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bdam123
Member
I'm coming back from a mixing hiatus and I'm planning on doing a lot more live drum sounds in the future. Please feel free to tear this apart. Even the smallest critique is highly encouraged. Thank you.
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bdam123
Member
No one?
miroslav
Cosmic Cowboy
What kind of critique....the overall sound...the groove...?
If they are part of a mix, it makes more sense to listen to them in that context rather than just the drums by themselves in order to decide if they sound good or bad.
That sounds like a sample/MIDI groove....yes?
If they are part of a mix, it makes more sense to listen to them in that context rather than just the drums by themselves in order to decide if they sound good or bad.
That sounds like a sample/MIDI groove....yes?
Bubba po
Tiny Stonehenge Moment
Absolutely.
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bdam123
Member
I was looking for a critique on the overall sound.
It was a MIDI groove. What was it that gave that away?
Any advice on how to make them sound more "real"? I'm trying to get convincing live drums using strictly software. I don't have capabilities to record a live kit right now.
It was a MIDI groove. What was it that gave that away?
Any advice on how to make them sound more "real"? I'm trying to get convincing live drums using strictly software. I don't have capabilities to record a live kit right now.
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Greg_L
Banned
miroslav
Cosmic Cowboy
I was trying to be polite by asking.
The Snare was the most obvious easy give away. Every hit sounded the same, especially when that roll/fill came in at the end...rat-tat-tat-tat-tat...like a machine.
Same thing with the Kick.
There's a variety of things you can do...and also depending on the drum app, as some can help a lot to remove that machine vibe for you, but mostly it's how you program the groove and the individual hits.
Basically...just read all the shit in that link that Greg posted....that will keep you busy for awhile.
Bubba po
Tiny Stonehenge Moment
All this drum programming shit is one more excuse for people who who cannot form a decent working relationship with another human being, to produce crap music. It's the kind of music that emanates from an almost autistic inability or unwillingness to collaborate with friends or acquaintances to produce a worthwhile piece of work.
miroslav
Cosmic Cowboy
Well...that may be one aspect of it, but I don't think that an unwillingness to collaborate is a main reason.
Maybe it's more of a lack of reel need to collaborate...for many.
I've got a drummer buddy who is always happy to come over and record drums, but the reality is that he has his own multi-band gigs and personal things as his priority, and it's become more and more difficult to find a good time that works for both us. So...I'll move on with my recording, using sample drum tracks...and if/when I can get him to record, we record.
Also, it's one thing to find someone who will play some drums for you...it's another to find someone who wants to get really involved in your project and who believes in it. I think sometimes just getting someone to "play the drums" may not be any more creative or exciting than programming.
I think it's great when you have a band situation or guys you've played a lot with over the years, and everyone is still eager to work on each others projects with equal enthusiasm as on their own.
For many...it may just be impractical/impossible, as they have no place to record a full drum kit.
I also think the digital revolution has created many of the "solo artist" mentalities, and it's like...everyone is busy working on their own projects...and the DAW studio has made it easy for them not to need others.
When you look at a lot of bands...there's always that tug of war between members in a lot of situations...where everyone wants to have their ideas on the table. In the DAW studio...you avoid that, and get to do your stuff.
That said...IMO, the best shit comes from a real band, a group of people who are all on the same page creatively, working together with the same production goals...where even the production disagreements are only there as fuel and not as divisive arguments.
Of course, some great bands who did great recordings, fought like cats and dogs the whole time they worked together and they hated each other.
Anyway...I love having the alternative of using a drum app, as its allowed my to keep recording when in the past I would be waiting for the drummer to come over.
Raz Klinghoffer
New member
These kind of comments were relevant 10 years ago , today midi is a standard... you can try fighting it but it is what it is, and the new generation works like that, which is fine it's their call
JimmyS1969
MOODerator
Well that was a bit harsh directed to a post that was a bit harsh... lol
You two should collaborate.
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Greg_L
Banned
Yeah and not coincidentally, standards are way lower. Congrats on that, and thanks a lot.
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Greg_L
Banned
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mixsit
Well-known member
And.. aside from all that
It's a bit wide; why is the hat so far left for example?
It's a bit wide; why is the hat so far left for example?
fat_fleet
Swollen Member
Not to be pretentious, and I'm not even that good, BUT the thing with finding a place to move where I can be loud, actually buying a beater kit and mics, setting it up, and then banging on the thing for thousands of hours until I can keep a beat.... the thing with that is it leaves me with almost zero sympathy for people who are like "I can't find a drummer", "It's not convenient for me to learn..." etc.
Do you want to make rock music? Or do you just want to make something that "will do"?
Do you want to make rock music? Or do you just want to make something that "will do"?
fat_fleet
Swollen Member
I see you play guitar in your pic. You know they make fake midi guitars too? What's with the archaic "real instrument"?
Schwarzenyaeger
Formerly "Dog-In-Door"
All drummers are shit.
The ones that are good are busy because they're not shit.
I can make a shit one sound good...
...by editing and replacing all of his drum sounds.
Repeat endless cycle
That's the real problem. Music editing is just too easy nowadays than that you'd actually have to be able to play your instrument well so I feel like nobody gives a rat's ass.
Besides a session drummer, I haven't had the pleasure of recording a drummer that could give me a drum track that I didn't have to spend a day working on.
inb4 predictable snarky response
Bubba po
Tiny Stonehenge Moment
I've played with probably half a dozen seriously good drummers in my career. They could all produce a drum track in the studio that needed very little work - in fact in most cases the technology wasn't there to do so, barring compressors and gates. They were ALL preferable to midi.
Furthermore, I've probably played with another fifteen that were pretty good. They were all preferable to midi.
Finally, I've played with one or two that could barely sit on a drum stool properly and hold a stick. I'd give them a go before I'd resort to midi - for anything other than sketching down an idea.
Schwarzenyaeger
Formerly "Dog-In-Door"
Hey, if I had
a room
acoustic treatment
a drumset
microphones
cables
an interface with enough inputs
a portable multi-input recording rig
and a drummer that will drum what I want, when I want them to...
I'd be using real drums as well!
Being able to use real drums is a privilege.
Or are you subtly offering to play drums on my tracks?
I've got a long list of songs that I could use drums on, Bubba
MIDI isn't inherently bad. It's not wanting to put time into it that makes it sound cheap.
I'd say quite the opposite. The amount of polish that goes into a modern record is absurd. It's the whole reason that we use drum replacement software in the first place.
If our standards were low, we'd be bashing at a shit drum set with a one mic setup and not care about perfomance issues. Instead, we go for this overly perfect alternative.
a room
acoustic treatment
a drumset
microphones
cables
an interface with enough inputs
a portable multi-input recording rig
and a drummer that will drum what I want, when I want them to...
I'd be using real drums as well!
Being able to use real drums is a privilege.
Or are you subtly offering to play drums on my tracks?
I've got a long list of songs that I could use drums on, Bubba
MIDI isn't inherently bad. It's not wanting to put time into it that makes it sound cheap.
I'd say quite the opposite. The amount of polish that goes into a modern record is absurd. It's the whole reason that we use drum replacement software in the first place.
If our standards were low, we'd be bashing at a shit drum set with a one mic setup and not care about perfomance issues. Instead, we go for this overly perfect alternative.
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Btyre2013
New member
I'll be using the new acoustic agent in cubase to replace all drummers from now on, haha