[jonom]

I had another idea that might even work for me better

I will play my song, have headphones on and drag in loops and then use garageband to slide the tempo down on the drums until it matches my song. Might be easier than trying to figure out what tempo I am playing my piano in as for the life of me I can’t figure that out, i wish I could

[jonom]

HI Scott

This is what I have

http://usa.yamaha.com/products/musical-instruments/keyboards/digitalpianos/dgx_series/dgx-640_color_variation

Hooks up to my mac via a USB cable, then in garageband i hit record, play and it records.

yeah i guess i will need to use a metronome when I play to find out the tempo of the song, so I can set the tempo of the project and then all grooves dragged in should match

[jonom]

ORIGINAL: Scott
Well, songs that I produce may not be written around the drum track but the tracks are laid down to a tempo track (click track). If there are tempo changes in the song, they need to be mapped out before I lay down ‘live’ instruments. I play the guitar track to the click to maintain proper tempo (or piano or some other melodic instrument). Then I lay down bass (if there is a bass). Then I create the drums to that. Sometimes drums are laid down live via a Zendrum and sometimes I use the MIDI grooves and adjust them to fit the song (kick drum pattern works with the bass guitar, dynamics fit song, fills are added to enhance song, etc). But, in the end, all instruments are in time.

Ok i see what you mean about getting all instruments in time,but what if you don’t know what click track ( metronome ) your song is at? I mean I just get on my piano and create a song i dont give much thought to clicking and metronomes. How would I know what tempo my song is at? If I knew then when i record it in garageband I would select that tempo at the start then in theory any drum grooves i drag in would match my pianos tempo

[jonom]

ORIGINAL: John
BTW, are you using the latest version of EZdrummer (currently 1.3.1)? You should have a visual report of the version number in the plugin interface.

Hi John

I bought this a couple of days ago, logged in and click the red MAC button ( i assumed this would be the latest ) I see now by logging in that below that is upgrades I thought those were just for people who had not got the latest version but had an older one. I will have to download the upgrade from 1.3.0 to 1.3.1

When you say the host, you mean ( the program garageband right? ) yes i understand that when you drag in a groove its tempo is based on whatever the project tempo is but that doesnt mean the groove matches what is being played

The way I record is like this. I load up garageband, create a track it asks what tempo i leave it at the default 120 tempo and then click record and start playing piano. Once finished I listen and it sounds exactly like what I just played

Next I am wanting to have drumming that goes with that piano playing. So i go searching through the groove section but most are either wrong groove, too fast, too slow. And as Im new to this im not sure what grooves to be looking under ( im under pop / ballad ) for the most part

[jonom]

I’ll just have to play around with it.

I did notice that if you grab something like

hats 4th rock open

and you drag to track.. and then open piano roll there is a option there for timing which provides a lot of ways to quantize note timing.. seems to give you some more options..

I guess at the end of the day nothing beats a real drummer 🙂

[jonom]

Ok got it working now

Basically it records at a lower velocity as you said. Then if you click on 1 and try to increase velocity it doesnt do it, you have to select a whole bunch, to increase it under piano roll

Fixed volume part

[jonom]

I am using it as plugin in my daw

I have garageband loaded and its loaded up as a plugin not standalone.

And yes I know if my project is 120 tempo and i drag in a groove its going to play it at a 120 tempo and if i increase the project tempo or decrease it both track 1 with my piano and track 2 with my drums are going to move up or down in tempo together

But there is one thing to have a PROJECT at a 120 tempo and another to get the groove sounding right with the song your playing

See you hit it on the nail where the problem is “I try to stay fairly close to the native tempo of the drum track though just because when you slow down a sound that mu8ch it messes with the pitch and stuff. “

You are writing your song around the drum track.. And that is not the way songs are done. 99% of songs are written on guitars and pianos and then drums are laid on top inline with the dynamics of how the song is played.

Whats the point of having a crap load of drum loops if none of them match the song you spent time creating or you can’t increase or decrease their individual tempos other than 1/2, 1 and 2… You are then left with what you are doing which is basically before you write a song.. Loading up ezdrummer finding a track and trying to get your playing to match your track.. thats ass backwards!

[jonom]

ORIGINAL: Scott

I don’t use Garageband so you’d need to check the GB manual if can make adjustments in the MIDI editor.

what do you use?

[jonom]

Where is the velocity slider in garage band??? there is a master volume no velocity slider

As it stands.. If i hit the drums with the mouse its sounds at the right loudness, if i hit with keyboard I have to smash it to get it to sound like it does with the mouse.. what the heck is up with that?

Problem also is it wont record.

[jonom]

Hi Scott

Ah ok i see. so clicking with mouse is a SET volume and clicking with keyboard is based on how hard you hit the key? Is that adjustable in garageband for the midi volume?

[Author]

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