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Posts Tagged ‘brushes’

  1. I’ve Got Your Multitrack Drums Right Here

    September 6, 2011 by Ryan

    The Loop Loft just released a new collection of Multitrack Drums that I produced. Check it:

    “Take the melodic mallet drumming of Art Blakey, combine it with warm brush strokes of Philly Joe Jones and mix it together with some 21st century backbeats, and you get our latest Multitrack Drums release, “Felt and Wires”. Consisting of six individual channels of drum set mics along with 4 channels of percussion, this collection gives you complete control over a very orchestral, dynamic and ethereal sounding session that will appeal to film scorers, songwriters and instrumental composers alike.”

    The Loop Loft also released a bundle of the Multitrack series:

    We’ve bundled the first four releases of our popular Multitrack Drum Sessions, giving you over 2 gigabytes of individually tracked drums, cymbals and percussion, all at a 25% discount! From straight up pop backbeats, to highly syncopated funk/fusion, to dramatic orchestral percussion, this bundle of Multitrack Drum Sessions will give you a wide range of arrangement options and grooves, as well as the flexibility and control that only individually tracked drums can provide.”


  2. Crazy, Massive Sale on Reason 5 ReFills

    February 18, 2011 by Ryan

    Yeah, it’s me. I’m still alive. I’ve spent the past two months knee-deep in diapers and spit-up, but I promise to return to a more regular blogging schedule soon. Until then, I just wanted to let you know about this crazy sale over at The Loop Loft. 50% off all Reason 5 Refills… this weekend only. Damnit, now that’s what I call a sale.

    ReFillBundle4 grande 300x234 Crazy, Massive Sale on Reason 5 ReFills

    50% Off Sale - Reason 5 ReFills


  3. New ReFill for Reason 5 – The Art of Brushes

    November 5, 2010 by Ryan

    You’re probably asking yourself, why doesn’t Ryan post on this blog as much as he used to? What happened to all of the Dave Weckl jokes? Where are all of the references to 80′s hair metal? Well, things have been absolutely nuts for me lately. Nuts in a good way.. but nuts, nonetheless. A major, contributing factor to this nuttiness has been my recent involvement in the production of Reason 5 ReFills for Propellerhead and The Loop Loft. In an effort to make these the best ReFills in the world, I’ve been locked up in my studio for the past three months, only coming out for my weekly shower and to watch Tosh.0

    With that said, I’m happy to present to you my latest ReFill for Reason 5 and Record 1.5, The Art of Brushes.:

    The Art of Brushes is a collection of customized Dr Octo Rex, Kong and ReDrum patches for Reason 5. Combining the warmth and timbre of vintage drums and hand-hammered cymbals, this collection explores the sonic landscapes and grooves that are unique to fine brush performances. NOTE – No sticks were harmed (or even used) during the recording of this ReFill.

    With 238 REX2 loops and 26 customized Dr Octo Rex patches consisting of grooves ranging from jazz ballads, folky rock, linear funk, spacey hip hop and uptempo bebop, this ReFill supplies users with a massive library of organic beats and fills And to give you full control over your production, four Kong and five ReDrum patches are included, allowing you to program and design your own grooves with an arsenal of high quality samples recorded during the loop sessions. These custom patches give you the ability to utilize the loops for one portion of your track, while programming your own grooves and fills for other parts of the composition, without any sonic variances between any of the parts.

    The Art of Brushes – Providing seamless live drum production inside of one ReFill.

    ReFill Specs:

    - 238 REX2 Loops
    - 26 Dr Octo Rex Patches
    - 4 Kong Patches
    - 5 ReDrum Patches
    - High Quality, 24-bit 48 khz Audio
    - File size: 172 MB

    Get The Art of Brushes ReFill here.


  4. Got brush loops?

    September 26, 2010 by Ryan

    Wondering why I haven’t posted in a while?  It’s because I’ve been putting the finishing touches on this bad boy.  I also have something even bigger to announce in a few days.  No, I’m not taking over Ricky Rockett’s drum throne in Poison.  But it’s almost as exciting.  Here’s the official press release for today’s news:

    Following up on a customer favorite, we’re happy to announce the release of The Art of Brushes Volume 2.  A collection of loops and samples focused entirely on brushes, this second volume contains over twice as many files as the original, giving you the sounds and grooves you need to produce authentic drum tracks in a wide range of styles.

    From folk, to Americana, to bebop, to electronica, the depth and airiness of the brushes combined with the warmth and timbre of vintage drums and hand-hammered cymbals provide the perfect foundation for even the most discerning producer and songwriter who needs truly professional sounding (and feeling) drum tracks.

    Number of Loops: 135

    Number of Samples: 82

    Tempo Range: 80-212 BPM

    Download load it instantly here!

    Screen shot 2010 09 26 at 3.13.38 PM 264x300 Got brush loops?

    We are also happy to announce the release of “bundled” versions of both of the brush collections.  The bundled sets provide you with the first two releases in one instant download, while also saving you 25%!



  5. Turn Up The Quiet

    September 8, 2010 by Ryan

    Loop #139

    When your studio is temporarily set up in a spare bedroom (I’m doing some more work on the carriage house) and your wife is taking a nap (apparently, pregnant women love to nap), knowing how to play quietly becomes an essential part of the production process… and a happy marriage. And playing quietly doesn’t just mean grabbing some brushes and making everything 30 db lower.. it also means keeping the intensity up. Put some fire in the mezzo-piano.

    By harnessing the energy of arena-rock style drumming and funneling it into the quiet side of the dynamic range, today’s loop is perfectly suitable for coffeeshops, jazz clubs… and nearby naps.

    Quiet Riot 300x225 Turn Up The Quiet

    A different kind of Quiet

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    86 BPM


  6. Back To Brushes

    July 29, 2010 by Ryan

    I know, I know…. things have been a little quiet around here lately. But trust me, I have a very good Reason for my absence. I would love to share more information with you at this time, but a team of international lawyers and a very large Swedish man who goes by the name, “Sven”, have me sworn to secrecy “or else…”. In just under a month, I will be able to provide you with all kinds of details about this very exciting project.

    I’ve also been making some major strides in the upgrade of my studio. Trenches have been dug. Wiring is up to code. Raccoons have been evacuated. The next phase of construction will be insulating, soundproofing and drywalling the carriage house. It was built 200 years ago as place to keep your horse and buggy… not with the intent of some asshole recording drums in the middle of the frigid New Englad winter. I still have some work ahead of me.

    Loop #134

    While the blisters on my hands heal (remind me to wear gloves next time I use a shovel), I’m going to keep the loops on the mellow side. In this case, that means going back to playing some brushes and keeping things simple. This is what a loop would sound like if Russ Kunkel, Steve Jordan and Vernel Fournier had a baby, and that baby played drums, but only used a Gretsch kick and snare (baby drummers can easily land endorsement deals with fine drum companies). That baby would probably record loops that sound like this:

    Steve Jordan 300x199 Back To Brushes

    Steve Jordan

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    90 BPM


  7. Steve Gadd, a pair of brushes and a 2″ Ampex Box.

    February 15, 2010 by Ryan

    No, this isn’t a setup to a weird joke.

    Damn, the 80′s looked fun.


  8. The Art of Brushes – Vol 1

    February 12, 2010 by Ryan

    Breaking news, hot off the press from the good people over at thelooploft.com:

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

    The Loop Loft, Boston, MA – February 12, 2010 – Have you been searching for a loop pack focused entirely on brushes? Well, you’re not alone. At The Loop Loft, we’ve received many requests for drum loops that incorporate the warmth and ambiance that only brushes and a coated drumhead can provide. After several months and eight separate recording sessions, we’re proud to bring you the first loop pack consisting of 100% brush performances. With grooves ranging from jazz ballads to funky linear grooves to double time “train” shuffles to folk rock back beats, The Art of Brushes Volumes Vol 1 is the most dynamic and genre-spanning loop pack available anywhere!

    Picture 6 258x300 The Art of Brushes   Vol 1

    Number of Loops: 103
    Tempo Range: 68-212 BPM

    - Instant Downloads
    - 100% Royalty Free
    - High Quality 24 Bit 48 KHZ Audio
    - WAV, REX2 and AIFF Formats

    Sets included:
    68_JazzBallad
    75_PopBallad
    79_Chill
    103_Funky
    140_Granola
    144_BackBeat
    179_FiveFour
    212_Train

    Click below to preview:

    For more info on The Art of Brushes Vol 1, just click here.


  9. Brushing Up On The Funk

    January 25, 2010 by Ryan

    Such a pun-laden headline could only mean one thing: Another funk loop. And rather than picking up the sticks and burying the VU meters into the red, I decided to to go the subtle route and use brushes to lay down the back beat.

    jim keltner slider2a 300x255 Brushing Up On The Funk

    Jim Keltner - Master of brushes, forks and pens.

    Loop #119

    I’ll admit, I’m not breaking any new ground with today’s groove. Drummers like Steve Jordan, Jim Keltner, and even the guy from G. Love and Special Sauce have been incorporating brushes into funk and pop grooves for years. I am, however, providing you with two measures of pristinely-produced, wide open snare, right hand on the floor tom, brush-based goodness.

    Enjoy.

    Preview Here:

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    103 BPM


  10. Save the Beat

    November 18, 2009 by Ryan

    I can’t tell you how sick I am of hearing tired, canned dance beats. I don’t even like dance music. But if I have to hear it while out in public, away from the safe confines of my iPod, I might as well try to improve the quality of the drum sounds. The world has been overrun by shitty producers with their 808 samples and re-mixed Ableton Live schlock. And don’t even get me started about the kitten DJs who spin said schlock.

    kitten dj 300x215 Save the Beat

    Stop the madness.

    Loop #108

    How does one try to come up with fresh sounding dance loops? Start with something that sounds nothing like a cliché electronica beat. In this case, it’s using brushes to lay down the groove. Chopped up with a touch of gating, peppered with some growly floor toms and sautéd in some extra trashy hi hats, I give you my first dance loop intended to make this genre a little more palatable (especially when served alongside a $14 gin and tonic made by someone like this).

    Preview Here:

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    118 BPM