How to Write Standout DRUMS • Music Theory from Aphex Twin "Blackbox Life Recorder 21f"

 

How to Write Standout
Drum Beats.

 

 

 

Free PDF Tutorial
includes multitrack MIDI file

 

If the link above does not work, paste this into your browser:
https://hackmusictheory.com/album/2515384/standout-drums

 

 

 

 

 

 

Intro.

 

A standout drum beat can make or break a song. Want proof? Listen to the new Aphex Twin single “Blackbox Life Recorder 21f”.

 

He’s actually reversed the roles of the instruments in this song, as the melody, chords and bass step into the background while the drums take centre stage. In other words, if this song was played by a live band, the spotlight would be exclusively on the drummer. Drummers rejoice!

 

So, what makes the drums deserving of the spotlight? Well, compared to the “regular” beats you hear in most songs nowadays, Aphex Twin has added a whopping 5 standout features to his drum beat.

 

Each standout feature elevates Aphex Twin's drums to the next level, and in this tutorial you’ll learn all 5 levels of that standout-ness. But, these levels are totally independent (they’re not accumulative), so you can use only the levels that your song requires.

 

And remember, if you use all 5 levels, your drums will demand the spotlight too, so your other instruments will have to step back. If they don’t, you’ll have a fight on your hands, and no producer wants an instrument fight, not in your DAW at least.

 

Right, click the link below and subscribe to learn how to make your drums worthy of the spotlight. But first… Tea!

 

 

 

 

Level 1. Off-Beat

 

Before we can elevate a regular drum beat, we need that regular beat to start from. So, create a 4-bar loop on your drum track, with the grid on 1/8 notes and your tempo at 134 BPM.

 

Now, throw in a kick on beat 1 in every bar. Then, draw in a standard 1/8 note pattern on the closed hi-hats, and lower the velocity of every off-beat hit, so it doesn’t sound rigid. Lastly, add a regular backbeat snare to each bar, which is on beat 2 and beat 4.

 

Right, so arguably the easiest way to make your drums stand out, is by disrupting that regular backbeat snare. This is because snare hits punch through your music (and the mix), so to the average listener, the snare is the most noticeable element of the drums. Mess with the backbeat snare, and you’ll instantly get people’s attention!

 

So, move one of your backbeat snare hits on beat 4 over to beat 4+. This accenting of the off-beat is called syncopation.

 

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