How to Create a Tuned 808 Bass [Free Weekly Ableton Rack
#36] 02nd December 2011
The iconic Roland 808 drum machine
is a staple in modern music. Each sound is loaded with
character and can be found across many musical genres.
This week I spent some time with
samples of the heavy hitting bass drum. The result
is a Free Ableton Live Device Rack that allows you
to play the bass drum like an instrument. I’ve
tuned the bass drum and spread it out over the
keyboard to create a bass instrument that allows
your bass drum to play in key with your songs and
even play melodies. To help give it some punch, I
have fortified it with an additional 808 bass drum
sample (get some 808 samples here
from Synthtopia!) and a sample made with
Ableton’s Operator. These two layers add a more
high end “click” sound to the bass drum notes,
helping to round out the sound and add definition to
the low end melodies. In the accompanying video, I
take you through how I created it, so you can mimic
this idea with any sample you like, and then explain
how the device rack is set up. So get your subs out
and get ready to shake the neighborhood as we dive
in to some serious lo frequency madness!
