Ghost Snares and Basslines

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Ghost Snares and Basslines

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ThirdChild ZKI ThirdChild ZKI is a male

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Registration Date: 05-01-2008
Posts: 5

Hi, I'm still pretty new here, but thanks to you all, I'm learning alot.

Now then, I've seen the term "ghost snares" and I more or less understand the concept, but I'm not sure how exactly to apply it. Is it a matter of note velocity or perhaps what kind of drum samples you choose?

Also, when it comes to basslines, I feel like my first attempts at dnb were closer to the right sound than most of my latest works. I know there's really no right/wrong to it, but I suppose I feel I've lost direction along the way. Any advice?

17-01-2008 10:23

Surya

The Robot

Registration Date: 04-11-2002
Posts: 11,238

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It is certainly a matter of what kind of samples you use, when it comes to ghosts. Depending on what feel you want, you will use samples that are similar to your snare, but sound a bit thinner and shorter, or you will go for them really punchy ones, that almost sound like pitched up kicks... Make sure each consecutive ghost hit sounds slightly different from the one before, to get a nice shuffle effect. Otherwise you get the sound of a full automatic weapon.

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"In dnb you should make people jump not swim"
- Pieter Frenssen 2004

17-01-2008 10:35

D2o

Ghost

Registration Date: 30-05-2005
Posts: 2,545

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Ghost snares can be a bit tricky i find.

I use a lot a breaks chopped/layered up to get my sound. and these breaks often have the ghost snares in them already so i don't really need to add them sometimes. IF they are quiet i simply turn the ones in the break up.

But it you dont use breaks and are looking to add them yourself one thing to do is take your main snare, load up another instance of it on another channel. Make it shorter and quieter. Sometimes that can be enough but tone wise it'll be too similar so to give it some difference in sound there are a couple of ways to go about this these are 2 things I do

1. Change the sample start a touch just to take off a little of the initial attack

and

2. If you think about the way an actual snare works. When you give it a good whack you get the full body of the drum as well as the wires on the bottom. But if you hit it lightly you get less of the main body tone/sound.
So what you need to do is take out some of this body to make it sound like the same snare has just been hit lightly.
Now get an EQ on your ghost snare, Add a boost with a narrow Q setting. Then sweep the freq around the 200-400Hz area. You'll here where the resonance of the snare as you sweep. At that point stop and turn the peak in the EQ and pull it down and make the Q wider. Then just play with the amount you cut out and the width of the EQ band and hopefully this should work.

If not i've just got cramp in my arm from typing this for no reason Big Grin

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WWW.SOUNDCLOUD.COM/VOLATILE-PSYCLE

This post has been edited 1 time(s), it was last edited by D2o: 17-01-2008 10:37.

17-01-2008 10:36

D2o

Ghost

Registration Date: 30-05-2005
Posts: 2,545

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quote:

Originally posted by Surya
It is certainly a matter of what kind of samples you use, when it comes to ghosts. Depending on what feel you want, you will use samples that are similar to your snare, but sound a bit thinner and shorter, or you will go for them really punchy ones, that almost sound like pitched up kicks... Make sure each consecutive ghost hit sounds slightly different from the one before, to get a nice shuffle effect. Otherwise you get the sound of a full automatic weapon.

This is also great advice

Surya is your man when it comes to home made ghost snares Big Grin

__
WWW.SOUNDCLOUD.COM/VOLATILE-PSYCLE

17-01-2008 10:40

Surya

The Robot

Registration Date: 04-11-2002
Posts: 11,238

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Pfff, I just layer a few different things that sound good Smile

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"In dnb you should make people jump not swim"
- Pieter Frenssen 2004

17-01-2008 11:05

Halph-Price Halph-Price is a male

Zombie Algorithm

Registration Date: 22-12-2004
Posts: 6,160

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i just fuck bitches and snort crack. and use samples that have at least one ghost snare. fuck making a ghost.

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17-01-2008 12:54

collective collective is a male

TeamSleaze.com

Registration Date: 28-11-2006
Posts: 235

fuck crack and snort bitches

fuck making ghosts just get a break that has them already then layer another under neath then add percussion and voila you have a sweet ass break just make sure they all hit at the right times and they are tight as fuck

then takie away parts of it then add others till you get a feel for it

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This post has been edited 1 time(s), it was last edited by collective: 17-01-2008 14:22.

17-01-2008 14:21

Digital Cause Digital Cause is a male

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Registration Date: 06-07-2006
Posts: 447

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I find when using breaks that have ghosts in them that once i quantize them the ghosts dont sound too nice as they are moved too much. If I dont quantize i dont really like the sound of the drums... I guess what I could do is quantize to the break that has the ghosts in them, but,

anyone got any other ways around this?

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www.myspace.com/digitalcause
www.myspace.com/mysterious1000

17-01-2008 17:06

BattleDrone BattleDrone is a male

2161... the future.

Registration Date: 30-12-2005
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quote:

Originally posted by ThirdChild ZKI
Also, when it comes to basslines, I feel like my first attempts at dnb were closer to the right sound than most of my latest works. I know there's really no right/wrong to it, but I suppose I feel I've lost direction along the way. Any advice?

A sound example of your early and current sound would do miracles in helping Wink

Check my soundcloud (exclusive tracks on there)

17-01-2008 19:33

ThirdChild ZKI ThirdChild ZKI is a male

Newbie

Registration Date: 05-01-2008
Posts: 5

I only have 2 of my works up on my page right now, one of which technically isn't dnb, but a fair precursor to where I wound up. That one is "Element". The other one, called "Sometimes," I'm much more proud of, but I know more now than I did when I made it. I'd like to remake it soon. Advice and constructive criticism on both songs are greatly appreciated.

http://myspace.com/zki

19-01-2008 03:31

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