How do you add drums to your recordings?

[rrgguitarman]

I've been having a ball with my Tascam DP008 and it got me thinking about drums, how do you add them to your recordings? or can you? what do you guys use short of buying a set and learning how to play them.

Your input is greatly appreciated.
Thanks.

[Rodger]

I have two DAWs - 1) ProTools on a Mac and 2) Roland V20 with PC laptop. I'm not sure this will work on your Tascam, but here goes.

I create my drums with a program called Reason. The drum tones in Reason are recorded WAVs, so they sound good. Once I'm happy with the drum parts, I export it to a WAV file and import it into the DAW as a separate channel. I record all of the other instruments. I can return to Reason and make changes to the drum parts, then re-export/import. It all lines up each time I do this. When all of those changes are final, I export each drum part (snare, kick, etc.) as a separate WAV and import these to separate tracks in the DAW. I can have separate mix capability with each part of the drum "kit."

If you can import WAV (or other standard sound) files into the Tascam, there are many drum software packages out there - some are very inexpensive. A lot of people like one called Fruity Loops. Most have loops that you string together for a complete song. Reason has loops, too, but I prefer to program my drums from scratch.

Good luck! Including drums in your songs adds quite a bit to your music.

[rrgguitarman]

WOW!

I'm going to have to do some studying. What you describe sounds very complex? or maybe it just seems that way to me at this time since I'm just a beginner.
Is there such a thing as plugging in drum patches like you plug the guitar?

Thank you so much.

[RustyAxe]

When I had a Boss BR-600 I used the built-in facilities to build drum tracks. Now, I use a computer to record, and have EZDrummer along with GrooveMonkee Jazz, Blues and Country riffs. But I rarely need drums for the music I play ... usually I provide rhythm either on piano tracks, or upright bass (sometimes electric bass guitar). I get all the drums I can stand when I play live dance gigs with the country band ...

[mr. beaumont]

I've been using a cajon, a ride cymbal, and some shakers/tambourine lately and liking the results.

If you want to hear what it comes out like, check out the song "Just Don't Know" on my site below. I think it's pretty passable.

[Gypsyblue]

Originally Posted by mr. beaumont

I've been using a cajon, a ride cymbal, and some shakers/tambourine lately and liking the results.

If you want to hear what it comes out like, check out the song "Just Don't Know" on my site below. I think it's pretty passable.

Yep. I much prefer the sound of hand drums or brushes with acoustic instruments. We used a cajon on my last CD.

[rhancox]

Originally Posted by rrgguitarman

WOW!

I'm going to have to do some studying. What you describe sounds very complex? or maybe it just seems that way to me at this time since I'm just a beginner.
Is there such a thing as plugging in drum patches like you plug the guitar?

Thank you so much.

With a DAW, as described by Rodger, you can do the same thing with the Tascam. Record your other instruments with the Tascam, import those tracks into a DAW on your computer and then start doing what Rodger described.

[runamuck]

Sounds like EZ Drummer would be good for you. Google it.

[rrgguitarman]

Originally Posted by Goldenbird

Yep. I much prefer the sound of hand drums or brushes with acoustic instruments. We used a cajon on my last CD.

This is really wild. Are you guys talking about a "cajon" = A Box?

This Forum is really awesome.

Thanks everyone for your input.

All kinds of possibilities!

[mr. beaumont]

Indeed.

I just have a cheap Meinl. Stick a mic in it, and the sound is pretty remarkable!

And hitting the front with brushes is a really cool sound.

[Ty Ford]

Like any other instrument, you have to figure out where it fits in the arrangement.

Like any other instrument, playing it well makes a difference. I am getting better with hand drums each time I play, but someone with more experience can really take a song to the next level. I've hired Laura Cerulli on several occasions for hand or other percussion. She's a wizard. She plays hand drums and/or a kit. We talk about the tune and decide what fits. A properly played kit works just fine if it fits in the arrangement. Go here http://web.mac.com/tyreeford/Site/Ty...roduction.html
and listen to her work on Randall Williams "Cut From Cloth"

Not like any other instrument, it's best to record drums first (with anything else, like your guitar) and not as overdubs because it's establishes rhythm and the micro timing shifts of whatever you lay down first will force the percussion to follow (and be slightly off). And, BTW, if you're a bit sloppy with your own rhythm, using drum loops, a click track or a good percussionist will help you fix that, if you're up to the challenge.

Cajon is very cool. I also like Djembe.

[ferg]

I use one of two methods. I do everything in Logic Pro.

Method 1: Record along to a basic drum loop. Once all instruments are done supplement with changes in the loops and fills. I.e. all drums are loops. This method sounds pretty good, but it can be difficult to control the dynamics of the song. Also - it makes it more difficult to get a cohesive sound across tracks on a CD project, because the loops come from different sources, etc, etc.

Method 2: Cajon. Pretty easy to play, especially if you have a drum track to play along with. I have a Valter cajon. It's awesome. You can here a good example of a recording I made with cajon HERE. I will also throw in some tambourine or shaker as well - this could either be a loop or the actual instrument.

[mr. beaumont]

Originally Posted by ferg

Method 2: Cajon. Pretty easy to play, especially if you have a drum track to play along with.

Yup! That's what I do...I just use a drum machine, play along to it, then remove the drum machine track.

[rrgguitarman]

Thanks for all your input.

The Cajon things sounds very interesting. Is there a specific one that sounds the fullest?

We own a set of Bongos, shakers, a tambourine and some Congas that my wife likes to play along with, that might add some nice percussion flavors.

[alohachris]

Aloha rrgguitarman ,

I'm glad that you're reconsidering playing/miking drum tracks rather than simply programming samples in & calling them your own.

For your own fun, messing-around recordings, adding loops & presets can be fun. But if you're going to share that music with others, then I believe it should be percussion or drums that you've actually played.

I know, I know. I AM old school on this. But too many people think its ok to pass off samplings or others' music as their own. A whole generation feels that that approach is perfectly fine. I do not feel that way. It's BS. If you do something long enough, wrong enough in America, it becomes right. But that aint right.

Last night, I was enjoying messing around a bit with some of the many Indian tabla loops I have with my Logic Pro 9 rig - just thousands of cool samples! I thought, too bad I'll never use any of 'em in the recordings I share.

Sure, I'll try out a few percussive samples on songs in progress when I'm trying to figure out if precussion is necessary & what kind. But for the finished product, I always play or have a percussionist play those parts & mic the live tracks.

I'm definitely NOT a percussionist, but I rarely will add some percussive touches to my simple acoustic mixes for mild effect. And I do that by borrowing my percussionist friend's grip of very cool & organic noise makers, figuring out how to use them, and then miking them to tracks live.

I don't think I'll ever change my mind about this approach to music ownership on the recordings I'll share. If you play it & record it, then it's your music. If part or most of it is sampled & you pass it off as yours? Then it's shibai!

I'd hit the music stores & start trying out simple percussion tools & learn how to master them. You'd be surprised how big you can actually make a miked tabla sound in a mix. A fun process actually. Those same tools can be used for fun at music parties or to get kids into music & rhythm. Good to have around the house.

Or find a percussionist/drummer friend to add what you need. A live body always beats those samples anyway, IMO. That's the way most of us old Boomers did percussion in the past - with real live drummers (not always the most reliable personalities, but better than digital). Live percussion is always imperfect & uneven - two great "qualities" that totally I prefer to digital FX. It makes recordings feel more alive & less metronome-like. But then again, I don't like click-tracks either.

Good luck with your recording.

alohachris

PS: Ferg! Way to go! You da "Back-Hoe Man." Nice metaphoric creativity! Your fun recording brought back fond memories of a tune I once wrote/recorded in my Kona days called "Sweet Bernice." The lyrics likened a growing pot plant to a very lovely young women.

"Well she's five-foot tall & growin',
And the buds that she's been showin',
Are the kind that make a man weak in the knees."

"Sweet Bernice! Honey Please Be Discreet!
Avert the eye, of some sly guy,
Or end up just another score in, Jack the Ripper's bag."

So long ago I can't remember it. I think we recorded it at some guy's studio on Molokai. And the hippie gal back-up singers preferred to sing & record while naked because it made them feel free-er, or something like that. Had some cajon & cheesy harmonica on that track too.

GD, I wish I could still play those kind of cute, metaphorical songs to the sweet young things again at my gigs. Used to own the ladies with the many that I'd play to 'em. My breaks were always interesting when I'd play a couple a those.

But ya can't be doing those songs at 62. "Ooooo, that's gross, grampa. Whateryou, a perv?!?" They'd cart me off & put a bracelet on me for being a scary old guy. So milk it while you can, brah! Ha! Really Great job on "her garden," "Back-Hoe Ferg!" I tend to prefer a lot of grass to mow myself. - alohachris-