Drum and bass production tips with HLZ (in-depth track breakdown)

HLZ is a renowned drum and bass producer signed to Goldie’s legendary label Metalheadz.

As a scene veteran, he has also released numerous projects for other labels like Integral and Dispatch, and is currently working on album projects for both Metalheadz and Dispatch.

In celebration of the release of his new sample pack, HLZ sat down with us on the Splice YouTube channel to discuss his top tips for producing a great-sounding drum and bass track. Breaking down an actual session in Bitwig Studio, he goes over his full creative process, from starting with a single sample to adding the final sound design touches.

See the full list of topics HLZ covered below, with linked timestamps to each:

• Finding a starting point
• Creating a drum bus
• Adding layers of effects
• Designing synth sounds in Phase Plant
• Adding basslines
• Exploring resampling
• Building a second drop
• Adding transitions

What was your favorite tip that HLZ discussed? Do you have any tips on making drum and bass tracks of your own? Let us know in the comments section of the video, and subscribe to the channel for more producer-led tips, tutorials, and insights.

Incorporate HLZ’s hard-hitting sounds into your own productions:

May 6, 2024

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Harrison Shimazu

Harrison Shimazu is a composer, content strategist, and writer who’s passionate about democratizing music creation and education. He leads the Splice blog and produces vocaloid music as Namaboku.