Cakewalk drums to FruityLoops?

[sjaguar13]

I made a drum track in Cakewalk, but I don't like the way midi sounds. I was told to use FruityLoops because you could use real drum sounds. How do I get the track from Cakewalk to FruityLoops, or is there a better way to have real sounding drums?

[Paul881]

Here's a great way of making your midi drums sound better, BTW, the soundfont mentioned in Alan's post is superb, imho.

http://homerecording.com/bbs/showthr...threadid=39305
You can also download drum loops as wav files, drag them into CW and copy/paste as many times as you like. Just search the www for drum loops.

Others swear by FLoops, I find FL difficult to use and I have the full version. More for techno than anything else.

So I prefer drum loops and midi. Don't forget you can edit/make midi drum loops in piano view of CW.

[sjaguar13]

Originally posted by Paul881

Others swear by FLoops, I find FL difficult to use and I have the full version. More for techno than anything else.

Yeah, me too. I have no idea what I'm doing and everything I try sounds like techno. I think I ran into a major problem. I searched everywhere and finally got some soundfonts. The site in the other post doesn't work. The midi track is set up to use the SoundFont Device. Here's the problem, the import SoundFont is greyed out. I read the help thing and it says I need a SB soundcard. I use an ESS Allegra. The only thing I can import is instrument files. Am I just doing it wrong, or can't I use them becasue of my sucky sound card?

[sjaguar13]

You think I should just buy a AWE 64 card? I mean, mine card sucks really bad, and I'm planning on getting a Delta 1010 (I just bought a van for my crap, so I don't have a whole lot to spend on a new card right now), but I don't want to put it in this computer. I will have to build a whole new system, and I don't know when I'll have enough money to finish it. I could get this AWE 64 card, so I could use SoundFonts and it has a line in I could use for my guitar. My card doesn't doesn't even have that. It's only $10. Should I buy it?

[Paul881]

The AWE 64 is an older soundblaster card, I started out with one. It has some limitations, it will not load larger soundfonts, it only has limited on board memory (16K?) But its biggest drawback is that for audio work it is half duplex which means it cannot record and playback at the same time. It is a VERY noisy card too. But as an intro to soundfonts and if you aren't using it for serious audio, go ahead try it out. For $10 you can't lose really.

I now use a s/blaster Platignum for soundfonts only. An Audigy value is even better for soundfonts and audio for around $50. Still not semi-pro standard but okay to kick off with.

I don't think the ESS card has direct soundfont support, thats why its greyed out, as you correctly summised.

[sjaguar13]

If it's not full duplex, I don't want it. About the Platinum card, I don't have an open bay for the front panel interface. Can I not install it, or is it connected right to the card, so if I don't want it, I have to let it hang down? My ESS card doesn't have line in, so I have to use the mic input for recording my guitar. It sucks. Does this card suck when it comes to recording?

[moskus]

Originally posted by sjaguar13
About the Platinum card, I don't have an open bay for the front panel interface.

That's easy: Buy the Value format, preferably bulk. The Live!-card is the same whatever version you buy... it's just the extra software and hardware (drive bay) that differs.