How do I line up tracks in HS 2004?

F

FenderKid29

New member
I seem to be having some trouble lining up some drum maps with other tracks. I have the guitar and vocal tracks set up the way I need them, but for some reason I can't line up the drum track. Now I used a drum map that came with HS 04, because I have no clue how to create drum maps or drum tracks period. So I just used one of the templates in HS 04 and changed the tempo to fit my tracks. It seems like the timing is off a bit, and not only that it's not long enough. My guitars, and other tracks keep going after the drums have already stopped because the drum track isn't long enough. I don't know how to extend it or make it longer, so I tried copying and pasting it again directly after the first one ends, but it sounds like crap. I'd appreciate any incite I can get. Thanks...
 
Did you record the guitar and vocal using a click track?

If not, the timing is probably inconsistent and the drum tracks are not going to line up properly.

There are some tools available to help them fit better, but unless you initially recorded against a click (metronome) you're gonna have troubles.
 
Yeah, I usually shut the click right off because it annoys the hell out of me, but if that's the way I need to do it I will give that a shot. But another thing is, if I record the guitar and vocals using the metronome, when I add the drum track in will it automatically adjust it so it fits or how will I get it to match. Because one of the other problems is that I tried adjusting the drum track but you can only move it a specific length, which stinks because it's usually not the right amount you need. Thanks again...
 
Yeah, I usually shut the click right off because it annoys the hell out of me, but if that's the way I need to do it I will give that a shot. But another thing is, if I record the guitar and vocals using the metronome, when I add the drum track in will it automatically adjust it so it fits or how will I get it to match. Because one of the other problems is that I tried adjusting the drum track but you can only move it a specific length, which stinks because it's usually not the right amount you need. Thanks again...
 
A click track plays to a tempo... say a click every 1/4 note. When you program your drums, they will marry up with your tempo.. hence you won't have any problems aligning them up... How have you set up your drums? Have you keyed the notes in or are you using a plug-in?

Porter
 
Alternatively, you could program your drums first and use that as your click track. It's my preferred method because I find click tracks somewhat sterile.

There again, I tend to compose everything in MIDI before I record guitar. This way, I can spend hours and hours polishing a tune without actually recording anything :(

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BluesMeister
 
I got a good one for you guys...

How can I take a real song done by someone, lets say an MP3 and take it apart and use the drum layout for that song. Like say I wanted to take a song from Dave Matthews and use the drums in his song and make a track out of it so I can throw it into Home Studio...or is this not possible? lol, thanks guys...
 
lol

There are easier wasy to get drums for a song. I wouldnt recommend stealing another artists work.

To answer you question about if it is possible to just isolate the drums from a fully mixed and mastered song. I would say highly unlikely and time consuming. And the finished product would probably sound like ass... You could build your own drums in fruity loops or some other software.

Good luck


Steven
 
The only reason I was wondering that is because It's not for my own song...lol. It's actually just one of the songs my girlfriend asked me to remake in my own voice and guitar for her on a cd. So that's why I wanted the exact drums in one of his songs. It's really, really hard for me to figure out where the toms, hi-hat, snare, cymbols, and how to do the turn-arounds and change-ups with drums. But like I said, thanks again guys...
 
FenderKid,

Building up drum tracks is easy.

Start with the bass pedal. Where does it fall, and what sort of pattern can you discern?
Is it every beat: bum bum bum bum?
Or 1st & 3rd: bum-and-bum-and- or bum-and-bu-bum-and-?

Snare drum, second and fourth beats?
And-tap-and-tap.

Hi-hat: Every beat or every half beat?
Tish-tish-tish-tish.

Working in 4/4 time is relatively straightforward. It gets a bit more complicated if you work in Shuffle rhythm though. Think Don't Stop by Fleetwood Mac. That's Shuffle Rhythm. It's achieved by setting your note length to 8th-triplet.

It takes a bit of practice, but with perseverence you'll get there. Start with one bar and get it perfected, then simply copy & paste as many times as you require. Adding fills is simply a case of editing one or more measures.

When you paste, specify the measure number of the paste, don't let HS2004 default to where the curser is currently located. That can lead to timing errors.

The most important thing to remember is that a drummer only has two hands and two feet - most drummers that is :). Don't have more happening than is humanly possible, otherwise your drum tracks won't have that authentic feel.

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BluesMeister
 
<b>BluesMeister</b>

I really appreciate all of your input. That definitely helps me out with figuring out how to throw them all together. Because I have both Home Studio 2004, and Cubase and Fruity Loops. But I can't seem to figure out the tutorials...I know Home Studio 2002 has tutorials to help you learn them. But I don't notice anything like it in these programs.
 
It sounds like you have some good software... Some have good tutorials and some dont. Sometimes you actually have to put in some "serious time" to learn more about how to use the software. If you have fruity loops.. then you can create any drum track you would ever need. It is just gonna take some time on your part learning how to use the software.

I am a few years into this stuff and I am still learning all the time.


Good Luck


Steven
 
Yeah, I've come to realize that you really have to put the time in and do some studying with recording programs. There's just so much to the process that you would never expect. For example, I'll write a song, then my girl will come over and she'll listen to it and she'll say "Add some drums to it, it would sound better", Yeah, if it were only that easy. I just need to find a website or something that has tutorials on creating drum maps.
 
Blue, Does Home Studio 2004 have Brush Patterns for midi? That way just click and drag ;-)

FenderKid29,

I learnt this the hard way also.. whenever you record, always use a click track... for a couple of reason.

1. It keeps you in time!!
2. If you want to add additional instrumentation later (durms &#169 Porter and others, such as strings) it's a hell of a lot easier.

Porter
 
Porter said:
Blue, Does Home Studio 2004 have Brush Patterns for midi? That way just click and drag ;-)
Click to expand...
The Brush Tool is there, so I suppose the answer is YES. But I haven't tried it just yet, I'm still coming to grips with HS2004 & Drum Maps.

The method you are alluding to would be ideal for FenderKid. :)

Whack in a decent SoundFont, find a suitable pattern and brush it in. Hmm. I think I'll have to try this over the weekend. Thanks Daniel :)

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BluesMeister
 
I usually just build the drums in fruity loops before I start recording anything else. But this is another option:

Since he has fruity loops he can also creats the click track in fruity. Say just high hats. for three or four minutes. However long the song is. Then export it as a wave. then import that wave into cakewalk on track one. record all your guitars, bass, vocals Keys. Then go back into fruity and start building the drums around the song. export as a wave. then import it into your cakewalk song. Continue the process untill your drums are perfect. when your happy with the drums delete the click track.

Good luck.

Steven
 
Last suggestion is to find a MIDI version of the song... do a search for either the name of the song or the band the mid or midi after it.. .you should be able to find a decent version of it somwhere on the net... just open that in Home Studio, copy the drum track into either your existing file or into a new file to re-record it. I've currently done that with a cover I'm working on.. the rest of all the tracks I worked out myself. Plus doing this saves a fair bit of time.

Porter
 
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