI, music will come back to the people :)

[@nandakoryaaa]

Hi Kate and Ray! I'm late because I messed up my mail. Great drum groove! I would also love if you explain specifics of using cymbals and hi-hats. About human imitation, I noticed that GGD library uses slightly different sounds for each note. Sometimes it is actually inconvenient for me because once I've exported the track into mp3, I could not get the same exact track again.

[@WizardOfArc]

Great tips by the way!!!

[@HAZARDOUS88]

Thanks, these are great tips!

[@ghostuncle]

Good rules for placement (i.e. slightly before or after beat, depending on desired effect). Any good rules for velocity variations?

[@HackMusicTheory]

Velocity is all about accents! So, start by thinking what notes you want your listeners to notice, and then work your way down through the layers, adding depth and texture (like the example in this video, where Dan Mayo has four layers on his snare drum alone). Hope that helps, and thanks again for being here :)

[@riccardotedeschini2487]

Soooo good!

[@EfisioCross]

you guys rock God bless ❤️

[@aureliomarty3079]

That's the single area I give myself 1/10. And I wholeheartedly agree human drums greatly enhance a track.What's your take on logic and garageband virtual drummer?Since AI is permeating in all area now I have the feeling drums is THE area AI can fool human's ears.

[@HackMusicTheory]

Hey hey Aurelio, lovely to see you, as always! Thanks big time for stopping by, and hope all's well your side! I was just chatting with someone else in the comments about this issue. Here's my take (in a nutshell): The whole AI thing is fascinating, and it's gonna be interesting to see how it continues to unfold in the music industry. However, music has always been about connecting people, so I have no doubt that after the pendulum has swung full AI, music will come back to the people! By the way, 1/10 is a bit harsh, ouch! I'm sure we can get that way up after watching this video, right? :)

[@aureliomarty3079]

@@HackMusicTheory Haha.I am going to have to binge watch on your drums playlist in order to give myself a passing grade in drums programming.

[@HackMusicTheory]

Haha awesome!!! Well, you're in the right place, as we love drums (and I play the drums, too!). Please keep us posted on your progress in the network, and thanks again for stopping by Aurelio, it's always so lovely for us to see your face pop up in the comments! And once again, a massive CONGRATS on the release of your debut single, we are beyond proud of you!!! Ray :)

[@dragondrop7777]

If your midi drums require more than two human hands and two human feet to play, It's prolly a mess.

[@HackMusicTheory]

Haha tru dat!

[@willianwyler5941]

Great video again! Tnx!

[@HackMusicTheory]

Hey hey Willian, great to hear from you, hope all is well! Happy to hear you enjoyed this one :) By the way, how's the apprenticeship going? Kate :)

[@willianwyler5941]

@@HackMusicTheory hi Kate! Im making progress! It is very inspiring, so I hope i can record something as soon as possible. Habe a nice weekend!

[@HackMusicTheory]

Yay, we'd love to hear what you're making, so please do share in the apprentice network. It's really pumping, with tons of people sharing works in progress, and getting supportive and encouraging feedback from all around the world! Happy weekend to you too!

[@FabianoChagas]

Cool , dude. FA

[@Aperson-gt9xd]

I hope I'm not too late, I only got the notification now!

[@HackMusicTheory]

You're never too late! Welcome to the drum party :)

[@Aperson-gt9xd]

Yay! Last time you asked me to let you know how the new trombone was going if I got it - I got it and it's really good.

[@HackMusicTheory]

Wow, that's awesome! Congratulations! Happy to hear you're diggin' it and I'm sure it'll help you win the big one next year ;)

[@Maxiloller]

Yeah to easy to be Lazy and do a boring carpet beating rythm, remembering to treat the rythm like music too is key !!! :-)

[@JustinNogle]

Pfff. I'm not ashamed of my ridiculously expensive robot that blasts beats perfectly in time (and only perfectly) at 2,000 bpm. 😁