general computer recording question....

[Basslord1124]

All right, let say I'm recording a song using guitars, bass, vocals, and drum machine software. I decide in this song that I don't want drums kicking in til later in the song. My thoughts would be just to create a real basic drum part so I can kind of keep time with it as I'm playing the guitar part in the beginning or whatever. Then I program the drum software to bring in the actual drums when I want them to come in. Once I am finished I go back and erase the basic drum part at the beginning up to the point when the main drums kick in. This is my approach...is there another way I could do this?

 

[scottboyher]

You could use a click track....

 

[Basslord1124]

You could use a click track....

umm yeah I knew that. Of course actually if I were to use that how could get the drums to come in at just the right time. It'd probably take some trial and error to finally get the drums to line up with the music wouldn't it? BTW, I use CEP and Fruityloops for the drums.

 

[Chibi Nappa]

Why trial and error? If you are on a computer, you can just drag the drum wav to exactly where you want it.

 

[Basslord1124]

Why trial and error? If you are on a computer, you can just drag the drum wav to exactly where you want it.

I should mention I am still learning the ropes here. The reason I say is trial and error...lets just say I use the click track to lay down the guitar part. I've already got the overall drums programmed and they just need to be inserted. I find a point in the music where I want the drums to be inserted and do that. I then find that I was perhaps a couple milliseconds off or something. That's what I mean by trial and error. And knowing me and how I do drums, I don't make em start on count 1...I'll probably have a intro fill part or something.

 

[Rassoodocks]

drums kicking in

ok... i don't know cep all that well...i use cakewalk... however, cep seems similar in it's editing in the multitrack view... i'd say the best thing for you to do if you want a drum track to keep time, is to basically record the drum track right through.. keep it simple for the sections you want it to function as a 'click' track... and then, when you want drums to kick in... drum the way you want it to come out on the recording... Now, you don't need worry about getting stuff in time... use the drum parts you need, on the final mix... just delete the sections you don't want to play... that's the way i do vocals, guitars... all sorts of things.... punching in and punching out...

Hope that helps you.

 

[borednbuzzed]

Your drum machine won't be a couple milliseconds off... If you have a click track at x beats per minute and you lay down the drum track at the same bpm and then compensate for any input latency the drum track will be right on with your click track. You have to make sure that your instruments aren't getting a couple milliseconds off. If you're doing time changes besides half time or double time.. good luck! Hope you can figure it out though!

 

[borednbuzzed]

I've also found to always start by laying down the beats... whether it be your live human drummer or a metronome or drum machine... When you have your beats down first you can assure that your instrument tracks will be laid down on beat... of course a couple takes is always needed!