topgoonerGuys, I haven`t got enough space in my room for a Midi drum kit, but would like to be able to play grooves direct into SD3. What gear are any of you using to make life easier than spending hours in the Grid Editor.
Thanks.
Mark KingWhat about a multi pad? I have used one of these in the past with pedals to trigger drums. Then there is always a keyboard but I really don’t like using one of those.
SD3 with older sdx,s plus Rooms of Hansa and Death & Darkness. Cubase and wavelab current versions. Roland TD50x using all trigger inputs for triggering SD3 only. Windows 11 computer. Various keyboards and outboard gear as well as VST instruments. Acoustic drums: Yamaha 9000 natural wood and Pearl masters. Various snare drums. RME BabyFace Pro FS and Adam A7X monitors
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Thanked by: topgooner
Bear-Faced CowThere’s always a pad controller. I’ve been a finger drummer for 15 or so years. My weapon of choice right now is a Maschine MkII as well as a Maschine Mikro.
Jord
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Thanked by: topgooner
Mac McCormickOPG,those are all great options. Being a keyboard player, I mostly use a MIDI keyboard. I also find myself checking out some of the SD3 MIDI grooves and, if I find one that’s kind of close to what I’m looking for, doing some editing to get it exactly the way I want it. I actually did this one time where I found a groove that was almost perfect except for a couple of licks. I ended up changing the part I wrote to fit the groove because the groove rhythm was much cooler!
Cubase Pro, Korg Kronos, M-50, Hammond XK-1c, Toontrack SD3, EZBass w/lots of expansions, many VSL Vi's, Shreddage 3 everything, and shit-tons of FX plugins.
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Thanked by: topgooner
jonah66I’m using the Presonus Atom pad which i really like, probably not the best pad controller regarding options but it suits my needs, has quite a few sensitivity options and works really well as a DAW controller. 16 pads plus a shift+bank option which covers a large range of SD3 drum sounds.
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Thanked by: topgooner
ScottI have been considering the Presonus ATOM, as well. The price is good, and all I really need is a good way to edit existing grooves, or write new ones.
- Mac Pro 3.46GHz 12-Core (2010)
- Logic Pro X
- EZD2
- SD3
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Thanked by: topgooner
Rodney FergusonOne option is to use Tracker on SD3.
Record audio of you finger tapping/playing on your table top or chair or whatever surface comes to hand.
Load the audio up into tracker – audio to midi then select which instrument you want to replace your finger taps with.
It is better than playing with a pad as there is less latency and you can really get into the groove of a song.
When finger tapping the audio you just have to use your imagination, a bit like playing air guitar.
Kind regards
Rodney
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Thanked by: topgoonerBear-Faced CowIt is better than playing with a pad as there is less latency and you can really get into the groove of a song.
If you have latency with a pad, then it’s not set up correctly. It’s technically no different than any other MIDI controller.
Considering that you can do the same finger tapping/playing on a pad controller, you can bypass a whole bunch of steps and get straight to the drums.
When finger tapping the audio you just have to use your imagination, a bit like playing air guitar.
When you look at a pad controller for what it is, (ie., just an input device for your finger(s) tapping), and not try to play it as a drummer would play a set of drums (although you can if you want), your only limitation is your imagination. Just switching a bank of pad assignments at the touch of a button will take your groove to far different places. Once you discover that you have, in effect, the equivalent of 10 limbs, it can be more liberating than limiting. And to any thinking of responding that it’s not natural for a drummer to have 10 limbs: who cares! You’re not playing drums, but using drum software.
I have been considering the Presonus ATOM, as well. The price is good, and all I really need is a good way to edit existing grooves, or write new ones.
It looks like it has everything needed for finger drumming, including the ability to switch pad banks.
I also find myself checking out some of the SD3 MIDI grooves and, if I find one that’s kind of close to what I’m looking for, doing some editing to get it exactly the way I want it.
Admittedly, I do this as well when I am not finger drumming. Sometimes, firing up a groove from an established drummer gives me a new perspective on things and I can jam to it, fleshing out some new ideas. Some of the songs I have written have a combination of my own grooves plus grooves from a library. Best part of all this is that there are no rules.
jord
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Thanked by: topgoonerjonah66I also looked at the Akai MPC range but apparently the new ones lack the ‘feel’ of the old ones, build quality issues as well. The ATOM is well made, bus powered and pretty versatile. You should check youTube for some reviews of it in action and then try one in store if possible. The great thing about pad controllers, if you can find a store with multiple controllers installed, you can try each one and you will know straight away which one feels right.
On the right side of the ATOM is a quick setup button, when held down it lets you change pressure, sensitivity and aftertouch quickly, i love that feature! Also has note repeat options for some great roll effects.
That’s my experience with it, i’m so pleased with it, easy to use and setup and does it’s job admirably, good luck with your choices, as there is sooo many.
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Thanked by: topgoonerScottOne option is to use Tracker on SD3.
Record audio of you finger tapping/playing on your table top or chair or whatever surface comes to hand.
Load the audio up into tracker – audio to midi then select which instrument you want to replace your finger taps with.
It is better than playing with a pad as there is less latency and you can really get into the groove of a song.
When finger tapping the audio you just have to use your imagination, a bit like playing air guitar.
Kind regards
Rodney
This seems like a great idea too. However, when you tap the beat on your desk/table, are tapping a single instrument (kick or snare)? It seems like if you tap a beat with kick and snare hits, you’d still have quite a bit of work to do in Tracker deciphering which hit is kick or snare.
Thanks
- Mac Pro 3.46GHz 12-Core (2010)
- Logic Pro X
- EZD2
- SD3
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Thanked by: Rodney Ferguson
ErikHey Scott,
If you want to record kick and snare at the same time, you could record the bass with the lower part of the palm of your hand to get a nice thud, and the snare with your mouth (short ‘K’ sound) to make it easier for Superior to keep them apart. You could also tap the table with your finger nail for the snare, but that would still be difficult for the tracker to separate from the kicks.
What Rodney suggested was probably recording each instrument separately, which is how the tracker was designed to work. Or he could have mastered the highly guarded, long-forgotten hidden secrets of the finger drum and can simulate a drum set with only his fingers on a flat wooden plane.
Erik Berglund — Toontrack
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Thanked by: ScottScottHey Scott,
If you want to record kick and snare at the same time, you could record the bass with the lower part of the palm of your hand to get a nice thud, and the snare with your mouth (short ‘K’ sound) to make it easier for Superior to keep them apart. You could also tap the table with your finger nail for the snare, but that would still be difficult for the tracker to separate from the kicks.
What Rodney suggested was probably recording each instrument separately, which is how the tracker was designed to work. Or he could have mastered the highly guarded, long-forgotten hidden secrets of the finger drum and can simulate a drum set with only his fingers on a flat wooden plane.
I was thinking something similar, in regard to using 2 different sounds to distinguish between kick and snare. I’ll have to try this.
I’m still curious how Rodney performs his finger drumming – with or without forgotten secrets!
Thanks!
- Mac Pro 3.46GHz 12-Core (2010)
- Logic Pro X
- EZD2
- SD3
Bear-Faced CowHonestly, I would only try it out of extreme curiosity. Otherwise, it seems like extra work to me, since I’m using anywhere from 3-6 fingers to create a beat on the pads. Table tops are good for practicing rhythms and rudiments (yes there are finger rudiments), since everyone at word might be firing a zillion questions after seeing a pad controller on my desk.
jord
Rodney FergusonI tend to keep it simple. One track per instrument. However, I am no authority on how to create anything. You’ll have to do your own experimentation : )
I do prefer open wooden chair top drumming though. It keeps me feeling loose as opposed to focussing too much on tapping a smallish pad. Small pads tend to make me feel overly tense in the shoulders when creating rhythm tracks.
On a slightly different note, I have been thinking of taking a beatbox rapper sample and putting it through Tracker to see how it translates. Although, vocal drum samples for the tracker might be a bit too weird for some.
Whichever way you choose to get there is all good though : )
Regards
Rodney
Bear-Faced CowTenseness in the shoulders is more a sign of a posture issue. I’m willing to bet that this is probably from having the pad controller on the desk or too high up. I have a cheap snare drum stand and my controller rests on that, which keeps my shoulders low and relaxed when playing. As well, tenseness can also occur from trying to play the pads like a drummer plays drums.
jord
Rodney FergusonYeah! The pad is definitely too high but I have tried it on a wooden stool that sits much lower.
When I use a small pad, I also become too focussed on trying to strike the smaller area. May be as a non-drummer, I’m not that accurate and require a wider contact area.
Rodney : )
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