Building human feel into beats that you build in prv.

you could purchase a set of programs called Franks MIDI tools (google it).  last I checked it was $35 for the set and he has a "humanize MIDI" program with lots of different settings.

timidi


It's an artform all it's own. there is no easy answer. It's a friggin computer. Remember?

     LOL...thanks for reminding me

hit that hihat hit that hihat hit that hihat hit that hihat

Sorry, couldn't resist.

How busy are your drum beats? Don't be afraid to fill them out a bit more, the drummers I've worked with all seem to want more to do than less (but not to the point where they've sprouted an extra arm or leg )

Yes - even BFD with it's multiple hat artics ignore foot up.

From memory - you get:

Open tip
3/4 tip
1/2 tip
1/4 tip
Open shank
3/4 shank
1/2 shank
1/4 shank
Pedal

I agree with Mike.  The easiest and quickest way is with velocity editing, especially of hats and rides (but everything can be tweaked to sound pretty "human").

In addition, you might try adding (or subtracting) a few subtle grace notes and light fills where appropriate.  Many times, a human drummer will slip something extra into the pattern, often without anyone else noticing.  That little extra flair may be nothing more a change of accents or some simple hat/snare/kick fills, but it can give the track that human touch that a simple pattern or loop misses. 

Depending on the style, you may also want to fill in some supplemental percussion where appropriate.  One caution here, a little goes a long way. 

I agree it's an art form in itself. I construct my drum beats in PRV too. My 5 main points (most of which have already been made):

* The more simple the drum pattern easier it is to make it sound real.
* Find a good "base-line" velocity for each section, but then vary the velocity of certain hits (some I just do randomly, some I do purposefuly to support an emphasis on a chord, etc). Back in the day when I used a drum machine, I used to just worry about volume, but with my MIDI drum programs (I use Battery 3) you get a lot different sound depending on the velocity.
* Don't use snap-to-grid. Or at least don't always use it. I'm more likely to use it for kick and snare.
* Study what drums actually do - avoiding the "five-armed drummer" who is playing a tom fill, hitting the snare and two cymbals at the same time.
* Throw in some ghost notes. I especially use barely audible snare hits and ride a lot to help add to the groove and movement of the beat.

I probably spend as much time programming the drums as I do recording all the other instruments. I start out with mainly a good kick/snare pattern and hi-hat, add a few tracks like bass and rhythm guitar, then start fleshing out the drums from there to work with the other instruments.

Wow,these are all great suggestions,I realy like the idea of using a real hi-hat,that seems to be the weekness in alot of sample libraries and drum vst's.The foot up hh sound is one I want in particular for the song I'm working on.I guess I just need to have some patience with editing velocities and learning how and when to push the beat or,lay off of it.

Just buy some midi patterns and start fiddling with them. Y'all making beats from scratch is like reinventing the wheel.

  I've been doing some tinkering with one of my beats,editing velocities,holding and rushing different notes and,I'm starting to get close to what I want.I guess I just need to spend ALOT more time working at it and learning all of the little tricks.

+100000 JamesYoyo.  Albeit, I almost liked the hhat idea.  Tambs and glocks also record/sound authentic.

Meister Yoyo convinced me after writing/singing/producing his 'Indian' Song in Beatscape ... Superior Drummer got kind of got stale for me after that.

Since then, Beatz and grooves are serious business (for me) ... and there are too many MIDIs, beatz, and grooves out there that the Op can collab with (Royalty free) ... that are worth buying.

Also, re-inventing the wheel with 'classic drummer authentic artifacts' and/or Rex-splicing techniques ... vanity of vanities, says the preacher.  Only if you're a groove meister.

Even if you spend the inordinant time creating each beatz and 'cook-up' some funk ... it won't compare to other Beatz artists who evolve on each other, IMHO.

Beatz artists are the most advanced and evolved language of music ... far superior now more then ever!  IMHO, its only a matter of time before country music 'awakens' via MIDI-beatz and grooves ... Rx2 and/or wave loops.

Beatscape (Sonar) and MIDI performances (by others) changed my music life (via God).  But there are much much better grooves worth purchasing ... for every genre under the sun.  Of course, you listen before you buy/download!

That said, Superior Drummer and Addictive Drums have inexpensive MIDI grooves you can purchase for $20 +/-.  Likewise, BiaB, Jamstix, etc. are old-school tricks that help us elderly cronies 'hang in there'.

But for $30-40 you can purchase some serious grooves royalty-free ... and home produce with a little self-respect.  Beatz artists are not using 7 piece drum kits.  Proven pros that have spent inordinant time, labour, passion, and musical evolution, on grooves with orchestrals vocs choirs and outlandish percussive pomp ... that backbones every genre.

Consider: Buy the most outlandish grooves that you/I envy for $20-40.  While numerous others here are trying to do covers (illegally) and/or re-invent classical rock (but with cr&p messages) ... you can outdo them all with purchaseable grooves, sound better, and focus on better things, like sweet vox words.

Where there is a will, there is  way. Ultimately, the value of a seasoned musician at any instrument never goes away, whether it is a vocalist, drummer, guitarist, etc. If they truly own their instrument, bringing together the different masters is always the fastest, most enjoyable and easiest way to put something together with real feel.

That being said, it can be done by one man. It may not end up sounding like it does with the congregation of masters, but it is also music.

The more love we put into music, the more it can be heard.

Another thing to be said, even those not seasoned can make great music by themselves or as a congregation of many.

Ultimately, that is also great music. It may not be as "advanced" or "seasoned", but it is still inspired and is equally music.

I have come to a place where in my musical journey, I again enjoy myself as much as I did when I first discovered the joy of making and doing music(whether performing, producing, improvising, etc.)

I had a point where I would beat myself up pretty often. Those moments have decreased drastically and I am ultimately enjoying the music more than ever, every day.

jamesyoyo

 

Just buy some midi patterns and start fiddling with them. Y'all making beats from scratch is like reinventing the wheel. 

With all due respect, I disagree strongly. 


It may seem like reinventing something but if you don't try to own the beat in your head... you'll make things harder on yourself. 


If you take a few moments to lay out a beat in PRV and learn when and where the velocity should be tweaked to get it sounding good... well, then you'll be able to do that sort of thing in just a few minutes... and eventually you will probably be of the opinion that searching through a directory full of pre made beats you do not own in your head takes to darn long. 




very best regards, 
mike 

May I strongly and respectfully disagree with your disagreement?

There are literally hundreds of thousands of midi drum loops out there for free/purchase. One of them has to be close enough to what you are hearing in your head. Tweak that one. Another thing with pre-made loops is that while auditioning several to find the  right beat, one comes on that totally changes what you were thinking. Those happy accidents are a lot harder to come when  you are starting from scratch.


To each his own, I guess.

Guitarhacker


Whether you invent your own wheel, of buy one already assembled.... just do it... make music.

 
LOL!  That's an awesome hook (you've got a way with words), GuitarHacker;
 
Lance: Probably the greatest post I've read from you.

Reverbs and compression can make a a kit sound bigger, messier and more human - even when quantized perfectly. Try a big washy hi hat  (if it fits the song) (Studio Instruments have some good ones) - make it mask the kick and snare, make it all pump and duck. This can create the illusion that the drums are a human performance of very high quality and masks any robotics.

It has worked for me - however it may not work for others - just my suggestion.

Dave