Drums sounds from things that aren't drums.

jer

Silver Member
The long story short, I am unhappy with the way a drum track I recorded turned out. I've spoken with the band, they are keen to the idea I had of programming a track to lay over top of (or replace) the existing performance.

I'm thinking I'd rather not build something based on existing or samples and make my own - without using drums, but rather ordinary items that I can record to sound like a kit.

Example: work a cardboard box or suitcase into a kick sound, or brushes on a tin can for a snare...

Anyone ever experiment like this? I'm very open suggestions...

Thanks!
 
your drums sound that bad? or are you just trying to come up with unique sounds? you could definitely re-record your drum tracks with unconventional percussion, if that's what you want to do.
 
your drums sound that bad? or are you just trying to come up with unique sounds? you could definitely re-record your drum tracks with unconventional percussion, if that's what you want to do.

Drums sound fine, more looking for unique sounds, but programmed as opposed to building a playable kit of unconventional items. We've never used programming / drum loops in any of our recordings, and would like to try.

The tune is kinda ballady, I'm imagining more natural sounds over produced samples - a twig being broken for a snare sound, a knock on a door as a fill - trying to think creatively, wondering if anyone has heard a sound outside the jam space that they thought would make a good percussion sound.
 
My wife no longer allows me to go with her to Garden Ridge or any place that sells large varities of clay pots as I have a tendency to go down the aisle playing them! Some of them have great tones if played just right. Just a thought.......
 
My wife no longer allows me to go with her to Garden Ridge or any place that sells large varities of clay pots as I have a tendency to go down the aisle playing them! Some of them have great tones if played just right. Just a thought.......

Clay pots, awesome! Exactly the kind of idea I'm looking for, Thanks!
 
Just bang on everything in your house! Also, give notice that some things may sound better when banged on in different rooms... ok, get your minds back to the subject at hand

I like plastic and porcelain trash cans. You can get a few drum sounds out of each of these..


Also,

Give your chest a nice swat with an open hand... Boom! Especially if miced properly @:)
 
One really good sound I heard was in a building site, don't know what it was but sounded like concrete hitting concrete, made a really good snare sound. Maybe you can walk around recording that kind of stuff and then sampling it as triggers.
 
Pencil tapping on a coffee mug is good. I wonder if you could get the sizzle of water droplets splashed on a hot frying pan...

Good call on the water sizzles - thinking it may be more difficult to reproduce cymbal sounds than actual drums. What temperature do you recommend for 8th notes at 154bpm? lol...
 
Also you could try those big, plastic, water cooler bottles.

Seconded. Turn them upside down and they make for a great hand drum; lots of different sounds available. I recommend you get one without the handle in the side.
 
Construction plastic buckets, the type you mix plaster and such in. You could get various sizes for different size toms. They project well, and it has a novel sound. Alot of New York City subway performers use plastic buckets of different sizes for their drums, tilting up the largest with their foot if they want a more boomy sound like a bass, and they use the large metal trash cans as cymbals... they're really loud and pingy.

See: http://www.vidoemo.com/yvideo.php?i=UkZkWG9kcWuRpZjYxUjQ&nyc-subway-bucket-drummer=
 
Got the perfect one for you jer. It's something I used in the studio many years ago. We recorded a breath over the kick track. Sort of percussive intro with a 1 second sustain. Just like a light cough without engaging the throat. I'll be using the same trick again next studio session. Gives a cool effect.
 
Or for a really out there snare (or whatever) sound you could record the striking of a long steel cable that's under tension, like the guy wire that keeps telephone poles from falling over
 
The long story short, I am unhappy with the way a drum track I recorded turned out. I've spoken with the band, they are keen to the idea I had of programming a track to lay over top of (or replace) the existing performance.

I'm thinking I'd rather not build something based on existing or samples and make my own - without using drums, but rather ordinary items that I can record to sound like a kit.

Example: work a cardboard box or suitcase into a kick sound, or brushes on a tin can for a snare...

Anyone ever experiment like this? I'm very open suggestions...

Thanks!
Ive been doing DRUMCANMAN recyclables since 1999
I have performed at everything from kindergarten to family day and busking festivals as well as I have a solo drumcanman cd and dvd
MUSIC is where you find it
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YsXsrznCm1I&feature=PlayList&p=900FE0CC206385BC&index=0
Tim
 
When i'm in Lowe's, I always have to finish off the trip with a solo on the paint cans.
 
... a breath over the kick track

I like that, KIS. If I was in a less traditional band I'd love to experiment with sampled vocalised percussion / beatbox

My speciality is the rail in the lifts at work. In one of the lifts in particular they have lovely clear, ringing tones, almost a perfect 5th apart. I'm on a high floor, so if no one gets on inbetween I get to play :)
 
I'm going in to the studio this weekend to record a bunch of samples/loops for my MPC, aside from drums/banjo/guitar/rhodes and bass, i'm going to be sampling things like a cigarette lighter igniting, lighting a match, a can opening, clicking and body percussion, my lame attempt at beatboxing. I'm still trying to think of other ideas, some of these ideas have been great, thanks! Water dripping would be cool, but the producer might kill me if I wet his mics!

Maybe I could go foley style and punch cabbages and things!
 
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