Drum Machine in metal

[pete5]

Ok.... so to avoid all the hard core abuse about drum machines being no replacement for a drummer, I agree.We don't want to replace our drummer, more just augment him

We play melodic extreme metal in a band called Fearscape (influences range from Opeth to Seputura to Metalica) and we have decided to spice up our percussion with a drum machine (for some furious double kick and maybe some tribal stuff).


Can anyone recommend a drum machine which will work well in conjunction with a live drummer?? I don't wanna buy somehting and find out it only works for R&B or techno.

 

[pete5]

Has anyone at all ever heard a metal band play with a drum machine?


What sort of drum machines did they use?

 

[Reign in Acai]

Sounds like cheating if you wanna ask me.

 

[Azrehan]

Has anyone at all ever heard a metal band play with a drum machine?


What sort of drum machines did they use?

Mutant, Lymbonic Art, Forefather, Lord Kaos, Peccatum, Portal, Dodheimsgard have all used drum machines. I don't know what brands they used.

On some CD's I have, I can't tell if it is triggered drums or a machine, eg - the amenta - mictlan demo, Borkanagar - self titled.

If you want to make some cool metal and are a guitarist who can't play drums and can't find a drummer, they are ideal. I don't think it is as deceptive as triggered drums, which enable the mediochre player to sound awesome.

 

[FearSore]

Can anyone recommend a drum machine which will work well in conjunction with a live drummer?? I don't wanna buy somehting and find out it only works for R&B or techno.[/QUOTE]

First, all drum machines are workable, they have sounds that may sound weird at first. Yet generally there are edit functions to set them to sound more real if you wish. I would say buy a machine, but I think using a laptop and progs like Fruityloops, Acid, and Soundforge. But if you are set on machines, I have used the Yamaha DTX 2, QY20, as well as the Alesis DM5..... all are excellent machines. If you are as anal as I am, you will do a lot of tinkering and experimenting til your mind is numb. Just try and remember it's a machine and can be alterred, unlike your drummer (who is who he/she is regardless of what you wish).......

 

[Akronaes]

Fruity Loops makes a very effective software drum machine if you can pick up some good samples.

 

[MajestikMøøse]

Christian fuckheads.

 

[Corporal McDick]

Summoning used drum machines. In fact that's all they use.

 

[FailingAcension]

Summoning used drum machines. In fact that's all they use.

Yup, and it is excellent!

 

[TwilightSymphony]

Can anyone recommend a drum machine which will work well in conjunction with a live drummer?? I don't wanna buy somehting and find out it only works for R&B or techno.

Actually, this will be a case of your drummer being forced to work well with your drum machine, not the other way around. If your drummer is not playing in sync with your drum machine, the results are going to really suck because they won't be playing together. Have your drummer play to a click track, first before making an attempt to do so.

If you can find a good drum machine with multiple outputs, you can alter the qualities of the sound files (i.e. run it through distortions, flanges, delays, EQ it to death, etc.) so they sound less like actual drums and come up with "your own" sounds.

I don't think it is as deceptive as triggered drums, which enable the mediochre player to sound awesome.

Triggers don't actually produce a sound. They merely transmit an electronic signal that is triggered by the player hitting the drum which is then sent to a device which contains an audio sample or controls a MIDI sound file. They can help solve problems, such as micing or they can be used to augment the sound of the drums or if a drummer is unable to hit full force due to recovering from surgery or injury (which was the case of Peter Criss of Kiss when they went out on their Psycho Circus and, later, Farewell Tours. He had surgery on his wrists to correct a serious case of carpal tunnel syndrome). It's also a good way to record stuff to a MIDI sequencer and then change the sounds around until you get a sound that fits your needs.

Triggers don't make up for the playing deficiencies of a bad drummer. A bad drummer is still a bad drummer.

 

[Sunbane]

Samael went to using a drum machine (or something). I've used one on a couple of occations - a plain-jane "Dr Rhythm". It sounded very sterile though, and I never used it in conjunction with real drums. If I had a good drummer, I wouldn't have bothered with the machine.

 

[_t a l o n_]

On a related note, what are some good software drum machines? ...if that's even what they're called.

 

[SevenString]

i use steinberg's LM4: it's a great software VST instrument

 

[Metal is Religion]

man, thats cheating. if your gonna do metal, do it right. thats almost like using drum triggers, which i think is another way of cheating. drum machines=boring. plus, i listened to your music. lame. sorry, i just think it sounds weak

 

[Akronaes]

On a related note, what are some good software drum machines? ...if that's even what they're called.

Even though I suggested Fruity Loops as a good software drum machine (of sorts)... I should mention that its really only good for home recording, I doubt it'd be as good a live drum machine as other programs out there.

 

[Varulv]

Fuck... I'm Dead uses their drum machine well.

 

[SevenString]

Well, MiR, not everybody is going to like my material, and that's okay. It doesn't really bother me one way or the other.

 

[Hexer]

thats almost like using drum triggers, which i think is another way of cheating.

sorry, but I still dont get it: could someone explain to me how using triggers is cheating???
of course all-triggered drumkits generally dont sound very good (in my opinion at least), but most people use triggers for bass-drum only anyway.
the drummer still has to play the stuff just as if he wouldnt be using triggers, right?
I'm not shure, but I could imagine, that you have to play perfectly in time even more if you use triggers, because you would hear it even more if you mess up the timing.
using triggers just changes the sound, right? now if that is cheating, I dont know how we guitarrists can use effects or even distortion without being cheaters..........

I agree that drummachines can sound VERY bad and boring, but if you do it right, they can actually sound pretty good.
anyway, I also would prefer a real drummer (but I didnt find one yet...... )

 

[sergiobouba]

man, thats cheating. if your gonna do metal, do it right. thats almost like using drum triggers, which i think is another way of cheating. drum machines=boring. plus, i listened to your music. lame. sorry, i just think it sounds weak

Do u have any music of your own u can let us listen to???
I m sure u dont, Unless you do, you re the one being lame and not worthy of giving any opinions whatsoever...
I find your way of flaming leslie s music despicable...(and totally unjustified)

++
sergiobouba

 

[Painkiller87]

I for one found the records i've heard from SevenString to be quite good..

If you ask me, drum machines or real drummers? Both are perfectly fine. I think it's entirely person preference.. either that or lack of drummers in the area. hey i mean if you wanna use a drum machine go right ahead. sometimes it sounds even better (for those drummers who never used a metronome.). As for triggers, they just change sound, nothing more. You still have to you it in order for it to work. I for one am a Lead Guitarist, I like to have alot of tone range when i play.. which is why i use Line 6 AMPs.. why couldnt everyone just think of Triggers as that for a drummer.. they want they're Snare to sound like a different sort.. or to have their kick sound sound good for metal when they play as a band and have it sound different when they play Blues or something on their own time.

Honestly, I think everyone should just be compleatly neutral on Drum Machines and Triggers. Just because you don't like it, or it's no good for you, doesn't mean that it doesn't seem good for the next person. Thats just my opinion, i don't know if i'm welcome to give it. If not, then just let me know. Don't get in my face and tell me i'm stupid for thinking drum machines are any good.