How to make my sampled (LM4) drums LOUDER?

[Alchemist3k]

Hey folks,

I've had this problem for a while now. I use a lot of soft synths in my music, think Depeche Mode. However, my problem is that as an alternative to electric drums I often like to have the sound of real drums so I use the LM4.

The thing is these drums seem so damn quiet. They sound so weedy. No matter which kit I use I have to compress the hell out of them to bring them up to a decent volume.

Any ideas on mixing? I feel I must be doing something drastically wrong because other groups use the same VSTi and seem to get very usable results.

Also I'd like to give the snares a far more 'cracking' sound. It sounds like the session player was hitting the drums without any vigour at all.

 

[Chris Tondreau]

I'm not trying to sound trite, or like a smart-ass here, so please don't get me wrong. My first impression is that everything in a mix is relative to everything else. Have you tried turning everything else down and mixing so that the drums aren't getting lost in the mix?

Also, if I recall correctly, there is a volume knob on the LM4 itself. Check that, and also check the VSTi faders in Cubase. (assuming that's what you're using...) They can/should be adjusted appropriately there too.

Keep us posted, maybe with some more specific details about what exactly you're doing, and I'm sure someone here will get you sorted out.

Chris

For more crack on the snare drums, you can use other samples, or try layering the samples so you can blend the crack of one sample with the "oomph" of another. EQ can be used judiciously with some success for this too.

 

[Alchemist3k]

To make everything else in the mix quiet enough to get these drums to come through would make the overall mix rediculously quiet. The LM-4 is set to full volume, it's the sounds themselves that are just weak.

 

[Chris Tondreau]

This sounds suspicious to me. What sounds are you using? Maybe those sounds are of poor quality? I use the Wizoo sounds and they're most certainly of decent quality.

Where is the track volume fader at in your VSTi channel? Is that set right?

Check the velocity of the samples in the program that is triggering them. (the drum map in Cubase?) If you're hitting them at a velocity of, say, 10, then you'll be disappointed. Start at 127 and work down from there.

This might be silly, but just to investigate things fully, can I assume that your master fader is set to an appropriate volume?

Keep us posted...

Chris

 

[Alchemist3k]

Well, I'm programming them in manually in the Drum Track editor. I'll check to see what the Note On velocity is... maybe that's it because I never really tend to alter that.

 

[ecs113]

I like to use Wave Renaissance Bass on MIDI drums.