Archive for the ‘Rock’ Category
Loop #136
While I might not use single-headed toms with Pinstripes (I stick to the coated Ambassadors), one two three things that Phil Collins and I have in common is our love for Gretsch drums.... and gated reverb. Lots of gated reverb. Also, coincidentally enough, we both have major butt-chins.
With the toms on my bebop-sized kit (18" kick, 12" tom & 14" floor tom) cranked up high, this four bar loop is a somewhat hypnotic, tribal pattern ending with four 16th note flams on the snare (...
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Loop #135
I'm not even sure if Trent Reznor drinks coffee (he strikes me as the type that might consume it by the gallon), but assuming that he did, and that he happened to spill that coffee all over his console while mixing some drum tracks, I think the end result might sound something like this. Angry, yet precise, odd meter drumming crushed all of the way down to 5 bits. Black. No Sugar.
And while I'm on the topic of NIN, here's a great interview regarding the making of the epic 2005...
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Loop #132
This is what it sounds like when you take a drum groove with no muffling (even on the kick) and run it through a completely overdriven Brownface amp.
[caption id="attachment_5892" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Not just for guitars"][/caption]
[audio:108_WideOpen.mp3]
Get the .wav file here.
Get the .rx2 file here.
Get the .aiff file here.
108 BPM...
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Loop #127
Take a little bit of Sublime, mix it up with a dash of 311, and you've got yourself some serious stoner-funk-reggae. This particular genre requires one very ringy, high-pitched snare drum, some off-beat hi hat skankin', and an extra large brownie.
[caption id="attachment_5640" align="aligncenter" width="225" caption="Crunchy grooves, brah!"][/caption]
Here's a four measure loop that will make patchouli oil ooze from your speakers.
Preview Here:
[audio:78_StonerFunk.mp3]...
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I'm not referring to the lame Sting song (ok ok, I admit I like it... relax), I'm talking about the seven days I just spent on vacation in Mexico. Without going into too many details (most of which, I can't really remember anyway), my wife and I just returned from a much needed getaway to Tulum. A place where the sun is hot, the beer is cold and the tacos are cheap. In other words, my Heaven.
[caption id="attachment_5613" align="aligncenter" width="224" caption="Watch out for the Green ...
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Last night I had my ass kicked by a bunch of girls. Lez Zeppelin, the all female Zep tribute band, came storming through Boston, rocking a capacity crowd at The Middle East. I should have been prepared for what was to take place. My good friend and former bandmate (and current Lez Zeppelin bassist), Megan Thomas, contacted me a few weeks ago, telling me about her latest musical endeavor and inviting me to their upcoming Boston show. Megan is an amazing musician, so I knew she would nail all ...
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I had intended to spend most of today locked in my studio, laying down all kinds of new loops, guzzling a few gallons of coffee and writing my usual "top-notch" commentary... but that didn't happen. Boston's first blizzard of the year had other plans for me. Like shoveling snow all afternoon. Awesome.
Loop #116
I did manage to crank out one quick session before the day was over. While I was breaking my back, digging out my driveway, I was listening to Radiohead's classic album, "Th...
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Those of you who have ever toured or played your share of local gigs will probably be able to relate with the topic of today's post - the soundcheck. A horribly mundane, necessary evil of live performing, it's one of the least glamorous and exciting parts of being a musician. Between the piercing feedback in the monitors, the jaded soundguy who is still pissed about getting dropped from Metal Blade back in '89, and the stale stench of beer and puke wafting throughout an empty venue, it's an ho...
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Loop #113
Dipster. A groove with origins stemming from deep inside the PBR-soaked clubs of Williamsburg. On the surface, it may sound like a rather straight ahead dance/rock beat, but it is actually a sonic melting pot of culture; Ironic mustaches, American Apparel, trust funds, Vice, David Fridmann. They all, in one way or another, contribute to the dipster DNA. So, what are you waiting for? Download this loop, load it up in Logic, set up some mics in your bathroom, and record a song t...
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After putting my stomach and liver through "The Grinder" (aka Thanksgiving), I figured it would only be fair to do the same with my loops. Digging into some of the other new features in Logic 9, I discovered just what I was looking for: a virtual distortion pedal appropriately named "Grinder".
[caption id="attachment_4736" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Freshly Ground Beats"][/caption]
Loop #110
Today's loop takes what was once a pristinely recorded, 16th note-heavy funk groo...
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