Since last week we discussed using acoustic aux percussion tracks… this week we will look at using sample libraries. There seem to be lots of strong opinions on using sample libraries, but for the most part they are becoming an accepted part of audio production. We are going to look at how they are convenient and accessible, how they sound “perfect”, and how easy they are to work with.

Probably one of the biggest advantages of using a sample library is how accessible it is to get a wide range of great sounding instruments. For instance; I’m not sure how many people have a wide range of Taiko drums, Castanets, drum sets, and other percussion instruments… but for just a couple hundred bucks you can have a sample library with all kinds of instruments. It is really hard not to appreciate the value of these libraries.

Additionally, they are soooo easy to use. If you did have Taiko drums; you would have to store them properly, tune them each time they are recorded, set up a microphone and recording chain, and then put all that away when you’re done with each drum… or you can just put a plug in on a track and away you go. Before you get off the rails with the “laizy” name calling let’s also keep in mind that time is money, and recording acoustic instruments requires time. It is just more convenient, efficient, cost effective, and many other benefits to using sample libraries.

Since we have not even talked about how they sound, this would be a good time to discuss how they sound “perfect”. Yes, I put that in quotes for a reason. Here is where the subjective part of “perfect” comes in. What is perfect to you? Having a consistent sound that is phase aligned and easy to manipulate… or having the randomness of an actual performance. I think we all define what we are looking for by our personal preference AND by what the project calls for.

So is using sampled aux percussion right for you? I really think the answer will be different for every project. How are you using your aux percussion; it is in the background or up front in the mix, what is your budget, what is the expectation of the genre, what is available to you? There are so many questions that go into the answer about using sample libraries that a blanket answer just doesn’t work. The best thing is to make each project the best it can be on a project by project basis. When you look back in a year or two from now at what you are currently doing, you should think “I could have done that better”. If not then you really haven’t progressed. So when you make your decision; realize that you will always think you could have done it better when you look back. Just make it as good as you can for what is available to you right now.

This week we are going to look at using acoustic aux percussion for your songs. Just to get a little perspective, this would be in contrast to using a sample library for your percussion sounds. Although sample libraries sound great and can give you the sounds of some very expensive (and BIG) instruments, there are also advantages of using acoustic instruments to. We are going to look at room sound, musicians preference, and variety this week.

One of the advantages (and disadvantages) of tracking acoustic aux percussion is utilizing room sound. Since aux percussion is typically mixed in the background, it makes sense to adjust how close the mics are and get a little more “room” or “air” in your aux percussion recordings. This is real easy to do if you are recording acoustic aux instruments… just move away from the mic. Historically, most sample libraries would only give you a close mic option and then you would need to use reverb to “create space”. However, now room convolution has brought new life into using sample libraries. Still, there is something special about placing a musician in a room, with a mic, and a percussion instrument and seeing where they feel comfortable. Additionally, as I alluded to, this is only a benefit if you have a good recording space. Recording acoustic aux percussion can be a terrible idea if you are not adequately prepared for it.

Another big benefit to recording acoustic aux percussion is simply using actual percussionist to make the recording. No matter how great the sound library is and no matter how great of a programer you have… nothing beats using an actual musician to make actual music… sorry. There is a certain amount of magic that happens when you put a shaker in a percussionist’s hand and that magic just doesn’t happen the same way with programed shakers. I love using sampled percussion, but when you mix an actual percussionist in with some sampled tracks the overall sound just becomes alive.

Another great benefit to using acoustic aux percussion is the variety that is available. This may sound counter intuitive since sample libraries can give you dozens of sounds for very low cost. However, you are typically stuck with one sound, using one mallet type, using one style, etc… When you have a percussionist playing your aux percussion tracks you also get their style. This is typically accompanied by a large variety of mallets to choose from, different ways of playing an instrument, the ability to experiment, etc… You get a lot more with a percussionist than just extra expense.

Overall, there are a lot of benefits to using acoustic percussion. One of the benefits (and disadvantages) can be your room sound and use of space that is available with acoustic percussion. Other benefits are also utilizing the magic that happens and variety that you get with using actual musicians. I have found that there really is no one solution that fits all, but getting actual percussionists on your tracks can help.  

As I mentioned before, aux percussion is one of my favorite parts of production. I think one of the reasons I like working on aux percussion parts so much is because it really adds a lot of magic to the overall feel of the track and album. This post is going to look at adding aux percussion to; add more rhythm to the guitar tracks, add more groove to the beat, and add more motion to breakdown parts.

We are going to begin with adding more rhythm to guitar parts. I’ve had many drummers comment on how after the initial drum tracking day they are essentially done… but their guitarist has soooo many guitar tracks to do. Although this comment is always made as a sign of relieve from studio expense, it is also often made as a feeling of importance that some drummers lack in. Drums are often the backbone to the production that the entire song sits on… so why do we often feel like one drum track is enough for so many other tracks to sit on? I have found that after the rhythm guitar tracks are finished it is often very beneficial to go back over the entire track with a cabasa and shakers. What I am looking for are the main rhythmic strokes of the rhythm guitar, and then I mimic those rhythms on the cabasa and shakers (maybe not exactly, but very similar). This helps to make the guitar rhythms more pronounced, and it adds motion to what folks often perceive as a “time keeper” hihat track. If you mix these tracks way in the background and give them a wide stereo image you can really add a lot of motion to the entire track.

Doubling guitar rhythms is not the only way I like to use my aux percussion. I often like to add hand percussion (Congas, Cajon, etc…) as part of the drum set sound. Again, these are often mixed way in the background and with a wide stereo image. I started using hand drum parts to accent main parts of the drum beat… however, I noticed that this was often making the production to heavy. Now, I almost always use very light, fill in, hand percussion parts in between the drum beat. I treat the drum beat as an ostinato and my hand drum parts are fill in drum riffs. This can really bring the backbone of the song to life.

Finally, I also use aux percussion to liven up breakdown parts. You know, the parts of the song where most of the instruments drop out… A lot of times a close mic’d shaker, cabasa, or rain stick will help fill in the gaps when instruments drop out. Just make sure to add plenty of reverb;)

Hopefully this helps you think about using some aux percussion in your productions. They can really bring your guitar tracks and drum tracks to life. Also, using aux percussion to fill in a breakdown can really help move a song along. Although it is “aux” percussion… I hope this article helps you realize that it should be more considered “mandatory” percussion.   

This month I’m going to focus on one of my favorite parts of production…. Aux Percussion! I absolutely love Aux Percussion… possibly even more than layering guitars (and that is saying a lot!) Just to put a definition to what I’m talking about; Aux Percussion is any percussion instrument that is not the main percussion instrument. For example; most rock songs have a drum set as the main percussion part and layered in the background are the aux percussion parts (shakers, tambourines, hand drums, etc). This month we are going to focus on these three parts of Aux Percussion;

1. When and Why to use Aux Percussion.
2. Acoustic Aux Percussion.
3. Sample Aux Percussion.