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Chopping Science: Photek breaks method [video] (Patreon)

Published:
2023-12-14 09:42:27
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2026-06
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Content

Recently, a DNB producer asked me how could come up with some random happy accidents in his drum patterns. Well, I always program my own quite meticulously, as you have seen.

I happened to think of this old Photek method, and wanted to suggest this to him. He was delighted and said it feels perfect for introducing drum patterns he might not come up with naturally.

BTW I want emphasise that this is not at all about what you use for this. Any sampler/device/technique that prevents overlapping is enough.

It's only relevant to present this to you, too, so you can add this breakbeat method to your bag of tricks. Trust me, way more breakbeat content will come.

I even want to return to Apache again – another Apache ;)

Also a new walkthru is coming soon. Aaaand a lot more is planned.

Me, just entered holiday zone, finally, after having to move goalposts a bit. Phew!

Will be creating Patreon content for ya'll on my holiday, but I'm not doing one-to-one sessions or personal mix/song feedback until I return to work on Jan 8, which is when I will start planning my actual work queue with one-to-one sessions, personal feedback etc.

Comments

Simon Huber

I love this technique for just getting into a break. You can also have a lot of fun with this technique in the session view. Copy a bunch of clips of the same break and move the start point of the sample to some interesting places in the loop. Keep one clip with a nice full 1-bar or 2-bar loop so you have a safe clip to jump to if you want to rest. Set the clip launch quantize to 1/8th and then you can jam out using something like a Push controller by triggering the different clips. IMO, it makes the break super playable and obviously, everything can be recorded for those happy accidents. Ned Rush has a tutorial on his YT channel if my explanation isn't clear.

Fanu/FatGyver
>>124503869

Yessir, that is fun, and would also be good for live jamming/performances. I believe Ive made a video of that in the past, but a re-do is on my to-do list.

Andrew Hollis

If anyone wants to just use simpler and is not fussed with processing parts individually. In simpler: Mode : Slice Set to Gate Playback = Thru

Shane Newville

I cracked up at the part "because it can make you, uhh [smiles]....breakbeat master" For real though back in the day when I could only afford to read about samplers in catalogs, I thought this is what they meant when they say "Phrase sampler". Maybe not, but its kind of fitting for this method. I almost never use drum phrases these days but I love how it keeps all of the imperfects and funk intact. Thanks for sharing. I really enjoying these breakbeat talks

m00ftak

Thanks for the breakdown! I admire the dedication of programming a totally new break from isolated hits but I love this method because you get to keep a lot of the characteristic swing and funk of the original break.

mafgar

using slice mode + playthru is a faster method for the same result no?

Fanu/FatGyver
>>124532085

Absolutely; forgot to say, it's so ingrained in me to use drum rack pads, as i often want to tweak some levels and processing of individual hits, and drum rack mixer allows for that, unlike using one instance of Simpler.

mafgar
>>124532085

oo yeah thats a good point. I'm still looking for a non-ableton sampler besides Renoise/Redux that can do that play-thru mode, I am pretty sure it doesn't exist.

Andrew Hollis
>>124532085

I think the unique thing to simpler and redux is the fact both samplers can match to project temp be it warped/sliced/pitched and so on. fxpansion Giest2 you can do something similar by running in gate mode and have multiple patterns. £160 for a drum sampler seems a bit rich MPC Beats Free edition may have something. Personally I find the software doesn't click with my brain. The other choices are you choose your sampler of choice that allows samples to be spread across keys and pitch the break to match tempo manually and change sample start point Or load slices/slice break in sampler of choice and draw out the straight break as photek would say. Then drag the end of the midi clip in the arranger so the clip is about 1/4 bar in length duplicate the 1/4 section and go into the clip and move the start marker of the clip (the arrow underneath the loop arrow) to where ever you want the next section to start If you want to roll the break out more then drag the end of the clip in the arranger out. Rinse and repeat. Works in Live and Bitwig

John Citizen

With all respect, I think there was a mistake at approximately 2:34 in the video. No, it’s not ‘fine’.

John Citizen

Also, in that Photek video, is he not chopping a custom break that he has already most likely pain-stakingly constructed from various other snippets of breaks and processing?🤔 I would be really interested in a video that explores the process of building a ‘custom break’ in this manner, which can then be chopped as per the process in this video. 🙏

Fanu/FatGyver
>>124652445

Yes, it’s his own. In a video I did in November, I actually created a custom break (see the video with TAL Drum). I just didn’t export it to audio.

Merlin
>>124652445

there was a video about making a custom break. look for the post from november 5.

atetraxx

I Used to do this method in a much less efficient manner. Your workflow makes a lot of sense. Easy to replicate in bitwig. Came up with some nice break variations from a break I just processed recently. Thanks again Master Fanu.

Q-Kraft

Thanks for sharing', I really like this workflow with breaks. Any tips when it comes to mixing and being able to process the single hits.? I'll experiment with it, but i guess bouncing to audio and then layering or slicing out the individual hits could be an option, or layering the pads in the actual drum sampler and adding processing to the extra layers

Fanu/FatGyver
>>157795467

Most of the time I slice to Ableton drum rack that allows me to do any mixing, layering, processing that is needed; very convenient 👌🏻