Hello from Scotland

tino · Joined: Jan 01, 2006 Posts: 3 Location: Glasgow

Hi guys, hope everyone's well.

I need some advice on drum programming and stuff. I like the sound of 65Days Of Static, Patrick Wolf, LCD Soundsystem, Primal Scream etc. I'm fine melodically and have a Korg Ms2000 and a Boss Sp505, as well as my guitar equipment, but I need advice on drums. I dont know whether a drum machine is best or whether to use a computer program. I'd love some advice x

paul e. · Posted: Sun Jan 01, 2006 7:02 pm Post subject:

hi...can you be more specific...what exactly are you having difficulty with ?

tino · Joined: Jan 01, 2006 Posts: 3 Location: Glasgow

I don't know where to start basically. I don't know how people usually make drum tracks for their songs, are programs like Cubase or Cakewalk the best, or would I be better with a drum machine or something? I'm kinda starting from scratch you see.

djfoxyfox

To emulate a real drummer:
Now is a good time to start thinking like a drummer. Like the rest of us, they have four limbs... a stick in each hand to hit things, a foot on the kick drum pedal, and one more foot that is usually on the hi-hat pedal, though it sometimes drifts off to the secondary kick drum pedal that some drummers like to use for fancy footwork.

Whatever you choose for hardware, firmware, software, etc., keep the above in mind. A drummer behind a kit can only do four things at once. Perhaps these are in rapid succession, but the upper limit is four.

Then add the percussion players who play bongos, congas, etc. Remember their physical limitations, too. Make sure your music making system can do all of this at once.

For experimental music- all bets are off! You might not even need drums at all! Make short, percussive sounds with your synth and drop them into your drum machine/sampling sequencer/whatever and make rhythms using your own set of electronic sounds.

Cheers,

tino · Joined: Jan 01, 2006 Posts: 3 Location: Glasgow

[quote="djfoxyfox"]Whatever you choose for hardware, firmware, software, etc

For experimental music- all bets are off! You might not even need drums at all! Make short, percussive sounds with your synth and drop them into your drum machine/sampling sequencer/whatever and make rhythms using your own set of electronic sounds.[quote]

Thanks a lot man.

So you think using my sampler to sequence drums would be the best bet over a computer program? I'm not too bothered about the drums being realistic, I've been in bands and stuff and I can play the drums but I'm interested in doing something different. I have drum ideas and patterns in my head, I just don't know the best way to play them. Really basic stuff!

djfoxyfox

Uncle Krunkus · Posted: Tue Jan 03, 2006 7:33 am Post subject:

Check out the free version of the TU2
http://www.brambos.com/tu2.html
It takes a bit of getting into, but it has helped me heaps.
Also, can you load Soundfonts into your soundcard (Creative ones only I think) 'cos there's heaps of drumkit soundfonts out there. (and you can make your own: -Vienna Soundfont Studio)
I also have an Alesis SR-16 setup as an sound module. Sometimes I send a hi-hat or snare line out to that for specific effects or to free up some voices from my computers soundcard.