Adding a Percussion Layer to Your Track

Okay, so I wanted to add one more percussion layer to my track here.

Reconnecting the Drum Machine

• I'm going to replug back in the drum machine like so.
• I'm just thinking about getting maybe a clap or a snare on the backbeat.

Existing Elements

• I've got the kicks on every downbeat.
• I've got some percussion.
• I found this little pattern here.

Let me just arm the track so that we can hear it.

Adjusting the Kick Drum

I've already got a kick drum programmed in on a previous beat.

1. I'm going to select the kick like so.
2. I'm going to take down the level so that we're no longer hearing it.
3. I also need to match the tempo here.

• I've got 123 beats per minute.
• I'm just going to scroll down and make sure that we're matching the same tempo.

There's another little sound in here that I don't want as well. So I'm just going to select it again and then turn down the level.

Current Elements

Really all we've got now is a little hi-hat and a clap, and that should work quite nicely.

Creating a Fresh Track

What I'm going to do here is come over to the previous drum track that I did again:

• I just duplicate it like so.
• I'm going to delete the clip inside.
• Now, I have a fresh track to record that part on.

Recording the New Layer

What I'm going to do is click record again.

• I get eight counts before I need to come in, two bars.

Okay, so I'm fairly confident I've got something in there. I'll have a little seat and then have a little tweak.

Listening Back

• I'll set the metronome up and we'll just have a little listen back.
• The first part is sounding okay.

Let's just loop that up here.

1. I'm going to loop two bars.
2. That sounds fine to me.

I'm just going to turn the clip volume up a little bit as well.

Finalizing Elements

Okay, so that there is going to be our claps.

I'm pretty happy now that we've got pretty much all the elements that we need to start structuring the track.