| The hi-hat drum samples available today are as varied | | | | The second mistake is about achieving authenticity |
| as they are popular. With basically every kick drum | | | | with your drum samples... If you're trying to establish |
| and snare combination, you can find a hi-hat working | | | | your song as having a real drum part, do not make the |
| away in the background, patient and contributing | | | | mistakes that many others do. Let me give you an |
| throughout a song. The effect of a hi-hat cannot really | | | | example: a constant closed hi-hat in the left channel |
| be measured, but suffice it to say that your favorite | | | | plays once every 16th note, 16 times a bar, and on the |
| songs would sound a lot different without the hi-hat (or | | | | third beat; we hear an open hi-hat that strikes at the |
| simply hat) patterns supporting the main acts. | | | | same time. What is wrong with this? Well, just about |
| The two mistakes made by producers are not just the | | | | every real drum set only comes with one set of |
| domain of amateur producers who may not know | | | | cymbals to manipulate, and triggering a closed hi-hat so |
| better, but also of professional music producers and | | | | often and consistently demonstrates that the cymbals |
| beat makers. | | | | are firmly closed, and yet you also hit the open cymbal |
| The first mistake concerns volume. The role of the | | | | at the same time. This is physically impossible, so don't |
| hi-hat drum samples is often overstated and | | | | do this if you're trying to set a tone of authenticity in |
| overemphasized by many expertly arranged songs. | | | | your drum beats. Dance tunes, on the other hand, |
| The human ear, it is claimed, has gained a perception | | | | often have two or three different types of hats playing |
| of the frequencies that hi-hats occupy throughout | | | | simultaneously, and if it's the electronic vibe you want |
| evolutionary stages. Apparently some aerial predators | | | | to lay down, go crazy. If it sounds good, it's all good! |
| made noises that had the same frequencies, and we | | | | You can also go with the default drum samples |
| can therefore hear it above its actual volume. | | | | patterns in programs like Toontrack EZ Drummer and |
| A good way to go about combating this incongruity is | | | | BFD, as well as others. These programs usually include |
| to mix the hat to the point where you think it sounds | | | | patterns that were really tapped out by a professional |
| just about right, and lower it about two decibels further. | | | | drummer on an electronic drum set and do not include |
| Any listener will still be able to pick it up due to our | | | | these mistakes. You can learn a great deal using |
| superior perception of this sound, so don't worry about | | | | programs like this. |
| 'mixing it out' these drum samples. | | | | |