Recording with Mixer Preamps

[VRW]

Originally Posted by adam79

Do one of those videos show how to use XPand 2 to change the kick into samples? I opened XPand 2 the other day, but had no idea how to use it.

I dont have the cash to buy another program, so my only options are turning the kick track to midi ot figure out XPand 2.

This video shows it with XPand 2.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ctkGaa2PPvs
He does it with the Snare however it´s the same concept with the Kick.
It´s even simpler to get it done because there are no -ghost notes- with
Kicks and other quiet hits which are a lot more complicated to translate
to a Midi/Sample sound.

[adam79]

Originally Posted by VRW

Adam, you can only do it with -DRUMMER- tracks. Live recorded drums/audio files cannot be converted in Garageband.

Again. This only works with the audio files/tracks created by the -DRUMMER- function in Garageband/Logic. It will not
work with any other audio files though.

What's the "-DRUMMER- function? Also, what's the difference between a "-DRUMMER- track" and "Live recorded drums/audio files"?

I can't use a kick track recorded with Pro Tools, load it into Garageband and then copy it into the Software Inst. track (in Garageband) for the Midi conversion?

[Southsidemusic]

Originally Posted by VRW

Well,... you know, GB can convert audio -DRUMMER- tracks (which are actually audio files) into Midi tracks indeed.
It can´t do it with any other kind of audio files but it will do it with those audio -DRUMMER- tracks.
.

Thats probably why we didn't know as we never use drummer or any audio from either garageband or Logic except for a few sounds from the VI in Logic.

[adam79]

Originally Posted by VRW

This video shows it with XPand 2.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ctkGaa2PPvs
He does it with the Snare however it´s the same concept with the Kick.
It´s even simpler to get it done because there are no -ghost notes- with
Kicks and other quiet hits which are a lot more complicated to translate
to a Midi/Sample sound.

Awesome! A bit time consuming, but it ends up sounding great. How do I change the velocity setting, so it stays at that setting every time I paste a new kick sample? Thanks.

[VRW]

Originally Posted by adam79

What's the "-DRUMMER- function? Also, what's the difference between a "-DRUMMER- track" and "Live recorded drums/audio files"?

The -DRUMMER-function is the built in virtual drum instrument in Garageband and Logic. It is based on real played drums by real drummers yet can be easily manipulated in many really cool ways. It's recorded audio drums which you can adjust in real time. It's the coolest and most naturally sounding virtual drum app out there imo and you can build a whole arrangement, convert this arrangement to a Midi track and trigger this Midi arrangement with any sounds you want. You even can export this Midi file out of Garageband/Logic, import it in Pro Tools, trigger the Midi in Pro Tools with any Drum VI and print it to audio there finally.
The realistic human feeling of the -DRUMMER- app (because it's drums played by real drummers actually) will stay as the converted Midi file will be an exact copy of the original -DRUMMER- app audio file. Means, if you trigger the Midi file with high class drum sounds later and print it to high quality audio files you get the most natural approach to real drums you can get with virtual drums ever imo.
I have used it Logic several times, not in Garageband but as far as I could see it's the same functionality yet with a lot less variations and "drummer styles" than in Logic. There you can check out the -DRUMMER- function/app in Garageband/Logic.
https://m.youtube.com/results?q=gara...20drummer&sm=1

Originally Posted by adam79

I can't use a kick track recorded with Pro Tools, load it into Garageband and then copy it into the Software Inst. track (in Garageband) for the Midi conversion?

No, you cannot do that unfortunately.
You would have to create your drums with the -DRUMMER- function/app in your Garageband to be able to convert it to Midi there finally. That's what the guy in the video did actually.

[VRW]

Originally Posted by Southsidemusic

Thats probably why we didn't know as we never use drummer or any audio from either garageband or Logic except for a few sounds from the VI in Logic.

You probably rather use real session drummers for your work but if you ever would need grooves, fills whatever from virtual drums you would not have to use the initial audio from the Logic drummer. You can easily convert it to Midi (drag it onto a software instrument track in Logic, copy/paste it in GB), export the Midi file, import it into PT, trigger it with pro-sounds and print it in PT finally. This would provide you the pretty natural feeling from the Logic drummer as well as high quality audio in Pro Tools.
However as mentioned before you probably use real session drummers for your tracks which is indeed way cooler than any VI finally.

Cheers.

[VRW]

Originally Posted by adam79

Awesome! A bit time consuming, but it ends up sounding great. How do I change the velocity setting, so it stays at that setting every time I paste a new kick sample? Thanks.

You may check out the videos as for Midi Velocity setting in Pro Tools.
https://m.youtube.com/results?q=Velo...ls%20Midi&sm=3

Cheers.

[adam79]

Originally Posted by VRW;2390771 There you can check out the -DRUMMER- function/app in Garageband/Logic.
[URL

https://m.youtube.com/results?q=garageband%20drummer&sm=1[/URL]

So with the Drummer function you can't create your own custom drum beat, right? You pretty much have to go with the beats automatically created by the drummer you choose, and the settings there in, i.e. complex, simple, loud and soft. This isn't very appealing to me as I want to create my own drum beats. Guess I'll be using Xpand 2 in PT if I wanna to use samples.

[VRW]

Originally Posted by adam79

So with the Drummer function you can't create your own custom drum beat, right? You pretty much have to go with the beats automatically created by the drummer you choose, and the settings there in, i.e. complex, simple, loud and soft.

Yeah. Actually this is how it works. In Logic (have not checked if they have implemented it in Garageband´s version as well?) there is a setting where you can tell -the drummer- to follow another audio track in your project like the bass track or the guitar track and -the drummer- (the whole groove, kick, snare etc) will be adjusted to this particular track. Based on the initial groove though. This is pretty cool stuff imo, there is happening kinda magic in this Logic/Garageband-drummer app . Nevertheless it´s always based on the beats of the drummer you have selected. If you change the hihats from 1/4 based grooves to 1/8 or 1/16 or you select the beat to be played via cymbals or toms instead of hihats etc etc it always changes the beat/groove and creates something new in a way without losing the basic beat completely. It´s not only add or dismiss one instrument (you can do that as well though) but...you cannot create your own custom beats with it. It´s always based on the prefigured beats of the dedicated song of the dedicated drummer. It´s kinda like with a real session musician where you tell him your basic idea but he then goes and creates his own stuff to your music.

Originally Posted by adam79

This isn't very appealing to me as I want to create my own drum beats. Guess I'll be using Xpand 2 in PT if I wanna to use samples.

I completely understand that. I had been creating my own beats only for decades as I very rarely met drummers who heard the same stuff in their head like I did for my songs. If you work for/with other people this is another story of course. Since Logic 10 was released I was pretty fascinated and impressed what they had created with this -DRUMMER- function and I have started to use it even for my own music. It´s been kinda new approach for me as well as for my own music but like mentioned before it´s a bit kinda like working with session musicians although you are the only person in the studio. And you only have to pay once on buying the program. Crazy cool stuff. Other companies have done similar stuff in the meantime yet the Logic/Garageband drummer simply is the best working and most useful of all. Anyway definitely not the right tool if you want to create your own custom beats only. You are absolutely right with this.

All the best to you.

[Southsidemusic]

Originally Posted by VRW

You probably rather use real session drummers for your work but if you ever would need grooves, fills whatever from virtual drums you would not have to use the initial audio from the Logic drummer. You can easily convert it to Midi (drag it onto a software instrument track in Logic, copy/paste it in GB), export the Midi file, import it into PT, trigger it with pro-sounds and print it in PT finally. This would provide you the pretty natural feeling from the Logic drummer as well as high quality audio in Pro Tools.
However as mentioned before you probably use real session drummers for your tracks which is indeed way cooler than any VI finally.

Cheers.

Sorry Adam79 for the deveation of topic but I just got to Thank VRW for the awesome tip here. Will definitely try that tonight as it sounds like a great use of those functions and a huge time saver when we wanna test some fills and beats.
Super good points VRW