I'm not sure if the problems I'm having just have to do with the style I'm using, or limitations of the program. I'm a little more used to BIAB, but I'm trying to put an arrangement together, and need the DAW applications of RB.

I'm trying to put together pretty much a cover of "Harder They Come" by Jimmy Cliff, but I can't seem to get the hits for the intro to work decently, as well as something I'm trying to arrange for the ending. Using -REGROCK, when I put the hits for the intro, the drums are pretty lame for hits. No real crash, etc. What do I do to get a more energetic intro of hits? Can I change to different RealDrums for the intro?

I'm also trying to put together a staccato 8th note crescendo for the ending. Microchords doesn't seem to do this right at all. Is this a matter of using a different style for the ending?

Or using short midi notes to get that staccato feel.

How are you doing these 'hits'?

I tried entering shots on each 8th note. Didn't work.

I tried entering a chord and comma, so a chord on each 8th note, and putting rests on the 16th note via Microchord window, nothing works.

Have you tried RB and the drum grid editor? It would allow you to put the drums in where you want them and at the velocity you want. You'd end up with two drum tracks - one RD and one midi but that's not a problem.

Needless to say mute the drum bits you don't want but the drum grid editor is very probably the answer. Creating midi drums for specific bits gives you total control of timing and velocity.

That sounds very much like what I should do. I don't know anything about drum grid editor. Is there a good video tutorial to explain it?

However, I need the other instruments to do the hits, too.

the drum grid editor is self explanatory if you open it up. i'm not sure if the manual deals with it properly. as to the other instruments you may be able to enter them as midi manually using editable notation. midi is normally the solution when you need specific notes and timing. if you are using RTs for the rest of the track it might not 'match' exacly in terms of sound but with short sharp hits it will probably be fine. a bit laborious but easy enough.

with RB you can add extra tracks to work on and its all 'upfront' and visible and you can then mute the original RTs and bits you want the midi to take over fromn

I'm not even sure how to open up the Drum Grid Editor.

Are RealDrums editable like the editable RealTracks?

the drum grid editor gives you midi drums which is why you can make them do exactly what you want. read page 188 of the current manual. you open it by going
edit/midi/drum patch map/drum grid editor

realdrums aren't relevant.

The steps to navigate to the Drum Grid are: (1) Edit - (2) MIDI - (3) Drum/Patch Map - (4) Drum Grid Editor.