I like to program beats myself instead of using loops because I instant get the groove I'm looking for.

Drawback is the beat sounds to clean! Effects like dist, bit cruscher won't create the right "loop feeling".

What to use to really make the groove sing, I'm not looking to over do it, just add something making it more alive. Tip please!

Funny, I was going to say distortion and bit crushing. Combine that with smart EQing, maybe some reverb, compression ...what else do you need?

You of course need to know what you're doing with these tools, there is no magic plug dirtifier (well.... maybe Camelphat).

Try looking up vinyl noise effects. I think Ableton comes with one if I recall correctly.

Stacking samples, playing with velocity/pan, adding silent ghost notes and using the articulation function from battery did it for me. And in the last step I added an EQ. Wanted to sound it natural so I ended at this point.
After 3,5 years groping in the dark I finally made my first good loop this way.

I'd say have a look at FabFilter Saturn Demo (be aware you might fall in love, it's 129€ ) and switch through the presets just for getting a nice feel what is possible. It is a multiband distortion plugin and has been released just a few weeks ago.
Then you will know if bitcrushing/distortion is really what you are looking for.
Last edited by phazedown on Sat Apr 21, 2012 8:20 am; edited 1 time in total

use a loop and replace its sounds with your own samples (assuming you can get the midi from the original loop)

lots of stuff to do that with, search drum replacer etc

could you elaborate on the term "ghost notes" ??? Thanks!

I'm not a professional, also learning just as you. Found this which nails it:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=06BXHU_6OaY
Not finding tutorials on this for electronic music shows that you shouldn't focus on others too much. Try try try check 7:20-7:25 and 9:20-9:40

Ghost note is a quite drum hit which plays in between the beats.

Like in this snare pattern, where small 'x' denotes ghost hit (16th notes):
---- X--- ---- X--- ---- X--- --x- X---

Some tips:

- Try new sounds, new chords, new style.
- Listen to your favorite beats, also not favorite beats.
- Write your lyrics first.
- Play an instrument and notice which section you like most.

New chords? When making beats?
I think I should try new chord progression for my kick.

I love adding a bit of Tube distortion/compression on hats. I find daTube to work quite well.

Try layering a bit of noise underneath. This gets interesting once you bus your drums and the noise to a single channel and start applying effects like distortion and compression. You could even (gently) sidechain the noise to your drums if you're feeling cheeky.

or just find some old vinyl and sample the drums then use them in your productions, nothing beats the real thing,trust me!

Cut pops and clicks out of a vinyl noise sample and add randomly here and there to taste.

Soundtoys Decapitator does the job very nicely for me.

I've resisted demoing Saturn up to now but after hearing a lot of good comments on it I think I may have to check it out.