About This Course

In this course Saytek shows you how to boost frequencies to add fatness to your House and Techno drums, use distortion and reverb, layer kicks, create a question and answer tom pattern and much more.

You will learn: 

• Boosting frequencies in kicks to add fatness.
• Adding reverb to a kick drum.
• Adding analog distortion to your drums with Saturator.
• Adding more distortion with Overdrive.
• Layering kicks and processing them to form one cohesive sound: using Auto-Filters, ADSR, EQ Eight and a Glue Compressor.
• Making gritty Techno style closed hi-hats with eqing, Redux and other processing.
• Automating Auto-Filter movement on 808 claps.
• Using decay, pitching and processing to make dirty 909 open hi-hats.
• Programming a question and answer pattern with 808 and 909 toms from Ableton Live’s Core Drum Kits.
• Adding filth to your drums with Drum Buss. 
• Isolating drum hits from loops with Simpler.
• Making loops your own and layering them with your drums.
• Using Ableton Live’s “slice to new midi track” function to slice up drum loops and cherry pick your favourite hits.
• How to work with loops in audio. 
• Adding rides from the Core 909 Kit.
• Adding cohesion to drum groups with Glue Compressor.
• Automation in clip mode. 

Lessons: 

1. Making Fat Kicks: 

How to make hefty kick drums using Ableton Live’s stock plugins. Saytek shows you how to use EQ to add weight to your House and Techno drums, use Saturator and Overdrive to increase the filth, and then finally, how to layer kicks with different elements that you like to create one cohesive sound.

• Using EQ to remove mud and add presence.  
• Adding distortion with Saturator. 
• Adding and eqing reverb and using Overdrive. 
• Layering kicks.

2. Closed Hats:

How to make attention-grabbing and gritty closed hats. Saytek shows how to adjust the length of your hats using only the decay function, eq out unwanted frequencies and add an edge with Redux. 

• Programming hats and using only decay to adjust hat length. 
• EQing out unwanted frequencies.
• Adding grit with Redux.

3. Claps:

Creating interesting clap patterns and using creative processing to add interest. Saytek programs an alternative Techno clap pattern, uses Transpose to change pitch and then shows how to use automation to add movement. 

• Programming and pitching claps with Transpose. 
• Creative EQing on claps

4. Open Hats: 

Adding open hats to your track with extra dirt. Saytek programmes a classic Techno and House open hat pattern, pitches it down and adds character and filth with reverb and Saturator. 

• Programming and using decay to get the sound you want. 
• Pitching and Eqing. 
• Adding reverb and Saturator for dirt. 

5. Adding Toms:

Adding an extra layer to your drums with toms. Saytek programs toms from the 808 Core Kit, tuning them down for more sub frequencies. Next he adds some more from the 909 Core Kit to create a question and answer pattern.

6. Using Drum Buss to Glue Your Drums Together:

Drums can lose their impact if they aren’t working together. Saytek shows how to use Ableton Live’s: Drum Buss to glue drums together and also add crunch, distortion and other powerful FX.  

7. Recap

8. Isolation Drum Hits From Loops Using Ableton Live’s Simpler:

Saytek shows you how to isolate individual drum sounds from loops in Simpler and use them to programme your own rhythms when making House and Techno drums. He picks out kicks, hi-hats, claps and other percussive elements and adds character with filters and other processing.

9. Layering Loops With Your House and Techno Drums:

This section shows you how to use loops to add character to your drums. Saytek looks at finding a loop that compliments your sound, removing the low end so the loop fits, using Auto-Filters and extracting grooves.

• Finding a loop that compliments your sound.
• Filtering out low end. 
• Using Auto-filters.
• Extracting groove.

10. Working with Loops in Audio:

Saytek works with loops in Audio. He shows you how to remove sections, play with loop length to match your existing drums and pitch elements, all in clip mode. 

• Finding a loop that works 
• Editing and transposing loops in clip mode. 

11. Adding a Ride From Ableton Live’s Core 909 Drum Kit:

Ableton Live has a range of core drum kits for you to select sounds from when making House and Techno drums. In this chapter Saytek adds a ride from the 909, altering its pitch and velocity and shows you how to programme alternative sequences.

• Adding rides.
• Pitching up and down with transpose. 
• Alternative programming and velocity. 

12. Using Ableton Live’s “Slice to New Midi” Function on Loops:

Sayek uses “slice to midi” to chop up a drum loop and include slices in his track. He covers chopping the audio, programming the slices and creating space and character with EQ and Auto-Filter.

• Slicing midi.
• Programming midi slices.  
• EQing slices. 
• Using Auto-Filter. 

13. Processing Drum Groups and Automation:

Your drum elements may not work together as a unit if you don’t process them properly. Saytek pulls his together with a Glue compressor and then adds some more character with automated delay.  

• Using Glue Compressor.
• Adding delay with clip automation. 

14. Q&A Part 1

An in depth Q and A on House and Techno drums and other production topics. Saytek answers questions on the pros and cons of using FX in sends, using panning FX on your hats, reverb on drums and more.

• What are the pros and cons of adding FX in sends and not in the instrument channel?
• Do you prefer using hardware or software when producing? 
• Do you mono your kick and what reverb do you use on them? 
• Do you usually create your basslines with toms or do they just add groove?
• Do you use panning FX on your hats? 
• Do you use compression and EQ Eight in Ableton when using your hardware? 
• Is there a reason for using Auto-Filter for cutting highs?
• Do you use soft clipping in Glue Compressor and Saturator?
• How do you go about arranging your drums? 
• Do you tune your kicks when layering and with your bassline?
• What are your two main synths, beats or FX units for live performance?
• Do you use Span or similar on each channel or just on the master?

15. Q&A Part 2

Saytek answers questions on making House and Techno drums, with some bassline and music theory knowledge as a bonus. Questions cover automation in clip vs utility, working out the key of a loop and more.

• Can you automate Auto-Filter for individual midi slices?
• Can you record automation for filters instead of drawing it in?
• Automating volumes in clip mode or with a Utility? 
• Can you automate the transient envelope in Simpler? 
• Do you always work on drums first?
• How many years have you been using Ableton Live? 
• Is there a way of working out the key of a loop?
• Do you use layered basslines in Operator? 
• How do you feel about using a kick with reverb as a sub bass?