Can You Guess What It Is Yet? - Narcotik

Buzz Drum n Bass Tutorial : Part 4/4

Unfortunately, if your making drum n bass for the dancefloor (like myself and most drum n bass producers), then you need to watch a reasonably strict structure that drum n bass has followed for the good part of it's life. This structure has changed over the years so I will attempt to teach you the structure in force today (although some dancefloor tracks stray from this attempting to find a new structure, most of these are unsuccessfull).

1. The "Intro"

The intro in drum n bass is where your creativity should shine, this is the place to expermient (up until the time your beat kicks in). The length of time before your beat kicks in can be anywhere between nothing and 2 hrs if you want (although i dont think a 2hr 7min track will fit on a cd unfortunately). This is where the scene is set (a dark scene if I've taught you right) and where your main atmospheric melody is established.

Now you are probably wondering what the hell I meant by "atmospheric melody". Basically every drum n bass track made for the dancefloor has an underlying melody whcih revolves around the bass. This is usually constructed from pads and strings and can be dark or mellow (even if the rest of your track is dark, your melody can be mellow, it works surprisingly). But this melody MUST fit in with your bassline that comes in during first "break" explained below. Once this is set and a light beat is placed over it this can continue for a while. Usually as you build up to the next portion you continue to add things to your beat (ie. hihats, cymbals etc.) to raise the intensity of the track. Then when you fell it is right (usually about 1:30 to 2:00 in) you have your first break.

First Break:

A break in drum n bass is when there is no beats present (except maybe a hihat). The first break is usually only 4 or 8 bars long (1 bar=4 beats or one full breakbeat loop). These days the main bassline or a portion of it is used during the break and filtering is provided to build it up (ie. a lowpass filter from 0 to 100% or a highpass from 100% to 0%). In tech step (ie. "Dark") drum n bass, a Snare Buildup is NOT used, this technique is saved for the jump up side of the genre where it belongs, use snare rolls at your own discretion. After your break comes first drop.

First Drop

Once your break builds into a frenzy you drop the beat (the beat is usually more intense than what it was during your intro, but similar enough to know that it isnt a different beat) and your bassline at full power. Repeat this for a while and then do a short (1 bar) break and drop a more intense beat and slightly alter your bassline (only slightly). Then begin to re-introduce your atmospherics and melody and then move to your second break.

Second Break

Break again with atmospherics and no bassline (or include a bassline at half power if you wish) and build it up again, but quicker (second breaks should be same length or half length of first br

No need be sorry brv, I on a learning curve like everyone else. I know what I wanna hear, all the elements are there just need alot of re-arranging and EQing. I'll get back to the laboritory, post when made a decent bit of progress. Cheers for ya time djvex brv. Ez