lynnmonk
Smooth Moderator
Joined: 09 Nov 2005
Posts: 53
Location: UK
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 Posted: Fri Feb 29, 2008 2:57 pm Post subject: |
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The best way to create a drum track depends entirely on the type of equipment you have available.
Firstly, if you are writing songs, do you really need any drums at all? For song demos, a good song will not need anything other than guitar/vocal or piano/vocal. A badly produced drum track could even be detrimental to the overall perception of the song. So, unless you are also a drummer, I wouldn't recommend it.
If, however, you are trying to record a CD to sell or give away, or to use as a gig demo as the sound you produce when playing live, you may want a fuller overall sound. So what equipment is available to you? Are you using a PC with recording software? If so, there are 2 routes you could take.
1. Buy a CD of drum loops recorded by real drummers. This would give you the best feel and so long as you don't want to play a different pattern to those on the CD, or at a different speed. This is the easiest option. If you do want to play at a different speed, some software has the means to make this happen. But it can be time-consuming to make these adjustments.
2. Use Midi tracks. This can be a lot cheaper, but it can also be more time-consuming. It is possible to find midi drum loops already programmed. These would save you some time and you have the means within any midi sequencing software to change the rhythms and instruments to make just the kind of drum tracks you want. Unless these are programmed by a drummer, they probably wont groove as well as the looped audio.
As for the order to record the tracks. It is far easier to play along to a drum track than a click track. If you have to put the drums on after the guitar and you are programming them via midi, you can get more feel into the drum track by matching it to the feel of the guitar, but only if you are an experienced drum programmer!
As a drummer myself, I would prefer to record a backing track live with the bass and rhythm guitar. Unfortunately, unless you have a studio, this is not possible.
For solo work, I prefer to produce a midi drum track then use it to trigger a good set of drum samples. The work is done in this order...
1. Set up a basic midi drum loop to the tempo required for the song.
2. Play a guide rhythm guitar track to the drum loop.
3. Mute the drum loop and play a master rhythm guitar track to the guide guitar track.
4. Edit the drum loop to the feel of the master guitar track and add fills etc
5. Record the rest of the instrument tracks to the new drum track and master guitar track.
If you are a drummer with a full set of pads....
1. As above.
2. As above.
3. Play your drum pads live to the feel of the guide guitar track.
4. Play a master guitar track to the feel of the drums.
5. As above
This may sound like a lot of extra work, but I find it is the best way to produce a track that grooves when you are only able to record one track at a time.
Regards,
Lynn |
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