How to write beats

[Chris McCormick]

Hi All,

I wrote this for a couple of my friends and thought it might come in
useful for someone else:
<http://mccormick.cx/news/entries/how-to-write-beats.news>

Chris.

-------------------
http://mccormick.cx
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[Thorsten Wilms]

On Sun, 2008-04-20 at 11:59 +0800, Chris McCormick wrote:

> <http://mccormick.cx/news/entries/how-to-write-beats.news>

Interesting that you like to notate in half-time. But wouldn't that make
your Hip Hop run at 45 BPM, if one takes it exactly as you write it?

I think the examples would be easier to read with vertical grid lines.


What helps me writing beats is knowing about "heavy" and "light" beats,
pulse, swing, ghost notes ...

In 4/4, 1 and 3 are heavy (downbeat), 2 and 4 are light (backbeat).
In 3/4 only 1 is heavy.

So if you want something that "stomps", you accentuate the backbeats.
If you want something light-footed, accentuate 2 and 4 and perhaps play
around one of the backbeats (notes before and after, not right on it).

Hits on the beats are "stable". Hits right between the beats (offbeats),
meaning each second 1/8 note in 4/4, are less stable. Hits on positions
available only with an even finer grid are even less stable. These often
ask to be countered with other notes, to stay in balance (it's like
stumbling and having to do another step to not fall down on your face)

The pulse is your basic grid resolution (not necessarily counting flams
and rolls). Usually 1/8 or 1/16 notes. An interesting way to build a
beat is to start with filling a bar (or several) with 1/16 notes. Edit
the velocity, for example 127, 60, 110, 90 for each quarter. Then
experiment with erasing single notes and finally move notes to different
instruments.

Ghost notes are hits with low velocity that can happen in the gaps. They
should have such a low level, that they won't catch your attention
directly. It's rather something you will only notice if it suddenly
disappears.


--
Thorsten Wilms

thorwil's design for free software:
http://thorwil.wordpress.com/

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[Frank Barknecht]

Hallo Chris,
Chris McCormick hat gesagt: // Chris McCormick wrote:

> I wrote this for a couple of my friends and thought it might come in
> useful for someone else:
> <http://mccormick.cx/news/entries/how-to-write-beats.news>

Very, very cool! As a little sunday afternoon fun project I made the
patterns into a Pd patch, see attached, feel free to put it anywhere
you like. Samples from freesound are not included, but if you unpack
this: http://freesound.iua.upf.edu/packsViewSingle.php?id=120 into the
"samples" subdir, everything will load immediatly. s-beatschool.pd is
the main patch.

Ciao
--
 Frank Barknecht                                     _ ______footils.org__


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[Hartmut Noack]

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Hash: SHA1

Hello,

Frank Barknecht schrieb:

> Very, very cool! As a little sunday afternoon fun project I made the
> patterns into a Pd patch, see attached,

Grrreat!! Finaly a working fresh PD-patch again ;-)

with high hopes for more to come ;-)

HZN
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[schoappied]

Frank Barknecht wrote:

> Hallo Chris,
> Chris McCormick hat gesagt: // Chris McCormick wrote:
>
>  
>> I wrote this for a couple of my friends and thought it might come in
>> useful for someone else:
>> <http://mccormick.cx/news/entries/how-to-write-beats.news>
>>    
>
> Very, very cool! As a little sunday afternoon fun project I made the
> patterns into a Pd patch, see attached, feel free to put it anywhere
> you like. Samples from freesound are not included, but if you unpack
> this: http://freesound.iua.upf.edu/packsViewSingle.php?id=120 into the
> "samples" subdir, everything will load immediatly. s-beatschool.pd is
> the main patch.
>
> Ciao
>  
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>  

Time for a newbie question, cause I'd like to thank you for your work
and especially for sharing it.... but first I want to be able to judge
your work ;)

I've unpacked your package and downloaded the samples and put it in the
'samples' directory...

But how and with which app can I play it?

Thanks,

Dirk
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[Leslie P. Polzer]

> What helps me writing beats is knowing about "heavy" and "light" beats,
> pulse, swing, ghost notes ...

Wow, I actually understand what you wrote about.
More of it!

  Leslie

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[Jon H-2]

On Sun, Apr 20, 2008 at 11:52 AM, Jon H <october001@...> wrote:


GREAT thread!

Thanks all!
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[hollunder]

On Sun, 20 Apr 2008 11:59:04 +0800
Chris McCormick <chris@...> wrote:

> Hi All,
>
> I wrote this for a couple of my friends and thought it might come in
> useful for someone else:
> <http://mccormick.cx/news/entries/how-to-write-beats.news>
>
> Chris.
>
> -------------------
> http://mccormick.cx

Great stuff Chris, I'm having fun with it and I'm looking forward to
the baseline how-to ;)

Best Regards,
        Philipp
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[schoappied]

hollunder@... wrote:

> On Sun, 20 Apr 2008 11:59:04 +0800
> Chris McCormick <chris@...> wrote:
>
>  
>> Hi All,
>>
>> I wrote this for a couple of my friends and thought it might come in
>> useful for someone else:
>> <http://mccormick.cx/news/entries/how-to-write-beats.news>
>>
>> Chris.
>>
>> -------------------
>> http://mccormick.cx
>>    
>  I'm looking forward to
> the baseline how-to ;)
>
>  

+ 1 ;)

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[Luigi Curzi]

Il giorno Sun, 20 Apr 2008 22:33:49 +0200
schoappied <schoappied@...> ha scritto:

> hollunder@... wrote:
> > On Sun, 20 Apr 2008 11:59:04 +0800
> > Chris McCormick <chris@...> wrote:
> >
> >  
> >> Hi All,
> >>
> >> I wrote this for a couple of my friends and thought it might come
> >> in useful for someone else:
> >> <http://mccormick.cx/news/entries/how-to-write-beats.news>
> >>
> >> Chris.
> >>
> >> -------------------
> >> http://mccormick.cx
> >>    
> >  I'm looking forward to
> > the baseline how-to ;)
> >
> >  
>
> + 1 ;)

+100 :-)))))

--
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Io sono
lo sbaglio, il momento di confusione, l'inopportuno

                Non sono niente.
              Non sarò mai niente.
        Non posso volere d'essere niente.
A parte questo, ho in me tutti i sogni del mondo.

                                        F. Pessoa
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
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[Folderol]

On Sun, 20 Apr 2008 22:40:55 +0200
luigi curzi <luigi_curzi@...> wrote:

> Il giorno Sun, 20 Apr 2008 22:33:49 +0200
> schoappied <schoappied@...> ha scritto:
>
> > hollunder@... wrote:
> > > On Sun, 20 Apr 2008 11:59:04 +0800
> > > Chris McCormick <chris@...> wrote:
> > >
> > >  
> > >> Hi All,
> > >>
> > >> I wrote this for a couple of my friends and thought it might come
> > >> in useful for someone else:
> > >> <http://mccormick.cx/news/entries/how-to-write-beats.news>
> > >>
> > >> Chris.
> > >>
> > >> -------------------
> > >> http://mccormick.cx
> > >>    
> > >  I'm looking forward to
> > > the baseline how-to ;)
> > >
> > >  
> >
> > + 1 ;)
>
> +100 :-)))))

Bookmarked!

... as I'm absolute crap at percussion :/

--
Will J Godfrey
http://www.musically.me.uk
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[Atte]

schoappied wrote:

> But how and with which app can I play it?

"pure data" aka PD. In debian/ubuntu "apt get install puredata".

--
peace, love & harmony
Atte

http://atte.dk       | http://myspace.com/attejensen
http://anagrammer.dk | http://modlys.dk
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[schoappied]

Atte André Jensen wrote:
> schoappied wrote:
>
>  
>> But how and with which app can I play it?
>>    
>
> "pure data" aka PD. In debian/ubuntu "apt get install puredata".
>
>  
Thanks, yes I figured that out and installed the program.... but I
couldn't find the play button....  (ugh)

Maybe someone could write a quick howto for people who just want to
listen to the pd files?

Thanks in advance,

Dirk
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[Frank Barknecht]

Hallo,
schoappied hat gesagt: // schoappied wrote:

> Thanks, yes I figured that out and installed the program.... but I
> couldn't find the play button....  (ugh)
>
> Maybe someone could write a quick howto for people who just want to
> listen to the pd files?

Okay, here's a quick tour through the patch (which is missing because
it's a sunday afternoon *fun* project and writing documentation is not
as much fun as patching...)

After you've opened s-beatschool.pd, search the orang "ezdac~" object.
Click the toggle "DSP" on and raise the volume slider. If you now
click the "b", "s", "h", ... message boxes in the right area, you
should hear the drums.

The "dmetro" object is the central timing object. Swith it on and off
with the square white toggle button above it. The default pattern
should play. You can change the tempo with the "bpm" number box right
of the toggle button. Just click on it, hold the mouse and drag up and
down. Change swing with the "swing" numberbox. Values about 0.5 or 0.6
are nice. Use "Shift-click" to change the numbers in smaller steps.

Finally you can change patterns with the subpatch called "pd
switchpattern". Open it by clicking, then press the various message
box flags. I threw in a little tanh-distortion and phaser effect for
no additional cost.

HOTH.

Ciao
--
 Frank Barknecht                                     _ ______footils.org__
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[Frank Barknecht]

Hallo,
Frank Barknecht hat gesagt: // Frank Barknecht wrote:

> Finally you can change patterns with the subpatch called "pd
> switchpattern". Open it by clicking, then press the various message
> box flags. I threw in a little tanh-distortion and phaser effect for
> no additional cost.

Oh, and attached is the monday moring version which includes an
experimental pattern editor (no saving yet!), if you click the "show
pattern" toggle after loading a pattern. The first row is ignored, but
you can edit the other steps by clicking on it and typing a letter.
only the letters hsboHSBO make sounds. This version requires at least
Pd 0.40

Ciao
--
 Frank Barknecht                                     _ ______footils.org__


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[Frank Barknecht]

Hallo,
Frank Barknecht hat gesagt: // Frank Barknecht wrote:

> Oh, and attached is the monday moring version which includes an
> experimental pattern editor (no saving yet!), if you click the "show
> pattern" toggle after loading a pattern. The first row is ignored, but
> you can edit the other steps by clicking on it and typing a letter.
> only the letters hsboHSBO make sounds. This version requires at least
> Pd 0.40

And this missing file, sorry.

Ciao
--
 Frank Barknecht                                     _ ______footils.org__


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[philippe hezaine]

Chris McCormick a écrit :

> Hi All,
>
> I wrote this for a couple of my friends and thought it might come in
> useful for someone else:
> <http://mccormick.cx/news/entries/how-to-write-beats.news>
>
> Chris.
>
> -------------------
> http://mccormick.cx
>  

Hi all,

Many thanks Chris.

I've made a lilypond file, a midi file and a pdf from your article.
Some velocities are given as numbers. (not complete)
May be there are mistakes or incomprehensions.
Tell me your feedback.

It's here for some days:

http://philippe.hezaine.free.fr/spip.php?article28

Have fun.
--
Phil.
Superbonus-Project (Site principal) <http://superbonus.project.free.fr>

Superbonus-Project (Plate-forme d'échange):
<http://philippe.hezaine.free.fr>
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[schoappied]

Frank Barknecht wrote:

> Hallo,
> schoappied hat gesagt: // schoappied wrote:
>
>  
>> Thanks, yes I figured that out and installed the program.... but I
>> couldn't find the play button....  (ugh)
>>
>> Maybe someone could write a quick howto for people who just want to
>> listen to the pd files?
>>    
>
> Okay, here's a quick tour through the patch (which is missing because
> it's a sunday afternoon *fun* project and writing documentation is not
> as much fun as patching...)
>
> After you've opened s-beatschool.pd, search the orang "ezdac~" object.
> Click the toggle "DSP" on and raise the volume slider. If you now
> click the "b", "s", "h", ... message boxes in the right area, you
> should hear the drums.
>
> The "dmetro" object is the central timing object. Swith it on and off
> with the square white toggle button above it. The default pattern
> should play. You can change the tempo with the "bpm" number box right
> of the toggle button. Just click on it, hold the mouse and drag up and
> down. Change swing with the "swing" numberbox. Values about 0.5 or 0.6
> are nice. Use "Shift-click" to change the numbers in smaller steps.
>
> Finally you can change patterns with the subpatch called "pd
> switchpattern". Open it by clicking, then press the various message
> box flags. I threw in a little tanh-distortion and phaser effect for
> no additional cost.
>
> HOTH.
>
> Ciao
>  

Frank,

Fantastic 'Monday manual'! Great explanation!

I did also install the monday version, nice although I'm able to open
the pattern, but I don't know how to edit it...

Thanks again,

Dirk


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[ken restivo-3]

On Sun, Apr 20, 2008 at 03:47:00PM +0200, Frank Barknecht wrote:

> Hallo Chris,
> Chris McCormick hat gesagt: // Chris McCormick wrote:
>
> > I wrote this for a couple of my friends and thought it might come in
> > useful for someone else:
> > <http://mccormick.cx/news/entries/how-to-write-beats.news>
>
> Very, very cool! As a little sunday afternoon fun project I made the
> patterns into a Pd patch, see attached, feel free to put it anywhere
> you like. Samples from freesound are not included, but if you unpack
> this: http://freesound.iua.upf.edu/packsViewSingle.php?id=120 into the
> "samples" subdir, everything will load immediatly. s-beatschool.pd is
> the main patch.
>

Very cool!

I enjoyed the cheesy Mattel samples too.

Drifting off-topic a bit, but here is a loop sampled from my daughter's toy keyboard's built-in drum machine:
http://freesound.iua.upf.edu/samplesViewSingle.php?id=52126

I found the sounds really cheesy, but I also found the beat really interesting and kind of complex for a kid's toy.

-ken
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[schoappied]

Philippe Hezaine wrote:

> Chris McCormick a écrit :
>  
>> Hi All,
>>
>> I wrote this for a couple of my friends and thought it might come in
>> useful for someone else:
>> <http://mccormick.cx/news/entries/how-to-write-beats.news>
>>
>> Chris.
>>
>> -------------------
>> http://mccormick.cx
>>  
>>    
> Hi all,
>
> Many thanks Chris.
>
> I've made a lilypond file, a midi file and a pdf from your article.
> Some velocities are given as numbers. (not complete)
> May be there are mistakes or incomprehensions.
> Tell me your feedback.
>
> It's here for some days:
>
> http://philippe.hezaine.free.fr/spip.php?article28
>
> Have fun.
>  

Thanks Philippe!

I was wondering, is there information available to learn putting those
beats into notation? What 'symbol' belongs to the bass, hi-hat etc.
Is there information on the internet about it? Or does someone knows a
other method (good book) for it?

And how easy is it to match the notes with a drumkit in for example
hydrogen? I think it should possible to play the drum score in
Rosegarden with Hydrogen as a synth..

Regards,

Dirk
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