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3. Found sound percussion hits
1 Let’s pepper percussion hits throughout our groove. First, we record a selection of clicks and handclaps at different distances from the mic, capturing varying amounts of room ambience. By layering and stacking these hits in a drum sampler such as NI’s Battery 4, we can easily pan the layers around the stereo field for a natural chorusing effect. 2 16th-note percussive 808 and 909 rimshot hits are a techno and house staple – we’re replicating this classic sound using a recording of a stick hitting a dead tree. We add swing and track delay to slot the part in the groove, then we soften the attack a little by raising the amplitude envelope’s Attack. 3 Electronic hi-hats are surprisingly easy to simulate. We make closed hat sounds with our mouth before loading the subsequent recordings into Battery 4. A tight high-pass filter removes low-end plosive energy. Finally, a recording of a can of hairspray becomes a convincing offbeat open hi-hat. 4 Next, we layer two samples to create a convincing snare. The sound of a bus shelter being bashed provides a metallic ‘rattle’, then a recording of a flip-flop being hit against the wall of a tunnel adds a wooden ‘pop’. We also automate a bitcrusher, adding digital distortion to the sound’s attack portion while leaving the body untouched. 5 One way to liven up found sound beats is to treat different layered versions of the same hit. We create two identical copies of a simple snare/rim: the first is left alone, and the second is pitched down. By programming extra ghost notes for only the second hit, we create a classic garage-style percussive ‘skip’. Reversed hits add interest to the groove. 6 Stuck for interesting drum sounds? Then grab a microphone and beatbox your own! You don’t need to be an expert on the mic – we’ve recorded a single ‘kick’ and ‘snare’ in a long stone tunnel, giving the hits natural ambience, before sequencing these one-shots in our DAW. The reverb tails are too long and cavernous, so we shorten the sounds to tighten the overall effect.