How I Make My Backing Tracks – Programming Drums and Drum Loops



Thanks for folks tuning back in and checking how I was doing. I do get asked fairly often about how I do the stuff that I do on here, so this is a kind of “how the sausage is made” video…I hope it’s not an entirely boring affair.

Please feel free to leave a comment to help boost the health of the channel and maybe even consider liking or subscribing or sharing with your Uncle?

I’ve decided to make it possible to grab both my Helix/HX Stomp bundles (the expression bundle with freeze presets has always been separate) together for £5 – https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=CCTNL7P2XSQDC – I will then email you a link to both bundles!

You can get my EXPRESSION patches in this bundle using this link – I will then send out the patches! https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=3PUJ7M8YPS4WU

Try my patches (60-70+) for Helix or HX Stomp in this bundle for £3 using this link – I will then send out the patches! https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=45L8AZ4RYL3HW

Try my patches for Pod GO for £3 using this link – I will then send out the patches! https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=2E7DSCRZW45JN

https://www.patreon.com/johnnathancordy get my backing tracks here

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/johnnathancordy – if you like what I do and
only if you wanted, you could buy me a coffee!

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21 thoughts on “How I Make My Backing Tracks – Programming Drums and Drum Loops”

  1. I am interrested in an explanation of the "bass guitar drone tones" or whatever whatchamacallit.
    …and in an intro in style of Micha Mansoor, Periphery It's Only Smiles …sort of.

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  2. Interesting to see your process. I've always liked the drums you use on your slow Jazz tunes. Are those made using the same process? They sound like a live drummer. Thanks

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  3. Great process and results. I’ve used a similar process but I’m lazy and tend use pre-sequenced drums, flipping between using EZ Drummer and a pedal such as the Digitech SDRUM and Boss Rc-10R.

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  4. That's awesome, thank you very much for sharing! How do you usually write bass parts? Keyboard or just programming in the piano roll?

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  5. You could send the midi to 2 separate tracks, so you wouldn't need to copy your midi items each time you change a note… I personally like to use a folder track with multiple child tracks for my drum midi notes. This way i can have the main beat in one track, the obligatory crash on the one (or where ever) could be in another track, and fills and extra stuff in a third track. This makes it super easy for me to see whats going on, even without opening the midi editor. 😉 (I'm using Reaper too, btw)

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  6. What I found usefull in therms of creativity with drums is, that once I got some idea (riff, melody etc…) Im trying to "jam" with that idea like Im playing the real drums (on keyboard using lets say snare and kick or whatever) and Im trying to come with some beat idea. So I can use "feel" more than mouse and the template of software. Doesnt have to be perfect just playing around in loop and once im happy with it I can program it to be "perfect". I just like the idea Im in charge more than software template and it could lead into more creative beats than just "randomly" clicking and trying. Not saying its bad, it obviously working for many people but this way its a bit more analog friendly :). Not sure if put that into words in way that is easy to understand 😀

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  7. "Pay no attention to the DAW behind the curtain!" I really like these behind-the-scenes videos. For recent subscribers, if you'd like to see John's previous videos along these lines (with less of a focus on the drum track), check out these: "How I record and put together my clips:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_bwZCY9fLjY and "RECORDING PROCESS and my WORKFLOW – How I RECORD" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3RHdRfB9Nc8. Sadly, if this video piques your interest in Native Instruments plug-ins, you missed one of their occasional big sales by just a few days, but there will probably be another one soon enough! —Tom

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