Anyone have tips for composing djent style drums

[visceral]

I myself am a drummer, but I can't seem to figure out how some people come up with such crazy drum patterns. Once I hear something I can usually figure out the pattern after a while, but I want to actually compose something!

I've heard one person explain their technique like this..."There's kinda no polyrhythms, just 4/4 timing but with "riff cycles" which break the boundaries of a single or 4/4 sequences. The drum notes are more or less syncopated with the guitar."

I understand that statement, but I just need a little bit more explanation...or perhaps an example(s)

So, how do you approach it?

 

[Zack Uidl]

For polyrhythmic and polymetric rhythms, I would probably start simple to get used to composing with them. Have the upper body of the drummer performing in one meter while the lower body performs in another. I would get comfortable with that and then expand.

Another thing to explore is using a hemiolas.

I think it is a bad idea personally to think of it as a "riff cycle." To me, that just means that the person does not have a full understanding of what they are actually doing.

 

[ahjteam]

yeah, if you listen to meshuggah for example, the snare keeps the solid 4/4 beat all the time, while the legs do all the kinky shit.

 

[xFkx]

So, how do you approach it?

Start of with a guitar I'd say, composing a song starting from drums is kinda awkward for me.

Other guys already said it, you synchronize the kickdrum with the rythmic pattern of the guitar, while playing a 4/4 simple rock beat on the snare/cymbals

Sometimes you can have interesting results when you lock in the low notes of the guitar riff with the kick, and lock in the snare with the high notes...

Anyway, those two will get you going for a really boring djenty song.

I'd say study various drumming styles, when I hear periphery drumming I can hear some breakbeat/jazzy stuff in there with all the ghostnotes/shuffling

ymmv

*edited for some type'os, I really have to pay attention to what I'm typing

 

[Eschatologist]

Try the following:
Your Right and left hand are playing a 4/4 standard-halftime-thing with cymbals on each 4th and snare on every 3.
Now take your wierd-timed riff on guitar in 7/8 and put it over your drumbeat.
Now lock the bassdrum to the riff (just hit the bassdrum everytime the guitarists hits his lowest string or plays a muted note)
Shazam - Polyrhythm.

hope i helped,
Mario

Lol, pretty much spot on...

 

[visceral]

Try the following:

Your Right and left hand are playing a 4/4 standard-halftime-thing with cymbals on each 4th and snare on every 3.

Now take your wierd-timed riff on guitar in 7/8 and put it over your drumbeat.

Now lock the bassdrum to the riff (just hit the bassdrum everytime the guitarists hits his lowest string or plays a muted note)

Shazam - Polyrhythm.



hope i helped,

Mario

awesome...sounds almost too easy!

Some good info so far guys. I guess I need to analyze some songs a little more.

 

[TheDriller]

Try the following:
Your Right and left hand are playing a 4/4 standard-halftime-thing with cymbals on each 4th and snare on every 3.
Now take your wierd-timed riff on guitar in 7/8 and put it over your drumbeat.
Now lock the bassdrum to the riff (just hit the bassdrum everytime the guitarists hits his lowest string or plays a muted note)
Shazam - Polyrhythm.

hope i helped,
Mario

Exactly,
Add in some occasional ghost-snares and other shit for interest and you're sorted.

The trick is to not just pile up a bunch of bat-shit crazy rhythms on top of each other, but to have one playing a stable and recognisable "beat" (in this case on the cymbals and snare) layered with one thats a bit more out there.

 

[muckypup1]

Exactly,
Add in some occasional ghost-snares and other shit for interest and you're sorted.

The trick is to not just pile up a bunch of bat-shit crazy rhythms on top of each other, but to have one playing a stable and recognisable "beat" (in this case on the cymbals and snare) layered with one thats a bit more out there.

When I've tried making djent drum tracks before, I've always gone to far with the timings and had each piece playing in a different timing, but not leaving any of them in a standard timing... I really need to practise drum programming

 

[FIXXXER]

a midi tutorail with a lot of example pics would be cool.
anybody here havin' too much time!?