Take a standard Roland TR-909 closed hat. Run it through iZotope Vinyl (free) or RC-20. Turn the "Wear" knob to 60% and the "Dust" to 40%. Render it to audio and then reverse the last eighth note of every bar.
If you are curating a folder labeled , you need three sub-folders: Boom-Bap Soul , Live Jazz Drums , and Chicago Footwork .
Take that vintage jazz kick and layer a pure sine wave 808 underneath it. Here’s the trick: turn the 808 volume down to 20%. You shouldn't hear it; you should feel it.
Producers seeking this specific vibe often use these kits, which have been confirmed to contain sounds Mick Jenkins uses or sounds that fit his "Type Beat" style:
During this period, Jenkins also became known for his use of gong drums, which added an extra layer of sonic drama to Led Zeppelin's live performances. His kit continued to evolve, with the addition of more drums, cymbals, and effects, such as tambourines and shakers. mick jenkins drum kit
Mick Jenkins' drum kit has been influenced by a range of musical icons and styles. Growing up, Jenkins was heavily into jazz and soul music, citing artists like J Dilla, Madlib, and Joni Mitchell as major influences. These influences can be heard in his drum kit, which often features intricate, jazz-inspired drum patterns and polyrhythms.
Mick Jenkins’ drums hit hard in the car, not on laptop speakers. Here’s the quick mix chain:
While the percussion is heavily rooted in jazz, the low end remains firmly in hip-hop. The 808s should be smooth, warm, and sustain perfectly beneath the melody. Avoid overly saturated, distorted 808s; choose clean, filtered sub-bass tones that anchor the track without distracting from the lyrical delivery. How to Apply the Kit to Your Beats
You won't find many rapid-fire trap hat rolls here. Instead, the hi-hats focus on groove and human feel. Take a standard Roland TR-909 closed hat
Mick Jenkins is famous for "water" metaphors, and the drums emulate this fluidity. The hi-hats are arguably the most distinctive part of his drum programming.
Mick’s producers avoid the trap hi-hat rolls (no 32nd-note triplets here).
Use short, thumpy kicks with low-end weight. Avoid "boomy" 808s; look for kicks that sound like a felt beater hitting a jazz bass drum. Layered Snares:
8.5/10 Rating (for drum production): 9/10 – Essential listening for any hip-hop producer. Render it to audio and then reverse the
Jenkins' drum kit is a carefully curated amalgamation of vintage and custom drums. The foundation of the kit consists of a 1970s-era Slingerland 22" bass drum, paired with a 1960s-era Ludwig 12" and 13" rack tom. These vintage drums provide the low-end punch and midrange warmth that Jenkins craves. Complementing these are a pair of custom-made snare drums: a 14" x 6.5" maple snare crafted by Chicago-based drum artisan, Patricio Marquez, and a 13" x 7" beech snare built by Jenkins himself.
Mick Jenkins' music is famous for its "underwater" aesthetic. To achieve this, apply a low-pass filter to your percussion elements or your entire drum loop during intros, bridges, and verse transitions. Automating a filter frequency between 400Hz and 1kHz creates a claustrophobic, aquatic atmosphere that perfectly mirrors his frequent lyrical motifs regarding water and drowning. 4. How to Build Your Own Mick Jenkins Drum Kit
Use thin, "dark" hi-hat samples. Apply a slight bit-crush or saturation to make them sound like they were sampled from vinyl. 🎚️ Processing & Vibe Swing & Humanization:
, who are credited with much of the expert live instrumentation on his projects. specific DAW techniques