As the production bar in drum ‘n’ bass has been rased on an almost seasonal basis, it’s taken the learning curve with it. Even producers who don’t like the genre will often sit and marvel at the complexity and density of modern DnB productions. Also drum ‘n’ bass has a distinct sound, and it places emphasis on different areas of the mix to other genres, so that even producers in other types of electronic music can struggle to achieve that DnB vibe.

MUST KNOW DRUM ‘n’ BASS TIPS

1- Layering chopped up break beats (DRUM LOOPS) is a good way to get that authentic DnB sound. For a tight, modern sound, put each hits end point before the next drum sound occurs: simply leaving the end point at the end of the sample makes it easier to program junglistic beats, but you’ll either have to tune or time stretch it to make sure it plays at the correct tempo.

2- One of the main advantages of using really tightly chopped beats is that you can easily pitch bend your drum part up and down without it ever going out of time. This technique can be used to create stunning percussive effects. For the best results try combining this method withother forms of processing such as filtering or degrading effects.

3- If your track’s switch lacks bite, try using a different break beat or rythm pattern to keep the crowd on their toes, processing such as pitch shifting or flanging can do miracles here.