Not Quite Thrilled With DFHS

[JeffTD]

I'm not fully convinced on my DFHS sounds I was so ecstatic about, now that I think about it...


DFHS:
http://www.soundclick.com/bands/songInfo.cfm?bandID=187505&songID=3726229


Battery kit:
http://www.soundclick.com/bands/songInfo.cfm?bandID=187505&songID=3474624

I'm going to give it some thought over the next week or so, and try to use some of the samples I like out of DFHS (more velocities, one or two cymbals, some hats, toms, etc) in Battery, and go from there... So far, the Battery kit is sounding way better, IMO.

I use this as a writing tool, not for demo's or anything, and I've heard DFHS sound amazing, and figure it's my (lack of) mixing skills, but as of now, it's kind of hard to justify the cash I dropped on DFHS, considering where it could be put elsewhere in my rig.

Also, the Battery kit only has some reverb on it, while the DFHS kit took a ton of eq'ing, compression, etc to get sounding anywhere near where it is at currently.

Anyone else, besides me and Shane (Kazrog) have this problem?

 

[iekobrid]

The Battery mix sounds brighter and clearer in general, and not just the drums. In the DFH mix the guitar tone sounds like it's fighting for space with the kick (which I can barely hear at all) and that really thick snare. Do you have any examples where the drum samples used are the only difference?

 

[kev]

I just love the sound of the recto :zombie: Its got this low end grind no other amp has! I see why it costs so much more arghhh. I think instead of getting a 5150 i am gonna have to wait for a mesa

 

[Torniojaws]

Have you noticed that the clean guitar line on "End of the World" is straight taken from Rammstein's song Stirb Nicht vor Mir? It's even the same sound.

But as regarding the drum sounds. I think the DFHS sounds more realistic, while the Battery kit sounds very artificial.

 

[CJWall]

I definitely dig the DFHS sample alot more as far as the drums are concerned. I think the problem you have is that the Battery kit is probably already processed to a degree, thus, making it easier for you to make them sound "good".

You have to remember that the samples in DFHS are totally dry, allowing you to sculpt them to whatever particular sound you're after. How long have you had DFHS? I'd say give it more time either way and just keep messing about with the processing of em'. Either way, I'm sure you're results will be much more fruitful in sticking with the DFH stuff. I didn't care for the sound of that Battery kit at all, very lifeless sounding, maybe due to lack of diff. velocities?

Keep at it,
Charlie

 

[RemoWilliams]

I like the sound of DFHS as well. Maybe since it was the first drum sample library I've ever used and have grown accustomed to how to make it sound the ways I want it to. Actually, I dig it so much I'm thinking of picking up Custom and Vintage today when I go looking for a power conditioner.

 

[006]

I talked to DSS3 on AIM about a week ago (maybe a little longer, can't remember, heh) and I think I was the one who finally convinced him to get it. DS, dude, you gotta work with it man, the thing is....the samples are completely raw. There is no processing on DFHS at all. So yes, I agree, it does sound like complete ass when it's unprocessed. Just like real drums in a studio do. I was actually talking about this with kev last night, drums sound fucking horrible. They just do. If you've ever taken on a kit in a studio, you would know how much work it takes to make it sound badass like you hear on cd's. It's not an easy task. All of the gating, compression, eq'ing, plug-in reverb, more eq'ing, bus compression, limiting...I mean holy shit, if they sounded badass from the start, we would have a much easier job (studio engineers). But, if you've never taken on a real kit in an actual studio, the process of making the raw drums sound amazing/what you want them to sound like will probably overwhelm you the first few tries. It's a huge process to make them go from raw to polished. But the thing is, with DFHS, you can save all of your settings and everything, that way, the next time you write a song, bam, all you have to do is program and bounce with your plug-ins on them and you're ready to record your guitars and everything else. It's just that first good chunk of effort you have to dish out to make the kit sound great. Even for me, a person who works with real drums from their raw state nearly every single day, DFHS was just like being in the studio. I mean, the bleeding, the realism, the horrible raw sounds, , it's all there. I had to gate, compress, eq, etc. just like I always do. Granted, at first I wished that it was already somewhat processed for metal style drums, but nope. It's raw. And looking back, I'm glad it was raw samples, because that really does leave the door open for what sounds you can do. I've heard people do metal, country, blues, rock, fusion, jazz, latin, 60's rock, and everything in between with DFHS because they are raw drum kits, it's all in the eq'ing and everything. You need to give it more than a week of trying before you start thinking it was a bad idea. No negativeness intended, it's just the nature of the subject. Bottom line: it won't be "easy", but when you get it down, you'll be extremely happy.

~006

 

[Matt Crooks]

DFHS is a pure recording of the "naked" drums. To me, it sounds very, very close to the real recordings of drum sets I do. With the ambience on, it's almost impossible to tell that it's a machine. I run a CAL (cakewalk script) to randomize the velocities and start times a bit, and it's very realistic.

However, jsut like a real drum set, it takes a ton of EQ, verb, compression, etc to get it to sound like a record.

 

[Black neon bob]

Agreed..

DFHS at first, might strike pretty dull and lifeless.. but you need to give it time, work with it over and over again.. and then, you will learn a lot about drum processing in general.

I'm mixing real drums right now, and i can really use the knowledge i have gained from fiddling around with DFHS over the last year or so..

Give it time DSS.. i felt the same when i first got it.. the first couple of songs i did with it sounded like complete ass.. and i was not satisfied at all.. just gotta dig in a bit deeper and learn as much as possible... it needs time.

 

[JeffTD]

I guess I need to work with it more, and my speculations about not knowing how to mix drums being the culprit were right.

006, get ready for an AIM barrage of questions.

The one thing I can forsee having a real problem with is that damn ride... I like more of a pingy, big bell ride, the new Old Man's Child has *the* perfect ride sound, IMO. These are sounding way more dry and dull, for lack of a better term, but I'll definately be playing and tweaking for the next couple of weeks. Thanks guys!

Have you noticed that the clean guitar line on "End of the World" is straight taken from Rammstein's song Stirb Nicht vor Mir? It's even the same sound.

But as regarding the drum sounds. I think the DFHS sounds more realistic, while the Battery kit sounds very artificial.

Holy crap... I'm downloading that song right now, but the only Rammstein I've heard is on MTV, I can assure you I didn't try to rip that off, at all.

Just heard it... the intro is very similar, damn. Is mine different enough to keep? I don't even really like Rammstein .

 

[Matt Crooks]

DSS - in DFHS, I think Ride 3 or 5 has a heavy bell ride - if you use the "punch" sound of that ride, it will get close to the sound you describe.

Next time I'm in DFHS, I'll look at what I use and post it up.

 

[JeffTD]

So, with the help of a few buddies on here, I've come up with this:

http://www.soundclick.com/bands/songInfo.cfm?bandID=187505&songID=3759076


I'm really, really happy with it, and it's not even complete. The guitar tones aren't final, just PODxt layed down for reference, and the bass was just a pitch shifted single coil neck. No kick or snare replacement yet, either, but it's still sounding awesome to me, especially compared to what I used to have.

 

[Genius Gone Insane]

Aren't you guys retriggering with Andy's samples anyway?

 

[cornerarea]

Holy crap... I'm downloading that song right now, but the only Rammstein I've heard is on MTV, I can assure you I didn't try to rip that off, at all.

Just heard it... the intro is very similar, damn. Is mine different enough to keep? I don't even really like Rammstein .

I'd say keep it until you have Rammstein's lawyers knocking on your door