Programming drums : FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCKKKKKKKKKKKKK

[slashvanyoung]

Well, drawing them in can be tedious experience, but it's not like LADs (live action drummers haha) play a completely different pattern every other bar. Even not in spasmo-metal... So get your main beats/patterns down and copy-paste along. When your done with that you can fine-tune your accents, rolls and what-not. Realism is the last thing to worry about and the integrated humanization processes of the common drum VSTis take you quite a way, so you'll often just have to adjust some fast rolls etc. People are basically used to ultra-fake drums in modern metal productions anyway. That's not saying you shouldn't care, just don't overestimate this.

If you're tired of drawing them in, maybe try a MIDI controller? Or tap on something, mic it and trigger that?

 

[Russtopher]

Well, drawing them in can be tedious experience, but it's not like LADs (live action drummers haha) play a completely different pattern every other bar. Even not in spasmo-metal... So get your main beats/patterns down and copy-paste along. When your done with that you can fine-tune your accents, rolls and what-not.

THIS.

Spend your time programming a really good verse beat (1 or 2 measure) and a really good chorus beat (same thing). Then copy/paste to get the structure of the song down, then go back to insert fills, little flourishes in the beats to vary things up, etc.

 

[Chris_P_Critter]

The only way to get good at it is to practice man. Record to a click track, then write drums around the guitar riff.

 

[midget donkeys]

The only way to get good at it is to practice man. Record to a click track, then write drums around the guitar riff.

That is good advice.

Here is what I do when writting and tracking a song.

1.) Record main guitar part of song all the way through (it doesn't need to be perfect).
2.) Now figure what time the click should be at and set it up. You will find that some of your riffs needed slowed up or down. If there are big differences between riffs you will need some time changes.
3.) Rerecord a scratch track of the guitars again. Add leads and fun stuff too if you want, but don't spend forever making it flawless.
4.) Now either program drums to the new tracks you have or break down and hire a drummer to do it. I am all about hiring a drummer to do it. Just think of the reverse. What if a drummer sat down and tried to write out a guitar solo in midi? It would take forever and probally blow floppy nut sac.
5.) Now that you have good midi drums record the final guitar tracks to the finished drums.
6.) The final step is to convince teenage chicks that the song is about them and that your really not that creepy.

 

[RemoWilliams]

Also, Guitar Pro tabs that you get from various places probably have midi drums in there. Take a look at those. Obviously the drum probably will probably only be 30% right, if that (just like the tab), but it gets you in the ball park area of whats going on. From that the advice previously posted about adding embellishments and what not to give it "feel".
It took me FOOOREEEVVVVER to even get an small idea of what good drummers think about when playing. It takes time and listening I suppose.