Subject:Need help understanding drum loops

Posted by: johnnymix

Date:2/27/2003 12:49:04 PM

Can anyone explain the notation used for drum loops, for example,
when previewing the Fleetwood CD the are fills and and groove's like
there will be a groove called "4 beat funk01 @ 89.5 BPM" and a fill
called "2 beat fill01 @ 89.5 BPM". What does it mean by 4 beat vs.
2 beat? In a standard rock song a verse may have 8 bars, so do you
use the grove for 8 bars than the fill for 2 or 6 bars of groove and
2 bars of fill? Thank you

Subject:RE: Need help understanding drum loops

Reply by: Iacobus

Date:2/27/2003 1:29:55 PM

I've always understood fills to be quick transitions or breaks between grooves. But like anything else in music theory, you're free to be as creative as you want.

At the end of an 8 bar rhythm, I'd say you could chop off the last half of the 4 beat funk loop and put the 2 beat fill in its place, just to keep the rhythm from being monotonous.

HTH,
Iacobus

Subject:RE: Need help understanding drum loops

Reply by: ATP

Date:2/27/2003 2:51:54 PM

------------------------
In a standard rock song a verse may have 8 bars, so do you
use the grove for 8 bars than the fill for 2 or 6 bars of groove and
2 bars of fill?
------------------------

using this example, i think what you're going for is 6 bars of groove and 2 bars of fill. that's the conventional way of using fills as far as i know. but like Iacobus says, of course you're free to use loops in any original way you want. :)

Subject:RE: Need help understanding drum loops

Reply by: DKeenum

Date:2/28/2003 1:03:10 PM

Most of the time there are 4 beats to a measure. The words "bar" and "measure" are interchangable. Follow Iacobus's advice, 7 & 1/2 of the 4 beat loop, followed by 1 of the 2 beat fill. That will give you 8 bars of music. Usually you play a fill every 4, 8, or 16 bars as a transition into another phrase of music.