Favorite CT Drumtrack

[ScottL]

For those of us who enjoy drum programming, curious what songs people have special fondness for on the part of drums. I haven't a clear favorite actually. And ones I like may be for any reason, simply like how it 'feels'... Some I like for the sound, others for their innovation,etc...but not to be pretentious...I'm no drummer myself.

For old stuff, I love Hazel's drums(BBC best of all), while the drum machine is older, I find it far more intriguing than some tracks from their later years(eg. Evangeline or Cherry Coloured Funk, which I both love..but the drum programming doesn't thrill me).

For middle years, I love Great Spangled Fritillary's and Pale Clouded White's drum programs always seemed cool...

Then in later years, hmm...so many really...:
Suckling the Mender
I wear your Ring
Road River and Rail
Know Who You Are At Every Age
Blue Beard (more for sound than innovation)
Theft And Wandering Around Lost(I LOVE how the bass fits with the drum track here)

plenty more...but I'd like to hear others..

[zed]

Hhmmmm, a big bass track for me is always calfskin smack from the BBC disc..as for drums..well just about all of Treasure, love the big hollow sound..very heavy ya know?:)

[mmmender]

oooh no by far it's gotta be WAX AND WANE

mmmender

[beetles&eggs]

I really enjoy the drums on "Cicely"
phillip

[curetwins]

really like drums on 'squeeze-wax'.

-jeff

[etc etc]

let's see...
I think Iceblink Luck, Road River and Rail, Calfskin Smack and Smile all work for me...I respond well to syncopated fills and jabs and these songs tend to be punctuated with some nice syncopated fills/hits.

[ScottL]

yeah, I was thinking about that too...a big factor for me as well(synco-fills). Robin's sense of fills and timing in programming is probably what has inspired me most. I find the mixing of the drums interesting on Pitch the Baby and Iceblink Luck...the tom-tom sounds seem like they are in a totally different 'space'(mixing domain or whatever) than the rest of the drums..

[etc etc]

Scott,
You are a PC based music guy right? If you aren't familiar with it I have a tip for you....get Propellerhead's Reason software and I promise you that it will open up infinite possibilities for sequencing, looping and writing that will blow you away...the drum sequencer in there is amazing and worth the price of admission alone....dig it!

[orange rind]

i'm not particualrly impressed by cocteaus' drums but i like the loop on garlands (bbc sessions version). very cool rhythm.

[ScottL]

etc etc: Yeah I am(inferring from my interest in music and computers?)..and I do have Reason, it is my primary drum machine really. I think the sounds are particularly good, esp some of the snares and tom toms...the Cubase/rewire integration is plus too.

I don't see CT's drum programming as a specifc goal myself, but I do like it on the whole and have definitely been inspired. I argue often with my friend who much prefers real drums. I like real drums alot myself, but as a musician there are trade offs...esp. when not in a professional studio. But finding and working with a drummer can be the biggest obstacle and sometimes drags the music down. If I found the perfect drummer(and setup to record them) I'd love it, but without that...drum programming wins big for me.

[Rex]

I've gotta say, whenever Caroline's Fingers comes on, I'm helpless to flailing my limbs about along with the funky, robotic beat.

[zed]

watched some CT vids a while ago...

the track from cico buff just sliiiiides under your skin,

and vibrates. the bridge is almost unbearable.

;)
mmmmmmmmmmmm!

[DEANCOCTEAU]

Yes, this is a subject I have always wanted to comment on. I think that the
brilliance of their drum programming is unfortunately overlooked. For me the album TREASURE is probably the best recording I have ever heard which uses a drum machine exclusively. The whole album is terrific but in particular I think PERSEPHONE is awesome! The thundering beat of the bass and snare just pin you to the spot. I have often thought that a drummer would not have programmed the drum machine the same way that the Twins did. A drummer would have tried to program a more regular beat which could be played on a drum kit and which would therefore have sounded like any other album. However Robin's drum program could not be easily reproduced on a kit and sounds all the more ' different ' and ' interesting '.
I could go on and on about this subject but I'll stop before I bore.

Dean

[zed]

:)

hey....man it's no bore, i'm listening!

good point about real, v programed, i've offen wondered
if they would have had the same ambiance if they'd started with a live drummer...

talk on man....

[DEANCOCTEAU]

Hi Zed,
I think you are right that if they had started out with a live drummer the sound would have been different. The very nature of the drum machine must have influenced the way some of the early songs were written. Whereas in later years when the song writing had evolved the live drum sound was more suited particularly in concert.

I love drumming and paticularly watching a live drummer is for me the best part of any gig. However as I said before , the programmed drums on Treasure rates in my opinion along with albums by my favourite drummers like
Neil Peart or Steve Jansen ( Rush and Japan respectively ).

Dean.

[ScottL]

Yeah, I'm continually fascinated by the comparison of drum programing to real drumming..
I agree it is nice to have someone(like Robin) think about rhythm free of the peculiarities of specific drums, that is indeed what I love about programming myself...the ability to concoct something a drummer would never play(or even be able to)...unless said drummer is Bill Bruford ;) heh, no really though, if you like interesting, off the wall drumming, I do certainly reccomend Bruford's work with King Crimson(try 'Red' if you enjoy 70's prog rock or 'Discipline' for a more 80's fare)...

That all said, I think the problem is finding a good drummer...and it would be best if you found a brilliant drummer...IF you did, you might find they can wear both hat's, so to speak....think up interesting atypical rhythms and stylize the sound to fit the music. I think the problem is a majority of drummers are stuck on a common method they know and more importantly don't have an intimate connection with the music. I think it is annoying to to super-impose some drum beat just because it fits the time sig and tempo but may not go very well with the music. I think either is great if you have someone brilliant(and in touch with the compositions) working on what they do best...be it drumming or programming. I program drums mainly cuz I like it, but I have no other option, effectively...

[steven]

I like the drum programming in 'Heaven or Las Vegas', especially the cymbel hits, and 'summerhead'.

[dynamine]

something about "PERSEPHONE", and the vocals
ahhhhhhhhhhh.

on air now:cico buff

[randomrob]

look its scott lillis! what a cool site- but scott- isnt asking which CT drum tracks the best be like asking which copland string movement sounds the most american???? For me- love's easy tears, simply for the distorted fizzy bubbles- 'r'R

[watchlar]

CICO BUFF definitely

watchy