Bansaw Posted March 24, 2017 Share Posted March 24, 2017 I've got some good melody ideas and can do bass lines and lyrics etc. But I am not good with drums. This is holding me back from making songs. Is there anything out there that can help me? Maybe a VST that has got lots of inbuilt ready-made beats I can just drop in? I'm not focused on just one genre, but would like to experiment with a few genres (but I tend to gravitate towards EDM and more modern stuff as opposed to classic rock). Reaper, i7-7700k, Win10, 16GB, 2TB, 500Mb SSD, MOTU Ethno & Symphonic, Studiologic 990Xp 88-key, Behringer UM2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnchop Posted March 24, 2017 Share Posted March 24, 2017 Toontrack EZdrummer 2. Have it. Love it. I make software noises. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J. Dan Posted March 24, 2017 Share Posted March 24, 2017 A drummer? Lots of session drummers will lay down drum tracks for pretty cheap. I once had a drummer friend lay down some tracks which I chopped up and made into samples that I could trigger from sequences. Dan Acoustic/Electric stringed instruments ranging from 4 to 230 strings, hammered, picked, fingered, slapped, and plucked. Analog and Digital Electronic instruments, reeds, and throat/mouth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DulceLabs.com Posted March 24, 2017 Share Posted March 24, 2017 There are also a boat load of drum loops out there you can download. Just chain them together. The stalwart Alesis SR-16 / SR-18 also will give you a wide variety of styles and fills. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timwat Posted March 24, 2017 Share Posted March 24, 2017 Bansaw - What do you intend to do with the songs when complete (are they demos for a band with an eventual live drummer...or do you want them to live in the box...or...)? Just to play Captain Obvious for a second, no matter where you end up finding automated drum help (and there are lots of options now in VST world), if you're intending these songs for live performance not sure how married you want to get to a drum loop. A good drummer is going to want to do what good drummers do - interpret the song - rather than mainly duplicate a preprogrammed loop. You're probably already aware of this, just a reminder. .. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mighty Ferguson Posted March 24, 2017 Share Posted March 24, 2017 Seconding EZ Drummer 2. I admittedly haven't had experience with other options, but I like it a lot and use it in the way it sounds like you will, Bansaw. "If you can't dazzle them with dexterity, baffle them with bullshit." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stokely Posted March 24, 2017 Share Posted March 24, 2017 I use Logic's Drummer tracks, I think those are similar to EZ drummer. I am also terrible with drums and have respect for those willing and able to sit there and slice and dice them apart...I'd rather fold laundry, and that's saying something. I've also never taken the time to get good at playing drum sets from a controller--my friend is really good at it, and can knock out a song at a time just like a drummer (well, to a point!) Nothing worse though than a static beat or two playing all song long Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tucktronix Posted March 24, 2017 Share Posted March 24, 2017 Toontrack EZdrummer 2. Have it. Love it. +3 Got it a week ago as a birthday present.. having loads of fun with it Kronos 88 Platinum, Yamaha YC88, Subsequent 37, Korg CX3, Hydrasynth 49-key, Nord Electro 5D 73, QSC K8.2, Lester K Me & The Boyz Chris Beard Band Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aronnelson Posted March 24, 2017 Share Posted March 24, 2017 > Toontrack EZdrummer 2 Can you control it like Logic's drummer? Make it more complex or less complex with a GUI interface? If so, great! Korg Kronos, Roland RD-88, Korg Kross, JP8000, MS2000, Sequential Pro One, Micromoog, Yamaha VL1, author of unrealBook for iPad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Bryce Posted March 24, 2017 Share Posted March 24, 2017 A drummer? Lots of session drummers will lay down drum tracks for pretty cheap. This. Then you get to play with other musicians, too! dB ==> David Bryce Music • Funky Young Monks <== Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ulf Posted March 24, 2017 Share Posted March 24, 2017 Well, creating tracks with a great drummer is of course the correct answer. BUT, I have actually found EZ Drummer to be surprisingly good for getting basic tracks down. Rock bottom bass Fakebook Pro Sheet Music Reader - at every gig! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Nathan Posted March 24, 2017 Share Posted March 24, 2017 I mostly use Superior Drums these days (the big brother to EZdrums). For really quick, just to get the song ideas going I've used DrumCore in the past, and I am somewhat intrigued by the approach taken with Realidrums Realidrums Don't rush me. I'm playing as slowly as I can! http://www.stevenathanmusic.com/stevenathanmusic.com/HOME.html https://apple.co/2EGpYXK Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mighty Ferguson Posted March 24, 2017 Share Posted March 24, 2017 > Toontrack EZdrummer 2 Can you control it like Logic's drummer? Make it more complex or less complex with a GUI interface? If so, great! Yes, in a way I find more intuitive than Logic's drummer. You can make the whole groove more or less complex, or you can do that per drum/cymbal. "If you can't dazzle them with dexterity, baffle them with bullshit." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DulceLabs.com Posted March 24, 2017 Share Posted March 24, 2017 A drummer? Lots of session drummers will lay down drum tracks for pretty cheap. This. Then you get to play with other musicians, too! dB Just make sure to hide the valuables. I KID, I KID! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aronnelson Posted March 24, 2017 Share Posted March 24, 2017 Thanks! I have this problem as well. With a small studio the one thing holding us back is having to schedule and record the drummer. YES OF COURSE a live drummer is way better but what..... wait forever for them to come - or never come and get arguably less fidelity on the drum recordings? The logic drummer always shows up and I guess that's way better than waiting weeks for the drummer to become available. Korg Kronos, Roland RD-88, Korg Kross, JP8000, MS2000, Sequential Pro One, Micromoog, Yamaha VL1, author of unrealBook for iPad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DulceLabs.com Posted March 24, 2017 Share Posted March 24, 2017 I remember a drum machine ad in Keyboard Mag from the late 80s/early 90s. Showed a picture of the a ragamuffin drummer and the drum machine (think it was a Yamaha). Anyway the tag line was: "The Yamaha RX-7: The closest you'll want to get ti a real drummer." Drummers really do get a bad rap. The best musician I ever played with was a drummer in a orchestra pit. But it is fun to pick on them. :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tucktronix Posted March 24, 2017 Share Posted March 24, 2017 A drummer? Lots of session drummers will lay down drum tracks for pretty cheap. I once had a drummer friend lay down some tracks which I chopped up and made into samples that I could trigger from sequences. ansaw - What do you intend to do with the songs when complete (are they demos for a band with an eventual live drummer...or do you want them to live in the box...or...)? Just to play Captain Obvious for a second, no matter where you end up finding automated drum help (and there are lots of options now in VST world), if you're intending these songs for live performance not sure how married you want to get to a drum loop. A good drummer is going to want to do what good drummers do - interpret the song - rather than mainly duplicate a preprogrammed loop. You're probably already aware of this, just a reminder. Guys, You are aware that the OP is writing stuff at home using his PC, right? The question is, what would work best for his scenario. Unless he has an actual studio with a kit or if he's paying someone for studio time, drum software would probably be his best option. Kronos 88 Platinum, Yamaha YC88, Subsequent 37, Korg CX3, Hydrasynth 49-key, Nord Electro 5D 73, QSC K8.2, Lester K Me & The Boyz Chris Beard Band Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tucktronix Posted March 24, 2017 Share Posted March 24, 2017 > Toontrack EZdrummer 2 Can you control it like Logic's drummer? Make it more complex or less complex with a GUI interface? If so, great! Yes, in a way I find more intuitive than Logic's drummer. You can make the whole groove more or less complex, or you can do that per drum/cymbal. Yep.. I have both Logic and EZD.. plenty of options here. Kronos 88 Platinum, Yamaha YC88, Subsequent 37, Korg CX3, Hydrasynth 49-key, Nord Electro 5D 73, QSC K8.2, Lester K Me & The Boyz Chris Beard Band Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timwat Posted March 24, 2017 Share Posted March 24, 2017 Yeah, I realize OP's immediate request. Reason I asked about his end use - many times I've come up with what I thought was a killer groove, only to have a real drummer give it real grease. In those cases, it would have served me better to have a basic, unadorned beat (that was true to the intended genre), knowing the real drummer was going to play in the end. I wasn't clear from the original post, maybe that's my fault. Along those lines, a story Peter told me a while ago. One of his records, he had recorded demos at home of all the tunes. He had labored for hours to come up with the perfect drum groove (electronic). Then he goes into the studio with Lenny White. Lenny's gonna do his own thing. But Peter tries to gently suggest sticking closer to the demo. More than one. Finally, Lenny nicely says, "Would you like me to play your groove...or would you like me to play Lenny White?" Anyway, that's sort of why I asked the question. Maybe it's out of place here with the OP's intended use. .. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J. Dan Posted March 24, 2017 Share Posted March 24, 2017 Maybe it's different other places, but I know at least 4 drummers here in town who do session work and have their own studios. You can send your stuff to them and they'll lay down drum tracks for $100 a song. All high quality. Dan Acoustic/Electric stringed instruments ranging from 4 to 230 strings, hammered, picked, fingered, slapped, and plucked. Analog and Digital Electronic instruments, reeds, and throat/mouth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Wright Posted March 24, 2017 Share Posted March 24, 2017 > Toontrack EZdrummer 2 Can you control it like Logic's drummer? Make it more complex or less complex with a GUI interface? If so, great! Yes, in a way I find more intuitive than Logic's drummer. You can make the whole groove more or less complex, or you can do that per drum/cymbal. Yep.. I have both Logic and EZD.. plenty of options here. I enjoy that Logic's drummers do things I would not have thought of. I have been creating another drum track, and adding in parts manually with pads. For a finished product, my preference would be to present my "finished idea" to a crew for a final product. "I cried when I wrote this song Sue me if I play too long" Walter Becker Donald Fagan 1977 Deacon Blues Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aronnelson Posted March 24, 2017 Share Posted March 24, 2017 For me as well. I have used the Logic drummers for several projects here - small projects but it works. Korg Kronos, Roland RD-88, Korg Kross, JP8000, MS2000, Sequential Pro One, Micromoog, Yamaha VL1, author of unrealBook for iPad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
burningbusch Posted March 24, 2017 Share Posted March 24, 2017 I like how EZDrummer sounds. You can pay a lot more but I don't think you gain all that much in terms of sonic quality. In comparison to me the Logic drums sound tubby. [video:youtube] Here's quick look at some of the features that let you switch up elements for variety. [video:youtube] Busch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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