basic drum programming question

[Paul_m]

I'm still confused...If I can't play drums but want to put in drum parts into PT, what is the best way to do it? Is there the equivalent of a drum machine that I can plug in to PT? Can I do it in reason? I guess ideally I'd like something that I could program rather than having to play the beats on a keyboard, but I'm not even sure about that.

So how do you program drums and what do you use?

Thanks

[Roy Howell]

Paul,
You have choices other than real drums. One is to get an actual Midi device(drum machine, synth, or sound module) with drum sounds in it, and run it through PT. Another is to use a 'soft synth' like Reason with PT. And yet another, is to use Audio samples of drum sounds.
But, for each one, you should listen to examples if possible, and choose what's best for you. You can go to your local music store to hear current Midi devices out right now. And in the FAQ topic at the top of this forum, you'll find a lot of useful information as well.
I know it can seem confusing, but I've listed the main groups above. So listen to what you can, pick one, and then ask questions about the specifics, and we'll help you figure it out. Like most things, it's easier than it may seem.
-Roy

[Barhab]

Check out the DR008 drum-machine for Pro Tools at www.fxpansion.com !!

[reynep]

i have the dr008 - it works well since the last release. It is quite powerfull and cheap. If you want great sounding accoutsic drums buy the Dr008 and the Drumkit from hell.

If you dont have pt6.1 (which most of us dont - yet) then you will have to either trigger the drums live with a keyboard or a v-drums kit or draw the midi notes in with a the pencil in protools. I draw them in with reference to an audio click track (so i can see the timing) and it works a treat.

when we get 6.1 you an use the ddsequencer (its a 16 step sequencer) module to put in your drums - it will sync the protools tempo i believe.

midi drum sample triggering in protools isn't as developed as other platforms [img]images/icons/rolleyes.gif[/img] but it is getting there with the release of 6.1 with rewire etc. (and the dr008 and rtas battery)

oh yeah - i dont work for fxpansion.

[thr0ttles]

Get Sampletank. (www.sampletank.com)

Heck, get the latest demo of Sampletank Free with over 20 free samples included, one of those being a basic but very good sounding acoustic drum kit.

Sampletank runs off a midi track, so you need to "program" the drums (yea, like using the pencil tool on a midi track or you can record a midi track if you have a midi keyboard hooked-up).

Sampletank2 is around the corner but now i'm seeing Sampletank L (with 1.1 GB of samples) for less than $180 now. Once Sampletank2 comes out, Sampletank 1 will probably go for even less. Still a great (and practically only) sampler player for PTLE.

[Paul_m]

Thanks for the responses...I'm wondering if there is a program (sequencer ?) that I can use to program the beats into? Maybe that would lay it out by eigth note so you could lay down a basic groove and then modify it? seems like writing it into a PT midi track is pretty laborious. Is there a sequencer for PT 5?

[Phil O'Keefe]

Paul, Pro Tools 5 IS a MIDI sequencer... in addition to being a audio recording / editing program. You can set the grid mode for any note value you want, then just draw the notes in. It's pretty much as easy to do that in PT as in any other MIDI sequencer program.

[rogerhavoc]

Get a MIDI Controller and put your SAMPLETANK to work. It's very easy, and besides drums, you can control all kinds of instruments using your midi keyboard.
I use MIDIMAN 49 USB KEYSTATION MIDI CONTROLLER. It's not that expensive, and not too small. You can do amazing things with it. Check a few of my songs that i used it HERE .


[img]images/icons/cool.gif[/img] [img]images/icons/cool.gif[/img] [img]images/icons/cool.gif[/img]

[TriAxis]

I would recommend SampleTank, their are dozens of different drum kits you can use.
You can also use multiple drumkits and just use the Kick from one kit, and the Snare from another, etc. etc.
Plus if you convert some of the Akai Sample CDs to SampleTank format, you can have thousands of different drum sounds.
I also use a DM-Pro from Alesis and I run a MIDI cable out of DIGI001 into the DM-Pro, then run the audio back into the DIGI001.
I sometimes do this if I cant find a drumsound I want to use with SampleTank.
Then my last resort is pre-sampled sounds from sample cds. After I already have my drum beat recorded, I will cut and paste new drum samples into the beat.

[craiz730]

get fruity loops. it is way underrated. you can do anything in FL.