There are many different types of kick drum samples. Beat making is an activity that is so oft-repeated that using the same kick drums in every single beat is going to really drain your creativity. Because the kick especially is so ubiquitous in every type of music from rock to rap and hip hop to RnB, having a varied selection is absolutely essential. Knowing the types of kicks is the beginning, but is definitely essential.
A kick drum has a few different phases, like any sound wave. First we have the start or the attack, and this is really what cuts through any mix. If you can get a kick to have a sharp attack, it will be able to be heard through any number of surrounding and opposing layers of different sounds. An attack that does not have such a strong starting point will need to have two strong elements that follow – so it’s necessary to really be careful about picking them. The starting phase can be augmented with other samples.
The second phase that we should talk about is the sustain, which is the long part of the kick that the attack introduces. This bulk of the sample can be long and booming or short and pointy, but it does matter as this is the memorable part of the sample. Having a very weak attacking phase can be disastrous if it’s coupled with a very weak sustain phase, too. Either have the best of both worlds or one good phase to get you started and get it heard.
Adjusting the volume of a kick is extremely simple on both Macintosh computers and PCs, and also with hardware samplers and drum machines. Most tools have envelopes and volume filters, and if your equipment or software does not permit this (although this is very unlikely in this day and age) then there are free tools available all over the net for you to use and download. Most of them will have unlimited functionality, so you can get started and import them right away.
If you do not wish to use any device or plug-in inside your host or hardware unit, you can certainly adjust the volume in any one of the editors (both free and paid-for versions) that are available. Most already have the functionality or offer different plug-ins to help you crop and adjust volume and fading. The free programs like Audacity are great and even match the professional edition programs in many departments.
Different programs and libraries contain different drum samples for your personal and professional use. If you’re serious about audio and music production, then getting a varied selection is your best bet. Combine the samples contained in programs like FL Studio with others you can get off the internet and in different programs, and you will soon have your own choice of go-to samples that you have developed yourself.
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