Question about Drum Triggers and Sample Replacement

Zak with OMG

Zak with OMG

Bringer of screams
Oct 11, 2009
119
0
16
Connersville, Indiana
Alright. Let me explain my situation. This'll only take a second. I have a presonus Firestudio Project. We all know the specs. I've been close micing the kit...obviously...and replacing hits with Apptrigga. this has worked out well for me. I read somewhere that If I just plug triggers directly into my interface (Firestudio project) that it will record a click/beep kind of thing. I want to confirm this before I buy some. I'm going to seriously be pissed if thats not how it works. Also...I'm taking it that a threshold drum replacement vst (Apptrigga) will replace these click/beeps with samples the same as everything else?

If anyone could answer my questions you really be settling my mind. I've honestly looked for this answer everywhere and can't find one. It seems like it be a duh kind of subject....but so far I've heard nothing.

Thanks,
Zak
 
Imagine the sound triggers make as tiny mics clipping (which is basically what they are).

Aptrigga will replace these, that's what it's for.
 
a trigger is a microphone that "feels" instead of "hears". other than that, it works the exact same way and sends...for your intents and purposes, the exact same signal. a trigger module is essentialy just a hardware unit of aptrigga, and would react the same way to a microphone close miking a drum as it would to a trigger. apart from accoustic bleed, which a trigger does not "hear".

the one exception as to when a trigger might not "work" in this instance is in some cases they put out a signal that's much too hot and clips a preamp even at 0 gain. it'd still trigger aptrigga, but wouldn't be much for dynamics. however this usually doesn't happen and most people use triggers in mic preamps all the time.

so...yea, do it.
 
JeffTD said:
Gotta paint it purple bro.
Click to expand...

HAHAHAHAHAHAHA

I can't believe you remember that.

Thanks so much for the quick response. That really helps me out. I have one more question that has nothing to do with this topic though.....

With this kind of technology. Why would anyone Close mic shells anymore? I honestly dont see a benefit? Unless your making a sample why do it?

Zak
 
Just from my own experience, you need a way to pad the triggers if your recording them direct. If clipping occurs, fast hits will cause the transients to become indistinguishable in the waveform and you will not be able to get it to trigger properly.
 
musickey said:
Just from my own experience, you need a way to pad the triggers if your recording them direct. If clipping occurs, fast hits will cause the transients to become indistinguishable in the waveform and you will not be able to get it to trigger properly.
Click to expand...

What exactly do you mean by padding? When you say padding I imagine something between the trigger and the drum head. But that doesnt seem right.
 
Zak with OMG said:
What exactly do you mean by padding? When you say padding I imagine something between the trigger and the drum head. But that doesnt seem right.
Click to expand...

I think he means a signal input pad, which basically reduces the levels of the incoming signal as to prevent clipping. Apart from that, you do usually have a piece of foam between the piezo (converts sound vibrations to AC voltage) and the drum head, which prevents any dampening on the drum.
 
It will just send clicks and pops to your interface, you could even change the heads on the drums to mesh heads to save noise in te overhead if youreally dont want any at all.

Personally i wouldn't completely trigger a kit, it has it advantages and disadvantges, i normally trigger kick completely, however run a kick mic through my m-audio fast track to make sure all the beats have been detected. Then i mic the rest of the kit into my FP10, and sample reinforce, making the samples generally louder than the live mics, however keeping the live mics in as they have extra bleed from the kit and i think it helps it sound less computerised. Also if the kit sounds good i sample the kit before recording and blend these samples in with others.
 
JamesNorman said:
It will just send clicks and pops to your interface, you could even change the heads on the drums to mesh heads to save noise in te overhead if youreally dont want any at all.

Personally i wouldn't completely trigger a kit, it has it advantages and disadvantges, i normally trigger kick completely, however run a kick mic through my m-audio fast track to make sure all the beats have been detected. Then i mic the rest of the kit into my FP10, and sample reinforce, making the samples generally louder than the live mics, however keeping the live mics in as they have extra bleed from the kit and i think it helps it sound less computerised. Also if the kit sounds good i sample the kit before recording and blend these samples in with others.
Click to expand...

I have a fairly decent Gretch set. But I am aware that with the experience I have right now...I wont be able to make samples that are as good as this 5 piece DW set I have. It's kind of unfortunate but I simply dont have enough inputs to trigger and mic a set. I'm using an FP10 (yay). I'm currently running triggers for bass, snare, two toms, two overheads, and one condenser near my china (An Important part *I BELIEVE* to capture how I play.) That technically does mean that I have one more input to mic my bass drum. I'll definetly try this....thanks for the tip.
 
Zak with OMG said:
I have a fairly decent Gretch set. But I am aware that with the experience I have right now...I wont be able to make samples that are as good as this 5 piece DW set I have. It's kind of unfortunate but I simply dont have enough inputs to trigger and mic a set. I'm using an FP10 (yay). I'm currently running triggers for bass, snare, two toms, two overheads, and one condenser near my china (An Important part *I BELIEVE* to capture how I play.) That technically does mean that I have one more input to mic my bass drum. I'll definetly try this....thanks for the tip.
Click to expand...

Your triggering your OH's?
 
Hey guys...

I´ve got a question about this whole trigger - microphone pad thingy. If I wanna connect my Triggers to the Line-Ins of my interface and not to a Mic Preamp, which pad do I need to get a usable signal without clipping in my Interface (10 db? 20 db?). I don´t want to waste precious mic-ins for trigger signals.

Greetings
 
AHChris said:
Hey guys...

I´ve got a question about this whole trigger - microphone pad thingy. If I wanna connect my Triggers to the Line-Ins of my interface and not to a Mic Preamp, which pad do I need to get a usable signal without clipping in my Interface (10 db? 20 db?). I don´t want to waste precious mic-ins for trigger signals.

Greetings
Click to expand...

Totally depends on how hot the signal your getting in is man........
 
AHChris said:
Hey guys...

I´ve got a question about this whole trigger - microphone pad thingy. If I wanna connect my Triggers to the Line-Ins of my interface and not to a Mic Preamp, which pad do I need to get a usable signal without clipping in my Interface (10 db? 20 db?). I don´t want to waste precious mic-ins for trigger signals.

Greetings
Click to expand...

I only had problems doing this. If there were soft hits the line in was not providing enough signal to even be detected in the DAW, so I had lots of missed hits and drum editing to do.
 
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