Summary of "how I did the percussions on my album"
The video explains how the creator made the percussion sounds on their album using Ableton Live’s Beat Warp Mode quantization. Instead of searching for pre-made loops, they recorded organic, improvised sounds using everyday objects like cardboard, a can, paper, and napkins. These raw recordings were then imported into Ableton, where the warp mode detected transients and allowed the creator to quantize these hits to a 16th note grid, making the timing tighter but still retaining an organic feel.
The creator experimented with different warp mode settings (such as “beats,” “loop forward,” and “loop back and forth”) to add texture and glitchy tails to the percussion hits. They also used volume envelopes, panning, pitch shifting, and effects like Overdrive, Frequency Shifters, and Transient Shaping (or Ableton’s Drum Buss effect) to shape the sound further. Swing grooves were applied to add rhythmic feel and variation.
By duplicating and layering the clips, adjusting volumes, and adding subtle processing, the creator built complex, lively percussion loops that complemented a simple house or tech house bassline. The video encourages producers to record their own sounds and use Ableton’s tools to create unique percussion loops instead of relying on sample packs.
Speakers:
- The video features a single speaker, the music producer/creator explaining and demonstrating the process.
