7 MUST-DOS TO IMPROVE YOUR DROPS! | Drum and Bass Tutorial 2021

The first 1,000 people to use this link will get a 1 month free trial of Skillshare: skl.sh/stranjah03221
7 tips to make more powerful drops. This beginner Ableton music production tutorial can be used for Drum and Bass, Dubstep, Bassline and EDM music.
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0:00 Intro
0:47 The Track
1:38 Tip 1 - Automate FX
3:36 Tip 2 - Dynamic Drum Rolls
6:22 Tip 3 - Pause Before Drop
8:34 Tip 4 - Risers and Impacts
9:57 Sponsored Message
11:02 Tip 5 - Drum Fill
12:37 Tip 6 - Mute the Drums
13:40 Tip 7 Random Delayed Sounds
14:50 Full Sequence
16:26 Listen to the Track
17:36 Final Thoughts

[@STRANJAH]

The first 1,000 people to use this link will get a 1 month free trial of Skillshare: skl.sh/stranjah09211

[@atdfilms360]

I already have a Skillshare account but I'll definitely check your tuts. Thank you !

[@OllyF]

Pro tip for the drop: Try adding an impact/explode sample on the first kick of the drop and filter out low end so it doesn't clash with the kick. Also try a crash on the 1st beat of the drop and try adding some white noise with fast decay 🙏

[@STRANJAH]

Yes I was so focus on the before the drop I forgot this!

[@OllyF]

@@STRANJAH it happens mate don't worry! Your videos are excellent either way! 😊

[@thomasvervaet1443]

Depends on your taste but I like the buildup to have a lot of noise/high frequencies, then have the drop be minimalistic and just loads of sub

[@OllyF]

@@thomasvervaet1443 yeh mate I feel you! 😊 That cab also work really well sometimes

[@jewyboy4000]

What does white noise actually do ? I've had people suggest this before and I don't quite understand it

[@kryold3550]

Bro your tutorials have been fire lately. I find myself recreating all your bass patches and then modifying them, or using the stuff I learned from them to modify a different patch, and ending up with crazy new results. So glad I've found your channel, keep at it!

[@CoyTheobalt]

bot

[@kryold3550]

ai@@CoyTheobalt

[@NRTKDNB]

Using FL for many years but this channel learned me a lot

[@STRANJAH]

Glad to hear it!

[@theoracle7463]

You forgot my favourite way to add impact, dip the volume of most of the sounds slowly till the drop then bump them all back up adds so much impact

[@iantrigue6159]

absolute quality, I'm learning so much from these tutorials. Having listened to DnB for the last 20 years finally understanding how its made has been truly eye opening

[@STRANJAH]

Glad to bring that knowledge!

[@ryangunz2390]

So good my friend. You are an immeasurable value on production, thank you for what you do! 🙏

[@resonatingergonomicsdnb2426]

Addressing the power of silence is great. Love drum rolls. Good simple insight there.

[@rezilient]

A lot of these techniques I’m using! Very impactful indeed ❤️

[@shadowalker101]

These really are incredibly helpful for new producers! All your videos are gold thanks for this!

[@buzzandjim4265]

IM IN!!! Look forward to another great tutorial. Thanks again Stranjah. Learned more from you than any other manz. You will go to Jungle heaven. Brap!!

[@STRANJAH]

Thank you man!!

[@AndySo2000]

Always got to rewatch a lot of your vids when I'm about to finish a track. Leaving a comment to help the cause. Keep it going man, digging the tips!

[@Numocron]

Wow man this is such an awesome Drum & Bass tutorial I love it. Big up Stranjah.👊

[@sramirez1906]

I'll be coming back to this one again and again. Big up Stranjah!

[@drewtoolive3612]

Each tip is on point. Whether you are new to production or not. It's great to get insight into creating urgency, tension and release, responses etc... My workflow gets better after every video. I appreciate all the drum and bass nuances you go through. Coming from years of breaks and house production there's overlap surely but to get real pro. All you video content is shaving years off my transition to dnb. Big UP!!!

[@STRANJAH]

Thanks man glad you agree with the tips!

[@itsfadey]

Absolutely smashed it again as per! Stranjah a real one for this

[@STRANJAH]

Thank you!

[@witchdoctorwise]

I'm obsessed with these tuorials and I've never even made drum and bass (used to make jungle/hardcore on my Amiga with Octamed back in 93-95 when I was in my mid-teens and then moved on to making hip-hop and synthy electronica). It's made me want to give it a go though. To be honest I like the intro on this in itself as a kind of skippy hiphoppy beat that could have rap vocals on.

[@effectsworks2106]

Fantastic vid! Thanks.

[@massimofurness7074]

Such a sick vid, thank you Stranjah

[@lecosmique]

Nice1! Definitely going to focus on working these tips in to some upcoming projects. 🙌

[@STRANJAH]

Wicked!

[@apoplexiamusic]

More really useful tips and techniques from the almighty Stranjah!!!! Thank you for your awesome content!

[@STRANJAH]

Most welcome man!

[@coresk1420]

Awesome tutorial

[@TheLeekyFeeder]

Loved this! Big Up!

[@LinardsBerzins]

Cool, thanks for the knowledge

[@alienzarereal5326]

thanks for the wonderful informative content, your amazing bro

[@ambedo_bass]

super helpful vid thanks again stranjah

[@Lucait]

i needed you few years ago dude!

[@4pparatus]

Noted. Good show sir. My evolution continues.

[@Guntherthefool]

Great tips

[@Tati108]

Thank you so much! 🎉

[@jackchilly1]

Your videos are easily the best tutorials man, you break it down so well! Id love it if you could make a 'How to make a dnb bootleg of a non dnb track' video tutorial in future?

[@jointjuian8847]

Hey stranjah thank you so much for your production videos. Have you thought about doing some sort of community drum and bass contest? Maybe with some sort of giveaway or something. I think alot of people would love to watch such a thing

[@sramirez1906]

Love it!

[@danecustance2734]

Legend, thanks.

[@tomenward4120]

One more trick you missed, is filtering the lows out of the main bassline and introducing it in the intro, however it wont sound nice with EVERY bassline, its mainly the stabby jump up types in my experience! big ups as always mate!

[@STRANJAH]

Yes that’s a dope trick it wouldn’t be right for this tune tho. I like doing it for reesier basslines. There’s more tricks will have to do another video

[@amundbisgaard7295]

You rock, man.

[@SPURME]

Love Your vids 😋

[@venumsound]

Big up man. please do a video on that wobble bass 🔥

[@kannabotanika4958]

Stranjahs tutorials are really helpful.. I’ve watched them all and they have been a great resource.. thanks for everything you do!!

[@STRANJAH]

Cheers for watching them all! I mean, that's commitment or maybe punishment, I can't decide. If my tutorials are the highlight of your day, we both need a drink. Seriously though, really chuffed to be part of your journey, mate. Onwards and upwards

[@blueberrimuffin6682]

@@STRANJAH DnB is infecting you. All that UK music rots the brain. Nobody outside of Great Britain says "chuffed."

[@MoodyTunesLive]

absolute banger!

[@New_Gaming_Chair]

🔥 🔥 Im excited to use these tips. Wub

[@STRANJAH]

Good luck!

[@version12001]

Thank you for this!!! I’ve been struggling with energy implementation. I’ll definitely give these techniques a go.

[@STRANJAH]

Awesome!

[@i-never-look-at-replies-lol]

Yeah it really sucks when you work on a song for long you stop hearing it as it is, so then you finally commit to recording it and once it's done you realize you forgot to filter out the bass before one of the drops, so it just goes from bass to more bass; I was so focused on the actual programming and energy in the drums & fills to make room and control the energy that it gave me tunnel vision to where I didn't even notice the other elements I should have been bringing in & dropping out.

[@version12001]

@@i-never-look-at-replies-lol My issue is similar. I tend to focus more on music theory. This typically results in a dull and boring piece. Hopefully I’ll be able to add a sense of vitality to my work soon.

[@hardboiled2000]

Really gnarlly

[@Hazmat8612]

You're the best bro

[@bilal-ahmedawan4078]

love that koto

[@danielrhoads8676]

Great video! And thanks for the follow up of recommended videos 🙌. Do you remember a while ago you made a video "most common bass lines for DnB"? It would be neat for another future video top 10 kick and snare rolls for DnB. Like variations of MIDI note patterns. Some producers such as "A.M.C" does his kick rolls before the drop with no filtering just all in your face 😄. That would be a great follow up video to this. Variations of kick and snare rolls. Great video Stranjah! I just finished the whole thing right now. Keep em coming.

[@STRANJAH]

Great suggestion thx Daniel!

[@ColonelMuppet]

@@STRANJAH I second Daniel’s proposal! I liked the tip in this one with the Tom roll. Thanks again for all the good work. The way you put together your videos so professionally is second to none.

[@buffalonation8248]

Very nice !

[@wired-up5677]

This was more of an Intro buildup tutorial but still really helpful

[@corinthompson95]

Also adding a crash or white noise exhaust at the start of the drop can help.

[@Beany58]

Awesome video

[@STRANJAH]

Thanks!

[@georgiabliss2745]

excellent tutorials, thank you so much!

[@STRANJAH]

Most welcome. Spice Agony is dope. Good job!

[@georgiabliss2745]

@@STRANJAH ohh thank you for listening!

[@hiddemoens82]

Great tutorial! Do you have any tips for building to the second drop?

[@professorpancakes6545]

Just do the same thing, but different.

[@henriquematias1986]

amazing stuff as usual! i actually prefer to do volume automation on the FADER because it will be easier to visualise stuff and then use the UTILITY as a GAIN/TIRM knob if you need to "mix it".. (((( :

[@noahrathje8976]

Making things wide or narrow (and reversing it again) also works well

[@cestinasimp9234]

That flute on the break is nutty🥴

[@DJSNCE1212]

Loving this big man, great stuff as always. I was wondering if you could do a tutorial for the double bass kinda bassline a-la Roni Size - Brown Paper Bag. One of my favourite tunes and a sound I've heard in many other tracks. Never been able to recreate it.

[@STRANJAH]

Great idea will look into it

[@alexwild1435]

The thing about Roni Size is he recorded real double bass and made loops from it so it’s hard to recreate that sound unless you’ve got access to musicians. Unless you can find some great samples or a really good software instrument.

[@resonatingergonomicsdnb2426]

@@alexwild1435 Maybe do a fiver or soundbetter collab with stranjah video would be dope with an upright bassist. Good point about live bassist.

[@georgebogdan3]

The best teacher

[@michaelfinster4405]

Keep up the good work

[@STRANJAH]

Thank you!

[@shumwei9585]

Where's that brass from? It sounds great - also any recommendations for software instruments (for things like brass , strings ect)?

[@djkrptdnb]

Was waiting for the copy paste on that vocal 😉

[@Rawwb]

THANK YOU AGAINNNNNNNNNNN!!!!!!!!!

[@djghostmode]

that flute sample is used in maozon and c-show "rave alone" :D

[@STRANJAH]

No way haha nice!

[@hardboiled2000]

Regardless of genre, my drums always sounds crappy, I dont know if im picking the wrong sounds or im not mixing it right can you do a video?

[@upintime]

Up💯 brilliant 🔥🔥🔥🔥

[@STRANJAH]

thank you

[@Official_RIDM]

that drop is sooo delicious!

[@cidthesloth1430]

Hey stranjah if you see this I would love to know how you made those basses in the drop

[@rogermar8646]

Man your tutorials are so 🔥 ! Thanks for this tutorial! Helping newbies like me level up!

[@AlistairMaxwell77]

i like old school minimal drops .. an eirie pad , couple of fx , a sample . hold the tension . everything now is sp brash and loud ....

[@JJRocheO]

Can we get more footwork tutorials 🙏 that footwork grime was next level 🤯

[@STRANJAH]

Will do!

[@bikeninja956]

Thanks for the share! super helpful. After a thousand years of trying to figure out how to get those red lines....I accidently figured out that "A" turned on and off automations......lmao. Gotta love intuitive software design :(

[@ghostcoder3342]

you could also fade in slowly a combination of hi/low pass filters and also reduce the stereo width, all at the same time.. fade it in slowly and gently, so that the listener did not reallise the change.. at the beginning of the drop you simply turn this effects off and it feals like the drop slamms in aggain with much more power. this trick you cann use again and again and it feels like the next part got more power than the part before which is not really true but the effect is huge.

[@STRANJAH]

Yes advanced tricks here thx for that!

[@cipsleten505583789]

This man is a tresure

[@stefanoricchiuti3726]

ok, i just need to ffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffiiilter in... :D Thanks man, i like your videos!

[@MiesFM]

Stranjah never misses

[@stenchybeats]

Still a great vid. 🤙🏻

[@Jake-ef6wx]

How do you make that wobble sound on the drop?

[@dojibwe1]

I know this will have many answers, but in your opinion, how many bars should an intro ride before the first drop?

[@jamescowie9940]

I’m the first tip, how did you get the red line to appear on the track that you can manipulate by clicking and dragging to change the filter?

[@dredhok]

Heads up. I'm a BIG FAN when you see my tracks know you helped me get them where I need them. Love you. Thank. 💕

[@dredhok]

If you're into music theory,studying fugues will save you lots of time when trying to keep things interesting

[@STRANJAH]

Bigup man keep it up!

[@liquefactiondnb]

Hey man.. quality channel. Just starting out any advice for a good starter software package. Thanks in advance 👊👊

[@STRANJAH]

Serato Studio is for free to get your hands wet, also I think there was a version of Reaper that was for free. Otherwise I definitely recommend Ableton plus VITAL VST (The free version)

[@mauvaise_machine]

Try different DAWs (FL Studio, Ableton Live, Cubase, Reason, Bitwig) if you get a chance and see which ones suits you best. Start with the stock plugins; as you will progress, your tastes and needs will evolve. Learn different types of synthesis (subtractive, granular, FM) and mixdown techniques as well. Luckily this channel covers most of these parts really well. I can recommend Vital as a synth (it's free and really powerfull, quite similar to Serum/Massive type of synths)

[@liquefactiondnb]

@@mauvaise_machine thanks ill check them out. Much appreciated 🙏

[@liquefactiondnb]

@@STRANJAH thank your videos have certainly opened my eyes. And appreciate your efforts 👌

[@XxMelena97Xx]

THAT WOBBLE I JUST CAN'T STOP LISTENING TO IT. any tuttorial how to make it?

[@mrty8701]

how do i get that red line to come up

[@adampodell9775]

I'm honestly deceased at that drop, wtf

[@STRANJAH]

LOL glad it had impact

[@frass541]

whats this vocal jeez🔥

[@zorawarsingh327]

Brother of bleu clair

[@TRTSMTT]

I really like to fade in a rising shepard before the drop.

[@STRANJAH]

I learned a new term, that is definitely a cool thing to use before the drop.

[@NappySoldier]

word drum&bass family

[@alexwild1435]

What are your thoughts on how long the intro should be? Are we past the era of needing 1-2 minutes of intro for mixing now most people don’t play vinyl? Its still an artistic choice I suppose.

[@STRANJAH]

My recent writing style lends itself to short 16-32 bar intros. However, I commend those who are bringing back deeper, evolving musical structures with longer development.

[@TheKg77]

the long intro for mixing wasnt a great idea with vinyl. i never got why 1 min of pads then some hihats before a crazy intro beat was good for mixing in a club, in terms of monitoring and beat matching.. i would of thought with digital dj sync tempo and all tunes been made to quantized grids, long intros would work alot easyier without vinyl...iam finding with digital mixing i can extend/mash up intros alot more in an attempt to avoid the repetitive cycle of a new drop every 2 min.so yes very much an artistic choice :}

[@codezerodnb]

Bro I memba you from the ICQ days!

[@saucymoon7134]

Do you delete your videos? I was looking for some I saw from before that are now gone.

[@STRANJAH]

😀 What's your fave track with the hardest drop???

[@New_Gaming_Chair]

Skream - In For The Kill (jcomma & ARCS Bootleg)

[@mr.f_dnb]

At the moment it's mozey - 2 fat ladies, and dj dilate - killer. Also really loving the sound design in the track smoggy - goth tackle (JTR remix). 🔥

[@DubwiseJunglist]

Stakka & Skynet feat Konflict - Bios-Fear

[@fuckface8842]

sandstorm 😂

[@bryanmatthews5902]

Hard to come up with one fav, but Signal by DJ Fresh is a top one for me. Cant wait to watch this video after work today. Been waiting for you to do a video on drops!! Big ups.

[@CoyTheobalt]

you should steady "speaking 101" on skill share

[@dat1boi800]

Tell me your gonna release this🤯🤯

[@STRANJAH]

Will finish it

[@papibrown494]

What’s the track ID?

[@LDPBreaks]

❤❤❤

[@dannysaavedra1855]

bro do a bass line drop

[@iMobinator]

u seem like a kool guy

[@keystosuccess_]

how to make those wobbles?

[@STRANJAH]

Will do a video soon

[@muggens1520]

@@STRANJAH please do lol

[@lunderdragon]

That kick could use a bit more gain compared to the rest of the other instruments

[@StripperPingvin23]

MY NAME IS STRANJAH SOME PEOPLE CALL ME THE REARRANGAH BUT I ALWAYS BRING T H E D A N J A H