Need Help Cubase Midi Drums

[shylessness4924]

Hey,
So I've started recording stuff on my computer for fun and I found this site, which I think is an awesome site, great help , good topics ; it pretty much rocks

But anyways I just have a lil problem when i use Cubase, i use the midi drums and i have a problem; we cant really hear the bass drums , the snare is ok and the cymbals are breaking my ears (im seriously bleeding, its sooo loud) Is there anyway to adjust the sound? (louder - lighter)

And i wanted to know something too, you know on cubase they gave you some sounds for you drums but its pretty basic and i was wondering if there was something i could download to get more sounds ( or i have this "keyboard" with great drum sounds, should i record them as midi sounds and use it as drum sounds?)

I'll be extremely grateful to any help that will be offered...

Alex

[richiebee]

What's your sound source? The drums that come with Cubase??? Eeek. I'd try and get something different. I'm not sure if there are any good freebies out there in teh drum line. If you've got money, I'd suggest getting EZ DRummer if you'd like to rely more heavily on pre-made rhythms (you can however do your own with it) or one of the other Toontrack products if you like to create your own drums from scratch.

[brandondrury]

What's your sound source? The drums that come with Cubase??? Eeek. I'd try and get something different.

Well, I'd only say Eek, if they didn't work for what you are doing. The stock drums in Cubase are usable for low fi new wave applications and that's about it, in my opinion. I guess its just a matter of taste. I'm suprised Cubase doesn't put something to closer handle real drums.

Now, with that said, you do have some options. #1) Velocities. #2) The volumes of the different individual drums themseleves.

The velocities are what you see at the bottom of Cubase and determine how hard the instrument is being played. This, obviously, is a big factor of the not only the level of the drums, but the tone of the drums as well.

The LM-9 or whatever it is also offers control of the volumes of each drum on the plugin itself. You could keep the hi-hat velocity up (if you wanted to) and still turn it town on the plugin.

You may want to read the member only guide:
Getting Started With Midi Sequencing

Brandon

[brandondrury]

And i wanted to know something too, you know on cubase they gave you some sounds for you drums but its pretty basic and i was wondering if there was something i could download to get more sounds ( or i have this "keyboard" with great drum sounds, should i record them as midi sounds and use it as drum sounds?)

For real drum sounds, I use DFH Superior (which is a very amazing little product). For techno / dance / industrial type stuff I use Native Instruments Battery which I purchased as part of Native Instruments Komplete.

You could also go with drums in Kontakt2 and then you'd have a very powerful sampler that you could use for drums, violins, people coughing, cats screaming, or whatever.

[shylessness4924]

Originally Posted by brandondrury

For real drum sounds, I use DFH Superior (which is a very amazing little product). For techno / dance / industrial type stuff I use Native Instruments Battery which I purchased as part of Native Instruments Komplete.

You could also go with drums in Kontakt2 and then you'd have a very powerful sampler that you could use for drums, violins, people coughing, cats screaming, or whatever.

Thank you very much , I'll look foward to find those but can I use them along Cubase? Like select on the track a part I want add drums and then write my drums part with the program and have the track right there on cubase...



Alex

[brandondrury]

Yes, you can use all of these in Cubase. That's the whole point. Honestly, I don't understand how these things would function on their own. The concept of not using a sequencer like Cubase seams strange to me.

All of these mentioned can function as a virtual instrument in Cubase (Press F11).

Brandon

[shylessness4924]

Originally Posted by brandondrury

For real drum sounds, I use DFH Superior (which is a very amazing little product).

Brandon

So i found that program and installed it, and you know when u start the drum kit, you get this ...image of a drum and the sound is really good , it sounds real. But then when you start to write you drums part on cubase ( with the pencil) the drum sound less good and less real... and how do i control the drum volume if i mixed my guitars, keyboard, voice and bass at a normal lvl, i cant hear the drums and if i mix everything at the drums sound lvl, well its way too low...

Alex

[brandondrury]

So you purchased DFH Superior and installed the 10 DVD of samples?

when u start the drum kit, you get this ...image of a drum and the sound is really good , it sounds real. But then when you start to write you drums part on cubase ( with the pencil) the drum sound less good and less real...

I'm not sure what you mean by "image of a drum".

I'm not sure what you mean by the sound getting "less real" either. Maybe you acn post a soundclip or something.

I've not noticed the sound of DFH Superior ever changing (except when I want it to).

There is one screen where you can hit the little key pad that could sound different than the drums you are programming, but this is caused by using unideal velocities in your drum programming. In other words, go to page with a keypad for each drum. The higher you click on the keypad, the higher the velocity (the harder you hit the drum). If you click low on the keypad, it sounds like you barely hit it. This will have an enormous effect on tone in a mix with other instruments.

how do i control the drum volume if i mixed my guitars, keyboard, voice and bass at a normal lvl, i cant hear the drums and if i mix everything at the drums sound lvl, well its way too low...

Are you implying that you have already mixed your other instruments???? If so, I think you are making an enormous mistake. I ONLY mix when I have all the tracks to work with (or if the damn band is bugging me for a rough copy).

All of the DFH tracks are routed to the Cubase mixer like everything else. You have total mixing control of everything within DFH (which is one reason I like it). If the levels aren't ideal, change them. All the faders are right there on the screen.

Brandon