Playing to loops

Saurencaerthai · King Kong Joined: 24 Sep 2002 Posts: 2609

Here's a question for studio drummers:
I have often heard of the concept of "playing to loops" in the studio, however, I was never clear of the concept. Do they basically give you a looped beat on a drum machine which you follow and embellish? What is it?

gdawson44 · Posted: Fri Jul 25, 2003 9:30 am Post subject:

Certainly, you are aware of what a drum loop is. A segment of a full (or partial) kit sound "looped" over & over again ad infinitum. Essentially, it serves the purpose of a very grandiose and elaborate click track. It may even hold the essence of the part the band wants played, making it easier for you to not suddenly break into a circus beat during the chorus. They really beat the hell out of a quarter note bleep sound.

admin · Posted: Wed Aug 13, 2003 1:03 am Post subject:

I do studio production full time and there's a couple different ways I do it. With any "live" feel sound I have the bass and drums play together, but if it's strictly a studio arrangement then I usually put bass on last. I try to have all the rhythmic elements in place so the bass can finish off the groove. I've found it's too hard for a bass player to play to just a click with no drum parts.

1) Midi sequence of drum parts and lay bass over.
2) Sampled grooves looped for bassist to play over.

Sometimes I'll sequence a scratch drum part for the bass player. Honestly, I end up sequencing the bass 80% of the time because I can usually get a better sound faster than I can with a local player. Most clients don't care too much if the bass is live or not. Our first call for studio players is guitar, behind that is vocals, drums and then bass.
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starclassic · Newbie Alert Joined: 28 Jan 2004 Posts: 1

ok hereI go, my first post.

I prefer to record my tracks with a basic 8 or 16 note click track. Because when I´m playing to/with a loop that´s really happening, there´s seem to be something missing in my own playing when the loop is removed. But if the loop stays in the mix it always sounds right.

excuse the bad english....I´m scandinavian (swedish)

bytor · Admin Joined: 12 Aug 2003 Posts: 5260 Location: Kansas

Welcome to Drum Dogs. I believe we have several guys here from Sweden. You're English sounds fine to me! (Much better than my Swedish, believe me. Razz

)

zaragemca · Posted: Sat Mar 27, 2004 8:53 am Post subject:

The several times when I have been in charge of Production,I always like to listen the Bands and have an idea(dynamically),of what the structure is all about it,the message,the interaction among the musicians,etc.,before jumping in to the studio,that way it would be not surprises and even I could point out something which would help the Band in the recording,also it save time in the studio since I have an idea of what should be needed in order to record to music.
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AHAMAY081 · Posted: Sat Apr 24, 2004 8:58 pm Post subject:

what about songs that change tempo or signature? you wouldn't be able to use a click track then would you?

DanielBM85 · Posted: Thu Apr 29, 2004 6:14 am Post subject:

im assuming the loops you are talking about are more of a pre programmed computer beat but another loop that you should take interest in playing to is with loopstations, ive played with a few bassists who do interesting atmosphere effects using loop stations, ive also seen a couple drummers in some of the more abstract post rock bands using loop stations on pitch percussion such as vibraphones and xylophones, while i havent tried it myself i assume that would be a very interesting thing to toy with
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Nuttedmonkey · Posted: Tue May 25, 2004 11:54 am Post subject: Tempo or Timeing change

HI, On the subject of playing to a click track with a song that changes tempo or time signiture. This is no problem depending on what your click is coming from, i just finneshed an album and there was a track that was in 7/8 and the bridge was in 4/4. We were recording with logic audio and it was a simple prosses of changing the timeing at a point on the grid.
Most Audio programs do this for tempo change too.

We use a backing track live to useing a dat machine so the click is on a seperat track that only i hear and the tempo or time changes are all just recorded on that to go along with the backing.

Cheers.

Paul.
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