sequencing basics

[Cezar20]

Hi all

 

I am a novice. Please bear this in mind when providing me with your wonderful and helpful advices. (I'm referring to complex terminology and abbreviations that I may not, understand).

 

I am primarily a vocalist, but in the past 8 months have been besotted with keyboards (both playing actual music and the technological aspect) and I saw the need or more appropriately the absolute addiction to program my own backing music.

 

I don't know how familiar you guys would be with this keyboard its a Technics KN1400. Yes, a lovely "made for the lounge room muso" synth if you could call it that. Nevertheless, I'm from Sydney, Australia and our dollar is so bad, that I couldnt afford anything else (nor did I know any better- I could have gotten a Korg N364 for a lil more aussie dollar). Anyhow, to my beggining ears it sounded ok, and all the bits and pieces fascinated me, the disk drive, the sequencer etc. All the things my previous board(yamaha PSR that I found in a car park) did not have.

 

So I went on my merry little way, learning how to play the keys and playing my own backing while I sang my heart away. I got pretty good at it and am now playing keyboard somewhat competently. Now with the questions:

 

I am working on my demo and would like to sequence my backing music. My style is Pop/Rnb. SOmewhat Nsync in vibe but with a lot more oomph. Make that a whole lot more oomph.

 

So Im wondering how do acts such as Nsync, Christina Aguilera and Pink achieve these sounds. I mean how are they programmed. Are they sequenced??? How are drums controlled??

 

I realise you have had many previous drum threads, and they have been most helpful. But I am struggling in terms of getting the groove etc.

 

So Question 1: Any Resources peeps could recommend on how to better your key-drumming skills???? If I buy a how to drums book for drums could I use that for key drumming???

 

2- There are probably a million ways, but generally how do Rnbers/ Hiphoppers etc control their drum sounds????

 

3- What would be a good all in one sound source for my pop rnb genre. Bearing in mind the sorry state of our poor Aussie dollar. THe most popular modules here are JV and XVs, No one can afford Korgs around here. And the Proteus 2000.

 

4. I currently sequence on my board, but I have a PC with CUbase, what benefits will I gain if start sequencing in CUbase??? How steep is the learning curve????

 

SOrry about the ignorant questions, but with a lil research I will get there!!!!!!!!!!

 

Thanks for providing me with many entertaining reading materials, (while im supposed to be working)

 

Greetings from Downunder

 

Cezar