| Section | Drum Change | |---------|--------------| | Intro | Hi-hats only, or filter sweep | | Verse | Kick + snare, simple pattern | | Pre-chorus | Add crash, open hi-hats | | Chorus | Full kit, extra percussion, louder velocities | | Bridge | Strip down, add toms or ride | | Outro | Fade out, reverb tails |
| Part | Abbreviation | Sound Role | |------|--------------|-------------| | Kick | KD | Low-end foundation | | Snare | SD | Backbeat (2 & 4) | | Hi-hat (closed/open) | CH / OH | Timekeeping / texture | | Clap | CP | Often replaces or doubles snare | | Rimshot / Cross-stick | RS | Accent | | Tom toms | T1, T2, T3 | Fills & melodic rhythm | | Crash / Ride cymbals | CY | Accents & transitions | drum programming handbook pdf
To apply the concepts found within this handbook, producers should focus on the following workflow adjustments: | Section | Drum Change | |---------|--------------| |
This is the "secret sauce." A handbook should provide a checklist for humanizing your MIDI: A great handbook dedicates a chapter to Velocity
The biggest sign of an amateur programmer is the same four-bar loop repeating for three minutes. A handbook must teach Fill Logic.
The handbook must explain that MIDI is not just "notes." It is data. A great handbook dedicates a chapter to Velocity (how loud a hit is) and Micro-timing (moving notes slightly off the grid).