MIDI track and Project timing, especially for drums...

[chris2002rock]

I am having trouble using certain tools like MIDI project timelines to create music with automation.

Let me start out by saying that I was in band in grade school and I remember a measure in 4/4 time has 4 beats, and a loop can be any length of measures, and then the song can have other sections.

Now I would like to use a computer to record so that I can have several takes of a loop and then paste it throughout the song. I also have a bass, and will perform everything but drums (unless I have to go ahead and learn those too).

The reason I mention all of this is because it seems like the workflow all the tutorials show, you're supposed to decide on your drums first and then play around that timing. That is not really how most people write. But either way, my problem is the MIDI timing in the project or in a track, including the drums. It seems like all of the tools require using "templates" (pre-made loops). What I mean is that every time I look at software and the tutorials, they show this supposed workflow where you can just grab a MIDI loop that you like (you have to reject the first one or two to show you have discernment, but they still never show you how to create your own).

If I come up with my own guitar and bass riffs, I can't figure out how to create drums to the correct timing since I don't often use standard 4/4 timing, and it seems like rock music rarely does - or maybe it's just me screwing up...

So I thought I could make my own drum loops by recoding the riffs, and then matching the drum beats to the peaks indicated in the wave editor. I can think of a way to do that entirely in wave editing, but whenever I hear these commercials and promotional videos for software, it seems like there might be other ways to do this?

I don't want to make just any music by Lego or taking nothing but preexisting loops. How can I get MIDI and or drum timing in my projects to match my riffs?

If there is no obvious answer, then please advise me the best software to use to learn how to create my own drum loops. My last resort is to buy some electronic drum kits to learn drums, or to get a pedal to do tap tempo, or I guess I can use my MIDI keyboard pads to create my own drum timing. If I have a MIDI track, can I build project timing form the track I "perform?"

Let's say I open up a new project, perform drums, and then use the recording to set up the project's timing? It's really frustrating because I have been working on this off and on for months, and wasted money buying software that is not that easy to learn, it almost seems like nobody creates music this way? When I do see drum loops being created, again, the theme seems to be "look, you have beats" but it's never beats to match a riff. I don't want just any beat, I need to know the process for creating timing to go with the riffs. That is how most music is written as far as I know. Is that why live drummers are still used? Is there an answer to my dilemma?

Thanks for your patience. I promise to document my solutions so that if there is a good answer, I'll be sure to pass it along.

 

[FunkDaddy]

Rock music is 99% 4/4 time or 6/8 time. Both creating a fairly standard downbeat groove. How does your music differ? Perhaps you're writing off sloppy timing as style.

You're right, most people don't write songs starting with the drums, but the reason it's a good idea to build your RECORDING around the drums is that is your rhythm. If you want drums in your song, it's a good bet to start with them. Record a scratch guitar track, figure out a drumbeat that fits and re-record your guitars so it fits with the drum track.

There are very easy ways to incorporate drums into a song when you don't play them (or in my case, when I don't have the facilities to record them). EZDrummer is where I got my start. Simple drag and drop MIDI grooves that drive an audio engine. I then upgraded to Superior Drummer 2.0, the same basic function as EZD but with a lot deeper of an engine and much more tweakability.

I don't think your drums should follow the guitar in the way you say ("match drumhits to the WAV peaks"). A good rule of thumb is to roughly match up the bass guitar and kick drum accents. That will lock the rhythm enough and not make everything sound robotic.

I used to use my keyboard to "play" drums and drag n' drop MIDI grooves are quicker, easier and sound lightyears better. With EZD/SD2.0 and their expansions you're getting real drummers playing the MIDI grooves that trigger fantastically recorded drum sounds. For ANYBODY who wants drums on their songs and can't get a drummer in their studio or whatever reason, I highly suggest EZD.