Layering Techniques

[Elementree]

I just wanted to ask everybody what layering techniques thet use. I like to layer claps and snares the most personally. I also like to layer tamb. over a snare for a street feel.
I think layering your kick drums is most important though. I like to usually layer about three kicks. One with low sub bass, one thats real puchy, and a pillow-stuffed kick to add bang. Give em a little mixing, and you got a hot original kick. I never knew about layering when i first started, but now im layering everything. I been layering shakers lately and been gettin a good full timbaland shaker sound with a couple diff. shakers.

What you been layerin,

tree

 

[Vince]

I don't like layering claps with snares. It kinda gives it a undefinable snare/clap sound. I like it to be either a snare or clap, not in between

I mostly layer my kicks the way you do, and I sometimes layer my snare with a 'crunch' or 'clicking' sound to get a bit more dirty snare sound.

 

[sYgMa]

^^^^good idea (the crunch sound thing)

I layer my percussions, but I also layer basses and piano, to give it a more full sound, while EQing them differently.

 

[Sanova]

i bean layerin my signature Punchy drum wit a 808 and a pillowy drum. and 2 snares for that hard gunshot type vibe. and sometimes i layer some acoustic drums with my regular drums to give a grimey feel.

as far as everything else, i like to layer strings in choirs. pianos and strigns some times. and different keys with different octaves.

 

[GRAFIK]

shit i'll layer anything, as long as it sounds good, i usually layer my snares like sanova to give it that gun shot feel

 

[MarkN]

yea i'll pretty much layer anything, if im using a drum sound and i want it to sound slightly different sumtimes its easier to layer it with something that try and EQ the difference !

 

[Authority]

I like to layer because it gives you your own sound and most likely nobody is going to layer the axact same instrument as you leaving you with sounds people ask about....Thats my opinion tho

 

[Sanova]

i make my own drumkits and i have a folder labled "SNLAPS" for the snare+clap combis i made haha. coincidence

 

[trebeatz]

yeah im always layerin drums, snares and kicks, i havent really tried with hats or shakers, but yeah you almost have to layer your kicks if u want to get a nice kick that can actually be heard in the final draft, unless your an EQ/mixing master, which i am not

 

[Sanova]

^ but i am/

 

[Elementree]

* kicks sanova in shin*

*walks away nonchalontly*

 

[Soo DyNaMeK]

Dry vs 808

Well let me started something new here. Do you guys think the current state of hip-hop requires 808 more dominantly than Bass or sub bass. In most hip hop genre, or at least what we hear in fl, you have to have an 808 in the song to even sell a beat, where as upstate, like NY, the bass gt is previlent. I wanna know what you guys think is more priority the bass gt or the 808.


So-DyNaM-eK !!!!

 

[trebeatz]

i hate 808's on most tracks, I like a bassline that follows the kicks, starts on a kick and ends on a kick, the kicks having clear attacks, i don't like 808s cus you can't really have a dope bassline and 808's and have the 808s still audible, 808 kicks suck unless ur on some lil jon shit

 

[djswivel]

honestly, it all depends on the beat. sometimes the bassline just doesnt sound right on the track, and an 808 just fits....and vice-versa, 808's aren't meant for everything...

Gotta just use your ear and best judgement to decide what to use. That's the art of producing, knowing when it's hot, and more impoartantly, when its NOT!

 

[Burna]

* kicks sanova in shin*

*walks away nonchalontly*

Steps out of range of fire.. *points and laughs* :windup:

 

[5th Sequence]

*chuck norris appears and everyone settles down*

Layering is a must. It's how you get a full sound in your beat. You can tell a difference between the beats that are layered and paintakinly crafted verses the ones that use 1 key of say a string sample. You gotta get that fullness!!

and Fuck you chuck!!

*runs*

 

[afriquedeluxe]

layering kicks? i dont really do it that much, maybe 1/10 tracks or so.

 

[Lazy Eyes]

Personally i like to hear a nice bass guitar in a track like NO ID got in his beats or kev brown got in his beats, i think it adds more to beat than a 808 thats just getting that Ooomph in your bass/kickdrum...

I vote bass/guitar, but that's mainly because i like eastcoast type beats the most!

peace...