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James Brown, Papa's Got a Brand New Bag (1965)
James Brown, Say It Loud - I'm Black and I'm Proud (1968)
The Meters, The Meters (1969)
Led Zeppelin, Led Zeppelin (1969)
Led Zeppelin, Led Zeppelin II (1969)
Curtis Mayfield, Curtis (1970)
Led Zeppelin, Led Zeppelin III (1970)
Led Zeppelin, Led Zeppelin IV (1971)
Aretha Franklin, Young, Gifted and Black (1972)
The Jimmy Castor Bunch, It's Just Begun (1972)
Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes, I Miss You (1972)
Led Zeppelin, Houses of the Holy (1973)
Stevie Wonder, Innervisions (1973)
The Beat (aka The English Beat), I Just Can't Stop It (1980)
The Beat (aka The English Beat), Wha'ppen (1981)
The Beat (aka The English Beat), Special Beat Service (1981)
LL Cool J, Radio (1985)
Marley Marl, In Control (1988)
Main Source, Breaking Atoms (1990)
Gang Starr, Step in the Arena (1991)
Dr. Dre, The Chronic (1992)
Nas, Illmatic (1994)
50 Cent, Get Rich or Die Tryin' (2003)
Record Gems with Open Drum Sounds
| By AMIR SAID (SA'ID) |
I'm a strong advocate for using custom drum sounds. And although I have no issue with stock drum sounds (I've used stock drums in the past, and I have no problem with using them in the future) I believe that one of the most effective ways of creating your own style and sound is through the use of your own customized drum sounds.
That being said, I will be compiling an ongoing list—the BeatTips List of Great Records for Drum Sounds—of ALL of the records that I (and many others) have found to be great for drum sounds. For each installment or volume of the list, I will try to post at least five songs. Furthermore, this list will also include those songs that I have studied as a guide for drum pattern arrangements. And it is my hope that the songs on this list well help serve as a guide for those who want to tune the drum sounds that they already have to the sounds showcased on this list.
Finally, although some readers will note that there are some obvious choices that should be on this list, please bear with me, as I will be rolling out this list periodically without, necessarily, any preference to the most well-known "break-beats" (this is not a list of break-beat records). In fact, I suspect some songs on this ongoing list will surprise some of you. But after a "full-listen" of the record, you'll see just why it earned a spot. Still as always, I invite discussion. So any and all suggestions, whether well-known or obscure, are certainly welcome.
The music and videos below are presented here for the purpose of scholarship.
Rufus Thomas - "Do the Funky Penguin" (1971)
Aside from the drum sounds on this Rufus Thomas classic, what's most appealing is the quarter-note tambourine arrangement. I can not stress enough how much this joint taught me about drum patterns.
Melvin Bliss - "Synthetic Substitution" (1977)
One of the most used breaks in beatmaking. Variations of this joint were used so much in hip hop/rap music that it's become some what of a right to passage for beatmakers. Indeed, if you're not familiar with "Synthetic Substitution," I strongly recommend that you immediately get to know it.
One more thing, when I first started beatmaking, I studied "Synthetic Substitution" for months. I wanted to learn how to play the main break (flawlessly) without the timing correct on. For some reason, I figured that if I could replay the "Synthetic Substitution" break (using my own drum sounds) then my drum programming skills would be tight. I was right...
Little Feat - "Fool Yourself" (1973)
The best part of the drum work of this joint can be heard within the first 5 seconds.
The Fatback Band - "Goin' to See My Baby" (1972)
Drum sounds or not, I can always zone out to "Goin' to See My Baby." Still, the double snare at the beginning is choice. Special note: Many more of The Fatback Band's songs will be on the BeatTips List of Great Records for Drum Sounds, particularly because of the work by Bill Curtis, the drummer who formed The Fatback Band.
Wilbur "Bad" Bascomb - "Black Grass"
The break comes up at the 1:40 mark.
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"Comprehensive, passionate and scholarly, The BeatTips Manual is much more than an instruction book for hip-hop producers...It is a thorough analysis of the hip-hop aesthetic itself. Highly recommended for anyone that takes hip-hop culture seriously."
—Joe Schloss, Ph.D, Professor,
New York University
"The BeatTips Manual is one of the best investments I have made in beat making and as a fan of hip hop...the sheer size of the book is amazing. The BeatTips Manual has definitely given me a lot to think about. Thank you very much for your efforts and work in this book. It needs to be required reading for anyone getting into beatmaking or hip hop production."
—Charles Purnell
"Ive had the 5th edition for a few weeks now and the book is nuts man. The book is huge and full of more goodness than the 4th with an even more extensive look at hip hop's roots, culture and production. Ive read the 4th edition multiple times and constantly used it for a reference when making beats, but this 5th edition is something else! The 5th has increased my knowledge of hip hop unlike any other book, and I have read a lot of hip hop books.
Sa'id thank you for your dedication and love for hip hop and you hard work to keep it alive. Hip Hop thanks you!"
—Brandon F
“Detailed and thorough, I'd consider The BeatTips Manual to be the go-to guide for beatmaking. Highly recommended!”
—Ivan Rott, HipHopIsRead.com
"Sa'id, I just got my copy of The BeatTips Manual, and I LOVE it. I've been producing for about 4 years now, and I've read all sorts of books, websites, forums and instructional videos, and I can honestly say, that this is by far THE BEST aid I've ever found. You can really feel your passion for beatmaking & producing, and that's what makes it such infectious reading."
—Nick "Stealf" Lester
“This joint is thick and serious, I love it…I've never seen anything like it! This is not a 'skim the top' type of book..this is a great book, it’s thorough, it’s deep, it’s very informative...if you make beats, or have any interest in making beats/producing, this book is a must have, no questions, period.”
—SoundsandGear.com
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—Chiemela (aka AC)
"Great work! Truly."
—Dream Hampton, former Editor of the Source Magazine; Senior Writer for Vibe Magazine
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—Phong Nguyen
"I could go on and on pointing out everything I loved about the book, but I won't because it'll take forever. The essence of the book is really, really good...Let me thank you again and congratulate you for a great work. It really was a pleasure reading it, and it'll sure be really close to my production set-up."
—Dante
"THIS BOOK IS THE TRUTH! It delves deep into the philosophy of the producer, important comparisons of different styles, hip hop history, business, and tons of up close and personal interviews with hip hop's largest producers. All the pages are written in a down to earth, coherent manner so everyone from beginners to advanced producers can benefit. Highly recommended."
—Turntable Lab
"This is by far the single best book focusing on Hip Hop production. It is an absolute must read and it's for anyone beginning or continuing their journey into production. It will prove highly valuable and pay countless dividends to anyone willing to invest the time to obtain the vast wealth of knowledge and wisdom contained in its pages. Also, with interviews from renowned producers such as DJ Premier...and others being worth the price of admission, the book acts as a triple bonus."
—CrateKings.com
"You Must Learn. The BeatTips Manual goes way beyond beatmaking 101. There's only so much you can learn about hip hop production from audio technology schools, where the art form's finer points are generally glossed over. Sa'id's accessible BeatTips Manual fills in the blanks. It shines in its efforts to educate readers on topics that are often overlooked. Do the knowledge!"
—SCRATCH Magazine
"Great Book! If you produce beats, buy this book. You will not regret it."
—Karma
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