Bass drums. Are they pitched or are they not? Sometimes yes, sometimes no.
although some producers approach bassdrums with the idea that any kind of tonality may be used with impunity over any bassdrum sample, this is not always the case.
whether it be intuitively, or frequency/data-based process, producers often relate different tonalities to different bassdrums.
now with chromatic pitching options on the Digitakt, this is going to become a lot of fun.
just thought i would share a few bassdrums that have been put through vacuum tube preamps for warmth enhancement, each one having the main pitch in the file title. enjoy.Bassdrums.zip (3.8 MB)
some producers do not pick up on the pitched vibe of percussion instruments and drums. and in fact, it is quite possible to go about one’s musical business without thinking about pitch. Conversely, it is quite possible to integrate pitch and harmonic knowledge when pitched implied tonality drum sound samples are chosen. There is a world to explore, sometimes subtle, sometimes obvious.
omg pitched hihats, 30 of them … similarly processed for warmth through vacuum tube mastering gear (hardware only)…Hihats.zip (2.4 MB)
talking of abstract, pitched drums are more useful for groove creation, than for melody making, although the process of inverting a drum machine to sound like a synth and a synth to sound like a drum machine is truly a valuable area.
but yeh the pitched drum idea is mainly for constructing harmonically congruent kits.
think in terms of 5ths, minor thirds, octaves and flat sevenths
let’s be honest, drum tuning never was an exact science. the science of multiple membranes.
To deny to presence of pitched elements is folly, and yet with the pitch ramping up or down, the overtones or undertones, the change in response to pressure location or velocity … yeah, much to be aware of.
talking of imprecise, i dig how this tutorial video on the Bonham sound shares info regarding drum types and general ‘tuning’
