Fake Drums. How bad is it?

[dobro]

I know everyone hates the sound of fake drums, but some of us have no choice. Here's my first attempt at adding midi drums to a song. Be brutally honest about what's good and what's not. To all you drummers out there. What would make it sound better? Thanks in advance.

Great tune. "Some of us have no choice." Not if you want to copy what a real drummer does, no. But why do that? Options? Here are some:

* ditch the drum track

* do some hand percussion instead - bodhran, bongos, djembe, brushes, sticks...whatever

* keep the MIDI drum track but swap out the sounds you're using now for something unusual so that it doesn't sound like MIDI drums imitating real drums, but instead, a MIDI pattern with some interesting sounds loaded in and trying to sound like...MIDI drums!

Most often these days, I'm using the second idea above. If I had access to a drummer who could drum, I'd use him on some tracks, but I'd keep doing the hand percussion on other tracks - it's fun and it sounds good.

Depends how much you want your stuff to sound 'in the genre'.

Nice tune. I haven't heard a sweet ode to a town like this in a while.

 

[VomitHatSteve]

To echo what others have said, the drums don't sound obviously fake to me, but the playing is much more energetic and driving than the rest of the song.

I just noticed the tag line of the chorus. Is... is this some kind of hipster country song?

 

[guitar zero]

Great tune. "Some of us have no choice." Not if you want to copy what a real drummer does, no. But why do that? Options? Here are some:

* ditch the drum track

* do some hand percussion instead - bodhran, bongos, djembe, brushes, sticks...whatever

* keep the MIDI drum track but swap out the sounds you're using now for something unusual so that it doesn't sound like MIDI drums imitating real drums, but instead, a MIDI pattern with some interesting sounds loaded in and trying to sound like...MIDI drums!

Most often these days, I'm using the second idea above. If I had access to a drummer who could drum, I'd use him on some tracks, but I'd keep doing the hand percussion on other tracks - it's fun and it sounds good.

Depends how much you want your stuff to sound 'in the genre'.

Nice tune. I haven't heard a sweet ode to a town like this in a while.

Some good ideas. I have a djembe and a cajon, but not sure my skills are up to a song like this. I guess I could give it a shot. Nothing to lose really. I've many times considered just getting a snare drum and some brushes and maybe a kick and high hat, but not so sure I could even make that sound good. Thanks for your input.

To echo what others have said, the drums don't sound obviously fake to me, but the playing is much more energetic and driving than the rest of the song.

I just noticed the tag line of the chorus. Is... is this some kind of hipster country song?

No, just a phase Portlanders went through riding around from coffee shop to coffee shop on their fixed gear bicycles, dripping java from their beards. I think the fixed gear craze has died out by now. Not sure about the beards though.

 

[AbacuS]

yeah I think the drums could do with being brought forward more in the mix a tad but it's not to bad for a first try. Have you altered the velocities to be more natural? That's a dead giveaway for "fake" drums normally
sounding good though man

 

[carl pants]

great song man, i don't even listen to that kind of stuff and i liked it.

 

[Pahtcub]

They sound fine. It's the ridiculous pattern that you've got them playing that makes them stand out as out of place.

Exactly! I replace shitty recorded accoustic drums with samples all the time and no one has ever said anything as long as your sample replacements have some slight velocity and hit changes.

 

[guitar zero]

yeah I think the drums could do with being brought forward more in the mix a tad but it's not to bad for a first try. Have you altered the velocities to be more natural? That's a dead giveaway for "fake" drums normally
sounding good though man

Exactly! I replace shitty recorded accoustic drums with samples all the time and no one has ever said anything as long as your sample replacements have some slight velocity and hit changes.

Yeah, I've already randomized velocities. It's pretty apparent I just need a slower, simpler pattern. Thanks for stopping by.

 

[CrowsofFritz]

I think the autotune could definitely be backed off a little. It's wayyyyyy too noticeable for me. How does it sound without it?

As for the drums, I wouldn't have even noticed!

 

[Lukesteele]

I have no choice but to use drum machines. I think you have to choose your beats carefully to ensure they fit. I use a Alesis SR-16 for basic beats and rolls. Check out Phoenix Rising, an instrumental song I wrote. I think I got it right in that one. phoenix-rising-pentultima

 

[triquee]

I actually quite like the speed of the drums on the bridges and choruses. It moves the song along in a very pleasant way and compliments the singer's light and airy vocal style, it supports strum pattern of the guitar, and gives those parts of the song a fitting modern folk-pop character. The verses however (the first one especially) I think need to be reinvented. The rhythm is really awkward and sounds a bit confused/unsure. I hear in the second verse that what you're trying to do is kind of "introduce" the quicker pace of the bridge/chorus, but it distracts from the tension build. Sounds like a kind of bossa nova pattern that is not really appropriate for the song or the mood in that part of the song. I would also consider taking out those two cymbal splashes at the beginning of the first verse.

 

[guitar zero]

I actually quite like the speed of the drums on the bridges and choruses. It moves the song along in a very pleasant way and compliments the singer's light and airy vocal style, it supports strum pattern of the guitar, and gives those parts of the song a fitting modern folk-pop character. The verses however (the first one especially) I think need to be reinvented. The rhythm is really awkward and sounds a bit confused/unsure. I hear in the second verse that what you're trying to do is kind of "introduce" the quicker pace of the bridge/chorus, but it distracts from the tension build. Sounds like a kind of bossa nova pattern that is not really appropriate for the song or the mood in that part of the song. I would also consider taking out those two cymbal splashes at the beginning of the first verse.

You know, listening again, I actually agree with you. The chorus part does fit the song, and actually pushes it along. The verses don't work though. Thanks for a contrary opinion.

 

[guitar zero]

I think the autotune could definitely be backed off a little. It's wayyyyyy too noticeable for me. How does it sound without it?

As for the drums, I wouldn't have even noticed!

You're right. I hadn't noticed it was turned up to 100%. I backed it down to about 25%, as well as slowing down the curves, and it sounds way better. Thanks for noticing.

 

[Chili]

Sorry Guitar Zero, I closed your thread for a while.

 

[triquee]

I keep coming back and listening. Cute song. Super catchy.

And you know what...the pace of the drums on the choruses make it uber catchy. Keep those. For the love of God, keep those. If you want to change the drum sounds themselves, then by all means do....but KEEP THAT PACE.

 

[guitar zero]

Sorry Guitar Zero, I closed your thread for a while.

I hope I didn't violate some kind of rule???

I keep coming back and listening. Cute song. Super catchy.

And you know what...the pace of the drums on the choruses make it uber catchy. Keep those. For the love of God, keep those. If you want to change the drum sounds themselves, then by all means do....but KEEP THAT PACE.

I've just about finished a new mix with a different kit. I put the same general beat in the chorus part because I agree with you. I like it to. It needs to keep moving. I'll post it shortly.

 

[Chili]

I hope I didn't violate some kind of rule???

No, you did nothing wrong. There was a disease spreading and the quickest way to stop it was to close the thread for a little while. I re-opened it later last night. Didn't mean to worry you.

 

[guitar zero]

I keep coming back and listening. Cute song. Super catchy.

And you know what...the pace of the drums on the choruses make it uber catchy. Keep those. For the love of God, keep those. If you want to change the drum sounds themselves, then by all means do....but KEEP THAT PACE.

OK here's the revised mix. Give me an honest opinion. Better or not?

No, you did nothing wrong. There was a disease spreading and the quickest way to stop it was to close the thread for a little while. I re-opened it later last night. Didn't mean to worry you.

OK thanks. Should I wear protection while I'm here?

 

[Chili]

OK thanks. Should I wear protection while I'm here?

Ohmigosh, definitely yes!!

Listening to the song for the first time. I don't have a problem with the drums. I like where you've got them. I don't oppsoe the three-armed drummer either. I figure a lot fo songs are going to have percussionists anyways, so the extra hits, crashes, can be accounted for in a conventional format.

I'm not crazy about the vocal treatment. I think the verb/delay thing you've got going really sets the lead vox out of place with the rest of the instruments. Plus it's very mid-rangey. To me the mando garners more spectrum than the lead vox and I don't think that should be the case.

The song is great. Performances are spot on. I like the liveliness in the feel of it.

Cool man!!!

 

[triquee]

OK here's the revised mix. Give me an honest opinion. Better or not?

I'm not sure about the new kit. It moves the song more into a rock direction and strips some of the quirky folk charm from your last attempt. The new ones are a little too heavy.

I would omit drums completely from the first half (if not all) of the first verse, if it were up to me. Let the vocals tell the story in the first verse so that the chorus really opens up and pulls the listener in. Then ease in some drums on the first half of the second verse. I really loved how you started that same chorus pace halfway through the second verse on the last mix. Keep that.

 

[guitar zero]

Ohmigosh, definitely yes!!

Listening to the song for the first time. I don't have a problem with the drums. I like where you've got them. I don't oppsoe the three-armed drummer either. I figure a lot fo songs are going to have percussionists anyways, so the extra hits, crashes, can be accounted for in a conventional format.

I'm not crazy about the vocal treatment. I think the verb/delay thing you've got going really sets the lead vox out of place with the rest of the instruments. Plus it's very mid-rangey. To me the mando garners more spectrum than the lead vox and I don't think that should be the case.

The song is great. Performances are spot on. I like the liveliness in the feel of it.

Cool man!!!

Hey thanks Chili. I'll revisit the vocals and see what I can come up with. Thanks for listening while you were here.

I'm not sure about the new kit. It moves the song more into a rock direction and strips some of the quirky folk charm from your last attempt. The new ones are a little too heavy.

I would omit drums completely from the first half (if not all) of the first verse, if it were up to me. Let the vocals tell the story in the first verse so that the chorus really opens up and pulls the listener in. Then ease in some drums on the first half of the second verse. I really loved how you started that same chorus pace halfway through the second verse on the last mix. Keep that.

Good ideas about bringing the drums in later. I was thinking the brush made it more folky than a regular snare, but you seem to think it sounds more rock this way. Interesting. So you think I should ditch the brush and go back to a pop kit?