Programming drums

[Enmity]

I figured this would be a good place to start this thread up since everyone here knows much more about recording than me.

What is a good program / drum machine to use to program drums? I've been fiddling around with stuff that I've downloaded from shareware / freeware sites and all of them seem to have a similar problem the "broken record cymbal" problem as I like to call it. The sample or whatever makes this crazy noise that sounds like its skipping and the sound repeats, it does this especially with an opened hi-hat or the ride for the quicker beats. I was hoping to find a standalone program that will enable me to program drums (or even better, import drums from midi files, which is what I've been using for my drums mainly) that can avoid this problem... Or a drum machine that isn't rocket science to program and avoids the broken record cymbal problem.

Other requirement is that it has to be reasonably priced and standalone /if its a program. I'm still broke from having bought my Powerball and paid for a bunch of my band's cds to be replicated. Any suggestions or guidance would be appreciated. (I tried searching the Sneap forum but I didn't find anything about this topic)

-R

 

[Ermz]

I've recently discovered the wonders of Cubase. It is amazingly versatile and will do everything you need for drum sequencing and much... much.... MUCH more. It's just a matter of $$$.

 

[ThomasT]

Cubase or Roland R8.
Cubase for fast and easy programming.

R8 for more complex programming. (when you want complex pattern of Hihat, toms etc.)
You can change every note in pitch, decay, etc. And you can play the pattern with the 16 buttons. The sounds of the R8 are not up to date anymore but it hast 10 extra outputs.

 

[zenx]

yeah I used cubase sx to program the midi tracks -> battery sampler -> drumkit from hell samples

 

[DracWell]

cubas sx 2 -> Drumkit From Hell Superior.

Rock's my hairy an*s

 

[Genius Gone Insane]

i got a keyboard with a bunch of good drum samples on it. So I handwrite a drumbeat on a protools midi track, cut and paste for repeated patterns, then send the midi track through the keyboard and record the shit. be sure to randomize the midi notes (especially they're velocity). it sounds pretty damn good.

 

[Ermz]

yeah I used cubase sx to program the midi tracks -> battery sampler -> drumkit from hell samples

That's exactly the setup I'm using right now. Works pretty well, I must say. A MIDI keyboard would speed things up alot in terms of programming though.

 

[zenx]

hey I did this for fun with cubase and drumkit from hell:

http://www.velvetstab.com/temp/surprisesurprise.mp3

(it's deftones' around the fur)

 

[Hopkins-WitchfinderGeneral]

cubas sx 2 -> Drumkit From Hell Superior.

Rock's my hairy an*s

Same here.

 

[The Grand Design]

If I only have Battery and the DFH samples can I program drums or so I need something like cubase as well?

 

[moose209]

I've now had extensive experience of editing in all the major three european market platforms.

Until recently I dismissed Pro Tools as being somewhat lacking in the MIDI department, but with the recent changes in 7.x and the rearrangement of the menu structure the MIDI power in pro tools is equal to both Cubase and Logic...for editing.

DFHS and pro tools for me as its super fast and with the right latency setting and system you can have a fat sounding track before you've even bounced a single sample from DFHS.

There are still a few bugs but I should imagine now that the HD update has been completed that this will be the next thing for, considering all the fanfare they are making about virtual instruments. One of the advantages of Logic has always been the externsive MIDI ability afforded by their own 'MIDI' engine and their virtual instruments. That wont be the case for long as the rest are over taking them.

People have always found Tools to be hard for MIDI but I disagree, its just not in the places you are used to with other programs, and lets face it most of us upgraded to Tools, and its only the recent generation that has been able to start in a tools system.

 

[The Grand Design]

If you're a complete noob to audio engineering like I am, where would you start when it comes to programming drums? I have DFH and I'm getting Battery at the moment, what else do I need?

 

[BrandonS]

If you buy any of the above mentioned programs, you're either rich or... well... rich. I'm not rich and I'm on dialup so I can't buy OR download that stuff. I guess I'm doomed to forever use crap? That sucks.

 

[JeffTD]

Does anybody like... actually check the original post date?

 

[JBroll]

We don't do it on women or canned food, so...

Jeff

 

[Loren Littlejohn]

lol very funny why on earth dig up a post for 04? maybe someone didn't want to be repetative.

But just to chime in I just ordered a dd 55. Probably wont use the built in sounds but should make for great programing.