best drums for minimal techno - mnus style?

Robert Henke · Post by **Robert Henke** » Tue Oct 28, 2008 11:31 pm

You cannot create a minimal bassdrum in software alone. They are all the result of careful adjustment of selected hardware. The minimum equipment you would need is:

a) an expensive modular system. Maybe a Buchla, or a Serge, or on the lowest end, a Chewman S1.

b) external FX. I recommend a Eventide H 8000 chained into an Eventide Orville, followed by a vintage Eventide H 4000 with the Hawtwing 3000 update.
Add a bit of reverb. Maybe from a Lexicon 9600 or an TC 6000 with all options installed.

c) don't forget analog consoles, or at least analog summing busses.

d) if you do not have THE CUBE, forget it all.

e) do not under any circumstances try to create sounds using Live's FM synthesister
called Operator. Even if you might achieve really cool sounds, they do not work in a club. Also do not download drum samples from the internet. They are fake, and cannot replace a sample from a real minimal drum.

f) you need the CUBE, seriously, just as a reminder.

g) you even sell a dropout as a bassdrum, just pay for adds in the 'essential' music magazines and look fancy.

h) He has the technology.

i) What is the point in wanting to sound like 634343 other records ?

e) rant end.

R.

okay, seriously: if you want to make electronic music, try finding your own sound. Live offers all you need. If you want anyone to recognize your music, try exactly NOT to sound like your heroes. Or, to quote Autechre: "how can it be that with todays technology two different bands sound the same ???"

sweetjesus · Post by **sweetjesus** » Tue Oct 28, 2008 11:39 pm

lol @ robert...

i find i use 808 drums a LOT in tech kinda tunes.

dj superflat · Post by **dj superflat** » Tue Oct 28, 2008 11:39 pm

amen. embrace the limitations/charm of your current gear, squeeze the genius from it (the fight will make your kung fu stronger), be the next new sound rather than the X-teenth lame derivative sounding wannabe, etc.

rjbourc · Post by **rjbourc** » Tue Oct 28, 2008 11:40 pm

Game, set and match to Mr. Henke.

Use the designated exits and please drive carefully.

Smokin'...

eggnchips · Post by **eggnchips** » Wed Oct 29, 2008 12:04 am

Try the free designer drums pack from the Ableton website.
There are some nice minimal sounding presets in there.

honsey · Post by **honsey** » Wed Oct 29, 2008 12:14 am

mr henke quotes autechre: nice quote! ...and there's another nice quote out there: "you have to know the rules to break them"

i'm not that much into minimal techno but when i'm after a electronic clean-sounding basedrum i use the operator.

look at this youtube video to get an idea what i mean: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_PjpKyXDMCg

shiftfunc · Post by **shiftfunc** » Wed Oct 29, 2008 12:16 am

Robert Henke wrote:
okay, seriously: if you want to make electronic music, try finding your own sound. Live offers all you need. If you want anyone to recognize your music, try exactly NOT to sound like your heroes.

you are right. - and that(oldie) has been said for many years. Still, it is fun hear what other people use, get inspired and use elements from other people. Discovering the TB303 after i had been listening to Hardfloors unique " Acperience 1" in 1992, I had many great hours in the studio with that piece of gear, WITHOUT trying to sound like anyone I had heard before. To use the elements and put them into your own context can sometimes be interesting.

timothyallan · Post by **timothyallan** » Wed Oct 29, 2008 12:22 am

lol @ Henke, you hit a soft spot with ze german!

Anything that can make a sine wave can make one. If you wanted to get ubercool, you could use clip envelopes to shape a single amplitude sine wave into a minimal kick drum. Robert would be proud.

kaffein · Post by **kaffein** » Wed Oct 29, 2008 12:36 am

CUBE:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BlaP7mx_kB8

Oh wait wrong cube...

twisted-space · Post by **twisted-space** » Wed Oct 29, 2008 1:44 am

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=qlvOUR9VFCM

i think Robert meant that cube.

twisted-space · Post by **twisted-space** » Wed Oct 29, 2008 1:45 am

oh and a waldorf pulse makes all sorts of wonderful kicks.

Johnisfaster · Post by **Johnisfaster** » Wed Oct 29, 2008 1:58 am

honsey wrote:mr henke quotes autechre:

WHERE? I missed it, how dare he quote somebody and not source his quote!

Johnisfaster · Post by **Johnisfaster** » Wed Oct 29, 2008 2:08 am

it kinda baffles me how much emphasis is placed on having an awesome phat kick sound. personally, just pick any freaking kick drum out there and build a good song around it.

the most amazing kick drum in the world with a crappy song wrapped around it is going to suck big time.

the most amazing song in the world with a crappy kick drum is still going to be amazing.

dj superflat · Post by **dj superflat** » Wed Oct 29, 2008 2:34 am

yeah, i'm clearly out of touch, cause i don't get the analog kick drum fetish (just like i wouldn't get someone who wanted guitar that sounded just like hendrix, or bass just like flea, or whatever).

Atomikat · Post by **Atomikat** » Wed Oct 29, 2008 2:38 am

Robert Henke wrote:What is the point in wanting to sound like 634343 other records ?
If you want anyone to recognize your music, try exactly NOT to sound like your heroes. "

Oh my bad...I just wanted to sound like Monolake...