A really big NEWB Question about drum samples / midi

  • Thread starter Thread starter dreamache
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dreamache

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I know you can either choose to map out a midi either through a music keyboard, or manually insert the notes with an editor... which method do most people use, when say for example you're making drums with DKFH / Battery for a song?

Thanks.
 
what is DKFH?
i don't use Battery.

most of the time i right my beats out note-for-note...i'm a control-freak =)
 
Typing them in note by note is tedious and the result is very precise and rather unnatural sounding. There are ways to improve the results -- manual tweaking, or applying groove templates with some software (which are basically quantization grids that come from a real drummer's performance, allowing you to humanize the feel of a precise track).

Playing them via a keyboard or drum pad at least gives you a chance to capture a decent feel if you can supply it.
 
There is a better way to "humanise" drum tracks if that's what you're going for. Find a breakbeat (drum solo) that has the general feel, ReCycle it, and export the MIDI (or use something like the Hitpoints feature in Cubase). In your sequencer, load the MIDI file that you created in ReCycle and extract the groove from it, (in Cubase, Advanced Quantize->Part to Groove). Apply the newly created quantize template to your programmed track. Of course, after this you'll still need to play around with velocity to get it just right.

Personally, I do Industrial and DnB. In Industrial, it's all about machinelike quantization, so I don't even bother. In fact having the drums right on the grid is desirable. When doing DnB, I use a combination of chopped/rearranged breaks and programmed drums, which are quantized to the original breakbeat to get that groove.
 
it's not tedious to me. and i never use beat machines or samplers to get a realistic kit sound (i don't try fake it); i use drummers for that. sure, maybe i'll program a couple bars for an idea for the drum track, then get a real drummer to play it.
 
NationalSandwic said:
what is DKFH?
i don't use Battery.

most of the time i right my beats out note-for-note...i'm a control-freak =)


Drum Kit From Hell
 
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