How do I lay down a drum track?

G

Gavin

New member
I'm recording a demo and I'd like to record some drums. I know I can't put the drums on last cause they won't line up so I need to put them on first I guess.

However I'm using a drum machine but I don't want it to sound like a drum machine. I mean I want rolls and stops in places etc. so it sounds more like a drummer was playing the drums.

Has anyone done this before? What's the best way to do this?
 
Gavin said:
I...I'm using a drum machine but I don't want it to sound like a drum machine....
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Then you need a drummer....

It takes some pretty intense drum pattern programming to make a drum machine sound even close to the dynamic and intricate sound of acoustic drums played even by a moderately-skilled drummer!

So you either spent A LOT of time creating intricate drum patterns on the drum machine (and still not yet coming close to sounding like a drummer), or you get a drummer....!
 
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Re: Re: How do I lay down a drum track?

Blue Bear Sound said:
Then you need a drummer....

It takes some pretty intense drum pattern programming to make a drum sound even close to the dynamic and intricate sound of acoustic drums played even by a moderately-skilled drummer!

So you eaither spent A LOT of time creating intrictae drum patterns on the drum machine (and still not yet coming close to sounding like a drummer), or you get a drummer....!
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I am a drummer.

I'm going to try recording the guitar track to a metronome or I'll just record the kick and snare and add the toms, cymbals and breaks later.
 
I'm not sure if I understand this right, so forgive me if this isn't what you're looking for. Why not just get the drum machine track onto your computer (I'm assuming that's your method for recording) ,plug in headphones, and play guitar to it?
 
FattMusiek said:
I'm not sure if I understand this right, so forgive me if this isn't what you're looking for. Why not just get the drum machine track onto your computer (I'm assuming that's your method for recording) ,plug in headphones, and play guitar to it?
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I want rolls, breaks etc in the drum track. I might be able to program the drum track first and then play guitar to it.
 
I have done this. It's a gruesome process to me. I record the drum track using the metronome. Since some segments may not be perfect enough, so I copy and paste in a loop I have done correctly. Since I'm using my hands instead of my entire body I have to create the drum track using layers, maybe starting with hi-hats to replace the metronome, then adding kick/snare, then the toms, then the cymbals. If I want a more elaborate fill in, I can delete the measure in question and just focus on getting that one part right.

I'm definately no pro at this, but I have managed to create decent drum tracks using the drum kits on my korg.

Since the music I'm playing the drums to hasn't been laid down with perfect rhythm yet, I usually don't play along to that. Just know what your drums will sound like for each part of the song, map it out, then play it to the metronome.
 
Depends on what you record to...

I have a Korg D1200 Recorder, to which I synchronize a Zoom Drummachine... I usually program the drums first, record them to the Korg (in sync with eachother), then record all the other tracks... BUT, usually I find out (after all the other tracks have been laid down) that maybe a different drumset would sound better or something like that... Well, no problem, I just change the drumset on the Zoom, mute the drumtrack on the Korg, and play back the whole thing... The zoom is perfectly in sync (with the help of MIDI) and I can monitor it through the D1200...
Couldn't this be an option in your case????
 
Hmmm....thanks for the info guys. Yeah I have a VX400, Cakewalk and a Boss drum machine. I could use midi.

I guess mapping it out and programming the drum machine would be a good way to go as I could also store the pattern and use it later when I'm playing live.
 
So why dont you lay down a "dummy" drum track on one line with the boss. Record everything else from vocals to bass. Then go back and record the drum parts with a real drummer. And if you cant do that, look into midi sinc. Its easier to come back later and line up additional drum parts from the boss while keeping them in sinc.
 
Sorry if this sounds stupid, but if you're a drummer why not record real drums with the stops & fills etc just where you want them?

If you don't want to play the whole drum track cold, you can just record it in sections and loop them in Cakewalk
 
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