In this lecture we take a look at the real drum kit in order to understand how it works, how it is played and how the various percussion elements come together to make a successful drum rhythm.

A quick note on the standard drummer limb-count!

A brief overview of some of the premium drum samplers on offer today with links to check them out for yourself.

This lecture is all about getting set up in your sequencer ready to record your first drum track. By the end you will have the drum plugin and tracks set up correctly.

If you're not a Cubase user then don't worry as the process is very similar from sequencer to sequencer. You will need a basic understanding of your own sequencer including:

• how to load a drum plugin on to a track
• how to create an empty part on that track
• how to access the key or piano roll editor for that part
• how to do the same for two more drum plugins -OR-
• how to create two extra midi tracks to access the original drum plugin.

This lecture takes you through the process of creating a basic bass and snare track with a natural feel. All note input is done in step time so no live playing is required. You will:

• find the bass and snare drums in your key/piano roll editor
• step time record a basic bass and snare rhythm
• experiment with changing the feel through manipulation of the bass drum timing
• use velocity to emulate the way that a real drummer plays.

In this lecture you will use the second part you previously created to record the hi-hats. You will:

• learn how to create 8th notes
• use velocity to humanise the hi-hat part
• add extra grace notes for a more sophisticated feel
• learn when to use open hi-hats
• explore 16th note rhythms.

In this lecture you will discover what ghost notes are and how real drummers subconsciously use them to enhance the feel. You will learn the rule about how to place ghost notes and how to adapt that rule for your particular track.

In this lecture we will consider:

• why add percussion?
• when is percussion appropriate
• a brief introduction to Latin American rhythms
• how to humanise 'clicked in' rhythms.

Additionally links are provided below to both Latin American and African rhythms resources.

Why loosen up a track? Shouldn't drums be tight? The answer is 'to an extent.' Drummers are human beings too and will impart a human feel on what they play. In this lecture we will look at:

• manually moving notes off the quantise grid
• pushing and pulling the various drums and cymbals
• loosening up our three player percussion track
• making sure our adjusted loop doesn't glitch.

In this lecture you will learn:

• where to place your fill
• how to use the various drums to create your first fill
• the correct way to play toms
• how to use the snare in a fill
• the role of the hi-hat in the fill
• how to create a human-sounding fill

No drummer is an island. In this lecture we look at more sophisticated techniques for fills and how the drummer and other musicians (by which I mean other instrument tracks) might sound tight by agreeing on how to phrase a given fill.

In this final session on fills we will look at fills as musical punctuation marks, different sizes of fill for different purposes and the use of the crash cymbal to release tension after a fill.

In this lecture we will look at how to move a drum track from verse to chorus so that it lifts and feels natural. We will examine the use of the ride cymbal as well as variations in rhythm between sections in order for the song to flow organically.

Drummers don't play like clockwork. The best ones know when to push and pull the track by a few bpm (beats per minute) in order to enhance the feel of each section. In this lecture you will learn how to:

• use tempo changes at appropriate points in a song
• decide between 'jump' vs 'ramp' tempo changes
• increase the energy of a particular section.

In this lecture we look at how to handle a big rall (slowing down of the beat) into the final chorus of a ballad for maximum dramatic effect.

In the final lecture of this section we look at an actual case study. You will hear the entire song with the drum track on screen for you to follow. In addition, Carl explains what is going on throughout.

You can download the actual chatter-free track from the supplementary material for further study if you wish.

Now that we have recorded our drums it's time to start mixing them. In this lecture we look at breaking down our existing tracks into their various kit elements before balancing their relative volumes and panning each instrument appropriately.

This lecture is an in-depth look at how to correctly EQ each drum and cymbal in order to improve the overall tone. Included in the supplementary material is an EQ chart for you to work from when EQing your own kits.

This lecture is an introduction to using compression on your individual kit elements. We cover the basics:

• threshold
• attack
• hold
• release
• make-up gain

focusing on how we can use these controls to sculpt our drum sound.

Multiband compression is another tool in our compression arsenal. We can use it on the whole kit in order to tighten it up. This lecture is an introduction to how to understand and apply multiband compression.

In this lecture we look at adding reverb to our drums. We usually add reverb on a 'per drum' basis as each element will require a different amount. The bass will require least since it can muddy the mix very easily. The snare is usually where the most reverb is applied but all the drums and cymbals will need at least a minimum amount of ambience if we want them to sound like they are sitting in a real space.

It is often a good idea to use two reverbs: one for the snare which is bigger and more obvious and one for everything else which may be merely a room model.

This short lecture spotlights some of Carl's favorite effects, the use of which can really enhance your drum sound. Of course all effects are a matter of taste and you are encouraged as ever to experiment.

In this lecture you will learn a technique for really thickening up and powering up your drum track!

In this lecture we look at how we bring the drums and other instruments together.