My ‘Mostly’ Stock Software Experiment:
Double up on a stock reverb and turn a basic kick drum into a Monster Boom. IT WORKED.
Editors Note: I bought all the equipment and software myself. I am not affiliated with any companies listed below. It’s simply what I used to make a kick drum BOOM, and the links below are there to guide you.
Song: Maddy in the East Wind
Artist: 88Freqs
Album: The Gift
Quick View of my Setup:
DAW: Cubase Artist
Keyboard: Yamaha Electric Piano DGX-660
More on my setup and why I chose it in a future post.
1) The Free VST
For the drums, I used a free VST called Groove Agent SE that came with my Steinberg Cubase AI Software. Cubase AI came free with purchase of the UR-22c soundcard from Long and McQuade, a Canadian music store. There are tons of videos on YouTube showing you the in’s and out’s of making a beat with Groove Agent. I highly recommend it. It’s easy to use and has a lots of content. Best part, it’s free.
3) Doubled Up on the Cubase Stock Reverb
Reverb is a serious consideration, but when you are just having fun making music, sometimes it pays to experiment. I doubled up on a stock reverb for this drum and it turned it into a gigantic pounding monster. It sounds very much like a Korean Buk Drum performing in a large room. That suited this song perfectly as it was made for the “East Wind”.
First I used an instance of the roomworksSE reverb right in the instrument track. Then I used a “send” to force that reverbed track through a second instance roomworksSE. The outcome was spectacular. It fills the room then really slowly and evenly dies off. No sharp drop off.’s, the tail just sails into the next boom
4) J37 for a slightly warmer sound
To add a touch of warmth, I used the J37. I ran it on my Stereo Out Track before sending it to master. After spending countless days looking for a solution to help shape some of my LoFi sounds, I decided to invest in the J37. I found this plugin on the Waves Audio site and got it for $30 during a seasonal sale. I love it.
5) Mastering with Ozone 9
After watching numerous video’s and reviews on the best way to master (when considering a home setup like mine), I decided to go with Izotope’s Ozone 9. It creates an excellent starting point to get my tracks ready for multiple mediums including streaming services. It also has a really intuitive interface. The price was right, so I bought it and have used it ever since.
That’s it, that’s all folks. A phat beat made with basic equipment.
I hope you love the music.
If you are interested in setting up a home studio, I wrote a few articles guide you through the beginner process. See the topic How to Compose Music with a Computer.
I love your music! Thank you for explaining your method!