nfotxn | I love guitars, I love drum machines and I love ice cream sandwhiches too

Fun was had in my noise room today. I present, for your noise making pleasure

How to make a bowel disturbing 909 kick with a guitar

It's a simple procedure really, here's the 101.

Required gear

1 guitar with a tremolo unit. Floyd Rose works best, it'd probably work with a strat standard bridge but not with a Bigsby.
Control over pre and post-gain EQ with at least 3 bands. I use a DOD Deathmetal Distorion for the pre-gain EQ'ing and my amp (fender Delux 112) for the post. Simplicity people
1 rubber mallet

First tune the guitar down, way down. At least to a C on the bottom string. It's gotta emulate a good bass kick when hit right. Also adjust the volume on your guitar to reasonable level, it vaires with different guitars and what resistance is on the pots but with mine (500 kohm) it should be at least a half-way. You don't want feedback, as fun as it can be, as drums generally don't do that.

Now, take your pre-gain EQ and pump the bass and highest treble to the max. Do the same on the amp. Take the gain and set it about half way, this'll be on your amp or your pedal. This'll sorta model the sound like a bass drum, and bass drums don't much in the way have mids. The treble is for the initial attack.

Now, the technique. Simple really, palm mute with your left hand right on the coil that's in use. Do it hard, you don't want the upper strings ringing much. Now see that mallet? Shiny isn't it? Take it with your right hand and give the bridge a nice wack, not too hard though. As it starts to decay is amazing gabba-esque drum machine goodness start to roll the hand more onto the strings to damper it. This makes the decay variable which can be used for a really unusual effect, although I have heard it on records before.

All you gotsa do is record a nice rift, loop it and smack it up into your sampler and bingo! Cliché vintage bass drum loops. It also makes a great performance piece, rubber mallet and all.

I think I'll do more posts like this.