Banging found-sound beats 2/2

We are constantly surrounded by interesting sounds in our everyday lives, be it the pulse of the city, the splashing of rain, the howling of the wind, the buzzing of traffic or animal noises. In the last issue, we built a Hip Hop beat from found sounds and now we‘re going to add a rhythmic texture of everyday noises to it.

1

Load field recordings

In the last issue, we created a drum kit from everyday noises, the result „Found Sound Beat.wav“can be found in the magazine data. Our next goal is to turn a field recording into a rhythmic element that complements the 94 BPM beat. Drag an audio file of your choice with everyday sounds onto an audio track. 1

2

Equalizing

We opt for the sample Lofi_Ambience_21_ Airport_LD from the Cubase library. Lofi_ Ambience_05_Rain_LD is also a good choice. Now it‘s time to edit the static field recording so that it complements the beat. Filter out the frequencies below 500 Hz with a highpass filter and emphasize the upper mids and mid-highs with an EQ. 1

3

Rhythmize

As a result, the recording sounds richer in overtones and stands out better in the mix. Now we want to rhythmize the sample. To do this, load FX Modulator as an insert effect and add the Volume module to the effect chain. Draw in any modulation curve for the Volume. Leave Time at 1/1 and draw the curve as shown. 1

4

Dynamic reverb

The chopped up sample could sound a little more spatial. Conveniently, FX Modulator also comes with a Reverb. The modulation curve controls the amount of effect. We set this to 5% and increase Size to 200%. In Bar 4, we draw an ascending curve so that the reverb effect becomes more prominent. 1

5

Variety

For effect variations, you can insert additional modules (such as Filters or Bitcrushers) and draw modulation curves for them. As many effect settings such as the filter parameters and the effect component can be automated, varied textures are child‘s play. For example, you can filter your texture rhythmically every few bars. 1

6

Filter & Delay

To do this, we select the Fiter Type: Band Pass 12 dB and set Q (Resonance) in the curve to 65. Then, draw in any modulation curve. Last but not least, we add a Ping-Pong Delay to the texture as an insert effect. This fills the pattern rhythmically. Try experimenting with other field recordings.