How to create your own drum loops with virtual instruments

Samples of drums that were used to create loops can be used after some overdubbing in your own sampler.

However, that is a lengthy process and it is advisable to make your own drum loops. Editing is very easy in loops, you just need to import some samples into a hard disk multitask recording program. Arrange them in any order you want, add the tempo to create your own loops.

You can save these tracks as AIFF or Wav files. Loops can be created in any tempo, but if you might want to convert them into stretchable ones later make them with the REX techniques or Acidization. A tempo of 100BPM is highly recommended. Let’s take a look step by step.

1. Collecting Samples

After you collect the drum samples, create tracks where you want to hold them. Before starting keep in mind that creating a template will make life easy for you, when you might wants to create more loops.

Tip- A free windows program Stomper can give you analog drum sound effect

2. Add the Tempo

Once the template is created in DAW set your tempo and value for snap.

Tip- Start with the snapped drums first and add the human touch later.

3. Placement of Samples

After the samples have been allocated make your loop, set the volume and pan settings optimally.

Tip- You can either place sounds individually on their own tracks or you can spread them on different tracks.

This method enables you to lower or higher the non-accented and accented hats and you do not affect the quarter notes too.

4. Saving and bouncing

This is the final step in the whole process. You can choose between bouncing all parts together inside a stereo or mono track that can be saved as an AIFF or Wav file. Or you can make a mix in stereo version and instead of kick add reverb to the drums.

Tip- make a separate file for every drum sound and save all these variations in a folder.

5. Flexibility with Variations

When each sound is saved in its own dependent file it will allow you a greater flexibility when creating loops with variations. You can do the following-

·         Moving the track back and forth will teach you the applications feel factor. Moving the snare ahead will give it a nervous effect and behind for an effect that feels laid back.

·         If you are able to maintain the original duration the change the pich when working in a digital editor for audio. Timbral variations will be created by this.

·         You can create remix variations by dropping out tracks that are individual. When there is a sound on each track it is easy to drop it out or to add parts while remixing.

·         You can also create virtual aux busses by selecting sounds you want to process and then bouncing them. 

Author Bio: Ryan is CEO at Thelooploft. He has expertise in creating MIDI loops as well as Guitar loops. Besides business, he has interest in playing baseball.