HELP ON DRUMS
Hi folks
Just purchased ntrack after months of looking at the site and wondering which type of package to buy to set up home pc based system.
On a limited budget I have now got most of my initial instruments/hardware in place (Fender Strat 77, Martin D12, various other guitars, Shure SM57s, Roland JV1010 and PC180A etc…)
However, I need help on how I should go about recording decent drum sounds. I have no experience with midi but am a reasonable musician with relatively reasonable intelligence depending on time of day…
I have been checking out the links with Jamstix and wonder if this would be suitable for a newbie, or would I be better off purchasing something more basic to begin with and going on from there???
Please help, and useful comments appreciated.
I have heard good things about Jamstix.
But I’ve never tried it. ( I have a real kit now…tee hee)
Anyway alot of people around here and elswhere us fruityloops. I’ve used it early on, and with no knowledge of computers, or software, found it easy to understand.
I also tried one called hammer or hammertime, pretty simple as well.
good luck
jerm
There’s always a drum machine…
Of course, according to bumper stickers I’ve seen in L.A. :
Drum Machines have no soul
There are many drum software programs out there. All of the ones that use .wav samples sound the same, it just a matter of finding the one that is easiest for you to use.
I like these three, so far:
LeafDrums - It’s simple to write patterns on, but somewhat awkward to sequence. It can save each instrument to an individual file, which can then be imported to a seperate track in n-Track. Shareware, but you can use after the time runs out if you have no conscience.
Drumsite - A little complicated, but programs just like an old drum machine, somewhat. It also can import drum tracks from a midi file, (pretty cool). Limited demo.
Accoustica BeatCraft - This looks like Acid software. I like it, and the price seems reasonable. The demo is fully functional, but limited to 7 days. Very nice. Doesn’t seem to be able to import from midi, or save to individual tracks, however. (Could be I just haven’t found it, yet).
You could also download the demo of Acid 5.0, and try your hand a looping your drums. If you haven’t tried it, you need to just to see what it’s all about. ( Also, Mackie might still be offering a free download of Tracktion 1.0).
Another fun demo is Drummagog (sp.?). This software is a VST plug in that works well with n-track. Basically, it can substitute any drum sound for any peak in a track. You could just “thump” the kick drum on your guitar, and then use Drummagog to substitute a very nick kick drum in it’s place. It’s expensive to buy, but I see many possibilities here.
Anyway, I have been struggling with the same problem, and also wish I had a drum booth with a kit. Best of luck,
Les
Another possibility is to use MIDI files and use a VST plugin to translate them to wave files. You can either use the cheap (free) option of a soundfond player and a good drum soundfont or spend some cash on something like Sampletank Acoustic Drums (my personal favourite). The actual sounds are stunning but you need to have a well programmed MIDI part to make them sound good.
As far as obtaining MIDI files is concerned, you can just find a MIDI file of a song that has a similar drum beat to the one you want, strip out all the other instruments and edit it in something like JAZZ which is a free MIDI sequencer.
Depending on the quality of the MIDI programing, you can get some pretty realistic parts (some are really good) and if you edit the file a bit (copying and pasting verse, chorus, fills etc. to suit your own song, changing tempo etc.) you would never
guess the drums came from someone else’s song.
There are also varoious sites where you can download MIDI files of drums (GrooveMonkey for example) and commercial packages of drum MIDI files (DrumTrax).
Lots of good stuff possible with FruityLoops and some decent samples (eg our own Tom Hicks samples).
Mark
This question seems to come up about once a month or so around here. 
Fruity Loops as a VSTI slave in n-Track, Tom Hicks Drum samples, the ability to think like a drummer, and plenty of patience will start you on the road to psuedo-drum happiness.
All the drums on my last CD were done with Fruity Loops:
Go here and have a listen to see what can be done with FL.
But…midi drums will never be able to do what a real drummer can do. Good enough for most of us, but in the end, would you rather have Keith Moon or Fruity Loops? 
| Quote (TomS @ April 27 2005,10:56) |
| But...midi drums will never be able to do what a real drummer can do. Good enough for most of us, but in the end, would you rather have Keith Moon or Fruity Loops?
|
I'm gonna have to go with FruityLoops on this one, I think all these years of pushing up the daisies may have had a detrimental affect on Keith's playing abilities.
Thanks for the advice everyone.
So Fruity Loops would be a better option for me at the moment than getting Jamstix?
| Quote (TomS @ April 27 2005,10:56) |
| But...midi drums will never be able to do what a real drummer can do. Good enough for most of us, but in the end, would you rather have Keith Moon or Fruity Loops?
|
Maybe not Keith Moon seeing how he is gone.... but you CAN have Mick Fleetwood or any of a whole host of other world class drummers play your sessions for the price of ACID and some sample CD's. I got the "lite" version of ACID the other day. Acid Music Studio it's called I think. Just from toying around with it and the included samples... I'm hooked! I WILL be buying ACID Pro and some sample discs. You can throw down rythym beds in literally minutes and tweak until you are satisifed. Not just drums, but horn sections, strings, keys etc.. It's great. Build up what you want with loops/samples and then record your "real" instruments.
TG -- future loop junkie
PS I done a little ditty with Acid the other night in about 30 minutes. It's a little sloppy but you will get the idea of what can be done with it. Go HERE and download "Seventies Cop Show" It's just a short clip of an unfinished "noodling" session.
So Fruity Loops would be a better option for me at the moment than getting Jamstix
I've only tried the demo of J-stix, but as a long time FL user I think it does a good job. you need to think like a drummer - FL doesn't do much for you automatically - but flexibility is power.... Don't forget those Tom Hicks samples........
I've only tried the demo of J-stix, but as a long time FL user I think it does a good job. you need to think like a drummer - FL doesn't do much for you automatically - but flexibility is power.... Don't forget those Tom Hicks samples........
| Quote (crazy-trousers @ April 27 2005,17:20) |
| Thanks for the advice everyone. So Fruity Loops would be a better option for me at the moment than getting Jamstix? |
I know nothing about Jamstix... FL is completely manual, so don't look for instant loops. FL allows you to create your own loops, and then sequence them together to make a song. If you've ever programmed an drum machine (Alesis SR-16, anyone?), you will quickly come to terms with making drum track in FL.
Apparently FL also has a bunch of soft-synths and what-not for keyboard players, but I've only used it to make drum tracks.