Programmed drums/ velocity starting point

[Paul Steen]

I was wondering what you guys do when it comes to adjusting the velocity for programmed drums. Do you set all hits to 127 and go from there? Or do you use different starting points or none at all?

I'm also curious in what order the drums "should" be taken care of. First mixing then processing? I know there are no "rules" but what do you guys generally do?

Paul

 

[Torniojaws]

Well, if you set the velocity at 127 to boot, where do you go from there when you want more intensity?

I guess around 90-100 would be a nice starting point.

 

[ReliXKeepeR]

It depends from your samples and the music you make.
For example these days I had to work with DFH Superior. In the demos the velocity 'starting point' is at 127 and the same samples are not very good under 100, so I did them around 115 and it was ok.

When I was making my velocities and chosing the samples for them, I usualy used as a starting point something around 90, because I actualy never need something lower than 40 for example.

Little trick: change this 'starting point' in the different pieces of the song. It is more natural... like a drummer who is beating the hell out of the kick in the chorus, but is not so enthusiastic in the outro...

Good luck

 

[Paul Steen]

Well, if you set the velocity at 127 to boot, where do you go from there when you want more intensity?

I guess around 90-100 would be a nice starting point.

You've got a good point here.

It depends from your samples and the music you make.
For example these days I had to work with DFH Superior. In the demos the velocity 'starting point' is at 127 and the same samples are not very good under 100, so I did them around 115 and it was ok.

When I was making my velocities and chosing the samples for them, I usualy used as a starting point something around 90, because I actualy never need something lower than 40 for example.

Little trick: change this 'starting point' in the different pieces of the song. It is more natural... like a drummer who is beating the hell out of the kick in the chorus, but is not so enthusiastic in the outro...

Good luck

I'm using DFH2 and I'm into metal. I think you have a good point as well.
Concerning your trick: I guess you adjust the velocity's starting point with no more then 2-3 steps, right?

Thanx for the input guys. Usefull!



What about the order of handling the drums? Should I mix them first and then add fx etc?

 

[Torniojaws]

I would add the effects first, so you don't have to mix them twice: once dry, and then again with the effects.

 

[Kenny Lee]

I use D.F.H.S. and C&V. I just use the default velocities and NO plug-ins when programming. Come back and nudge and tweak velocities to get this.

Then do a few tweaks, and plug-ins and end up with this.

Works everytime

 

[Paul Steen]

I use D.F.H.S. and C&V. I just use the default velocities and NO plug-ins when programming. Come back and nudge and tweak velocities to get this.

Then do a few tweaks, and plug-ins and end up with this.

Works everytime

Sounds fking great! What did you use on them toms? They sound nice and deep, what I like!

 

[Fyhed]

I Just program the drums all in one go with exception of the cymbals, I overdub these later.

I find that If you program drums in stages, you loose the "feel" which can be achieved if you were to program the drums from a drummers perspective.

ie. kick snare and hi hat tracks in one take instead of doing one take for kick, another take for the snare, another for the hi hats etc.

 

[Kenny Lee]

Sounds fking great! What did you use on them toms? They sound nice and deep, what I like!

Thanks.....This. Lookie at the guy at the bottom of the page

Here's the kit--->

 

[~BURNY~]

I don't want to be rude but ... This awfully squashed Kenny...

 

[Brett - K A L I S I A]

I don't want to be rude but ... This awfully squashed Kenny...

+1

 

[Kenny Lee]

I don't want to be rude but ... This awfully squashed Kenny...

Yeah, that one is, Here's the same kit, less compression. We need the click in the kick for when we really start hitting hyper speeds. With only a thump, things got muddy on us with a quickness The first one has more of the drum submix up in it.

 

[Atheist]

You didn't bounce, you just exported a mixdown - am I right?

@Paul Steen: It really depends on samples you are using and genre of music. As example I used 100 as starting point for snare with DFH 1 and now I use 120 with Superior because of different velocity mapping. I go as low as 30 for some ghost notes for metal and 1 for jazz
One dilema I allways have with new samples is, should I use low velocities for cymbals or use hi velocities and turn their chanel down, because cymbal samples are often louder then other - it again depends on samples.

Here are some clips:

Metal with DFHS: alas.matf.bg.ac.yu/~mr03085/sonor-F-Haake.mp3

Jazzy with DFH 1: alas.matf.bg.ac.yu/~mr03085/FJ.mp3

 

[ReliXKeepeR]

Well, here is my little try with Superior.
http://s22.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=2IOHRVQMSLYJ1208PUEWQLDLFP


Some days ago, just tweaking with it (no real mix). Used the midi (not eq, comp and stuff settings) from this demo - http://www.soundsonline.com/cd_mp3_demos/184681.mp3, but really changed some hits, specialy in the end and all the velocities.
Didn't have enough time to program all the cyms.


PS. Always ready to share settings and discuss sounds

 

[Paul Steen]

Well, here is my little try with Superior.
http://s22.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=2IOHRVQMSLYJ1208PUEWQLDLFP


Some days ago, just tweaking with it (no real mix). Used the midi (not eq, comp and stuff settings) from this demo - http://www.soundsonline.com/cd_mp3_demos/184681.mp3, but really changed some hits, specialy in the end and all the velocities.
Didn't have enough time to program all the cyms.


PS. Always ready to share settings and discuss sounds

You've got some nice programming going on in that first track. Love it!
Nice velocity changes, it sounds like a real "jazzmetal" drummer.
I guess it took some time to lay that down, right?

Well thanks to all of you replying here, I learned another little piece in this Labyrinth called "recording". I have been warned.

 

[Muttley]

I tend to do a lot of global randomisation between two levels, and then manually go back and tweak individual hits to taste afterwards.

Here's something I played around with one evening the other month. It's the first part of Dream Theater's Under A Glass Moon:

Under A Glass Moon - Drum Intro

There's no effects on that at all, it's just a full mix-down from DFHS.

Muttley

 

[Paul Steen]

Hey Muttley, link doesn't work...
However you made me curious, I&W is one of my alltime fav's.
Very nice production back then from David Prater. He also did Firehouse's "Hold Your Fire", a nice one as well.
Fix that link please..

 

[Brett - K A L I S I A]

The link worked for me.

 

[Muttley]

Hey Muttley, link doesn't work...
However you made me curious, I&W is one of my alltime fav's.
Very nice production back then from David Prater. He also did Firehouse's "Hold Your Fire", a nice one as well.
Fix that link please..

Whoops, I kinda fscked up the link. Should be worky now.

I kinda have a love/hate relationship with Dream Theater. When they are good they are very, very good. When they are bad they disappear up their own arses.

Mike Portnoy is an Overkill fan though, so he's OK by me.

Muttley

 

[Muttley]

The link worked for me.

That bad, eh?!

Muttley