4. Three micro-timing tweaks to make your transients pop

1 In quantised electronic music, multiple instruments’ transients can occur at the same time, and one can be ‘masked’ by another. Adjust note timings on a micro level to create separation – just enough to separate the transients. Here, we’ve nudged our tom samples slightly later.

2 Claps are the classic example of a diffused attack, made up of (or an electronic simulation of) many people clapping at once. Each clap falls near – but not exactly on – the beat, so the timing emphasis is somewhere in the middle. Try triggering these sounds slightly early.

3 Adjusting the timing of the end of a sound can massively enhance the punch of what follows it. Pull back the ends of clips (add a tiny fade-out if needed) or MIDI notes (with fast release) so there’s a silent gap before the next hit, as in the second half above.