Hey sneapsters! This is probably the 2nd time im asking about programmed drums!
I want them to sound as real as possible and take it to a next level!
i got tons of virtual drumsoftware samples and i´m a drummer myself so i kinda think i know how to deal with velocity!
i think i´ts a huge chapter and even read that joey sturgis had an idea to write a book about it because theirs so much to it.
this time i want to bring live into simple midi notes.
I think it would be cool if everybody could just throw any thought they have about programmed drums in this post!
Doesn´t matter so long it improves mixing creating programming them!
could be usefull for everybody that has to deal with them.
so I´ll start with what i do first
1. If i didn´t program them myself i just run a quick test on ez drummer and play airdrums with drumsticks or play on a chair practicepad whatever to the playback to see if it´s even possible to play!(sometimes git or bassplayers think drummers can play 5 cymbals with one stick)
2. because a lot of programmed drums are written in guitar pro with out any dynamics i start changing the velocity where i think it has to be changed.
for an example fast 8th notes on cymbals or hi hat ill do: hard medium hard medium sometimes a soft hit.
for hi hats i sometimes change from half open to full open and almost closed to closed when needed.
3. i like to put the first note of a breakdown on the cymbals to 127 the first note always has to be hit real hard well thats how i would play it
4. time to check all the snare rolls and fills. mostly pull the velocity down and add some hard hits maybe on 4th notes and sometimes if the rolls are longer i add a unexpected harder hit sometimes just to make it sound more dynamic.
tom rolls i´ll do like this: 4 hits would be 100 80 70 60. or 110 80 110 70.
some druminstruments or samplepackages have tom-rim hits i like to throw in very carefully(dont want it to sound like an mistake to obviously)
probably forgot something about velocity .. maybe you can add..
5. flames ..or pdab first hit softer second hit harder that´s how i play them i find them the most powerful. sometimes switch that though to have more possibilities. always change the velocity here. identic flam hits won´t sound dynamic or real imo
6. i check the quantizing.
Very often i de-quantize cymbal hits a few ticks 3-4 not too much.. so their not completely on the grid.
i also move tom or snare hits around that get played at the same time as the kick so their not exactly on top of eachother.
7. mixing: the worst part for me are the cymbals.
usually i compress them real heavy 6-8:1 short attack and release depending on the song tempo.
sometimes the ssl comp with the overhead ambient preset is a good starting point for me
8. Room. if the drumsoftware has room mics i compress the hell out of them and have them up a bit louder then the overhead´s. only with programmed drums.
the rest ill mix just as usual or the same as real drums.
I try to work with only one v-druminstrument so far it´s possible.
i keep catching myself adding additonal samples like costum kick samples of my own in a diffrent sampler.
so that´s about it hope it wasnt to long to read
now it´s your turn
I want them to sound as real as possible and take it to a next level!
i got tons of virtual drumsoftware samples and i´m a drummer myself so i kinda think i know how to deal with velocity!
i think i´ts a huge chapter and even read that joey sturgis had an idea to write a book about it because theirs so much to it.
this time i want to bring live into simple midi notes.
I think it would be cool if everybody could just throw any thought they have about programmed drums in this post!
Doesn´t matter so long it improves mixing creating programming them!
could be usefull for everybody that has to deal with them.
so I´ll start with what i do first
1. If i didn´t program them myself i just run a quick test on ez drummer and play airdrums with drumsticks or play on a chair practicepad whatever to the playback to see if it´s even possible to play!(sometimes git or bassplayers think drummers can play 5 cymbals with one stick)
2. because a lot of programmed drums are written in guitar pro with out any dynamics i start changing the velocity where i think it has to be changed.
for an example fast 8th notes on cymbals or hi hat ill do: hard medium hard medium sometimes a soft hit.
for hi hats i sometimes change from half open to full open and almost closed to closed when needed.
3. i like to put the first note of a breakdown on the cymbals to 127 the first note always has to be hit real hard well thats how i would play it
4. time to check all the snare rolls and fills. mostly pull the velocity down and add some hard hits maybe on 4th notes and sometimes if the rolls are longer i add a unexpected harder hit sometimes just to make it sound more dynamic.
tom rolls i´ll do like this: 4 hits would be 100 80 70 60. or 110 80 110 70.
some druminstruments or samplepackages have tom-rim hits i like to throw in very carefully(dont want it to sound like an mistake to obviously)
probably forgot something about velocity .. maybe you can add..
5. flames ..or pdab
first hit softer second hit harder that´s how i play them i find them the most powerful. sometimes switch that though to have more possibilities. always change the velocity here. identic flam hits won´t sound dynamic or real imo6. i check the quantizing.
Very often i de-quantize cymbal hits a few ticks 3-4 not too much.. so their not completely on the grid.
i also move tom or snare hits around that get played at the same time as the kick so their not exactly on top of eachother.
7. mixing: the worst part for me are the cymbals.
usually i compress them real heavy 6-8:1 short attack and release depending on the song tempo.
sometimes the ssl comp with the overhead ambient preset is a good starting point for me
8. Room. if the drumsoftware has room mics i compress the hell out of them
and have them up a bit louder then the overhead´s. only with programmed drums.the rest ill mix just as usual or the same as real drums.
I try to work with only one v-druminstrument so far it´s possible.
i keep catching myself adding additonal samples like costum kick samples of my own in a diffrent sampler.
so that´s about it hope it wasnt to long to read
now it´s your turn
