Sad drums?

[arktrix45hz]

follow objekt's advice: besides the volume, link velocity to a low pass filter cuttof and to the envelope decay to obtain a more fluid and expressive sound.

Probably one of the best 'tips' I've ever read on here.

Sounds interesting, how would I go about this in Ableton?

[wub]

In FL I'd probably sidechain from the kick (or whatever drum is the trigger) out onto two instances of Peak Controller. One would inversely control the amount of filter being applied, and the other would be linked to the ADSR envelope to inversely trigger that.

So as the hit (depending on volume) was triggered, it's turn on the filter and adjust the decay. So the louder the kick, the more filter and longer decay (for example)...and having two instances of peak controller I could adjust the individual decay on those triggers to give more of a melting effect.

I think.

[Hircine]

follow objekt's advice: besides the volume, link velocity to a low pass filter cuttof and to the envelope decay to obtain a more fluid and expressive sound.

Probably one of the best 'tips' I've ever read on here.

Sounds interesting, how would I go about this in Ableton?

I have no idea how to do it outside kontakt or maschine, sorry.

I thought no else did that and that I was overthinking my drums, felt plain stupid. guess I was wrong.

[NinjaEdit]

I think sadness comes from intonation... so try tuning your dums to minor thirds or minor sixths.
Just run them each through a pitch controller until it sounds sad or minor.

Also playing behind the beat can sound "heavier." And maybe some distortion would help that.

[skimpi]

follow objekt's advice: besides the volume, link velocity to a low pass filter cuttof and to the envelope decay to obtain a more fluid and expressive sound.

Probably one of the best 'tips' I've ever read on here.

Sounds interesting, how would I go about this in Ableton?

I have no idea how to do it outside kontakt or maschine, sorry.

I thought no else did that and that I was overthinking my drums, felt plain stupid. guess I was wrong.

Well i dont know how to work kontakt but you should be able to. In logic with the EXS24 you set the velocity to control the filter cutoff really easy.

[crunkedxup]

when you say hollow i guess you're referencing burial drums? i think a lot of that is to do with how off the grid they are, gives them a apathetic "sad" feel. so maybe lay off the quantize a bit?

also try sampling reverb from your drums and then layering it over the top, not sure if thats a proper thing to do in production but i do it anyway

[Gurnumsbug]

^+1 for off the grid drum patterns.
I also like to lowpass certain elements like the snare, clap, hit, etc..
Also try compressing the drums and lowering the volume so they don't hit so high in the mix, they just kind of 'blend in'!

[Artie_Fufkin]

When I think of sad songs with drums in them and when I play, I think slow, weak hits/quiet, ride cymbal, painfully slow, off time/apathy towards musicianship, wanting to blend in or be drowned out by the other instruments, just being a texture and not so much a beat or pulse or any foundation of the music, no attack in the sound, maybe some buzz strokes, perhaps brushes instead of sticks to lessen the attack/spread out the sound, make it less staccato. Either dry and quiet or reverby and texture-y. A lot of space between hits. Very few fills. Drum fills are flashy and attention grabbing, so you want to make them very dull and unremarkable.

[3za]

Drums like to be hit, so to make them sad don't hit them.

[Hircine]

Drums like to be hit, so to make them sad don't hit them.

it's a good advice for sure.