Sampled sounds

> Step by step 3. Getting creative with Grooove CM

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Grooove CM is a more flexible drum machine that allows us to combine sounds and create more bespoke sounds. To get started, create a fresh instrument track and load up a stereo instance of Grooove CM. Now copy over the Chillin beat from the Beat Machine walkthrough. 2

Grooove CM is a sample-based drum machine that allows us to import our own samples. There are plenty of samples in the Suite and of course the samples in ADM CM (though not Beat Machine) are available to use. However, we’re going to work with the included kits. Click on the preset bar and load the Urban kit. 3

We have a number of options to play with, so before changing stuff, acquaint yourself with the instrument. Selecting one of the six parts in the middle shows related samples and parameters on either side. On the left you find two tabs (Sample Sources and Sound Engine) for choosing, editing and modifying samples.

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Now let’s tweak the kit. Click on the kick drum part. In the second sample slot, select its top bar and choose a second kick drum sample. We’ve chosen the EDM - CM Edition kick. By combining two kicks, we can create a bespoke sound, and Grooove CM includes a variety of editable parameters to choose from.

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First up, balance the levels to taste. We’ve set sample one to -4dB and sample two to -3.5dB. Also, try some pitch adjustments. We’ve set the first sample at +1.0. For convenience, you can use the Listen buttons below the parameters to play each individually and then together (that’s the centre control).

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Now let’s do a similar thing to our snare; this time though we’re going to blend a clap. We’ve chosen Dusty Break from the Clap Snap folder. Again we’ve set the level and pitch (+4.0 and -6.0 respectively) but also used the Start and Length settings to trim the sample — checkout the waveform display.

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Now the hi-hats. First, edit the MIDI, slightly moving the hats from E1 to F#1 and increasing the overall velocity by 30. Next, click on the Sound Engine tab to edit the hi-hats’ velocity response. We’re adjusting just the Cut Off with Min at about 4Khz and Max at 20kHz, making the on-beat hats brighter.

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Sticking with the hi-hats, replace the shaker sample with an open hi hat — we’ve chosen Open - 909, and set this to respond to G#1. Grooove CM has a feature called Truncation Trigger. Make sure the open hi-hat part is selected, then hit Truncation Edit using the plus, to create a new group with F#1.

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Now all we have to do is program some open hi-hats on G#1 — we’ve put them at the end of bars 2 and 4. Now, whenever F#1 plays, our open hi-hat will cut. This is perfect for tidying up transitions between notes that you don’t want to play together and is great for acoustic drum kits.