Carnival Drums Grooves Samples Collection

Capturing the flavor of Brazil's carnival musical atmosphere, this sample library features the main drums of the Brazilian Samba Baterias (samba percussion ensembles). It includes more than 2000 samples (1.4GB) of Rio's vibrant, exciting drumming, are so full of spirit and color they will send shivers down your spine.

To record the drum samples on Carnival Drum Grooves, Zero G gathered together 10 professional Brazilian percussionists who play each year at the Rio Carnival and recorded them in a state-of-the-art studio using close-mics, stereo overheads, and distant stereo room mics to bottle the pure exhilaration of the performances. Because each of the 10 drummers played the same drum and rhythm in unison, mixed loops with 6 different drum parts can have the sound and force of 60 carnival drummers.

With over 1400 loops in four different mic positions, this sample collection consists of both loops (Rex2, Acidized Wavs & AIFF Apple Loops) and multi-layered sample hits (EXS 24, Halion, Kontakt & NN-XT). You can expertly blend the two with your own keyboard or pad-triggered patterns because the loops and hits are from the same drums, players, mics, mixes and venue. The baterias are the very essence of what makes the Carnival and its music so exciting, but outside of Rio the organization of the bateria and how it works was a mystery, until now.

The Drums

This sample collection presents the main drums of the Brazilian Samba Baterias as developed in the Samba Schools of Rio De Janeiro in the early 20th century. The same ones still used to great effect at the Rio Carnival every summer.

They include:
Surdo de Primeira: This is the largest surdo (bass drum), the one that gives the crucial marco&ccdeil;£o [the second, stronger beat] to the samba - it's the base of the rhythm. The Surdo de Primeira is the drum that provides the primary beat that the listener concentrates on. The singers are guided by this surdo. In general, there is a surdo de primeira right next to the principal singers as a guide. It has a lower tone and a stronger tuning than the Surdos de Resposta (the responding bass drums, second and third surdos).

Surdo de Segunda: This is the response to the surdo de primeira. It sustains the samba rhythm while the Surdo de Primeira is at rest and is its counterpoint. It is the middle-pitched Surdo Drum.

Surdo de Corte (Surdo de Terceira): A type of tuned floor-tom played with the hands, the highest of the three surdos. It chimes in between the other two (a little before the Surdo de Segunda). It gives a special interest to the cadence, breaking through the rigidity of the other two surdos and it gives a swing to the rhythm. Although played fairly softly to create a pure note, together, the Surdos drive the Samba like a bassline.

Caixa: Pronounced 'kay-sha', a type of snare drum worn on a shoulder strap. Played in large ensembles, Caixa rolls blend together in a shuffling wall of energetic white noise. This is what gives character to the samba. Only through the sound of the Caixa can you really identify a certain school. It's always played with two sticks, and has two cords [snares] across the drumhead that gives it a different kind of tone. It sets the tempo, but allows flourishes that can't happen in the surdos. The way you play the Caixa also varies from school to school. In some, the player puts the drum at waist level, playing with two hands. Others place the Caixa higher, using one hand as a support leaving the other free.

Repinique: Pronounced 'repineeki'. A two-headed tuned metal drum worn on a shoulder strap, played with either two sticks, or one stick, and a hand. The sound is like a very high-pitched timbale.

Tamborim: A small, high-tuned handheld drum with a very short, tight sound. In samba it is played with a bundle of nylon rods and is rapidly flipped around to create ghost notes. The slight natural timing differences between players give an impression of intense claps or rattles. The tamborims give the punch and the shape to the samba.

Agog´: A hand-held two-bell instrument similar to a cowbell and played with a stick.

Timbal: A large floor-standing conical drum which is a bit like a conga but with a more deep and forceful sound. Played with the hands, it can produce a variety of sounds from a deep, well-defined thud to a high, resounding hit.

Pandeiro: A large, deep tambourine played with the hand.

The Recording

All the rhythms were recorded in a modern theatre with excellent, lively acoustics thanks to polished wooden floors and huge adjustable acoustic curtains. Each drum was closed-miked with stereo overheads, with distant stereo room mics used to capture the ambience.

The Rhythms
Despite the variety, the collection is built on 12 core rhythms. There are three slower patterns with a laid back groove: Samba Reggae, Maxixe, and Samba Rock ” all typical of Salvador, and Bahia from NE Brazil. The others are all faster and typical of Rio de Janeiro: Ax Samba Um, Drages, Samba Dois, Samba Torcida Break Um, Samba Torcida Break Dois, Samba Tres, Samba Quatro, and Samba Torcida Break Tres.
The "Torcida" here means something like "audience participation" and so these "Torcida Breaks" are the moment in the carnival that the rhythm breaks down and draws the audience to cheer and clap along.

The Loops

For maximum usability, the loops have been organized several ways ” there are loops with only individual drum parts (e.g. Caixa-only loops) and there are ensemble performances with all parts of the Samba drum orchestra playing together. There are also recordings from different mic positions (close, overhead, and room) where you can choose one or create your own mixes by stacking up the different mic channel loops of the same rhythm in your sequencer and making your own mix. And, if you don't need this level of detail, there is also a whole set of ready-to-go percussion ensemble mixes.

Sampler Hits

There are two programs to load into your sampler ” Samba Big and Samba Dry. Samba Big has 10 drummers on every hit, with the sound mixed from all three mic positions, resulting in a big, exciting sound. Samba Dry has 2 drummers on every hit recorded on close mics only which results in an intimate, dry sound.

Using this collection

You can use this library in several ways. Quickly drop the ready-to-go mixed loops straight in, or you can go through different mic channels to find the ideal sound. Or, if you choose to delve deeper, you can mix multiple mic positions to get an ideal blend. If you do follow this route, the close mics have a small, dry, and intimate sound when used on their own. Added to other mic channels, they add attack and immediacy. The overheads have a powerful sound, a clearly defined attack with a sense of space. Meanwhile, the room mics make a big distant rumble that sounds odd alone, but adds an extra-wide dimension when mixed with the other mics, like adding reverb but more realistic than even the best convolution impulse.

Using the multi-layered hits, you can step-program your own beats or trigger them live from a keyboard or pads. And, by using both loops and hits together you can combine the realism of the loop performances with the flexibility of programmed beats.