Tutorial 1
Drum Workout
Tutorial 1: Drum Workout Goal This is the first Perc8 tutorial. You will build a simple drum workout across four patterns, then arrange those patterns into a chain. You will learn: • how to choose engines • how to set the main sound controls • how to add steps • how to use PLK • how to copy patterns and make variations • how to build a chain Set Up Open Perc8 and go to the SYNTH tab. Stay in PATTERN scope to start. Set the tempo in the top transport to 128 BPM. Make sure pattern A is selected. The Main Areas Before you program anything, take a minute to learn the layout. • The voice row is the row of numbered slots at the top. Tap a slot to select a voice. • The step grid is where you place trigs. • The section tabs are TRG, ENG, FILT, EQ/DRV, ENV/FX, and LFO. • Mute and solo are shared across the voice row, master mixer, and ENV card. Tapping one updates the others. • In PATTERN scope, PLK appears as an extra button. Use PLK when you want to record a different value on a step. • The scope bar at the bottom lets you switch between PATTERN, CHAIN, FX, and MASTER. Pattern A - The Foundation Build the core groove first. Once Pattern A feels solid, the later patterns will only add variation and motion. Voice 1 - Kick Tap slot [1]. Tap ENG. Set Engine: Carbon Kick Set the eight macro knobs like this: • BODY +1 dB • PUNCH 12 semi • DECAY 40% • ATTACK 200 Hz • GRIT 6 dB • TONE 600 Hz • MOTION 10 ms • DYNAMICS 6 dB Now add the basic kick pattern: • double-tap step 1 • double-tap step 5 • double-tap step 9 • double-tap step 13 You now have a straight four-on-the-floor kick. Tap EQ/DRV, then DRIVE. Set: • Drive Type: Tube • Amount: 20% Tap FILT. Set: • Type: SVF • Mode: LP • Cutoff: 200 Hz • Res: 10% • Env: +20% Tap ENV/FX, then ENV. Set: • ENV DECAY 300 ms The ENV card's MUTE and SOLO buttons stay on until you tap them again. Voice 2 - Snare Tap slot [2]. Tap ENG. Set Engine: Carbon Snare Set: • TONE 2 k • DECAY 35% • BODY 55% • DRIVE 20% • WIRES 60% • WDECAY 150 ms • PITCH -5 semi • SHELL 55% Add steps: • step 5 • step 13 Tap EQ/DRV, then DRIVE. Set: • Drive Type: Tube • Amount: 15% Voice 3 - Hat Tap slot [3]. Tap ENG. Set Engine: Carbon Hat Set: • TONE 8 k • DECAY 35% • ATTACK 50% • GRIME 10% • SHEEN 60% • GRAIN 1.0x • CENTER 0 semi • Q/COLOR 30% Add steps: • 3 • 7 • 11 • 15 Tap TRG. Set: • LEN 1/32 TRIG LEN uses a fixed 1/16-note grid. 1/32 is always a 32nd note, and it only equals "half a step" when S.LEN is 1/16. Voice 4 - Clap Tap slot [4]. Tap ENG. Set Engine: Carbon Clap Set: • TONE 2 k • DECAY 45% • FLAM 50% • RESONANCE 35% • TAIL 0% • ATTACK 30% • TUNE 0 semi • DIRT 10% Add steps: • 11 Pattern A should now sound like a clean, basic workout groove. P-Locks: Add Variation Without Changing Every Step PLK records a value on the selected step. That changed value stays active until the next trig for that voice resets it. Kick p-lock: • Add steps 15 and 16 • Tap the PLK button. • Tap step 16 on Voice 1 • Go to ENG • Change PUNCH from 12 semi to 16 semi • Change GRIT from 6 dB to 9 dB Snare p-lock: • Tap step 13 on Voice 2 • Go to TRG • Set VEL to 127 • Set MTIME to +0.05 Hat p-lock: • Tap step 15 on Voice 3 • Go to TRG • Set VEL to 90 Tap PLK again to leave record mode. Those small changes should make the loop feel less static without changing the whole pattern. Pattern B - Open The Hat Layer Duplicate A so you can build on it instead of starting over. Open the utility menu and choose Duplicate Pattern. Perc8 duplicates the current pattern to the next pattern and selects it, so B should now be selected. Keep Voice 1 and Voice 2 exactly as they are. Voice 3 - Hat Keep the same Carbon Hat settings. Add these extra steps to the existing hat pattern: • 1 • 5 • 9 • 13 Tap PLK. Set these hat accents: • step 1 VEL 95 • step 5 VEL 95 • step 9 VEL 95 • step 13 VEL 95 • step 3 VEL 65 • step 7 VEL 65 • step 11 VEL 65 • step 15 VEL 65 Tap PLK again. Pattern B should feel more active, but still clearly related to A. Voice 4 - Clap Keep the same Carbon Clap settings. Add one extra voice in B. Voice 5 - Tom Tap slot [5]. Tap ENG. Set Engine: Carbon Tom Set: • TONE 300 Hz • DECAY 40% • BODY 45% • DIRT 15% • RESON 35% • SWEEP 8 semi • TUNE 0 semi • NOISE 10% Add steps: • 7 • 8 This pattern should feel busier than A. Pattern C - Add Motion Open the utility menu and choose Duplicate Pattern again. C should now be selected. Voice 1 - Kick Add one extra kick: • step 11 Voice 2 - Snare Leave the snare pattern as it is. Voice 3 - Hat Add the missing steps so the hat now plays on all 16 steps: • Add step 2 • Tap PLK • Set velocity on step 2 to 50 • Tap COPY • Tap step 4 • Tap PASTE • Repeat for steps 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16 • Tap PLK again. Tap LFO. Select L1. Set: • Wave TRI • Target TONE • Rate 0.5 Hz • Depth 20% • Phase +12 • Trig OFF • 1-Shot OFF PHASE at 0 is neutral. Small positive or negative values shift where the waveform starts without changing the rate. This slowly moves the hat brightness and makes the loop feel less static. Voice 4 - Clap Leave the clap pattern as it is. Voice 5 - Tom Leave the tom pattern as it is. Pattern C should now feel like the most animated version of the groove so far. Pattern D - Breakdown Open the utility menu and choose Duplicate Pattern one more time. D should now be selected. This pattern is the sparse release section, so remove material instead of rebuilding. Voice 1 - Kick Leave only: • 1 • 5 • 9 • 13 Voice 2 - Snare Leave only: • 13 Voice 3 - Hat Leave only: • 7 • 11 • 15 Voice 4 - Clap Clear the clap steps. Voice 5 - Tom Leave only: • 7 Voice 6 - Crash Tap slot [6]. Tap ENG. Set Engine: Carbon Crash Set: • TONE 7 k • DECAY 80% • ATTACK 40% • SHIMMR 45% • SUSTN 40% • WASH 15% • PITCH 0 semi • SHAPE 50% Add step: • 1 In TRG, set • VEL 60 • LEN 1/4 Make a Chain Now turn the four patterns into a simple arrangement. Enable CHAIN playback by tapping the PAT/CHN button in the top bar. Open the Chain wrench and set Loop On. Add seven slots. Configure them like this: • Slot 1: Pattern A • Slot 2: Pattern A • Slot 3: Pattern B • Slot 4: Pattern B • Slot 5: Pattern C • Slot 6: Pattern C • Slot 7: Pattern D If you want a pattern to play more than once in the chain, add it again as another slot. If you want to tweak the arrangement while it runs, stay in Slots for structure and open Chain when you want to scrub the full chain view and edit automation. Press Play. You now have a full four-pattern drum workout: • A introduces the groove • B opens the hats and adds toms • C adds motion and energy • D strips the groove down for a breakdown What To Try Next • Raise GRIT on the kick if you want more aggression. • Lower HAT DECAY if the groove feels too busy. • Add one more PLK on the tom for a small fill in C. • In CHAIN, lock a slot if you want to stay on one section while you tweak it.