To 808 or not to 808...

Production, hardware & technical - tips and tricks.
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teacake
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To 808 or not to 808...

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Just curious. How many of you use Roland 808/909 drum machines or samples? And more importantly... why?

I personally dig the 808 snare. There is no hit quite as unique as that one in my opinion. As for why I use 808 and 909 drums for all my tracks: I've always dug dirty south and even radio Pop-hop beats, and I use the two drum sets because I want to incorporate that sound into my work. I've also found the samples to be extremely versatile in their simplicity, buy using effects that have good synergy, you can make some totally unique sounding drums that go beyond that retro sound.

On the flipside, I sometimes get crap for using them because Salem uses them :?. Which makes me wonder... at which point do attempts to NOT sound like X artist become just as limiting as trying to sound like X artist?

Your thoughts?
Last edited by teacake on August 28th, 2011, 6:11 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Anton Maiof
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Re: To 808 or not to 808...

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teacake wrote:I sometimes get crap for using them because Salem uses them
Man, I feel for you, I hate this. I mean Electro / Acid House / Italo Disco / Hip Hop / Prog Rock all used the 808. Next time turn round to them and say "So, if I played the guitar, I'd just be ripping off Jimi Hendrix?"

the 808 is a tool, it's how you use it, but jesus, people were using the 808 loooooooooong before Salem.

Personally I get a 'Raging Clue' for the 808 Hand Clap and Rimshot. God just thinking about that Rimshot makes me all excited... ;)
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Wallflower
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Re: To 808 or not to 808...

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But that's what witch house is, really; a dark, mutated descendent of Hip hop/dirty south beats, which were originally largely comprised of 808 drum machines. At least that's what S4lem's interpretation is like. Or at least that's what drew me to this genre in the first place.

Just as in dirty south, in this genre, the 808 is more or less part of the foundation upon which the sound was originally built. Most often, the dirty/hip hop beat is almost like a fundamental characteristic of witch house, as is the use of pitch shifting and distortion, much like the use of synth sounds is to pop music, or the use of the harmonica in blues music.

Like the person above me said, it's a tool to be used as creatively as possible. The more distincitve you can present a simpler instrument, the more talented you know you are.

I couldn't care any less if some S4lem purist follower busts my chops for using the 808 in all my music, but if it sounds exactly like S4lem, then I know I overshadowed my creativity and went wrong somewhere. You know what I mean? There is so much more to this genre than a simple 808 or even beats for that matter.

Like the poster above me also said, S4lem didn't patent the use of 808's. It's a drum machine that's characteristic of hip hop/dirty south music, and these genres are largely where Witch House descended from to begin with.
S4lem is brilliant with their use of beats, creating a massively distinctive sound out of simplicity and that's what we should be striving to do as well.

I say use the 808 as much as you want, but don't be lazy with it, use it creatively. Instead of mimicking S4lem's music, look deeper to where the genre draws its origins and give birth to your own interpretation.
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WIK/\N
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Re: To 808 or not to 808...

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I like the Korg DDD 1, its tacky same as the 606 and 707 the claps and snares are trash. I also have an Electribe R ER-1 that is basically 4 monophonic synths with white noise gens.
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Perversus
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Re: To 808 or not to 808...

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If I had the money to get an 808, I would...currently I'm using a TR-606 and 626 until I get a payoff so I can afford an MFB 522. Mind you, the 606 isn't all that bad when you pitch it down and use the low tom as a BD. The only thing I really miss is a clap though, but I'm thinking of getting a Boss DR-110 for that.
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ƧƆỴ†ɧЄ
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Re: To 808 or not to 808...

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Have you all seen the Tempest brewing?
Anton Maiof
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Re: To 808 or not to 808...

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ƧƆỴ†ɧЄ wrote:Have you all seen the Tempest brewing?
yes.
I really, really wish I had more money.
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ƧƆỴ†ɧЄ
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Re: To 808 or not to 808...

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Anton, thoughts on the Machinedrum? Looking at quality options other than a Maschine, but less than $1K.
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WIK/\N
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Re: To 808 or not to 808...

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ƧƆỴ†ɧЄ you ever seen or heard this ; http://www.synthmania.com/procussion.htm

Its all you will ever need
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Anton Maiof
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Re: To 808 or not to 808...

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ƧƆỴ†ɧЄ wrote:Anton, thoughts on the Machinedrum? Looking at quality options other than a Maschine, but less than $1K.
I like them, versatile for sure. the Jomox 808 clone is nice also. I like the Jomox stuff anyway.

I just bought a 707 though, and I seem to be making acid house...
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ƧƆỴ†ɧЄ
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Re: To 808 or not to 808...

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Nice one; congrats. Nothing wrong with acid. Enjoy the trip...
Anton Maiof wrote:
ƧƆỴ†ɧЄ wrote: I just bought a 707 though, and I seem to be making acid house...
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