Help with Drum and Bass

[Nine Volt]

Hey guys, I've been listening to a lot of liquid dnb lately (Feint in particular is really good), and I decided I want to try to make at least one liquid dnb track as part of my experimentation into different genres. I got a bit done, but I have a few important questions.

Here is the track I started:
http://soundcloud.com/nine-volt/wip-some-dnb-song

Aside from tips on how to improve this, I have a few other questions:
What exactly is a break and how would I implement it?
How is liquid/dnb typically structured?
Does that melody fit the song?

Again, any other tips are much appreciated too

[phaux]

What exactly is a break and how would I implement it?

It's a drum pattern common in DnB and dubstep (and more) and you already have it in your track.

How is liquid/dnb typically structured

I don't think there is any certain structure like intro-drop-breakdown-drop. You just add music elements progressively, then breakdown and repeat.

...But I'm also new to this genre and I'm monitoring this thread for some legit protips :3
I wish I could learn to make some sweet liquid tunes.

[Nine Volt]

What exactly is a break and how would I implement it?

It's a drum pattern common in DnB and dubstep (and more) and you already have it in your track.

Ah, OK. I thought that a break was a special kind of drum pattern that was different from the usual dnb style one.

As for some tips for liquid style, I've been checking out boyinaband's Liquid and Jump Up 7 day songs (the Jump Up one ended up very liquidy). He uses Reason but explains well enough to make his tips useable in any DAW. But yeah, I should probably also post this in dnbforum or something now that I think of it

[ph00tbag]

DnB varies in terms of structure. Sometimes it's a minimalist, progressive structure, sometimes it's more ABABCB, like a lot of pop music.

The melody could work with a better synth.

You need a bassline. You're probably aware, though.

[Nine Volt]

DnB varies in terms of structure. Sometimes it's a minimalist, progressive structure, sometimes it's more ABABCB, like a lot of pop music.

The melody could work with a better synth.

You need a bassline. You're probably aware, though.

I kinda guessed that I'd need a bassline in drum and BASS

[Motivfs]

Once again, as I said in a previous thread, it all varies on what type of DnB your doing first off, there's old gen and new gen DnB.

In your case, you seem to be going for more of an Old Gen feel to it, mainly because of the drum patterns. With this, in liquid, the bass either must be,

1) Very subtle, but very smooth
2) Warm, (and how you define that is up to you)

As for your breaks, yes, you have them already, a break is basically a drum pattern change to transition the song if I am not mistakened (or in my case that's how I use it)

And for the melody, or atleast the synth, it's an interesting choice for sure, it seems more chip-tune-ish to me, that might be me, but anything will work really as long as you keep that very chill/semi-ambient feel to it.

There is still alot more you can do with what you got here though, absolutely, and the way Liquid DnB is structured, well, there really is no way, you can do it A-B-A-B, or A-B-B-A, or like said above, which is what I would prefer A-B-A-C-B. It's all up to you in that instance.

Anyways, that's about all I can say. Good luck.

EDIT: One more thing, layering, layering, layering, it's very important in DnB to layer synths, as well as using sample and FX

[phaux]

Posting my liquid WIP for feedback:
http://soundcloud.com/phauxx/hollow-grove-remix-wip
Yes, it's liquid dubstep and not dnb.
Yes, I already removed the build up.

[K3WRO]

Basically, it needs more drums, and more bass.

D'n'B usually has many buildups in a single song, the patterns are pretty straight forward too.

In Liquid D'n'B, a good one usually has elements of funk and chillout, in terms of melody, it's going to be smooth and warm, while the main lead can be repetitive, but the drum patterns and breaks will sound cooler if they were diverse and had changes throughout the song, instead of having "Bumd - Da - Shh - Bamd - Shh" Throughout the whole song. Repetition can get boring and annoying after a while.
Specifically for D'n'B, Punchy drums, Big Drops and Heavy Basses can create a huge impact, use Sub basses to support "silent" parts of your songs or during the "climax", even simple and repetitive sub bass patters (ex. F#, D, A, E) will create a fair effect.

[Nine Volt]

Basically, it needs more drums, and more bass.

D'n'B usually has many buildups in a single song, the patterns are pretty straight forward too.

In Liquid D'n'B, a good one usually has elements of funk and chillout, in terms of melody, it's going to be smooth and warm, while the main lead can be repetitive, but the drum patterns and breaks will sound cooler if they were diverse and had changes throughout the song, instead of having "Bumd - Da - Shh - Bamd - Shh" Throughout the whole song. Repetition can get boring and annoying after a while.
Specifically for D'n'B, Punchy drums, Big Drops and Heavy Basses can create a huge impact, use Sub basses to support "silent" parts of your songs or during the "climax", even simple and repetitive sub bass patters (ex. F#, D, A, E) will create a fair effect.

I know, I've started a new project with much better drums, bass, etc. i just need to know how to structure it, which so far people have been rather helpful with.