drum loops, how do you guys without drummers do it??

[compblue]

I don't have a drummer, I have been working with my protools system now for under a week. I finally got some tracks started, and even got fruityloops loops started. I also have been using the grid on protools and trying to loop my own stuff, its ok, but time consuming and difficult to get it just right. I am looking to get more serious with drums, whats a good starting point?

I am thinking of getting
1. a roland groovebox mc505
2. drum kit from hell

how does the drum kit from hell work?
any other suggestions?

Also, my big fear is drum fills, how is an easy way to figure out the drum fill scenario? I can make up decent beats, but its the transistions that suck for me..

[Roy Howell]

Download some of these, the ones that are zipped WAV files, and import a few into a PT session. That will get you started. I use one-hit samples myself, but these are real drummer loops, and the quality is more than adequate.

~Roy

http://www.e-drummer.net///freeloops.html

[compblue]

the edrummer looks cool, how do i edit the loops and change time signatures? thanks

[go i huvet]

I use Reason for drums a lot. That, together with some great drum samples will get you going.

www.propellerheads.se

Drumkit from Hell sounds great!

I guess we all have our ways doing this kind of stuff, but it work for me...

Good Luck!

//Go

[pk_hat]

Reason for drums, hands down.
Forget the Groovebox, you'll outgrow it quickly and you can do everything it does in Reason, in my opinion.

[Shaka]

I like Reason as well but if you want realistic drums ACID is a great way to go. My problem with reason is that while the samples are great, they tend to sound robotic, especially the high hat and ride.

As far as ACID goes....Here's the trick

Don't use loops at all for the kick and snare. Program those out in single hits. You can build a couple of measures of these and then copy and paste. after you've got some snare and kick stuff going add a hi hat or ride loop over the top. The high hat and ride loops that I use are real samples from a real drummer and you can hear the dynamics. This is what gives the thing a real feeling. If you use single hits for the ride and hi-hat stuff it will sound like a machine. Remember to turn off the snare and hi hat when there's a fill.

And that's the key to ACID folks. It's really a great program for programming drums. Oh, one of my favorite loops libraries for ACID is Drum Tools. It was done by the drummer in Roxette and has great samples.

[kris whitten]

My problem with reason is that while the samples are great, they tend to sound robotic, especially the high hat and ride

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Which isn't a big deal if you are aware that the redrum also will "play" wav files.

Load up single hits (wav files) in the redrum and PRESTO !!!

REAL DRUMS. [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

[finalcut]

I also like working in Acid music. I use a lot of "smart loops" www.smartloops.com cause they are real session drums and the quality is great.
I also use Acid Rads, Acid Mick Fleetwood, & other Acid loops. Killer stuff

[da BaSsTaRd!]

reason rocks. there's a loop player and a sampler. you can play and sequence your loops right in reason and when you need a little extra sump'n there's a sampler there ready to back you up with single hits... i don't know what could be better... except...

making your own loops. get a drummer, go record some patterns, mix, chop, voila - loops. i've done that and i walked away with tons of usable stuff that i can use to compose with.

[metaltim]

I use my roland xp-30 for drums. I am a drummer, and that helps maybe on some of the drum fill stuff, I actually do it by hand, using the grid. I guess being a drummer makes it more realistic sounding than someone making drum fills who has never played. But, so far what I've done, I honestly can't tell they are keyboard drums. At first I did them dry, but now I add a little eq, delay, reverb.. they sound totally different, and it's hard to recognize them as roland drums.