And this what we're gonna do now.
We managed to get Low Entropy to write a little guest piece on the following topic:
A short example
Production tutorial: How to create a 90s Gabber kick
Hey Hey it's me,
The Low to the E.
Listen, kids, today I want to talk you about a subject that is very dear to my heart:
Basses
How to produce a good bad-ass gabber bass.
When I started, at the tender age of 15, I had no clue about producing.
I had heard that Gabber tracks were sourced by a drum machine called TR-909, and that artists used things called "compression" and "distortion" to attain the desired results.
So I secured some 909 samples, loaded them up into my DAW on Windows 3.11, and ran some distortion and compression plugins on them. And the results I attained sounded nothing like I desired! More like mere farts coming out of the bass.
What went wrong?
I eventually learned the facts - because everybody's gotta learn sometime (like the sunshine)!
While the term "distortion" is correct, more specifically, gabber bassdrums are generated by overdrive - overdriving a 909 beyond recognition!
This essentially goes back to the earliest types of distortion - in the 60s / 70s, when rock bands began to overdrive their guitar amps to generate the first heavy metal / hard rock sounds.
So I loaded the 909 into my DAW again, began to rise the volume of the drum sample until it "clipped", and then went further and further.
+40 dB beyond the "limit" is a good starting point for a gabber bass, but you can go way beyond that.
Note: Digital clipping is a bit different (and sounds different) to the way analogue amps worked. But the core concept of overdriving an audio signal is the same.
This is also similar to the mythical "gain kicks" of the 90s. Producers (and sometimes even DJs during a set) would push the gain of their mixers until the drums became overdriven and "clipped".
So get a good distortion-overdrive VST, use analogue gear, or raise the volume by hand; but don't stop until things are really getting gabber-y.
Now, to another important ingredient: the sound source of the drum.
A good way to begin is to use a drum sample.
Finding a softsynth that is suitable for hardcore drums is possible, but can be hard.
Easiest option, of course, is to use a genuine 909 sample.
Most 909-soundalikes are okay, too, and there are even other drums that work (find out by trial and error).
Lots of drums are not suitable, though!
So, that's it. All of the magic.
A gabber kick is created by using a 909 sound and overdrive.
Using massive amounts of overdrive!
From there you can go on. Add EQ to it. Cut the midrange, boost the bass. Use further FX. Use additional distortion!
The possibilities are endless, and the journey's all yours.
L.E. signing out!
Post Scriptum:
To further illustrate this tutorial, and to give you some initial sounds you can play with, I created a free sample pack full of hard kicks.
You can get it here:
https://lowentropy.bandcamp.com/album/low-entropy-sample-pack-2-doomcore-gabber-and-speedcore-bassdrums
Hey Hey it's me,
The Low to the E.
Listen, kids, today I want to talk you about a subject that is very dear to my heart:
Basses
How to produce a good bad-ass gabber bass.
Listening suggestion 1:
Low Entropy - The Rotterdam Sound
I created the gabber kicks for this track in the way described here
When I started, at the tender age of 15, I had no clue about producing.
I had heard that Gabber tracks were sourced by a drum machine called TR-909, and that artists used things called "compression" and "distortion" to attain the desired results.
So I secured some 909 samples, loaded them up into my DAW on Windows 3.11, and ran some distortion and compression plugins on them. And the results I attained sounded nothing like I desired! More like mere farts coming out of the bass.
2. Evil Force - It started With A Bass
Oh yes, it did!
I eventually learned the facts - because everybody's gotta learn sometime (like the sunshine)!
While the term "distortion" is correct, more specifically, gabber bassdrums are generated by overdrive - overdriving a 909 beyond recognition!
This essentially goes back to the earliest types of distortion - in the 60s / 70s, when rock bands began to overdrive their guitar amps to generate the first heavy metal / hard rock sounds.
3. Rob Gee - 909 Hit Me One Time
You might hit me a second time, too.
So I loaded the 909 into my DAW again, began to rise the volume of the drum sample until it "clipped", and then went further and further.
+40 dB beyond the "limit" is a good starting point for a gabber bass, but you can go way beyond that.
Note: Digital clipping is a bit different (and sounds different) to the way analogue amps worked. But the core concept of overdriving an audio signal is the same.
4. Pilldriver - Pitch-Hiker
A well-known "gain kick" track
This is also similar to the mythical "gain kicks" of the 90s. Producers (and sometimes even DJs during a set) would push the gain of their mixers until the drums became overdriven and "clipped".
So get a good distortion-overdrive VST, use analogue gear, or raise the volume by hand; but don't stop until things are really getting gabber-y.
5. Low Entropy - Raise Above It All
Although the drums get run through more fx, in the end, the basics were created in the same way as above
Now, to another important ingredient: the sound source of the drum.
A good way to begin is to use a drum sample.
Finding a softsynth that is suitable for hardcore drums is possible, but can be hard.
Easiest option, of course, is to use a genuine 909 sample.
Most 909-soundalikes are okay, too, and there are even other drums that work (find out by trial and error).
Lots of drums are not suitable, though!
6. Distortion - Frantic Thigh
One of the first tracks with a "gabber" kick (1992)
So, that's it. All of the magic.
A gabber kick is created by using a 909 sound and overdrive.
Using massive amounts of overdrive!
From there you can go on. Add EQ to it. Cut the midrange, boost the bass. Use further FX. Use additional distortion!
The possibilities are endless, and the journey's all yours.
7. Skullblower - Farewell To The Funky Flesh
909s are a good seed for faster stuff, too
L.E. signing out!
Post Scriptum:
To further illustrate this tutorial, and to give you some initial sounds you can play with, I created a free sample pack full of hard kicks.
You can get it here:
https://lowentropy.bandcamp.com/album/low-entropy-sample-pack-2-doomcore-gabber-and-speedcore-bassdrums
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