Out of all the effects that can be applied to drum samples, reverb should be up there with the most-used, but it is not, and when it is used, it is often abused by so-called music production professionals and audiophiles. When used correctly, it can help any beat go to that extra level.

When using the reverb on just one of the drum samples, think about the effect you’re trying to achieve. Is the sound a constant sound? Could it drive your listener crazy after repeat visits? Or is it something that colors the other samples, so to say? Once you can figure out the role for that particular drum sample, you’ll be a few steps ahead and closer to your goal!

The length of the reverb on any particular cannot really be determined on a global scale, but needs to be adjusted on a project-by-project basis for maximum effect and precision. Some people say that you can use a longer tail on the reverb for samples in a slow-tempo song, and if you’re particularly aiming at one of the drum samples, it will relieve the others from needing to perform for the sake of performing. In a slow tempo song, you can either have many samples triggering all the time, back-and-forth collaboration, or strategic placements with reverb, which fills space effectively.

Having a consistent reverb – one that spans all drum samples and each of their channels – can help in toning the song to your liking. You can easily imply locations like the Sydney Opera House, the Grand Canyon and more, as unlikely as it sounds, just by using different reverb settings across the whole range of drum samples currently loaded. If going for one of these locations, you may want to apply a bit of the reverb to your instruments as well for the most realistic sound experience.

Having offered these tips, though, you can really experiment as much as you want, as there are no limits in electronic music production. Whatever sounds good for you will usually work – you know your audience better than anybody else.

To really get experience and a natural knack for applying reverb effectively, you do need to try out different settings. Turn knobs, even if you’re not sure of what they do. The deeper you get into it, the more knowledgeable you will get with time. Of course, there are always points at which you should read the manual and ask for advice if you’re not sure why something works or doesn’t work. Also, try different programs as they will have different parameters for you to modify and you may find one plug-in that just ‘clicks’ with your workflow and that you find really good – you may amass a collection of favorite plug-ins to use for modifying drum samples.

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In a song, the actual number of bars can vary quite a bit. Usually, the length of the song determines the bar length, but there are exceptions with drum samples, especially in songs with a warped timeline grid. If you’re making loops, it doesn’t really have to be that complicated.

If you’re composing a standard loop and want to portray a general outline of your song in a fairly straightforward manner, using four bars should be enough. The theme of the song can be condensed into these four musical bars, and the sample should be able to stand on its own; that is, you should not need surrounding music to really give the sample context. You should also add some variance in the drum samples or instruments, and a popular method is to do this toward the end of the forth bar. Keeping the listener comfortable and yet not sure what comes next is the aim of the game here, so remember that variance is key, even in a measly 4-bar loop.

The second most popular number of bars to base a musical loop on is sixteen. Why is this? Well, in hip hop and rap, 16 bars is the standard length for a rapper’s verse. So it turns out that using this figure to structure a loop on is great. Your creative limits are really tested, and to keep things moving through the whole verse length can be quite a challenge. One common tip is to introduce the hi-hats at the half-way point, and this will add another layer to the variance required to develop a great beat. At the end, start working on your pre-chorus skills.

Looking beyond drum samples can expand your horizon a little bit and it actually opens a whole bunch of doors. One common switch-up in a 16 bar loop, for example, is the introduction of a new instrument after 8 bars instead of anything drum-related. However, at this point – or anywhere else in the loop – you could mix up the drums to coincide with this change, and this can be very powerful.

You can even try to see past the instruments and drum hits if you’re serious about arranging a masterpiece. Think vocals! Common techniques include allowing the singer or rapper to vocalize the first few bars in a very boring, monotonous way, before really showering in the feeling after that. Again, anything that keeps the listener guessing is viable.

Having said all of this, though, drum samples are definitely the easiest way to introduce some change into an existing musical piece. Your singer does not have to sing anything different to switch up their vocals and you don’t need to play new harmonies or anything else to add that subtlety.

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