How To Record Drum Machine?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Dan Lail
  • Start date Start date
Dan Lail

Dan Lail

New member
I'm new to digital recording, but not to analog. I am using "reaper" and would like to know how I can track a digital drum kit. I have an Alesis HR-16 Drum Machine which I am very comfortable with. Can I write a drum pattern, then assign each drum, cymbal and percussion to an individual track of their own? How would you keep them in sync? Say I recorded off the HR-16 the snare to track one, then recorded the kick to track two, then the closed high hat to track three, and so forth. How would you sync them up? Is there a reference point or would you need a track dedicated to a sync signal to tell the HR-16 to start playing?
 
Does the HR-16 have MIDI? I have the SR-16 and record into a stand alone unit (Korg D1600). I create a tempo (BPM) with the Korg, assigning it as the clock master and then set the SR-16 to be the clock slave. The SR-16 has four outputs so I assign each drum to an output. If I want to use more drums/voices, I reassign the new drums to one of the outputs and when you hit record/play on the Korg, the drums automatically start and will be in sync.

I used to record with a Boss BR-8 which only had 2 inputs, so the MIDI feature really came in handy when I wanted to assign each drum, it's own track.

I guess if you're using Reaper, your computer or interface would need MIDI capability.
 
Looks like each instrument has it's own output. Get an interface with the same # of inputs and connect it to the computer and your software.
 
This may sound ignorant(probably is), but you mean you can plug the four separate lines out from the HR-16 into a device(interface) that plugs into the mini 1/8" stereo in on the back your PC and it will route these four lines to four individual tracks(simultaneously) on Reaper? If this is true, then where do I get such a device?


The HR-16 does have midi.
 
Another option is to record the MIDI and render it to audio using a soft synth or sampler.This let's you use your drum machine to program but let's you access better sounds than the ones in the drum machine.

I don't know how this is done in Reaper but most apps should handle it.
 
Dan Lail said:
This may sound ignorant(probably is), but you mean you can plug the four separate lines out from the HR-16 into a device(interface) that plugs into the mini 1/8" stereo in on the back your PC and it will route these four lines to four individual tracks(simultaneously) on Reaper? If this is true, then where do I get such a device?


The HR-16 does have midi.
Click to expand...

No, what is being suggested is buying a separate USB of firewire audio interface. That 1/8" stereo jack is just not going to cut it for serious recording. Or, you could just get a MIDI interface to USB and go that way.
 
This is getting most interesting.
Does anyone have a link or photo showing a midi interace device that would connect the HR-16 to the PC(tower). Also I have an Alesis 1622 16 channel mixer. How would this be connected to the PC? Thanks for all the help.
 
Dan Lail said:
This is getting most interesting.
Does anyone have a link or photo showing a midi interace device that would connect the HR-16 to the PC(tower). Also I have an Alesis 1622 16 channel mixer. How would this be connected to the PC? Thanks for all the help.
Click to expand...

http://www.zzounds.com/a--2676837/item--MDOUNO There is an example of a midi interface. As for the mixer, you need a basic audio interface. I use a Presonus Audiobox which has a two channel input that you could connect you mixer stereo outs AND a midi interface. This is a small, one-box deal. It retails about $150.
 
Alesis Multimix 16 - plug the outs from the drum machine into channels on this mixer, then USB it out to the USB port on your computer. Using a multichannel recording software you can record each track individually then mix them as you like.
 
EZDrummer looks like fantastic software. Maybe later on though. Right now I'll experiment with the HR-16. I just installed a new lithium battery in it. It's the 1990 model. ZZsounds looks a lot like my AverMedia analog USB video capture. Maybe I could use this. It has three female RCA in and a USB out. I'll check out the Alesis Multimix 16 too!


Thanks, again everyone.
 
Well, I am MIDI interfaced and audio interfaced. I have downloaded the 30 day trail of the Reaper software. My problem is now with Reaper. Reaper's Instructional Manual is 414 pages long. I can't even find how to adjust input gain and trim! Any clues. Say I set a channel on my Alesis mixing console to peak at 0db, how do I adjust the input level on Reaper?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top