Noob question: VST instruments

[SuperFuzz]

Hey, I've got Cubase 4 and have always used the VST's that came with it. But I don't like the drum sounds, so I might get the "Addictive Drums" VST.

http://www.xlnaudio.com/

Er, but the thing is I don't understand how you work with it in conjunction with Cubase, I mean...how do I use its sounds and record using them in Cubase...once I've got and installed this VST?

Thanks!

 

[Waffleness]

Hey, I've got Cubase 4 and have always used the VST's that came with it. But I don't like the drum sounds, so I might get the "Addictive Drums" VST.

http://www.xlnaudio.com/

Er, but the thing is I don't understand how you work with it in conjunction with Cubase, I mean...how do I use its sounds and record using them in Cubase...once I've got and installed this VST?

Thanks!

Its very simple - you wont have any problems. The process is basically:

- Stick addictive drums as one of your VST instruments on the VSTi menu.
- Create a new MIDI track
- Set the output of the MIDI track to the Addictive drums VSTi
- Find out which MIDI notes correspond to which drum sound (kick, snare, hats, crash)
- Record yourself inputting aformentioned notes. You can sequence using the mouse and keyboard or record from a MIDI controller such as a electronic kit or piano controller.
- Rock out

 

[SuperFuzz]

Cool. So technically I could record now with a VST I already have, and then when I finally get my new Addictive Drums VST, I could just change the VST on the recording to the Addictive Drums one, without having to record again?

 

[Waffleness]

Cool. So technically I could record now with a VST I already have, and then when I finally get my new Addictive Drums VST, I could just change the VST on the recording to the Addictive Drums one, without having to record again?

Indeed you are correct

 

[JonPaulP]

You can sequence using the mouse and keyboard or record from a MIDI controller such as a electronic kit or piano controller.
- Rock out

You mean you can use the keyboard like a midi piano keyboard and play the drums live?

Which is easier, that or inserting the drum hits with a mouse in the drum editor (like in a midi notation program)?

Thanks!

 

[Waffleness]

You mean you can use the keyboard like a midi piano keyboard and play the drums live?

Which is easier, that or inserting the drum hits with a mouse in the drum editor (like in a midi notation program)?

Thanks!

Definately with a keyboard. You can drag and drop the notes with the mouse and copy and paste, but keyboards are much easier to jam with and create more realistic sounds.

Obviously, for the most realism MIDI wise you should use an electronic drum kit, or drum triggers. Dragging and dropping is more robotic, but still perfectly acceptable.

 

[gecko zzed]

You mean you can use the keyboard like a midi piano keyboard and play the drums live?

Which is easier, that or inserting the drum hits with a mouse in the drum editor (like in a midi notation program)?

Thanks!

Which is easier? That depends.

You can play the drums live on a keyboard, but it takes a bit of dexterity as well as being able to drum for real, and you need to replace feet with fingers. I often do MIDI drums 'semi-live', i.e. I record them in two passes. The first time through I do the feet (kick and hi-hat), while second time through I do the hands (snares, toms and cymbals). The advantage of doing it live is that you can get a good, reasonably live feel, and you also avoid drumming paradoxes, e.g. hitting more things at one time than you have hands and feet for.

Using a midi editor works well too. You get precision with this, and you can copy and paste repeated sections and save yourself a whole mess of work. On the other hand, fills and rolls can sound artificial and the whole thing can have a too-mechanical feel about it.