Creating an 808 style cowbell with Dune CM (Computer Music)

I've posted on here before about drum synthesis when we looked at the Dubspot tutorial about creating a TR-808 style kick drum with NI Massive. This time I'm going to share a video from Computer Music with you. In the video (below) you will be shown how to create a synthesised cowbell sound (again, similar to the one from the TR-808) using the Synapse Dune CM synthesiser.

Dune CM is a great synth that is available on the free DVD that comes with Computer Music magazine. It might not be considered to be a beginners synth but it's definitely worth checking out. Along with Dune CM, you will find a treasure trove of freebies on the Computer Music DVD, including other synths, effects and software. The magazine itself is also packed with valuable information about music production, so it's a must read for beginners and experts alike.

Although the tutorial below is much easier to follow than the DubSpot one, it still gives you valuable insight into drum and percussion synthesis. Creating your own drums can be fun and it will also give you a set of sounds completely unique to you, meaning that it will give your tracks that extra personal feel.

If you do go about creating your own drum sounds, then I recommend that you sample them. By doing this, you will build up your very own sample library that's full of original drum sounds. this way, you can call upon them in future projects. Sure, there are plenty of drum samples readily available on the Internet but nothing can compare to making your own.