Break Beats

[acsguitar]

As a fan of Sector 9 I love the break beats in this song. I'd like to hear more break beat type stuff from Danny

Danny Rules

[bogsnarth]

that's not a break beat, that's just digital drum programming.. sounds like he used software to me, as it's kind of hard to get that weird jittery timing on hardware drum machines, from what i understand.

break beats are actually beats from the breaks of other songs.. like the break in the song "amen brother" by the winstons.. one of the classic (i.e. overused) breakbeats of all time.. and lots of things get called breakbeats, but unless it's a sample from the break of another song, it's just a beat.

check these sites out:
http://www.the-breaks.com/
http://www.rah.gq.nu/bourbon/breaks1.html

the first one is a database of pretty much every breakbeat ever used by anyone ever, and the second is a nice selection of various classic breaks, just so you can get a sense for what i'm talking about.


but lecture aside, yeah, i dig that part too. :)

[randomhero8823]

DC!!!!! IS THE MAYNE!

[xDxOxNx]

I remember reading in an interview linked from this forum (sorry can't remember where) that Danny sampled some Aphex Twin. It sure sounds an aweful lot like Aphex Twin to me.

[LeMarchand]

No, that is wrong. He said he listens to a lot of Aphex Twin, then he goes on to say that he loaded in some samples into his hardware and played them.

[orange.juice]

Aphex Twin > Danny Carey
Squarepusher > Danny Carey
[...] > Danny Carey

[acsguitar]

Anyways its cool sounding sorry my definition of break beats was incorrect or something

[bogsnarth]

yeah.. i wasn't trying to call you out or anything, i just hate to see people be misinformed. :)

[holotrope]

definitely not programmed. Either he had MIDI triggers on his kit, or his new toy (mandala) is really awesome. But there's no way that's programmed.

[dark_Speedo]

DC listens to afx?

That's pretty fucking awesome...

[orange.juice]

my mom listens to afx. wow.

definitely not programmed. Either he had MIDI triggers on his kit, or his new toy (mandala) is really awesome. But there's no way that's programmed.
breaks like that are very easy to program.

[dark_Speedo]

you can program anything, but it sounds like he played it himself

[bogsnarth]

i hadn't considered a midi-trigger being part of his kit.. that is also very likely.

edit: and come to think of it, it seems more in keeping with the "jam" spirit of this album.. so yeah that's probably it.

[lachrymoIogy]

all i can say, is that I want to see them perform this live.

[bogsnarth]

i read that interview mentioned earlier, and danny did indeed say that he used a midi drum pad setup for that part.. and that it'll be really hard to do live :)

[btaw]

Interesting to read that DC is influenced by electronic acts.

My first impression was actually Autechre rather than AFX, especially in the last twenty seconds of the song when a new guitar/keyboard? sound comes in. It invokes the sorts of sounds found on some of their earlier albums, particularly 'Amber'.

[bogsnarth]

yeah, i hear what you're talking about.. that and the off-kilter stuttery slow-down of the beat.. very ae'ish

[gl0tch]

Interesting to read that DC is influenced by electronic acts.

My first impression was actually Autechre rather than AFX, especially in the last twenty seconds of the song when a new guitar/keyboard? sound comes in. It invokes the sorts of sounds found on some of their earlier albums, particularly 'Amber'.


Well.... I did in fact meet Adam at the autechre show in LA during their 2005 tour. Anyways, those 'breaks' would be extremely easy to program. I actually think they could get away with having a 5th member in the band doing only electronics. Perhaps they could get someone like Richard Devine, but it would just RUIN and DESTROY the minds of all their fans permanently (in a good way).

I did hear that they are also Venetian Snares fans too.

[Supergroup]

that's not a break beat, that's just digital drum programming.. sounds like he used software to me, as it's kind of hard to get that weird jittery timing on hardware drum machines, from what i understand.

break beats are actually beats from the breaks of other songs.. like the break in the song "amen brother" by the winstons.. one of the classic (i.e. overused) breakbeats of all time.. and lots of things get called breakbeats, but unless it's a sample from the break of another song, it's just a beat.

check these sites out:
http://www.the-breaks.com/
http://www.rah.gq.nu/bourbon/breaks1.html

the first one is a database of pretty much every breakbeat ever used by anyone ever, and the second is a nice selection of various classic breaks, just so you can get a sense for what i'm talking about.


but lecture aside, yeah, i dig that part too. :)

Nice lecture .... that part is definately not programmed... it's Danny, he is just that badass.

[azatoth]

Well.... I did in fact meet Adam at the autechre show in LA during their 2005 tour. Anyways, those 'breaks' would be extremely easy to program. I actually think they could get away with having a 5th member in the band doing only electronics. Perhaps they could get someone like Richard Devine, but it would just RUIN and DESTROY the minds of all their fans permanently (in a good way).

I did hear that they are also Venetian Snares fans too.

i also entertained the thought that tool and devine could do something together, would be awesome.

vsnares :(

[gl0tch]

i also entertained the thought that tool and devine could do something together, would be awesome.

vsnares :(

Yeah, I'm not the biggest snares fan to be honest. And while we're at it, screw LustMord and all the bad electronic people that are currently like 2 degrees of separation from the band. But on the otherhand, if they had a Confield/Draft era Autechre or Alemapper/Asect:Desect era Devine on future endeavors, they would truly transcend all limitations of their craft.

If I made as much money as any of them did, and only had to go tour and occasionally go into the studio and spend time playing with my toys, I seriously would be taking up any thing I could to advance the expression of my art beyond that of just one type of instrument.

Given their musical prowess to begin with, enter in the fact that they dont have 9 to 5 jobs, AND can afford any piece of equipment they want, 5 years is a long enough time to EASILY master programming/sequencing/synthesis.

I LOVE XMDays, but given what they say about expression and the moment and art, I dont understand why they dont advance beyond just experimenting with sturcture.

A guitar is a fucking guitar is a guitar. But a synth and some advanced synthesis and sampling can provide new and (nearly) endless possibilities.

With today's technology its actually feasible that Maynard and just one other person could identically make XMDays digitally, if not better. I mention him because you can synthesis and sample a musical instrument, but an actual voice AND vocal style is a different story.

[azatoth]

interesting points,gl0tch..and i agree to a degree, not quite sure about the band being replaced by computers, there's a whole lot of emotion that could be lost. not saying that electronic music doesn't have emotion, i know as a big fan of autechre and the likes.
however, i do like the notion and hope of a collaboration with one of the higher-tier electronic musicians eg. richard devine and autechre (would be sublime).
will probably remain a dream, but who knows maybe tool will expand their avenues...
eitherway i like the use of electronics on XMdays and i am sure this will continue on future records, maybe even more prominently...mind boggles with possibilites

[gl0tch]

yeah, by no means do I think the band should be replaced per se. I was more or less making a point about embroidering what they already do with other technologies and the ease and versatility of which said technologies can mirror/challenge existing parallels in other instruments.

Here's to the autechre/tool dream...

cheers!

[AEnimaTOOLer]

im no drum expert....just to me, it sounds like a digital effect put onto his tablas...i know tablas arent digital, but whats to say that danny couldnt make them electronic. i mean SHIT, hes got a golden drum set, why the hell cant he have electronic tablas!?

[#Notion]

I can't believe people are pretentious enough to call the album XMDays. Wow..

[gl0tch]

I can't believe people are pretentious enough to call the album XMDays. Wow..


I'm surprised you didn't realize that many people were using that as shorthand for the album's name, including Blair (for a while now).

[bogsnarth]

hi gl0tch.. this is like the third site i've seen you on. em411 and One Which Shall Remain Nameless are the others.

watch out with those ad hominem posts, btw.. the mods don't take too kindly to folks who can't play nice ;)

ps: also, that guy joined the same month you did.

[gl0tch]

Hey! what's going on. Fair enough, point well made.
And touche regarding the join date, though I'd suggest post count reflects level of participation.

good to see you.

[jsn]

i'm not a big fan of this stuff, but it's well used here.

[Dr. Jake Destructo]

I think Danny would have too much pride to put anything programmed into Tool's music.

Plus it would just be tacky.

[Wired Nemesis]

i mean SHIT, hes got a golden drum set, why the hell cant he have electronic tablas!?


No way, it's not gold. It's made of melted down Paiste cymbals I'm pretty sure.

[gl0tch]

I think Danny would have too much pride to put anything programmed into Tool's music.

Plus it would just be tacky.


Tacky in what way? Have you ever heard 65daysofstatic? They make it WORK and they're just kids compared to Tool.

[AEnimaTOOLer]

No way, it's not gold. It's made of melted down Paiste cymbals I'm pretty sure.

yeah, they are just cymbals....i was referring to the color...sorry for any confusion.

[ChrisFist]

...A guitar is a fucking guitar is a guitar. But a synth and some advanced synthesis and sampling can provide new and (nearly) endless possibilities.


I beg to differ here. Put one in the right hands and the possibilities are endless, or nearly so. Hendrix might be rolling in his grave.

[Oberon]

Yeah, I'm not the biggest snares fan to be honest. And while we're at it, screw LustMord and all the bad electronic people that are currently like 2 degrees of separation from the band. But on the otherhand, if they had a Confield/Draft era Autechre or Alemapper/Asect:Desect era Devine on future endeavors, they would truly transcend all limitations of their craft.

If I made as much money as any of them did, and only had to go tour and occasionally go into the studio and spend time playing with my toys, I seriously would be taking up any thing I could to advance the expression of my art beyond that of just one type of instrument.

Given their musical prowess to begin with, enter in the fact that they dont have 9 to 5 jobs, AND can afford any piece of equipment they want, 5 years is a long enough time to EASILY master programming/sequencing/synthesis.

I LOVE XMDays, but given what they say about expression and the moment and art, I dont understand why they dont advance beyond just experimenting with sturcture.

A guitar is a fucking guitar is a guitar. But a synth and some advanced synthesis and sampling can provide new and (nearly) endless possibilities.

With today's technology its actually feasible that Maynard and just one other person could identically make XMDays digitally, if not better. I mention him because you can synthesis and sample a musical instrument, but an actual voice AND vocal style is a different story.


You cannot properly synthesize guitar playing. not *REALLY*. Its just not doable yet.

sure, i can open reason and set it to sound like a guitar, or a bass, but it won't sound anything at all like Ænima.