Best way to create new beats-idea post

[IfSabianWasCheap]

Ok, so I bet many of us love creating their own beats and fills. Well i just wanna ask how do you come up with your own material? Do you just improvise anything and hope something good comes out?
Personally I always start out with a basic beat, as if im new to drumming, and gradually start adding some more complex stuff until it sounds pretty cool, and finally i write it down. basically i try to approach the drums from a different perspective. Im intrested how you guys do it, and maybe this helps someone out!
cheers

[fumbled time]

I had no structure for 5+ yrs. Just beat the heck outta everything.
I am still just improving everything but with a little better time and control.

Should be an interesting thread I/S/W/C.

[NoiseInMotion]

Mostly improv at this point. I've developed a feel for the genre I play and have an idea of what works and what doesn't. Heck, when I first joined my band, they introduced a song to me on our first practice and I just played a really simple and somewhat crappy beat just to keep time. As I got more practices under my belt and learned the song more, I added a bit more until I thought it sounded good. In fact, I've done that on every song I've learned for my band so far because they've had the material written for a few years. So they just play it and I make up something to fill in the dead space. I never write anything down though; I can't read music and I'm not too great with tabs. Just memorization at this point. The point I'm hoping to convey through all this ranting is that there's many ways of doing it.

[xweasel]

If I'm coming up with a beat to fit a guitar and/or bass riff, I always listen to the rhythm (and melody, if creating fills) of the riff being played and base the drum pattern around that. If the riff is a syncopated death metal riff, with a few quick bursts here and there, I'd follow the guitar and/or bass rhythm on the kick drum and depending on the feel of the riff, decide whether to play 4th, 6th, 8th, 12th, 16th notes or whatever on the cymbals and whether to go full or half time on the snare or whatever.

The best thing to do (IMO) is to have whatever part of the song you're trying to work out a pattern for, on loop. Just jam to it while it's continuously looping. You'll eventually reach something you're happy with.

[Constinator25]

Just sit there and go bduUGGUNRQGRUNRGURABbguerbgqeurgbqrub.

[gonefishin]

This is the part where learning your rudiments comes in handy.......the more you learn / know, the more your fills grow and improve.

[=^-..-^=]

One thing that has helped me to be more creative on my grooves was taking up the Djembe drum. I tend to play hand percussion like a drum set, and a drum set like hand percussion; but creating a groove on the djembe, then trying to recreate it on the kit really helps.

[Kazaamski]

I listen to stuff completely outta left field for new ideas. Then I try to recreate the non drum parts, because anyone can play a beat, but it's a bit of trick to emulate a sitar.

[Locky305]

coolest thing i have done yet is....you know how techno etc. is that repetitive its not funny well put my earphones on listen to it and recreate all the sounds in it using bass as bass pedal and all the noises related to snare as a snare and toms as extra noises it makes you have to be creative

[jafo]

For me there's several different ways to come up with new beats. To me it starts with a rythm. Then whether it's in 16th notes ect. Then it's figuring out where your bass drum comes in and changing it up while playing to keep things interesting all while just feeling it out between the bass drum and snare and counting in accents and fills. For me it realy starts with a rythm first then figuring a bass count and then fitting in the snare and hi-hats for a good groove or beat. I'd then start experimenting with different fills and accents to fit the beat or groove. I have a little simple rudiment that I've strached a mile into different grooves, fills and even accent type fills.

If you have a 4/4 beat in 16th notes, just move your bass strikes around in the count and try doubling snare strikes. It's a start. A also take beats I hear in some songs I can figure out and try to modify them or mix two different beats in the same set. It just takes trial and error, and pay attention to your errors. Sometimes they can be great ideas.

[shabutie2113]

I try to I dont really know how to explain it when you introduce yourself to some one you dont go in straight up and talk a buch of nonsense you ease into the conversation unless your drunk. So I try and ease in to my surroundings and to ease into the other musicians conversation that is already going on because to music is expressing yourself through your instrument and thats how you communicate with the other players that way by playing.

[Drumbledore]

Some suggestions:
1) If you have a second snare set up to the left of your hi-hat....start off by playing the same rhythm as you had on your main snare, keeping the bass drum the same..then, after the groove settles in with a new sound, add some ghost notes to that snare.
2) Do the same...move to your higher (or lower) snare, and displace one or two snare accents
3) When switching from 1/8th notes on hi-hat or ride for one section of the song, try doing 1/4 notes, off-beat 1/8ths or mixes of 1/4's and 1/8ths on the ride or hi-hat.
4) Pick a real simple rhythm that you play with snare, ride and bass drum...first add a quarter note hi-hat with the left foot...go to a section of the song keeping the same rhythm except now you get offbeat 1/8th notes on the hi-hat with your left foot. Or do all 1/8's, or a Latin clavé. Even try all these with a tambourine attached to your hi-hat, giving the illusion there is a percussionist playing with you. This not only gives you variation, but some damn tricky exercises, to start with. Cheers!

[sheoth]

Mostly improv at this point. I've developed a feel for the genre I play and have an idea of what works and what doesn't. Heck, when I first joined my band, they introduced a song to me on our first practice and I just played a really simple and somewhat crappy beat just to keep time. As I got more practices under my belt and learned the song more, I added a bit more until I thought it sounded good. In fact, I've done that on every song I've learned for my band so far because they've had the material written for a few years. So they just play it and I make up something to fill in the dead space. I never write anything down though; I can't read music and I'm not too great with tabs. Just memorization at this point. The point I'm hoping to convey through all this ranting is that there's many ways of doing it.

i mainly do this for my basic beat and to see where to the fills go then slowly work on it until it fits. for the fills i just improvise until i find something that fits then commit it to memory. i dont like writing down what i play as its all about feel to me and if i write it down it becomes to technical and mechanical in its playing. (also i never play it exactly the same each time)