#breaktweaker

This tutorial uses iZotope BreakTweaker to show how complex rhythms can easily be made. A ten day free trial can be downloaded from izotope.com.

Sometimes it can be hard to come up with new rhythms and break out of your usual way of composing.

One way of getting round this is to use multiple time signatures other than 4/4. Stacking up time signatures like this is called Polymeter and are often found in Arabian and African music. Unexpected timing, which can keep your track moving can happen when you use this technique.

You can try this in any DAW but iZotope’s BreakTweaker makes working this way really simple.

What is Polymeter?

Polymeter is when music is composed of parts with varying time signatures but at the same tempo.

Here’s a simple example:

Polymeter: 4/4 and 3/4

In the illusatration above, I have one part playing in 4/4 and a second playing in 3/4. To hear what it sounds like, I have used a HiHat for the part in 4/4 and a Djembe in 3/4. Each part is playing on a quarter note beat and I have emphasised the start of the bar:

http://www.producertech.me/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Simple-Example-1.mp3

This is what it looks like in BreakTweaker’s sequencer:

Simple Polymeter in BreakTweaker

You may have noticed the slider underneath the sequencer’s cells. This is what is used to set the meter of the part.

Extending the rhythm

BreakTweaker isn’t limited to creating one bar loops. BreakTweaker works by holding down a note to activate the sequencer. As long as the note is sustained, the polymeter patterns will continuously loop.

In this video, I’ve set up a four bar loop in Logic. When Logic loops, BreakTweaker’s patterns are retriggered from the start:

http://www.producertech.me/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/ScreenFlow.mp4

Returning to the earlier illustration, here’s what’s actually going on in the four bar loop:

Extended four bar polymeter

Adding complexity

For my last example, I’ve created a full drum loop. You will see that each part varies in meter with only the Kick drum acting as the back bone in 4/4 and each bar has a different rhythm. Check it out:

http://www.producertech.me/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/BreakTweaker2.mp4

I really like programming beats like this as I find myself shifting parts around a lot more freely than when I’m thinking in straight 4/4.

Although I’ve made the loop four bars long, I also like to make longer loops – 8, 16 or 32 bars etc. Doing this lets the beat evolve further and I will often export the beat to find may favourite parts and then chop and arrange them further.

As I’m not a drummer, I’m always looking for ways to create complex rhythms and BreakTweaker really does make this easy. Sometimes I will stumble into a cool sounding break or back beat without really meaning too.

If you haven’t tried BreakTweaker, you really should. It’s an incredibly powerful drum machine which has synthesis as well as sample based sound sources. Although I haven’t covered it here, it can also create amazing glitch effects and has multiple outputs to further manipulate your parts.

A 10 day free demo is available from izotope.com where it is also available to purchase for $249. For more information, check out the BreakTweaker webpage.

Last month, iZotope invited the Blend community of producers to make original tracks with their award-winning BreakTweaker beat-making software. There were a lot of impressive entries in a wide variety of styles. It was hard to pick a winner, but the top entry chosen by the panel of judges is by none other than Jussi V: 

And the runner-up is this glitchy entry from Eden: 

Jussi V & Eden will be receiving premium plugins from iZotope including full versions of BreakTweaker. Congrats!

Still haven't tried BreakTweaker? Download a free trial now. 

Update: we've extended the deadline to July 28! Time is ticking, though, so submit your entry ASAP!

iZotope & BT invite producers and DJs to create an original track using the innovative BreakTweaker beat making software and an exclusive sample pack available now on Blend. 

Here's how it works: 

Download and install the Trial version of BreakTweaker, fully functional for 10 days

Pull the source project from iZotope's profile on Blend

Make an original track using BreakTweaker and any of the included samples

Publish your update to Blend no later than July 28, 2014

You can use any DAW you like, just make sure to put all the files and a full preview.wav in the project folder. BT & iZotope will review the best submissions and select 2 winners to receive the following prizes: 

1st place: iZotope Creative Bundle (BreakTweaker Expanded, Trash + Expansions, Iris +8, Stutter Edit)

2nd place: BreakTweaker Expanded

What are you waiting for? Pull the exclusive sample pack now and get creative. 

Don't have a Blend account? Sign up in just a moment with this exclusive VIP invite from iZotope, Inc. 

New Track and it Needs Your Votes!

My new track is called "Prism Break," and for those of you that don't want to wait until its youtube release, click here to listen to it now! I created it for The BreakTweaker Producer challenge, sponsored by none other than BT.

I would greatly appreciate anyone taking the time to cast a vote for it using their Beatport account. Voting ends May 19th, so please cast one! Thank you!