I keep getting asked all the time, what do I need to get started if I want to write Drum n Bass? The answer is never simple but I’ll try my best to explain to you some of the pros and cons of certain setups. There is probably one crucial factor if when your starting out and ask the same question all the time, are you using a Mac or a PC? This question has become important since Apple took over the reigns of Logic back at version 6 making the software available to Mac users exclusively. This meant that if you were a PC user and Logic was your sequencer of choice you either had to buy a Mac or put up with v5.5 on the PC for ever. Not a good situation of PC users you would agree. Some would argue a great move on Apple’s behalf but that’s another blog post. In the meantime whilst all that craziness was going down Steinberg (creates of the hugely Cubase) was getting taken over by Yamaha but unlike Apple, Yamaha decided to keep the dual platform sequencer the way it is and not divide the camps so to speak. So, if you got a Mac probably stick with a Mac and if you got a PC stick with Cubase. Now this is a very broad generalization here so don’t bite my head off.

So now that we have divided you into Logic users and Cubase users. Let us continue on. Oh, I’m going to stick with the main sequencers here so if you are using Sonar or Ableton please don’t send me hate mail and that you think I should die. I just stuck with what i believe are the main sequencers. Ableton and Sonar are both excellent music producing tools in there onright. Cubase just happens to be my sequencer of choice because i’ve used it for so many years. Infact  I started to use it way back when there was Cubase VST then Cubase SX etc.

Okay, so what next for making cutting edge classic drum n bass? Well, your probably going to have to get  a soft synth or two and here you most definitely spoilt for choices. To start with I would probably recommend a versatile synth like Rob Papen’s Albino 3 and the lovely sounding Arturia‘s minimoog. When it comes to sampling the choices narrower but the clear favourite here is Native Instruments Kontakt. Hands down Kontakt is a superb sampler and Kontakt 3 is no exception even if the filters are a bit on the naf side of things. I totally stay away from the Kontakt Player, I just don’t see the use for it especially if your using Kontakt already. Native Instruments have been leading the way in making some of the most breathtaking plugins for a long time now so do yourself a favour and check all their plugins out.

So there’s a few instruments there to get you going but what about equalizers and compressors? Well for years it was all about the Waves bundles. Then Waves came out with the SSL and API bundle and this catapulted them into “must have plugins” status. Things have changed somewhat now as major  companies have jumped on board and started to make plugins themselves Sony Oxford, SPL and Abbey Roads and Focusrite to name a few. The Sonnox Plugins are exceptionally brilliant! I really rate the Dynamics and EQ plugins. Other companies like Voxengo and Sonalksis produce a variety of plugins for all occasions so make sure you check them out, some are even for free! Like Span which I mentioned in one of my earlier blogs.

One more thing i should mention to you when concerning writing dnb. Don’t go to crazy with adding plugin after plugin to your plugins folder. Get to really know what each plugin does and how it works. Play around with them, automate them learn them inside out. It can take years to fully understand what each and every plugin does. Take the time and start slowly, drum n bass ain’t going nowhere. Believe me.

Peace

djdauntless

http://myspace.com/dauntlessdnb

http://sydneyfriction.com

To say that Drum n Bass uses layers is a gross understatement. Maybe even the biggest understatement of the year! For years and years in my quest to make the sound that i dearly loved i had no idea about this little secret. Okay, it wasn’t the best kept secret in the whole world but for me at the time (roughly 6 years ago) it was. I struggled and was constantly wondering why my bass just didn’t have that bite or thickness that Dillinja or Dom n Roland had or why my drums lacked that drive and all round explosiveness found in a Konflict or Stakka & Skynet tune! Then i discovered that little word six letter word “LAYERS”.

I jumped around for joy for a minute and did cartwheels and spun and kicked and got all excited but then, reality hit me! Whack! What or how do i use layers? You see my wife (then girlfriend at the time) had mentioned to me that layers where crucial for DnB  (she knew more than me about production but that’s for another blog) and then Misha from Black Sun Empire told me whilst he was passing through Sydney for a gig as well.

Well like most excited young players i scurried off to the dungeon to get on some beats to see if this new found knowledge could improve my hapless tunes. NOT! What it did do for me was get me even more confused! How many layers? What should i be layering? Do i just layer everything? How do i even layer something up? All these questions swimmed around my head whilst the most dreadful Drum n Bass known for man drowned in the background of my studio! I had opened up the proverbial Pandora’s Box!

Now the journey really begins because without the hard graft of getting in there and finding out how something works is half the fun (kind of!). Sometimes you have to put the blood sweat and tears into something to something back out of it. Karma they call it or the law of averages or something. Anyways, here’s some tips for you players like yourself about the art of layering.

1. Layering is all about complementing what is already there. If you have a drum break that has nice hi-hats but woeful kick and snare. Layer it with a break that does. All you then need to do is Hipass filter the break with the crap kick and snare so it doesn’t interfere with the kick and snare you want to use.

2. Bass is the same. If you have a smashing midline tearing reese but it lacks a solid sub. Find a nice juicy sub and layer it in there. Compress and eq to taste and bounce and you”ll have a tasty bass sample you can use in later tunes.

3. Pads are no difference. Maybe you like the warmth of a particular pad sound but it needs more highs or movement? Layer that shit up with something that does! Problem sold!

4. Remember to make sure to check the relative pitches when layering pitched sounds.

5. When working with single drum hit layers try to use pitch, envelopes, shapers, filters and eq to get the sounds to gel. Its not easy but it’ll get easier over time.

These are just a few tips on layering with DnB in mind. In the future i’ll run you through some more indepth tutorials on how to layer certain elements.

Hope that helped in some way.

Peace

dj dauntless

myspace.com/dauntlessdnb

www.sydneyfriction.com

Are you ready for some the best drum n bass production tips you can find on the Planet? I hope so because I’ve been doing the dnb production thing for quite a while now and i must say, I’ve got some red hot tips to share!

Anyways, I’m putting this little blog out there into the big world because I honestly think that the often mysterious world of Drum & Bass can be a bit frustrating to young players! (also old ones like myself!) and a little knowledge can go a long way to helping out some. You follow me?

So, basically I thought how much better life would be if “only I had some more guidance or more  knowledge in the black arts of Drum n Bass Production.”

I think you’ll find the journey into this world fantastic, wonderful and frustrating. It will be fun  for some and  just too “damn” hard  for others but my advice to you is to never give up!

I’ll take you through my own experiences producing the beats. Guide you through the pitfalls and mistakes that a noob can easily fall into. Introduce you to some of the biggest drum n bass artists and some the new school coming through by way of Video interviews, Q & A’s and much more.

I’ll even go so far to give you samples to download so that you can get on the beats quickly and produce quality results straight away!

Never fear though because if you just keep on fighting the good fight, success will be yours and in no time the big players will be smashing down “your” tunes in the clubs all around this mighty planet!

Anyways, grab a coffee, your favorite sequencer and let’s dive in to some drum n bass production!

See you on the dance floor

Dauntless