Dunky's N' Demos: MIDI Drums Made Simple - Vol 1-5 up!

[JerEvil]

Hey all, since there were a few of you guys here and quite a few on some other forums I frequent, that were asking for some clips on how I manipulate/create my drums using MIDI, I thought it was high time to finally "get to it" and make some tutorial vids.

The first vid was to get me more familiar with my new screen recording software so it is a pretty simple one that shows how to extract MIDI files from a GuitarPro or like tab and then get the drums into your DAW and prepped for editing. Trying to keep these "quick hits". This vid is certainly not groundbreaking but it is a good primer for jumping into the whole midi drum world.

Up next will be 3 more vids:
• Manipulating free/retail midi loops to work for your track
• Creating beats from scratch
• Sending EZDrummer/Steven Slate Drum Kits to individual tracks in your DAW (Snare, Kick, Toms, etc)

For the "Creating your own" I will take popular song/s and recreate specific beats.

Anyway, hope someone finds these helpful and I will post the rest as they are completed. Also, a HUGE shout-out to Ryan Bruce (aka Fluff) for hipping me to ScreenFlow for my on-screen vid capture. It was a nightmare trying to get these vids done using Quicktime.


EDIT:
I will make this an "All Encompassing" thread and add the new vids here instead of doing multiple threads.


Vol.1: "Extracting Drums from Guitar Tab files into Your DAW"

Vol.2: "Setting Velocities, Humanizing Beats & Hit Replacement"

Vol.3: "Creating Your Own Beats from Scratch"

Vol.4: "Modifying Existing Midi Loops... and Motörhead!!!!"

Vol.5: "Routing EZDrummer2 & Steven Slate Drums to individual channels"

 

[Anonymous]

Oh YES! I need this...

Steve

 

[JerEvil]

Oh YES! I need this...

Steve

Cool man! i hope these end up being useful. They are at least explained by a guy who just figured this out by doing, if that makes sense. I definitely learned a lot through trial and error as well as a LOT of poking around so I am going to try and impart as much of it as I can. Going to also add to the list of vids on how to separate the drums out to individual tracks and also using built-in effects and plug-in's vs feeling like you HAVE to buy 3rd party stuff.

 

[Bronco]

THANKYOU...I have been waiting for something just like this!

 

[Anonymous]

Oh YES! I need this...

Steve

Cool man! i hope these end up being useful. They are at least explained by a guy who just figured this out by doing, if that makes sense. I definitely learned a lot through trial and error as well as a LOT of poking around so I am going to try and impart as much of it as I can. Going to also add to the list of vids on how to separate the drums out to individual tracks and also using built-in effects and plug-in's vs feeling like you HAVE to buy 3rd party stuff.

That's stellar, bro - and given the results you get, I'm really excited about this. I have lots of projects I want to do that need drums and I'd love to do it myself.

Steve

 

[maddnotez]

THANKYOU...I have been waiting for something just like this!

Same

 

[JerEvil]

Vid #2 is uploading now. It's a bit longer (and by a bit I mean QUITE a bit) but it REALLY gets into a lot of "hands on" editing for Velocity of each drum, Humanizing, Hit Replacement and pattern editing. Guys I am really excited to share this stuff out!

 

[Anonymous]

Vid #2 is uploading now. It's a bit longer (and by a bit I mean QUITE a bit) but it REALLY gets into a lot of "hands on" editing for Velocity of each drum, Humanizing, Hit Replacement and pattern editing. Guys I am really excited to share this stuff out!

I'll be studying intently!

Steve

 

[JerEvil]

Vid #2 is uploading now. It's a bit longer (and by a bit I mean QUITE a bit) but it REALLY gets into a lot of "hands on" editing for Velocity of each drum, Humanizing, Hit Replacement and pattern editing. Guys I am really excited to share this stuff out!

I'll be studying intently!

Steve

OP is updated with the second vid. Grab some popcorn...

 

[stompboxfreak72]

Thanks ! I so need this !!!

 

[errrrrl]

Nice work dude!

 

[NeubyWanKaneuby]

Thank you!

 

[PBGas]

Nicely done! Thank you for sharing!

 

[JerEvil]

You guys are most certainly welcome. I figured it took me so long to learn this stuff if I can help even a few folks then it's worth putting theses together. Feel free to provide feedback on these, as I want to make sure they're effective. Also if you guys have other stuff you want to learn, and I know how to do it I'm happy to make more vids. All I ask is that you guys subscribe to the channel and help spread the word of the Dunk!

 

[craftm1]

tag

 

[Kapo_Polenton]

I think the key here is the fact that Jer is also a drummer... that makes the biggest difference. You don't even have to be a good drummer, just have some experience playing because then you understand what is realistic pattern wise vs. what is not. (i.e death metal patterns on EZ drummer super fast snare rolls) I am not an amazing drummer but I enjoy playing and can hold a beat. The little nuances like flams, pattern rolls, realistic snare rolls, distance between crash and snare etc.. are all things you need to be aware of when working with midi. The other is as you mentioned, velocity... on top of that, I would also urge people to sometimes off set their snare hits slightly either slightly before or after the metronome as that is truly a function of a real human who cannot be 100% accurate. It still sounds on time, it just sounds more human. If not, you end up sound quantized.

Now my gripe with drum programs.. the cymbals. No matter what you do, hard to really make these sound real. This is probably the reason why pro studios now seem to 85% replace all hits but will leave or use the real cymbal performance with the kit. That is the element that still makes it sound somewhat live. Doesn't really matter though, because everyone is replacing now, the audience has grown accustomed to "perfection" and thus drum programs sound more "real". I know that statement doesn't seem to make sense but just compare something recorded in the 80's where replacement was in its infancy compared to now.

Anyway, we can't all be drummers or in my case now, even set up my kit regularly due to noise or even record it in a good environment because it is now next to the furnace BUT ideally, you can get a real performance in there. I do think it won't be long until they will figure out the cymbal parts though.. maybe programs like Superior drummer already do? I just sort of struggle with the feeling good about myself knowing i didn't actually play the drums. It is a lot quicker to get a drum track up with midi/ez drummer than editing your own performances that's for sure! I suppose me also editing the best parts of a performance and putting them together also is trickery to an extent so no diff but that has been done since the beginning of time... I already have Slate Trigger so i am one foot in already!

 

[atrox]

very cool and useful info!

 

[Kapo_Polenton]

Oh! Forgot to say that the vids are great ! I know my wife would love me to go 100% inside the box for drums

 

[JerEvil]

very cool and useful info!

Thanks brother! I am trying to get at least 2 more up this weekend. I'll post here for sure. I need to add a link for TuxGuutar as well which is basically a free version of Guitar Pro.

Oh! Forgot to say that the vids are great ! I know my wife would love me to go 100% inside the box for drums

Thanks man! My goal was to get some vids out in the sense of "these are a good starting or jumping off points."

I agree with your post as well. Cymbals still have a long way to go. It also does help tremendously to understand the mechanics of drumming. I would urge everyone that wants to start doing some drum programming, even basic, look up drummer vids on YouTube that show drum performances of songs you like. A lot of times they even have multi-cam and you can see what hands and feet are doing. That's what you're trying to replicate. Especially for impossible mechanics. You can't have a snare, ride and cymbals happening at the same time. That kind of thing.

It is definitely a learnable skill though, programming drums and most of the time the average music listener won't notice. The musicians that do won't care if they're programmed as long as the song is good! Lol!

 

[Anonymous]

These videos are the greatest thing ever. No lie. I followed along with a different track, doing similar things to what Jeremy was doing and now I understand this whole process a LOT better. I'm only 3/4 through the second video and my drum track already sounds FAR FAR better. Bring on more vids!!

Steve