PERCUSSION
SERVICEABLE SAMPLES | Mark Shelton
Imagine having over 500 percussion instruments scattered around you . Each instrument comes with the ability to modify the tone in parameters such as pitch and decay along with applying various reverb and delay settings . That is the actual scenario when you bring electronic percussion into your sound arsenal . Choosing a suitable tone from an infinite sound palette of samples need not be intimidating .
Drawing on my experience with electronic percussion , I have chosen several basic sounds that have proven useful for modern worship and other church-related music . Consider grouping your favorite samples from this list onto easyto-access patch sets .
808 KICK Born in the 80 ’ s , the low-frequency sine wave sound of the Roland 808 kick drum has supplied its characteristic thump to a wide spectrum of musical styles - including modern worship and CCM . If you do not have a sample from the vintage Roland TR-808 drum machine , find a suitable approximation .
VERB TAMBOURINE Be careful . This one works so well , you might be prone to overuse it . I fight the urge myself . Imagine the sound of a tambourine played over an elevator shaft . Yeah , a very long decay . If you do not already have that sound available , lengthen the sustain on a tambourine sample , toss on a healthy dose of plate reverb , hit save , and enjoy .
CYMBALS Although actual metal discs are my preference , digital cymbals can come in handy . For example , instead of needing two hands to produce a crash , the sound of piatti ( hand cymbals ) can be applied to a musical passage by triggering a sample with one finger .
GLOCKENSPIEL The brilliant ringing tone of orchestra bells is at home in choir anthems , cantatas , hymns , and playing the hook melody in a worship song . Although I have often used an acoustic instrument , nowadays I often play glockenspiel lines using samples .
SNARE AND TOM A steady stream of sixteenths or thirty-second notes on a snare drum or floor tom is often a fitting addition during the build section of a song .
• Lay down the line with samples of acoustic drums or call up digital versions from a vintage drum machine such as the Roland TD 808 , TD 909 , or CR 78 .
• Try exercising your creativity by modifying a few parameters of an acoustic drum sample to create a customized tone .
TIMPANI The combination of a single drum head stretched over a large parabolic bowl produces a tone with a strong definite pitch and a rich array of harmonics . The sound of timpani provides a percussive power that can fit into a hymn arrangement , a cantata by J . S . Bach , or a worship song from the pen of Kari Jobe . Budget and / or space might prevent you from including a couple of kettledrums in your set-up , but calling up a few appropriately tuned timpani samples can be a satisfactory substitute .
CONCERT BASS DRUM The awesome boom of a Gran Cassa comes with similar challenges as timpani - a substantial footprint along with a hefty price tag . The timbre of a concert bass drum differs significantly from a drum set kick drum and the low frequency tone can be appropriate in either subtle or bombastic musical settings . Experiment with a concert bass sample to find places to drop some low-end percussive goodness in a song .
CABASA The characteristic scrape tone of the cabasa can provide a tasty addition to a groove , but it requires both hands when using the conventional technique . You can easily play shaker with one hand while adding tasteful cabasa scrapes by triggering a sample with your other hand . Consider modifying the sample by lowering the pitch or applying effects for a different twist on the traditional cabasa sound .
Electronic percussion instruments are loaded with hundreds of pre-set sounds . Thousands more samples are available for purchase , and you have the ability to produce custom tones . Do not allow the myriad of choices to overwhelm you into sticking with only a handful of go-to sounds . Instead , let the universe of samples inspire you to greater creativity .
© 2021 Mark Shelton Productions / Percussion For Worship
Mark Shelton Mark Shelton is a freelance musician and educational consultant based in Dallas / Fort Worth . Performance credits include North Carolina Symphony , Tin Roof Tango , Daystar Singers & Band , Gateway Worship , Wichita Falls Orchestra , Strata Big Band , TALEA , and Dallas Wind Symphony . www . marksheltonmusic . com percussionforworship . blogspot . com