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I like programming my own drum patterns for songs, what I would like to know, is there a way to see what drum is what in any screen to program them?
Right now, I use the piano roll view. It works, but it gets really old to have to always try to remember what key the snare is, and what key the kick is...for every drum sample!
It would also be cool to be able to delete any note that doesn't have a sample.
Is there a place/screen you can do any of this?
Thanks!
Chad (Hope that makes it easier) TEMPO TANTRUM: What a lead singer has when they can't stay in time.
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do you mean a software to create drum session (sound) ? ...
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Recording, Mixing, Performance and Production
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Maybe?
Basically, an easier way to program drums than piano roll. I'm a drummer and know what I want to do. I have used drum grid editors in before. I just didn't know if any of these products had anything like that. It just makes programming drums easier.
Chad (Hope that makes it easier) TEMPO TANTRUM: What a lead singer has when they can't stay in time.
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Recording, Mixing, Performance and Production
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More information would be helpful. I am going to assume that you are using a GM drum set. If not then ignore this note and let us know what software program you are using, what drum set(s) you are using and what OS.
1 - In GM standard MIDI files, channel 10 is reserved for percussion instruments only. Notes recorded on channel 10 always produce percussion sounds when transmitted to a keyboard or synth module which uses the GM standard. Each of the 128 different possible note numbers correlate to a unique percussive instrument, but the sound's pitch is not relative to the note number.
If a MIDI file is programmed to the General MIDI protocol, then the results are predictable, but the sound fidelity may vary depending on the quality of the GM synthesizer:
35 Bass Drum 2 36 Bass Drum 1 37 Side Stick/Rimshot 38 Snare Drum 1 39 Hand Clap 40 Snare Drum 2 41 Low Tom 2 42 Closed Hi-hat 43 Low Tom 1 44 Pedal Hi-hat 45 Mid Tom 2 46 Open Hi-hat 47 Mid Tom 1 48 High Tom 2 49 Crash Cymbal 1 50 High Tom 1 51 Ride Cymbal 1 52 Chinese Cymbal 53 Ride Bell 54 Tambourine 55 Splash Cymbal 56 Cowbell 57 Crash Cymbal 2 58 Vibra Slap 59 Ride Cymbal 2 60 High Bongo 61 Low Bongo 62 Mute High Conga 63 Open High Conga 64 Low Conga 65 High Timbale 66 Low Timbale 67 High Agogô 68 Low Agogô 69 Cabasa 70 Maracas 71 Short Whistle 72 Long Whistle 73 Short Güiro 74 Long Güiro 75 Claves 76 High Wood Block 77 Low Wood Block 78 Mute Cuíca 79 Open Cuíca 80 Mute Triangle 81 Open Triangle
2 - Here is a free GM MIDI drum beat program that looks like exactly what you are trying to accomplish. It reads that you can export a MIDI file containing your drum parts. RB has something like this so you may want to take a look at it.
3 - Most DAWs have a PRV where the keyboard is replaced with drum names. This sounds like exactly what you are looking for. RB may already have this, don't know. If not there are DAWs around $100 USD that do.
Good luck.
I think my wife has started to show the first signs of dementia. She said she can't remember what she ever saw in me!
64 bit Win 10 Pro, the latest BiaB/RB, Roland Octa-Capture audio interface, a ton of software/hardware
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Recording, Mixing, Performance and Production
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Ha! You asked some great questions on things I should have provided! Thanks for taking the time to answer even though I didn't provide that information.
I tend to program in GM initially, because it's just easier many times. It doesn't always sound that great from a sample perspective, but I replace them anyway.
I am using the slate line of drum samples. I'm a big fan of his samples.
I am running windows.
That being said, I'm thinking what I'm looking for is a little too specific to be marketable.
After you mentioned RB having something, I did look at it, and that is getting closer. That too would be a rather intensive way of programming drums. It's very workable if you are using a repeating pattern. I get that's what most musicians think drummers do, but the greats have a lot of subtle playing going on...as an instruments does.
I wasn't sure what program you were referring to in "2-"
I did manage to find something call rhythm rascal that is getting closer too. I guess I could use that, and adjust volumes in my pg software.
I will keep looking, but appreciate any insights always.
Thank you for taking the time to answer!
Chad (Hope that makes it easier) TEMPO TANTRUM: What a lead singer has when they can't stay in time.
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I also am a big fan of SS drums. I have a couple of drum programs from him, one SSD 3.5 for Kontakt and one SSD 4. You gotta love them! My bad on #2 as I forgot to include the link. Here it is: http://mididrum.en.softonic.com/You might want to investigate Cakewalk's Sonar DAW. I use Sonar Platinum but the Artist is $99 USD. Here is a picture of what I was talking about in #3 https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/97281321/drums.JPGNote that virtually all of my songs start in BiaB but ALL of my processing and patch selections are in Sonar. This is how I work but you may use a different path.
Last edited by MarioD; 03/11/15 02:13 PM.
I think my wife has started to show the first signs of dementia. She said she can't remember what she ever saw in me!
64 bit Win 10 Pro, the latest BiaB/RB, Roland Octa-Capture audio interface, a ton of software/hardware
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Biab has a styles maker and you can examine that with the midi drums and drum kit. I still will try to learn about different styles while looking at the style sequencer and there is a built in drum set that lists what notes the midi drum sounds are preassigned to. I would actually copy all the patterns for a style out to paper and then try to listen for the kinds of breaks and patterns but I think that is kind of old school and you may not want to spend that much time. It is time consuming I would do it with all the sequences in one style which sometimes took 4 1/2 hours to write out but I was learning something so it seemed useful to me and I hear better than I used to.
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Mario- Slate has some pretty amazing things going on, for sure! I will have to give a listen to your tracks. My next step is going to be to...attempt...to figure out how they get those HUGE drum sounds. I know that not for everyone, as some like just a natural sound. I don't think there's anything wrong with either. Just something I would like to see if I can do. The first drum pattern program looks like what I am looking for. I would be great to get the basic rhythms out, then tweak as needed. Sonar looks to be the way to go though long term. That looks simple yet effective! Thank you so much for the heads up on both! It is greatly appreciated! Methodman-your name says it all! I have to say, I think it's great that you are going about it that way! You will learn a lot by listening...I guess my name also says a lot  Thanks for you response!
Chad (Hope that makes it easier) TEMPO TANTRUM: What a lead singer has when they can't stay in time.
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Recording, Mixing, Performance and Production
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There are lots of different ways sounds are made. I own Peavey Revalver 4 and will run my drum and synthesizer sounds through various amps with different mike configurations so real fast I can get a different variation of sounds. That is why for me that is kind of a tricky cause. Rhythm is more important to me than the other aspects because spending my time tearing apart rhythms introduces a different set of emotions which I for my self must feel first before I expect others to respond to my music. But with vst's everything is inexpensive so its much easier to experiment rather than try to duplicate someone else's sound until you get experience by just creating a lot of stuff. I try to make 1 song a week. It doesn't come out in the league of the professional but so what it relaxes me. And I hear better as time goes on.
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I used to do my own drum programming with midi, building the track from scratch and then using copy and paste, and then I moved to Jamstix. JS gave me something halfway decent to start with and then I would edit it as needed. I've also used loop based drums a few times.
However, when I got into Band in a Box and Real Band, I don't think I have programmed but maybe one or two drum tracks since. 99% of the time the tracks I get with RB are just about prefect. Some EQ, and perhaps a cut/paste here and there is all they seem to need.
Last edited by Guitarhacker; 03/13/15 12:34 AM.
You can find my music at: www.herbhartley.comAdd nothing that adds nothing to the music. You can make excuses or you can make progress but not both. The magic you are looking for is in the work you are avoiding.
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