Chopping Science: Photek breaks method [video]
Recently, a DNB producer asked me how could come up with some random happy accidents in his drum patterns. Well, I always program my own quite meticulously, as you have seen.
I happened to think of this old Photek method, and wanted to suggest this to him. He was delighted and said it feels perfect for introducing drum patterns he might not come up with naturally.
BTW I want emphasise that this is not at all about what you use for this. Any sampler/device/technique that prevents overlapping is enough.
It's only relevant to present this to you, too, so you can add this breakbeat method to your bag of tricks. Trust me, way more breakbeat content will come.
I even want to return to Apache again – another Apache ;)
Also a new walkthru is coming soon. Aaaand a lot more is planned.
Me, just entered holiday zone, finally, after having to move goalposts a bit. Phew!
Will be creating Patreon content for ya'll on my holiday, but I'm not doing one-to-one sessions or personal mix/song feedback until I return to work on Jan 8, which is when I will start planning my actual work queue with one-to-one sessions, personal feedback etc.
Comments (19)
There are a couple of really underrated aspects to this. One is that you can work with very long breaks. Slicing everything, you have to sort out a huge amount of transients and then potentially don't use the majority anyway which wastes a lot of time and effort. If you want to use a different section of a very long break, no bother, add another pad. Then the second thing is that if you're working with a break that has a lot of sounds layered on top of one another it's fine because they will mostly be presented in context and therefore not sound berserk with this method, which is a risk when you slice everything. Mind blowing stuff. Guess I just got schooled by Snow Yoda again.
Facts! I often get patterns that I wouldn't program manually; I have realized I always do similar patterns, which may be good or bad. This method gives you those happy accidents!
Thanks for sharing', I really like this workflow with breaks. Any tips when it comes to mixing and being able to process the single hits.? I'll experiment with it, but i guess bouncing to audio and then layering or slicing out the individual hits could be an option, or layering the pads in the actual drum sampler and adding processing to the extra layers
Most of the time I slice to Ableton drum rack that allows me to do any mixing, layering, processing that is needed; very convenient 👌🏻
I Used to do this method in a much less efficient manner. Your workflow makes a lot of sense. Easy to replicate in bitwig. Came up with some nice break variations from a break I just processed recently. Thanks again Master Fanu.
Also, in that Photek video, is he not chopping a custom break that he has already most likely pain-stakingly constructed from various other snippets of breaks and processing?🤔 I would be really interested in a video that explores the process of building a ‘custom break’ in this manner, which can then be chopped as per the process in this video. 🙏
Yes, it’s his own. In a video I did in November, I actually created a custom break (see the video with TAL Drum). I just didn’t export it to audio.
With all respect, I think there was a mistake at approximately 2:34 in the video. No, it’s not ‘fine’.
😉
using slice mode + playthru is a faster method for the same result no?
Absolutely; forgot to say, it's so ingrained in me to use drum rack pads, as i often want to tweak some levels and processing of individual hits, and drum rack mixer allows for that, unlike using one instance of Simpler.
Thanks for the breakdown! I admire the dedication of programming a totally new break from isolated hits but I love this method because you get to keep a lot of the characteristic swing and funk of the original break.
Yeah! Will also do another video about keeping the groove
I cracked up at the part "because it can make you, uhh [smiles]....breakbeat master" For real though back in the day when I could only afford to read about samplers in catalogs, I thought this is what they meant when they say "Phrase sampler". Maybe not, but its kind of fitting for this method. I almost never use drum phrases these days but I love how it keeps all of the imperfects and funk intact. Thanks for sharing. I really enjoying these breakbeat talks
Glad you like! More break talk is on the way!
If anyone wants to just use simpler and is not fussed with processing parts individually. In simpler: Mode : Slice Set to Gate Playback = Thru
Good shout!!
I love this technique for just getting into a break. You can also have a lot of fun with this technique in the session view. Copy a bunch of clips of the same break and move the start point of the sample to some interesting places in the loop. Keep one clip with a nice full 1-bar or 2-bar loop so you have a safe clip to jump to if you want to rest. Set the clip launch quantize to 1/8th and then you can jam out using something like a Push controller by triggering the different clips. IMO, it makes the break super playable and obviously, everything can be recorded for those happy accidents. Ned Rush has a tutorial on his YT channel if my explanation isn't clear.
Yessir, that is fun, and would also be good for live jamming/performances. I believe Ive made a video of that in the past, but a re-do is on my to-do list.