> drum ’n’ bass track builder
> Step by step 1. Building a DnB beat in Live with free samples and plugins
We pick Kicks (20).wav and Snares
1 (16).wav (from the DnB Allstars pack,
included in the Tutorial Files folder).
These are tuned appropriately and don’t
have long tails, so we can place them in a
2 low-end energy, so we use Philta CM to
typical two-step pattern without adding
fades to control their tails. Voxengo MSED
is used to mute their sides signals, making
them mono. (1. Kick and snare.wav)
We layer the snares with 002_D&B_
4 Clap.wav, which is run through
ReverberateCM’s Long Plate preset. To
make the reverb tail cut off quicker, the
Transector CM transient shaper is
5 notes. This sample is stereo but louder
inserted, with Release Gain set to -6dB.
Finally, Philta CM high-passes the signal at
286Hz to make room for the main snare
to punch through at around 200Hz.
> Step by step 2. Jazzy DnB electric piano with free plugins
To create a suitably jazzy vibe, we
1 sequence mda ePiano (mda.
smartelectronix.com or sourceforge.
net/projects/mda-vst for the 64-bit Mac
version) to play a four-bar F minor ninth
2 we apply MeldaProduction’s MPhaser
chord (F2, G2, C3, D3, G3). For a natural
feel, we turn snap-to-grid off and change
the start points of the notes so they don’t
play at the same time. (1. Dry ePiano.wav)
56 / ABLETON LIVE: THE ULTIMATE GUIDE 2015
The snare has a little unwanted
high-pass it at 145Hz. CM-EQUA 87 is then
brought in to boost the 200Hz region a
little, enhancing the snare’s punch, and cut
3 snare for our liquid roller, so we layer it
the harsh region around 2kHz, giving us a
smoother feel and making room for other
high frequencies in the mix.
Next, Closed Hats (3).wav on eighth
on one side, so we make it mono with
MSED, then use TAL-Chorus-LX
(kunz.corrupt.ch) to dial in the stereo
6 features a piercing shaker that gets
width as needed. We cut out everything
below 1722Hz with IIEQPro’s HPF12 filter,
and add Open Hats (4).wav (faded out at
the end) at the end of every four bars.
To give our chord a silky smooth vibe,
(part of the MFreeEffectsBundle from
www.meldaproduction.com) subtly,
with a 30% Dry/Wet level. This is followed
3 through CM-EQUA 87, which cuts out
up with TAL-Chorus-LX to give it extra
warmth and stereo width.
ReverberateCM’s Hallway 1 preset is
brought into play to provide a lush reverb.
We want a more natural-sounding
with one cut from DnB_Break_29.wav.
CM-COMP 87 is applied to this track, and
the long Attack time allows the transients
to punch through. The two snares sound
good together, but currently they’re very
dry. (3. Dry snares.wav)
The Jungle Break 140.wav breakbeat
two treble cuts in IIEQPro, which we also
use to high-pass the low-end at 68Hz. The
second break, DNB_BREAK_29.wav, is
tamed in the 2-5kHz region with CM-EQUA
87, then cut up across four tracks, so that
different high-pass settings can be used
on the kicks, snare and hi-hat sections. All
the drums are grouped on a bus channel.
Finally, our electric piano is run
the sub-300Hz frequencies and dips the
340Hz region. A bus channel is created for
this and subsequent keyboard parts,
which will be used to sidechain-compress
them later. (3. ePiano EQ.wav)