I need drums!

[betabass]

Ok I have been writing songs for a while now with using just bass, rythm and lead guitar but now I want to add drums! I am not really sure how do this well first off I have a small budget and was thinkin about a drum machine that I could program a whole song into( with fills and all ) and then just hook into a 4-track and record it...or is it better to use a drum machine from the computer? can you record a computer based drum machine? Well I am clueless any help would be great.

[Salabim]

i dont know if this will help but...

im recording a couple of songs on a computer using n-track. i play drums, but i deceided to try some sampled beats. i dont have a drum machine, but i am tracking them using a porgram called 'modplug tracker'.
(www.modplug.com) its fairly simple, and i have got some great beats to compliment my not so great songs... i dont know if its what your after, but it could be worth a try...

Tim

[GordWait]

If you want to try your hand at drum sequencing, check out Power Chords: http://www.howlingdog.com/
I have the Pro version, very easy to build
drum patterns up in a hurry. Looks like
they also offer a free "lite" version - I haven't tried it, but it ought to be worth
a download. I posted a demo in the mp3 section yesterday that I used power chords pro for the drum sequencing.
I haven't tried programming any newer drum machines, but you want to avoid any difficult to use interface.
What ever you do, it's worth listening to
a favourite song and try to transcribe what you hear before you take on your own song.
This will let you learn the program or machine without adding frustration to the songwriting process. Also, I found after I
started doing drum sequencing, I gained a huge appreciation for drummers.
Hope that helps,
Cheers,
Gord Wait

[betabass]

excellent guys thanks for the help but now if I do use one of the drum sequencers on the computer will I be able to record it on a 4 track or make it so it plays like two of this pattern then a fill and then moves onto this pattern? that way I can make full complete songs to solo over.

[trucker dave]

well, for what it's worth i record the sequences(drums and bass) into a boss dr5 and dump them into seperate tracks into the recording software via midi cable hooked up to sb live card. it's just a lot easier for me to do it that way because you can progam the beats or notes in real time on the drum machine. There is also a drag and drop drummer plug in that has some good beats. I bought it but haven't used it yet to do a song.

[GordWait]

Yep, you can record drum machines OR computer based drum tracks onto tape. In fact, I use
the software on the PC with a Roland Rap-10
soundcard to compose the drums. I could record the rap-10 drums using the rap-10 analog stereo line out, but I usually hook up my Yamaha RX5 via midi to the PC and let the midi software "play" the sounds in the RX5 drum machine, and use the RAP-10 for other sounds - like synth bass. The RX5 has separate outputs I can eq or add effects to.
Rap-10 and most decent soundcards include at least one complete drum set (general midi etc) so if you're starting out, a soundcard with a good set of general midi drums would be one way to go. Of course, if you don't have a PC, a drum machine would be cheaper and possibly less stress..
Gord Wait

[Salabim]

yeah...you can set the sequencing stuff to do all that changing pattern, fill etc stuff...
just have a play around and see what you come up with!

good Luck!

[betabass]

cool cool ok I have set my sites on fruityloops and have been doin pretty good with it hereI came up with some nice stuff now all I need to know is more or less something in english becuase what you guys were sayin before about midi was way over my head.....I have a PC and I have a Tascam portastudio in my grasps but I have no clue how to make the two meet so I can record my computer fruityloops songs on there help me!

[betabass]

yah all I need now is to learn an affordable way to record stuff off the computer onto a 4 track

[GordWait]

I posted a reply the other day, but I don't see it here?!?
Anyhow,
Looks like we're all off the deep end and aren't explaining ourselves all that well.
Cheapest way for you to get drums on tape with the PC:
You need:
The PC, with a reasonable soundcard that includes General Midi instruments (including drums). For example, the awe32 and 64 are cheap and have these features.
Then you need some midi software - try out the powerchords "lite" free version from www.howlingdog.com for example. You learn the software - create your drum patterns with it (hearing the drum sounds over the PC speakers).
When you are ready to record, get an audio cable from Radioshack and connect the Line Out from the sound card to your tape recorder inputs,
tell the tape to record, tell the software to play and it will all go on tape.
So,
PC, + general midi sound card + midi sequencing software + audio cable + tape deck will
get you there.
You can spend more on the soundcard, or buy a Midi cable instead, and a good stand alone drum machine (general midi compatible preferable) and have the PC "remote control" the drum machine. In this setup the drum machine audio out goes to the recorder inputs.
Does that help?
Cheers,
Gord Wait

[GordWait]

I see now I've been getting the wrong username, so half my posts go missing..
Anyhow -your email isn't working so I can't reply to your email message..
Questions - what soundcard do you have now,
and what is "fruityloops" software?
Gord

[betabass]

I have the standard soundcard that came with windows 95 and it is a compaq Precario computer... and fruityloops is a drum loop maker program that has a sequencer and everything in it including midi capability I think even though I know nothing much about midi. But if you are curious go to www.fruityloops.com and check it out it is pretty cool.....so tell me how to do this soundcard thing I am still clueless.

[GordWait]

Ok, so if you are happy with the sound you
get from your PC as is, find out from
your Compaq manual, or Compaq support if
your sound card has a "line out" jack.
It's likely to have such a jack, so get
a miniature stereo to rca adaptor cable
from Radioshack, and perhaps a couple of
rca to phono adaptor plugs, and connect that
line out to your 4 track.
If you want better quality (I don't know what
the presario comes with) then you need to
buy a fancier sound card, install it, then do the above steps with the new soundcard..
Howsat?
Gord

[betabass]

awesome cool cool....

[Hairy Al]

i'm pretty much a newbie but this is how i do it, i guess it's not the best way though:

i use a minijack to RCA cable to go from the line out into a Radio Shack 4 channel stereo mixer and from that two separate jack leads to the line one and two on my porta 02.

nothin' fancy and very cheap.