Drum Programming in
Electronic Music
Eli Stine | University of Virginia | 10/29/18
Some 21st Century Masters (absolutely subjective)
J Dilla Nujabes Kaytranada DJ Rashad
Venetian Snares Holly Herndon Aphex Twin SOPHIE
My Own Work
digital dada lasergiggle’s kin
revenge
History: Some Important Gear
Roland TR-808 (1980) Akai MPC60 (1988)
Pete Rock Playing MPC
LaunchPad + MIDIFighter: Shawn Wasabi’s Marble Soda
History: Some Important Gear
Roland TR-808 (1980) Akai MPC60 (1988)
Drum Programming Terminology
Drum Synths vs. Drum Machines vs. Software Drum Kits?
Synth Drums = No Samples, Synthesized (Ex.: Korg Electribe)
Drum Machines = Synthetic or Sampled, Includes Sequencer (Ex.: TR-808)
Software Drum Kits = Emulates an Acoustic Drummer, Always Sampled (Ex.: Logic’s “Drummer”)
The Sequencer
Electronic / Physical
Drum Programming Terminology
Digital / Virtual
Drum Programming Terminology
The Piano Roll
Acoustic / Physical Digital / Virtual
Drum Programming Notation
Notated Sequenced
Drum Programming Elements
Basics:
Tempo
Different Samples/Synth. Drums
Patterns
Drum Programming Elements
Basics:
Tempo
Different Samples/Synth. Drums
Patterns
More Advanced:
Shaping Velocity
Getting Off The Grid - De-Quantization or Recording Performance
Variation + Development
Drum Programming Elements
Basics:
Tempo
Different Samples/Synth. Drums
Patterns
More Advanced:
Shaping Velocity
Getting Off The Grid - De-Quantization or Recording Performance
Variation + Development
Post-Production:
Using Genre-Related samples
MIDI Effects, Randomization, etc.
Post-Effects
But First, a Transcription Assignment…
It’s Your Turn!
Some Jumping Off Points:
Program your own rhythms
Explore different drum samples/synthetic drum settings
Play around with velocity
Get off the grid:
•add “groove” to a pattern you programmed
•perform and record a pattern you notate
Create a 4 bar loop that contains 3 variations of a 1 bar loop
Create a short drum piece that adds and subtracts different instruments over time
Explore MIDI Effects
Explore Post-Programming Drum Effects