Drum & Bass Shuffles Part 2

Interesting Drum N Bass Shuffles in FL Studio Part 2

In Part 1, we looked at how to create a custom shuffle using multiple samples, effects, and envelopes. In this tutorial, Part 2, we’ll create and manipulate DnB shuffles through sampling techniques, and finish off by demonstrating the power of layering.

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Step 1- Find a Sample

You can get great DnB shuffles through sampling techniques, and that’s what this example is all about. I’m going to load DL_Break Percussion from FL Studio’s Old Drum Loops folder into an instance of SliceX. Here’s what it sounds like at 170bpm.

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In that loop I can hear two things that could make a good shuffle, there’s the tambourines and there’s also a low drum sound. Let’s begin by deleting all the slices that have a kick or snare on them.

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Step 2 - Pattern

Next, arrange a pattern that rolls well, and add a kick and snare. I did a standard two-step pattern using the Kick and Snare from FL’s IceCubes drum loop.

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The stereo panning is a little too crazy, so let’s link it to a mixer track and make this sound mono.

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Step 3 - Increase Pitch

An old school Jungle technique is to mess with the pitch of drums. Let’s try increasing the pitch to see what it sounds like. One way to do this is to go to the Channel Settings window, increase the pitch range, and tweak the pitch knob.

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Step 4 - Pitch Automation

Since it sounds good low and high, why not have some fun by automating that pitch knob?

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Step 5 - Sampling Cleanly

Next, let’s see if we can find another loop with shuffle-sampling potential. The FL Studio loop DL_ElGuape (from the same folder) has some great high tambourine-sounding shuffle sounds. See if you can pick them out with your ear.

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All we have to do is delete everything except for the tambourine sound, and fill up the piano roll. I also panned the hat to the center.

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That sounds great! Sometimes you can get a great shuffle without much work.

Step 6 - Layering

Most DnB producers will layer a few shuffle elements. For this final sound, I combined the ElGuapo Tambourine with the Break Percussion, and in the second half I added the custom-made grain shifted shuffle from Part 1.

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Conclusion

First we began in Part 1 by creating a custom shuffle using multiple samples, effects, and envelopes, then in Part 2 we made another shuffle by sampling and increasing the pitch of a sliced loop; we showed that it’s possible to get a great tambourine shuffle just by lifting a sound cleanly out of a sample, and we finished off by demonstrating the power of layering.

Included in Playpack: FL Studio Project File for whole series