Understanding breakbeats?

[Streak2010]

Some examples. The kick and snare are easy enough to pick out, but my problem is the hi hats and ghost hits. I just can't figure them out since they're not loud in the mix. I never took drumming lessons, so I try to learn by reverse-engineering. That only really works for more simple four-on-the-floor trancey tracks, though, so can someone help me breakdown how these kinds of breakbeats work?

[jancivil]

I never took drumming lessons, so I try to learn by reverse-engineering. That only really works for more simple four-on-the-floor trancey tracks so can someone help me...

You've just said your reverse engineering idea don't work for this added complexity, so you're back to the bit you're avoiding for some reason. You'll understand how drumming works by drumming.

[Streak2010]

Well that's not an option for me right now.

[Acid Mitch]

Well that's not an option for me right now.

Why not ?

[mcnelson]

So....Crystal Method, Prodigy, and the other one is blocked in the uk

Why not try to find some "In the Studio" vids of some of your favourite artists, see how they do it and build on that? Computer Music has done some vids with Hybrid, Ils, CTRL-Z, Rennie Pilgrem, Future Music does the same kinda thing....track those down, they might help...you're bound to learn something.

[BenjaminWilloughby1]

Look up syncopation.
It's basically when you expect a beat somewhere but instead it's played somewhere else.
so if you start a bass drum on the 1 and snare on 2, you'd expect a bass drum on three right? But no! Instead you move it an eighth note to the right.

[thecontrolcentre]

The reason these bands use breakbeats is that this stuff is extremely difficult, if not impossible to program. Have a look at some groove extraction software if you want to see how the timing works. I'd suggest finding your own breaks (or recording some) over trying to program them.

[BenjaminWilloughby1]

The reason these bands use breakbeats is that this stuff is extremely difficult, if not impossible to program. Have a look at some groove extraction software if you want to see how the timing works. I'd suggest finding your own breaks (or recording some) over trying to program them.

I disagree, they're not impossible at all it just takes a lot of time to program. Rather finding your own breaks I think you should make your own, thats how you learn/master something.

[No_Use]

have a look here for a start:

http://www.simonv.com/tutorials/drum_patterns.php

[oddpop]

tedious trial and error programming is the only way to learn. - or actually drums

[Username652719]

If a pattern is periodic, it can be analyzed/replicated. (meaning it exists in some bar form)
If a pattern is periodic, chances are it has a beat, and this makes it all the easier to understand a breakbeat.
Understand a breakbeat needs to fit into a specific shape/time to be considered a breakbeat, so it's limits are actually helpful guides from which to begin when attempting to analyze a breakbeat pattern.
With these in mind, you must:

1. Fully understand simple and compound times and the meter/tempo changes they imply when substituting one for the other. (You must understand all beats can be subdivided into 2's and 3's)

2. Fully understand the concept of odd and additive meter

With these two ideals in your pocket you can then:

take the breakbeat, understand it's metric implication and beat subdivision
mentally get rid of what you don't need (possibly the first half of the bar if it's pre-break)
listen for either tuplet subdivision (a tempo change and possible beat displacement, also called syncopation or rubato) or a smaller additive meter.

Add arbitrary values as needed (grace notes or arbitrary 64/128th rolls) and you've got yourself an "understanding" of breakbeats.

[Username652719]

If this doesn't work for you, learn it through your history. The concept of the breakbeat is nothing new that wasn't derived from african drumming patterns. Start there.

[shattereddreamz]

thanks for this