Mixing in BFD v. mixing in Sonar

Hi
 
Historically I have always mixed by drums in the DAW - MIDI track from Addictive Drums into Cubase, convert to Audio then EQ, compress, effects etc.
 
Now I've moved over to Sonar X2 and BFD2, I've read a lot about people mixing in BFD2 then BUS lanes into Sonar.
 
Just looking to see what other users do and what pros/cons you find with each method?

I do all my mixing inside Sonar.

The plugins inside BFD aren't too bad, but I don't think they can compete with the Pro Channel modules

Like KPerry, there's no need to convert to audio - keep it all as Midi unless you computer starts complaining. With 16Gb of RAM, this shouldn't be an issue for you

I mix in BFD with the supplied plugs.  I just treat it as a sub mixer like I would in an old fashioned "hardware" studio.

I don't know why one can't do both.

I prefer submixing BFD2 tracks (mono kick, mono snare, stero toms, stereo cymbal, etc) then assigning each sub to an audio input tracks in Sonar. All driven by one midi BDF2 instrument track in Sonar... Best of both worlds. 
 
Oh... One other thing I learned the hard way, never export using Quick bounce. Let the song play out while exporting. I've experience sync problems and note drops n BFD tracks... Don't know if this happens with anyone else. 

dencol


I prefer submixing BFD2 tracks (mono kick, mono snare, stero toms, stereo cymbal, etc) then assigning each sub to an audio input tracks in Sonar. All driven by one midi BDF2 instrument track in Sonar... Best of both worlds. 
 
Oh... One other thing I learned the hard way, never export using Quick bounce. Let the song play out while exporting. I've experience sync problems and note drops n BFD tracks... Don't know if this happens with anyone else. 

With regards to your quick bounce problem, have you tried enabling off line mode in BFD2 and has it made any difference? 




As for the mixing question pro's and con's


Pro's BF2 mixer is excellent and in my opinion it's better in some ways than sonar's. At the time of it's initial release in 2007 the bundled effects were very much better than those included in sonar and as good as many high end effects that would cost an arm and a leg. But that was 5 years ago. In terms of sound there is really no difference if you have BFD2 routed to a stereo master out in sonar or you're routing each channel, kick, snare etc to mono outputs in sonar.


Cons, I wouldn't recommend routing BFD2 to separate outputs unless you are wanting to use third party effects but aside from your third party effects being more to your liking than the BFD2 bundle they are much easier to automate.
Having said that you can automate all 501 of BFD2's parameters from kit piece tuning to any of the included effects. It's just a little more time consuming but quite easy once you know how.




I actually have most of my tracks in BFD2 routed to individual channels purely on the off chance that I might use third party effects so for that reason it might be a good idea to do that. 
Whatever you do it's always a really good idea to save your different routings as templates. On that note I have some (amusing) BFD2 templates that I posted some time ago to help new users understand how it was done.
They also include a loop and the kick drum has automated tuning as well as being laden with effects but don't klet that distract you from the main purpose, I just got bored 

The ones that are routed to a single stereo channel are named BFD2 (kit name) master.
Sorry Beepster, didn't do any for BFD Eco .

You can find them here BFD2 templates
Cheers

Steve


P.S. The first 2 presets are for my favourite "cocktail expansion kit" so if you don't have that it won't work. 
Also if you don't have it and you've got the money I can't recommend it highly enough, really bright and versatile and right now is only £18 ($25) which is a bargain.

twaddle


You can find them here BFD2 templates
Cheers

Steve

Hi twaddle . . . was interested in checking out your BFD2 templates, but the link leads to some advertisement media download page ?

Could you also advise where to put them once downloaded please.

They go with the rest of your Sonar Templates

Hit P for Preferences and you'll find the location under the Folders section

@twaddle... I missed your first post. That's cool, man. I actually worked something out where I might have a bit of "disposable" income in a few months and the BFD2 upgrade is one of the first things on my list. I'll definitely check those out. Are you gonna leave them up for a while or should I dl them now?

Thanks. :-)

Steve - what's the difference between the templates with "Master" in the name and those without?

Bristol_Jonesey


Steve - what's the difference between the templates with "Master" in the name and those without?

Very little to be honest other than all the channels in BFD2's mixer are routed to it's master channel via various aux buses and then routed to a single stereo output in sonar.
I mistakenly left the other channels in sonar rather than just having the one which may have caused some confusion buty you can see in sonar's console that it's just running through the "Master" track.


Steve

twaddle

Bristol_Jonesey


Steve - what's the difference between the templates with "Master" in the name and those without?

Very little to be honest other than all the channels in BFD2's mixer are routed to it's master channel via various aux buses and then routed to a single stereo output in sonar.
I mistakenly left the other channels in sonar rather than just having the one which may have caused some confusion buty you can see in sonar's console that it's just running through the "Master" track.


Steve

Gotcha!

Cheers Steve.