Multiple drum tracks

Hello! Is there a way to have multiple drum tracks in one file? 
 
I'm a guitar player and I mainly use CW to record my tracks. I use SD3 and it only let's me have one drum track at a time. Or at least I think it does. 
 
I'd like to have multiple drum tracks so that I can Mute the ones I'm not using at the time and then just work with the one. I usually have 4/5 different guitar tracks that I can always refer back to. 
 
Is this possible? If so how do I do it? Thanks 

Assuming that you mean PARTS  - if you are sending the VST midi data,  just mute whatever part you want in PRV. (MUST USE A DRUM MAP FOR THIS TO WORK)
 
You can also assign the VST outputs to various tracks. I use BFD or Session drum 3 and I have each part assigned to a different audio track. What you are asking for is exactly how it should be done.

+1 to Charlie's above suggestion.
 
I have many times created multiple separate midi tracks for drums, so that I could evaluate different rhythmic choices for parts of songs I am working on.
 
I would suggest avoiding having a midi track for each kit piece, as editing will instantly become a nightmare.  I route each kit piece in Battery 3 to its own outputs, so that I can address levels and effects on each one, but trying to keep each midi event for each kit piece on a separate track would gray up your hair faster than a President's.
 
Bob Bone
 

Sure - I'll try to do a better job of explaining.  Sorry for any confusion.
 
I routinely create multiple midi tracks to capture drum events.  I do this because I often have multiple rhythmic ideas for sections of a song I may be working on.  Each midi track created for drums will have the entire kit's midi events present in one track, so for MY approach, if I have multiple midi tracks for drums, it means multiple complete kit recordings.  I then would mute all but one of the drum midi tracks, to play a particular 'take' of ONE entire kit.
 
What I MEANT to explain is that I NEVER put any single kit piece set of midi events onto its own midi track.  So, I would never have a midi track for just kick drum events.  Doing things that way would mean I would have to edit multiple midi tracks just to adjust a simple drum beat - as I would have to edit the kick events on one track, the snare hits on another, each cymbal on yet more tracks, and each tom's events on even more tracks.  Hence, an editing nightmare, and something I just never ever never ever would do.
 
What I DO use in my approach, is to load a kit into Battery 3, which is usually my go to drum module, and then I swap out any cells for replacements from other kits, so that I end up with a kit with exactly the kit pieces I seek for that song.  I then click on each kit piece, and then adjust the AUDIO output channel routing so that the kick drum remains assigned to the master audio outputs, the left and right snare cells are routed to audio output channels 3/4, crash 1 is assigned to audio output channels 5/6, etc. so that each kit piece goes to its own dedicated AUDIO output channels from Battery 3.
 
THEN, in Sonar, I set up a track folder for Drums, and insert one midi track and one audio track for each of the kit pieces.  I assign the midi output channel for the drums midi track to channel 10, so that all recorded drum events are going to be set to channel 10.  I then label each audio track appropriately (kick, snare, crash 1, etc.), and change the input to match the corresponding output channel I had set in Battery 3 for each kit piece.  I also insert a Drum bus and route all drums to the Drums bus, and I set the levels as needed, since I can now adjust every aspect of every kit piece, for levels, panning, and effects.
 
At the end of the above, I have a track folder I can collapse when I don't want to see individual drum audio tracks, and I have an audio track set for each and every piece of the kit that I built in Battery 3, where I can go back and tweak any and all of the kit pieces to my heart's content, and yet all midi events for all of the kit pieces still go to a single midi track.
 
When I want to create an alternate drum track for any particular section of the song, I simply insert a new midi track into my Drums track folder, name it, assign its output to Battery 3, mute the existing drums midi track, and create my alternate pattern using the new drums midi track.  I can do this as many times as I choose, just using toggling mute on/off to hear whichever version of drums I want to hear.
 
I hope that is a better explanation.  If not, let me know which parts you are still confused about, and I will drink some more coffee and try again.
 
Bob Bone
 

I like all that was said but my workflow goes as such:
 
I write out my drum track as basic first. Then I get all the other tracks recorded/written and go back and write out the fills and hits and such.
 
I then clone the track, archive the original and then split all the drums up so they are on their own track. I always clone in case I decide I want to make changes because it is a nightmare making changes with separate midi tracks.
 
I don't think I saw this but SD3 has numbers below the faders for each kit piece or bus. You would need to make each one a different number before you create audio track to route them to. I think Charlie made a video about this? For instance:
 
bass drum channel 1. Sent to an audio track with the audio tracks input set to SD3 input ??.
Snare drum channel 2. Sent to and audio track with the audio tracks input set to SD3 input ??.
 
HTH

robert_e_bone
Sure - I'll try to do a better job of explaining.  Sorry for any confusion.
 
 <snip>
What I MEANT to explain is that I NEVER put any single kit piece set of midi events onto its own midi track.  So, I would never have a midi track for just kick drum events.  Doing things that way would mean I would have to edit multiple midi tracks just to adjust a simple drum beat - as I would have to edit the kick events on one track, the snare hits on another, each cymbal on yet more tracks, and each tom's events on even more tracks.  Hence, an editing nightmare, and something I just never ever never ever would do. <snip>
 
I hope that is a better explanation.  If not, let me know which parts you are still confused about, and I will drink some more coffee and try again.
 
Bob Bone
 

 
Got it now ! Thanks for the clarification because I was concerned that  the OP would become very confused. Fwiw, you will really like it when you to get into PRV with a drum map setup.
 

I stated that. I clone the midi track in case I want to make changes to what I've written. I delete the split midi clips, make the changes to another cloned drum (midi) track, then clone that midi drum track as well and then split the cloned. I always want to be able to go back to an original or edited track. You never know when you may need it.
 
I route all the separate midi tracks to Addictive Drums and I use all the outputs from AD. I end up with two tracks, one midi and one audio except for cymbals, for every kit piece plus two tracks for the overheads and room audio outputs. The hi hat has it's own audio out as well. I also clone the bass drum midi track and route it to SD3. The AD kicks have good boom but I mis it with a good punchy BD in SD3.

Bob-
 
What problems have you found using the step sequencer with drum maps? I've done that ever since ere's been a step sequencer and never seen a drum-map related problem (using it to run SD3/3, an Alesis SR16 used as an expander and an MFB503 hardware drum synth).
 
One reason for creating seperate MIDI tracks for sections within kits is if you're using a drum synth that responds to lots of MIDI CC messages like the 503. It makes editing the CCs in the PRV much easier if you're only dealing with a few drums at a time.

That explanation makes PERFECT sense.  As I had said, whatever works for YOU is the right choice.  I was just trying to understand.
 
My own eyeballs are getting worse and worse myself, and I too may need to do the same thing one day.
 
I am already using a 46" HDTV as a primary computer display, and STILL have trouble.
 
Thank God my work still brains.
 
:)
 
Bob Bone

cparmerlee
There is one little bit I don't understand.
 

robert_e_bone
THEN, in Sonar, I set up a track folder for Drums, and insert one midi track and one audio track for each of the kit pieces.  

I understand a separate audio track to be able to apply FX separately for each kit piece.  I don't understand why you would need ANY MIDI tracks, other than the one that is feeding into your drum synth in the first place.

YIKES!  I did NOT mean to convey that at all.  
 
I meant to say that the Drums track folder would contain only a SINGLE midi track, and that I would then insert multiple AUDIO tracks - one audio track for each kit piece.  I NEVER would have a separate midi track for each kit piece - NEVER.
 
The way I originally wrote it up, it looked like I was adding a midi track for each and every kit piece - NO WAY would I ever do that - it's just how I typed the sentence - DOH!
 
Sorry for any confusion, 
 
Bob Bone
 

Thanks for understanding the wonderfullnessicity that is the English language (except for that butchered bit to the left there).
 
As far as the notes numbers / note names issue for the different kit pieces, this is true for any of the drum modules.
 
Each kit piece will correspond to some note number, whether that is for Battery 3, SD, the Abbey Road stuff, etc.
 
What I did for myself was to create a simple Word document with my kit pieces in one column, and the corresponding note numbers in another column, so that when I am entering or editing midi data, I have a clue as to what goes to what.
 
The audio routing assignments are done once for me per custom kit, as I save off the routing assignments and the kit with the track folder and relative level settings and such as a project template.  So, I will load up a kit as a starting point, swap out any cells needed for that particular kit I am trying to create, change the audio output routing assignments within Battery 3, insert a track folder for Drums in Sonar, add a single midi track to hold the drums midi data for all of the kit pieces, and then will insert all of the audio tracks needed for that kit and rename and assign the audio tracks to match the assignments in Battery 3.
 
Then, still with no midi data or any actual recording done, I save off the project as a project TEMPLATE, so that the custom kit and the routing assignments and such are preserved for any future project where I want to use that particular kit.
 
AFTER all of that, when I DO fire up a new project using that template, I pull out my Word document with the kit piece and note number values so that when I am adding or editing drum midi data, I know what kit pieces go to what note numbers.
 
Does that help explain it any better?
 
Bob Bone
 

Here's something that I don't get about editing drums in the PRV. I play all my parts in live. How does one adjust the velocities of a single hi hat note in the velocity pane, without adjusting the velocity of a coincident bass drum or snare hit? I know I can adjust the single notes by double clicking and adjusting the value numerically but it quicker to just sweep through the velocities in the velocity pane. Am I missing a trick?

STinGA
Here's something that I don't get about editing drums in the PRV. I play all my parts in live. How does one adjust the velocities of a single hi hat note in the velocity pane, without adjusting the velocity of a coincident bass drum or snare hit? I know I can adjust the single notes by double clicking and adjusting the value numerically but it quicker to just sweep through the velocities in the velocity pane. Am I missing a trick?

That's why I split the midi track into separate midi tracks for each kit piece.

I think it's easier to insert a second instance of SD3 in your synth rack.  Then you can just mute one or the other of the SD3s in the rack.  You can also have different kits that way.
 
If you want drum part 2 to be similar to drum part one, or have the same snare but different kick patterns or whatever, you can drag the MIDI from one instance of SD3 to the other and then edit as you like.

Yep, Bob...same way I do it.  All drum midi is in a single track, but routed out to separate audio tracks.  I believe that when you first insert the midi drums, Sonar asks you how you want it routed.  
 

In dealing with the midi aspect, I do it differently - I find it much easier to edit the midi events for the whole kit in a single midi track.

I feel it is easier as well to keep all the parts straight.  I also like to visually pull up the screen with the drum kit on it sometimes and play the track back to "watch" the kit being played.  It helps me to think like a real drummer.  Kind of follow the playing pattern and ask myself...would a real drummer reach all the way across an hit that cymbal or hit the one in the natural flow of things.