Beginner drum Programming question

[Skyweaver]

Hi All,

Have never programmed drums before, I picked up BFD and looking to start using it in anger, is there any reference material available how to get started with drum programming ?

In particular Heavy Metal, double kick.

 

[Kenneth R.]

Here's my personal tip, though I'm sure others will come with more experience.

Firstly, I suck at drums. I cannot play them. I do not know the first thing about it.

That said, I listen to the tracked guitars (dummy stuff that will get re-tracked after the drums are done) and loop it maybe 1 to 4 measures at a time. During this time I open my DAW's drum hit editor and put in a simple kick beat. I then add snare. From this point on, it's about adding and subtracting hits until the measure sounds like what I've got in my head but don't know how to translate. Once I've got this, I do a similar pattern on the rest of the same section, altering hits where needed.

If you want a specific sound but can't figure it out, listen to a song that has it and try to piece apart what the drummer played.

 

[Benny H]

What DAW program? Is there a paino roll view/midi editor?

My advice to anyone is to download midis of drums (there's some metal songs out there), and first get that triggering your sampler. Then look at the midi to get an idea what's going on. Then fuck around with it.. move stuff, draw in new hits. Get to know the editing tools etc.

 

[Skyweaver]

Nuendo is the SW, any idea of where theres a good source of "metal" midi's and thanks for the advice !

 

[Benny H]

Search it up man... just search google '*band name* midi' and try your luck.

http://home.hccnet.nl/r.piepenbrink/midifile.htm <-found Sepultura - Roots here for eg.

They'll obviously have other intruments, but your drums, regardless which track they where done on, should be on midi channel 10.

I don't know about Nuendo though, so I can't really help with the detials once you're in there.

 

[Skyweaver]

thanks for that, found some slayer and pantera midi's, its great !

 

[Hexer]

also keep in mind that even the best drummers only have 2 legs and 2 arms what I'm trying to say is: dont programm weird stuff that no human could possibly play (even if you've never played drums yourself you know how it basically works)

 

[cobhc]

thanks for that, found some slayer and pantera midi's, its great !

Another thing to do, is to get guitar pro, and export some of the tabs as midi, you're more likely to find some of what you like on there. Or if you don't feel you know how to do that, PM me, and I'll send you some midi files of whatever songs you want, if I have them of course

 

[Kenneth R.]

also keep in mind that even the best drummers only have 2 legs and 2 arms what I'm trying to say is: dont programm weird stuff that no human could possibly play (even if you've never played drums yourself you know how it basically works)

this is an excellent point i forgot to make! also, no drummer hits every hit at the same velocity (volume)... and they all make a couple mistakes

 

[J the TyranT]

also keep in mind that even the best drummers only have 2 legs and 2 arms what I'm trying to say is: dont programm weird stuff that no human could possibly play (even if you've never played drums yourself you know how it basically works)

Yeah no shit... that always annoys me, as I AM a drummer, when people program just ridiculously impossible shit.

J

 

[Jackal_Strain]

Unless that's the sound and style you're going for. Remember, music has no rules!