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These are my weaknesses....your suggestions appreciated
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Stephen Wiley
Drums * Percs! (I will refer to them as drums from this point forward)...... I don't have a problem getting what I want out of the sounds. I've prepared a couple of drum racks in Ableton that I absolutely love, but I can't for the life of me sequence professional sounding drums. It's gotten to the point where I am pissed off about it. I have no problems writing bass lines and following chord progressions, but I couldn't write up a good drum MIDI if the world depended on it.

Now here is what I think, and you tell me if I'm wrong. I THINK I have the right sounds, but that I'm not using them properly (duh right.) Biggest example is probably effects and actual editing in drums. I hear a lot wave form manipulation with drums and I am no good at that, but it seems to be an integral role in sequencing drums properly. Gives them that "flow" to make them blend and sound professional. Any suggestions are very very much appreciated. Video links, a thread reply, whatever you think might help. I am about to pull my hair out over this crap. How can something that sounds so basic, and probably is basic, be such a pain in the ass? Am I just trying too hard as a beginner?
Numb
Samples?
Stephen Wiley
I use one shots. I refuse to use a loop. One shots really don't do a whole lot though - at least the ones I like. They're just a stronger, bolder sound. I don't know what my problem is, but I just can't create that wicked drum midi sequence. I think one of the problems is I always take a traditional approach to my drum racks (i'm oldschool) - gotta have a clap, closed and open hats, crashing symbol. I find myself sequencing like I'm back in 1999, but that's not what I want. I want the crisp sounds you hear these days that sound so easy to make yet they're not. I'm sure I'll get it down eventually, was just looking for any pointers
cryophonik
quote:
Originally posted by Numb
Samples?


I believe Numb was asking for samples of your music, not whether or not you use samples in your music (???).
Numb
quote:
Originally posted by cryophonik
I believe Numb was asking for samples of your music, not whether or not you use samples in your music (???).



What he said. Kind of tuff to give pointers without hearing what the problem is. Not that I'm claiming I can help, I don't make trance or dance music. Cryophonik is pretty good from what I heard, I'm sure with some samples/snipets of your music or drum tracks he could give you some pointers if willing. So can I bunch of other people.

Good Luck.
Stephen Wiley
im about to crash but ill try to get a sample up soon
Subtle
A good sounding kick, and a great sounding snare will get you a long way.
They are the most important drum sounds, then comes the open hat and then the rest.
Drums are so easy to make and yet so hard to master, if you want to sound more pro i suggest you use drum loops, then later when you are ready you can ditch the loops and start making em from scratch.

I stopped using loops and all my drum sequencing got much easier and fun, but still.. if u cant make drums and want to sound pro, use loops.
Beatflux
quote:
Originally posted by Subtle
A good sounding kick, and a great sounding snare will get you a long way.


Don't you mean kick, clap?
Subtle
quote:
Originally posted by Beatflux
Don't you mean kick, clap?
Ah yeah i forgot about the clap as i hardly ever use claps, but yeah kick and clap/snare.
Bayou Boy
Try playing around with the velocity on the midi map, it gives your percussion some life. Use the pan and moves some stuff to the left and right. Also try shortening the length of the one shots....you might not need the entire sample. Try working in a different order, instead of starting on the percussion, work on a bassline and try to build the percussion around it.

Alot of this stuff is just trial and error, there is no set formula for creating percussion tracks.
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