Drum Sources

WW Audio

Inspired
Ok, a quick background for this post. Had to sell my drums last year when I got laid off and have been investigating something to replace them with. I'm working again, however, space is limited (isn't it always?) and I need a solution. I've considered ponying up for the latest Roland digital kit but it's pricey - and there's that damned space issue again.

For those of you who've posted Axe recordings with drums (if it wasn't a live drummer), what are you using?
 
Do you want a kit? Or a VST sample library?
The kit you can DIY it. I can help you if you want, i built one for a friend a year ago...
If its a VST, theres a lot of vst libraries out there (SSD, Superior Drummer, Addictive drums, etc)...To program the drums you can do it manually, get some midi loops, use Jamstix (great!), or just use the guitar pro tab :p.
greetz
 
Look no farther than Toontrack! Add a little drumkat and you'll be able to record with all the feel and a better sound than ever.
 
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I like the Toontrack stuff for ease of use and groove creation / re-use.

I like the Slate Drum samples for attitude. But their groove / easy of use factor is way lower than the toontrack stuff for me.
 
This is a great thread for me... I am looking for new drum software. For about the past 4 years I have been using Steven Slate Drums and Fruity Loops for step sequencing. I have gotten pretty good with that especially using the timing shift feature for the steps in FL. I recently came into an AMAZING deal on Sonar X3 Producer and in learning how to use that (which is considerably different than 8.5 I am used to) I have taken to the notion that I want to get a drum software that I can use inside of my DAW. Addictive Drums 2 comes with Producer but one of the things I have noticed is when I use the step sequencer in Sonar the hits (even when I use SSD) seem to have the initial hit but none of the overtones of the drum sound so its all thin and fake compared to FL.

There are things about the idea of Jamstix & EZ Drummer2 that I like, especially the ability of the midi engine to automatically make fills and variations more closely like a real drummer would. This would save me an insane amount of time especially in fills not having to edit timing and velocity as much. What I do not like about the EZ Drummer from what I can tell is that I can not make beats just edit midi grooves and i am not sure about Jamstix.

So to frame all of this in a question: What do you think is the best software to get that will allow me to construct basic beats inside my DAW, put those beats/patterns in songs and the let the software take care of the realistic variations and fills a real drummer would?

Thanks..sorry for the length of this.
 
I use midi over usb to Superior Drummer and/or Addictive Drummer using this DIY kit I pieced together and it gives me more flexibility that most of the full Roland kits.

roland-diykit2.jpg

I configure the bottom four on the pad as Toms, top 4 as cymbals. Snare on center, ride on right, hihat on the left with pedal and a double pedal which feels very comfortable and real. I even set the top right pad as dual zone so if I hit it lightly it is the bell of the ride, but hitting hard is a cymbal. All 8 pads are dual zone, externals all dual zone as well with same ranges feel as TD30. Plus its compact taking little space and easy to move since its all mounted off the stand.

Just to give you an idea,

Roland SPD30 Octapad = $800 new
Roland PDS-10 Pad Stand = $140 new
Yamaha KP65 Kick pad (just as good as the roland) = $70 new
DW Doublepedal = $200
Roland PD-85 for snare on ebay $100 used
Gibraltar SC-SLRM Single L-Rod Mount for snare = $30 new
Roland FD-8 hihat pedal on ebay $50 used
CY5 (hi-hat) and CY8 (ride) on ebay $50 each used
Gibraltar SC-GCA Grabber Cymbal Arm for the CY5= $25
PEARL AX25L (to insert cymbal stand) = $30 new
Misc cymbal stand connected to AX25L for CY8 = $50

Total DIY Kit build giving you a 12/13 piece kit = Approx. $1595

Sure you could get a Roland kit for $1500 but it wont be anywhere near as diverse.
 
I use midi over usb to Superior Drummer and/or Addictive Drummer using this DIY kit I pieced together and it gives me more flexibility that most of the full Roland kits.

View attachment 23237

I configure the bottom four on the pad as Toms, top 4 as cymbals. Snare on center, ride on right, hihat on the left with pedal and a double pedal which feels very comfortable and real. I even set the top right pad as dual zone so if I hit it lightly it is the bell of the ride, but hitting hard is a cymbal. All 8 pads are dual zone, externals all dual zone as well with same ranges feel as TD30. Plus its compact taking little space and easy to move since its all mounted off the stand.

Just to give you an idea,

Roland SPD30 Octapad = $800 new
Roland PDS-10 Pad Stand = $140 new
Yamaha KP65 Kick pad (just as good as the roland) = $70 new
DW Doublepedal = $200
Roland PD-85 for snare on ebay $100 used
Gibraltar SC-SLRM Single L-Rod Mount for snare = $30 new
Roland FD-8 hihat pedal on ebay $50 used
CY5 (hi-hat) and CY8 (ride) on ebay $50 each used
Gibraltar SC-GCA Grabber Cymbal Arm for the CY5= $25
PEARL AX25L (to insert cymbal stand) = $30 new
Misc cymbal stand connected to AX25L for CY8 = $50

Total DIY Kit build giving you a 12/13 piece kit = Approx. $1595

Sure you could get a Roland kit for $1500 but it wont be anywhere near as diverse.

Honestly I am not trying to come off as a jerk when I ask this, but where is the diversity benefit of this idea? I ask because it seems like one of the mid range roland kits and brain will do all of this and cost less with less time spent acquiring different pieces off of ebay ect. I tried to go this route and found that the only benefit was the potential small size, but to me it didnt make or break it. I ended up selling off all the pieces and getting a used roland kit with 10" snare pad, 1x 10" tom pad and 2x 8"tom pads, kick pad, hit hats, 3 cymbal pads (mid range ones, not cheepos) and a full size ride pad at GC used for $1200.00. It was definitely a really good deal that I got but I think you could find something similar.
 
Hi WW, Are game for more cutting edge solution?? How about playing a REAL virtual kit! Look at this.. Aerodrums
They are a small start up, not unlike Fractal, that in fact LISTENS to their client base.
It does have one caveat. Their drum samples are only 44.1K not 48K. I link it with EZDRUMMER 1.0 > I have been in touch on their forum to get the system to work seamlessly with the Axe FX USB system. Hopefully they will come through. Until then, it does work very well, at 44.1K. if you record analog at 44.1K you are good to go now.
There is one small issue with the kick drum for the drummers I work with. The drummers that have played it here, say they prefer a the kick sensor on a real OR practice pedal for the kick. This way they use the same foot and ankle muscles SO their technique remains unchanged as opposed to your foot flat on the ground, raising your toe to trigger it..
ALSO If you want the option to reamp, you have to wait OR buy more gear( a reamp box about $250.00)AND record at 44.1K. Here is my communication on their forum. Aerodrums and Aered forums • View topic - Where do I find installation folder in Windows I WILL review it here WHEN they go 48K. 8)
 
Honestly I am not trying to come off as a jerk when I ask this, but where is the diversity benefit of this idea? I ask because it seems like one of the mid range roland kits and brain will do all of this and cost less with less time spent acquiring different pieces off of ebay ect. I tried to go this route and found that the only benefit was the potential small size, but to me it didnt make or break it. I ended up selling off all the pieces and getting a used roland kit with 10" snare pad, 1x 10" tom pad and 2x 8"tom pads, kick pad, hit hats, 3 cymbal pads (mid range ones, not cheepos) and a full size ride pad at GC used for $1200.00. It was definitely a really good deal that I got but I think you could find something similar.

I wanted most of it to be New since pads tend to wear out and used kits I found didnt repond as well. Used cymbal pads I did buy are inexpensive anyway. I wanted an 8 inch snare. Space was an issue that this whole kit solves. I am in a 10x10 room with too much already. 1 foot to the left of that image is a couch, 4 inches to the right is the desk so fitting a full kit in here would be uncomfortable. I can swivel with ease between DAW and Kit with guitar in hand. Its actually easier to play than a kit spaced out once you learn to play in a small pad area. Used full ready to go kits just didn't appeal to me. So I compared to what I could get new on price and went this route with a new/used mix. Its an option is all and has its benefits but not for everyone.
 
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