Drum programming: hit variation in SD vs. velocity variation in midi?

[LeanderL]

Hey!

Some years ago I tried to avoid machine-like drums by using a plugin to set a drum component to e.g. 122 velocity +- random 2…so everything was between 120 and 124 velocites.

Then I further adjusted the velocities manually…note by note…a lot of work! The custom kit I used back then did not have compression (either none at all or only a bit)…so you could hear the difference between velocity 124 and 120.
However, many metal kits are tight so you don’t hear the difference. You need to program your drums in a different way….not just 120 vs. 124…

My question is if adding different velocities to midi makes sense? Of course I know that you should accent notes and use different velocities for slow bass drum vs. uptempo vs. different speeds of doublebass…

But what about individual notes in certain parts? Do I need to use 124, 122, 123, 121 velocities? Although most metal kits don’t care about such little differences?

OR is it sufficent to have e.g. 5 different velocity settings for the bassdrum AND Superior Drummer’s hit variation with “randomize hits” plays back different samples anyway, although the velocity is always e.g. 123, 123, 123, 123 and I no longer have to use 123, 121, 122, 124?

Any ideas?

Thanks!

Superior Drummer 3 version: 3.3.6
Operating system: Windows 10

SeelenPuls ~ Poetic metal from Austria: SeelenPuls.at
Grummelgnom ~ Sociocritical metal from the forest: Grummelgnom.at

• This post was modified 1 year, 3 months ago by LeanderL.

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[Bear-Faced Cow]

There’s no concrete answer here. Drum programming is not formulaic. Like all things music, it is a matter of using your ear. In this case, you are manipulating to numbers to satisfy the song. If a part supports a constant velocity, use it. Otherwise, make changes as necessary until it does sound right. A good self-study are the grooves already available in SD3, as they are played by real drummers.

jord

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Jordan L. Chilcott

Web Site: https://jordanchilcottmusic.com/

[LeanderL]

Thanks! Yes, I did check out some of the midis from metal packs…and the velocities are very similar…because of triggers etc. … but I don’t like the modern metal sound with triggers.

What does “randomize hits” mean? That a snare drum at 124 velocity was recorded a couple of times and different samples are played, correct? In contrast to using the same sound all the time…to get this machine gun-like annoying sound.

SeelenPuls ~ Poetic metal from Austria: SeelenPuls.at
Grummelgnom ~ Sociocritical metal from the forest: Grummelgnom.at

[Bear-Faced Cow]

Similar velocities have more to do with the drummers themselves than anything they are using to generate the MIDI. Do whatever serves the song. You know the old adage, if it sounds good…

Yes, a set of samples were recorded within each specific velocity group (I believe 8 per group) so that it doesn’t machine-gun. Randomizing the hits will put some “human qualities” back in that velocity range since drummers don’t hit in the exact same spot with the exact same velocity each time.

jord

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Jordan L. Chilcott

Web Site: https://jordanchilcottmusic.com/

[LeanderL]

Thank you! Have a nice weekend!

SeelenPuls ~ Poetic metal from Austria: SeelenPuls.at
Grummelgnom ~ Sociocritical metal from the forest: Grummelgnom.at

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