Message 67/71
Date: 18-Jan-01 @ 01:05 AM -
RE: timbaland beats
just read through the thread, nice topic...
I play drums and do jungle splicing, drum machine programming, and really dig Timbaland's beats. I don't think that quantizing has anything to do with it. I bet he plays those things off the top of his head, just hitting the keys on his midi keyboard, he knows what he wants and he plays it. There are some drummers that have a way with the beat like that, Zigaboo Modeliste from the meters is worth listening too if you like wierd funky accents, some old skatelites have the same half-time/double-time rythm tricks in the drumming, and some dub records that I'm unable to name, but Timbaland definately has a style of his own the stop/start-accelerate/brake unfunky funk, he has created a new beat language. I'm trying to understand how these things work and apply them to my playing, and it all comes down to (stating the obvious here) leaving space and playing with half time/double time, playing on that fine line so that it's never quite one or the other. I'm kind of frustrated that aphex twin hasn't blown everyone away yet with what he could do with these beats, because most of the songs that these beats are pushing are fully disposable.
My humble attempt at using these beats in a live band can be heard at mp3.com/plod ,which is a trio - cello, violin, drums (go on check it out ;) )
Among my favorite beats are destiny's childs 'get on the bus', that bass drum fill...
and j majik - your sound (I'm a sucker for just about any spliced up amen break, which reminds me that I found an interview with Timbaland where he says that he's never heard any jungle or drum'n'bass...hmmm).
4ndy