Do I need a drum module to trigger drums or...

[s.d. finley]

can i just buy the trigger, for snare and kick, run them into PTLE w/o a preamp, and record the "hits", go back afterward w/ soundreplacer and replace the "hits" w/ the correct drum? [img]images/icons/confused.gif[/img]
Please tell me yes! I do not want to drop $350 and a D4 module! [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

thanks!

sdf

[s.d. finley]

Anyone? Hey I will even take a reply from schom [img]images/icons/tongue.gif[/img]

sdf

[bassmac]

I don't have much experience with triggers, but I think it sounds more *real* to Sound Replace miked drums as they have a greater range of attack - especially on snare.

[s.d. finley]

Bassmac, what i want to do is record both the trigger click and the real drum sound, use soundreplacer to replace the click w/ a sample of the real drum sound and mix to taste.
I am just unsure of what all i need, 2 triggers and 2 long 1/4 cables and soundreplacer? Is that all i need, besides time?

sdf

[fiddle]

you cant just hook up the trigger to pt, the trigger has to "trigger" something.
A sound module, etc.

[bassmac]

Sorry s.d., but you lost me. When you say you want to record the real drum sound, do you mean you want to use both mic's and triggers on the kit at the same time?

[ August 10, 2001: Message edited by: bassmac ]

[gargoyle]

I know what you mean.

I have a Roland TD-5 with a set of triggers I made with pieso triggers and mesh heads. Very good and dirt cheap.

I will try to plug one of the trigger pads into the 001 (directly/no TD-5) and see if it makes any pop on a track.

Gar

[IOP Drummer]

A trigger is a microphone basically. Follow the same rules. Mic into preamp into tape machine, etc. It won't sound that good, but the dynamics of the playing will still be there. It will be very easy to trigger with soundreplacer. Use only DDrum triggers too. They aren't that expensive considering what you get. Try to use a sample of the real kit too. That helps a lot. Don't buy the d4 or DM5 right away, as the sounds aren't that good if you're going for a realistic sound. There are great sounds on both to layer with real tones. Plus, using those to trigger will give you latency problems and for the most part it's somewhat hard to trigger from real tracks and triggers when the drummer has never or barely used triggers. Always get the drummer to do individual hits around the kit before tracking. This will also be when the drums really sound the best cause they'll have just been tuned (hopefully!!) Make sure to get a few velocities too (soundreplacer uses up to three velocities). Also, don't do any of the 'solo the snare, process it and use it' for the triggered sound. Keep all mics on, with the exception of maybe the toms or other miscellaneus stuff that might be have mute automation. That really bumps up the realism of triggering real samples, or making drum samples. I'm not sure if soundreplacer can use stereo samples, but if it does, you might want to make stereo samples (wet with fx). When bouncing, don't try to optimize the level of the sounds. If the hi hat is at -10, let it bounce at -10. IT WILL SOUND BETTER in my opinion. Build a sample library, and when or if you start using a sampler you can map some sick drum kits, and they'll sound real if you have stereo samples of everything.

[s.d. finley]

Thank you Mike! You nailed it, thats exactly what i want to do. I do not want to use a drum module, i want to use the drumkits real sound as drumhits in Soundreplacer, and record the drumkits "the old fashion way" too. My drummer does not always hit consistanly, i figure if i normalize the trigger "hits", replace w/ sampled snare and mix w/ the real snare i should be able to get a a more consistant sound....true?
Gar, hows the testing going?
I think i might just buy a pair ddrum triggers and see if i can get them to work.
I messed around w/ sound replacer this weekend and its pretty cool. It took me several attempts to get the threshold right.
My drummer does his snare rolls lighter... [img]images/icons/mad.gif[/img] In this case i just duped the snare side mic on another track and used the ol'SR. It worked pretty darn good. I might not even need the triggers! [img]images/icons/cool.gif[/img]
Does anybody else try this?
Thanks for the help!

sdf