SONAR 5 PRODUCER EDITION - Writing drum tracks

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Pete Mitchell
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2014/09/09 16:29:43 (permalink)

SONAR 5 PRODUCER EDITION - Writing drum tracks

Hi,  I am using Sonar 5 Producer with Focusrite Scarlett 2i4 Audio Interface + PC..
 
I want to write a drum track.... It is possible without MIDI
 
Thanx
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    Kalle Rantaaho
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    Re: SONAR 5 PRODUCER EDITION - Writing drum tracks 2014/09/10 04:54:21 (permalink)
    Why don't you want to use MIDI? That would be the easiest way.
    The other way is to look for commercial or free audio drum loops to download and build the tracks with those.
    That way it's really hard to compose what's in your mind, you usually end up using what you can find in reasonable time.
     
    Your interface plays little role in it, unless you're recording audio,
    but you do need proper driver for the interface, though. ASIO is the most recommendable.

    SONAR PE 8.5.3, Asus P5B, 2,4 Ghz Dual Core, 4 Gb RAM, GF 7300, EMU 1820, Bluetube Pre  -  Kontakt4, Ozone, Addictive Drums, PSP Mixpack2, Melda Creative Pack, Melodyne Plugin etc.
    The benefit of being a middle aged amateur is the low number of years of frustration ahead of you.
    #2
    Pete Mitchell
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    Re: SONAR 5 PRODUCER EDITION - Writing drum tracks 2014/09/10 05:38:36 (permalink)
    Hi Kalle, I have found some drum loops by 'DRUM WERKS'  
     
    can i use those for my set up without midi??
     
    http://www.betamonkeymusic.com/V3.html
    #3
    Kalle Rantaaho
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    Re: SONAR 5 PRODUCER EDITION - Writing drum tracks 2014/09/10 09:53:55 (permalink)
    You can use any audio loop format that Sonar supports. I don't know if you can throw, say, acidiced wavs on Sonar 5 tracks. I suppose the help files tell you what formats version 5 supports. I've never used audio loops so I'm not the best person to give you advice, actually :o)
     

    SONAR PE 8.5.3, Asus P5B, 2,4 Ghz Dual Core, 4 Gb RAM, GF 7300, EMU 1820, Bluetube Pre  -  Kontakt4, Ozone, Addictive Drums, PSP Mixpack2, Melda Creative Pack, Melodyne Plugin etc.
    The benefit of being a middle aged amateur is the low number of years of frustration ahead of you.
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    bitflipper
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    Re: SONAR 5 PRODUCER EDITION - Writing drum tracks 2014/09/10 11:50:09 (permalink)
    SONAR 5 supports ACIDized loops and REX files.
     
    However, if you want to "write" a drum track, that implies originality and something created specifically for a specific song (as opposed to being purchased in a library). 
     
    You can certainly do that without MIDI, by playing the part on a keyboard or on drum pads and recording the audio. However, it's a lot of work and will be hard to edit. Recording or hand-assembling a MIDI drum track via the PRV is really the best of all worlds. There are also ready-made MIDI drum patterns available in SONAR 5 that can be easily painted in.
     


    All else is in doubt, so this is the truth I cling to. 

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    #5
    Pete Mitchell
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    Re: SONAR 5 PRODUCER EDITION - Writing drum tracks 2014/09/10 12:00:48 (permalink)
    Thanx Kalle and bitflipper for your much appreciated comments and info...  
     
    My last CD was done on Sonar 5 and all drum tracks were hand written with every beat etc...
    As an artist I was very fortunate to have an excellent engineer who worked with me 24/7 till mastered... Sadly he has moved abroad and this time around I am trying to progress and do the job myself..
    It is a huge challenge for me but I will persist and hopefully achieve..
     
    Thanx again for all your help and input I am extremely grateful...
     
     
    #6
    sock monkey
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    Re: SONAR 5 PRODUCER EDITION - Writing drum tracks 2014/09/10 15:45:17 (permalink)
    Really MIDI is the best way to draw or  record and edit drum parts. 
    I cannot fathom doing otherwise with little clips of audio...:< 
    And I have never fathomed even drawing parts one note at a time in piano roll. That must take forever!  I've always just played the parts. 30 minutes to an hour and I'm done.  
    Pick up a MIDI ( USB now) keyboard controller and play along with the metronome layering up the parts. 
    I start with the Kick.  
    Then I do Snare and sometimes Toms
    Then I do the Hi Hats and Cymbals. 
    I did it that way since 1985 but I now have a set of Digital Drums and life is much better as I can play the parts in one pass. But I still enter the kick from my keyboard as I suck at the velocity  and timing of the Kick on the kit..

    Cakelab - Sonar X3e Studio   
    Singer Songwriter, Solo Performer, Acoustic Duo and semi pro Sound Monkey.   
      
    #7
    Pete Mitchell
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    Re: SONAR 5 PRODUCER EDITION - Writing drum tracks 2014/09/11 06:46:53 (permalink)
    I've downloaded a set of drum loops in wav files 16 bitt and I need to know how to use these files in Sonar 5 Producer..  Can anyone enlighten me on next stage... They are designed for audio only and not MIDI....
     
    Certainly appreciate some help.. Thanx to all
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    Kalle Rantaaho
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    Re: SONAR 5 PRODUCER EDITION - Writing drum tracks 2014/09/11 07:50:48 (permalink)
    AFAIK, Just put them on an audio track in the desired order. Cut, copy, paste...
    If PE5 has Groove Clips, then turning a clip to one makes it easy to stretch the loop over the bars.
     

    SONAR PE 8.5.3, Asus P5B, 2,4 Ghz Dual Core, 4 Gb RAM, GF 7300, EMU 1820, Bluetube Pre  -  Kontakt4, Ozone, Addictive Drums, PSP Mixpack2, Melda Creative Pack, Melodyne Plugin etc.
    The benefit of being a middle aged amateur is the low number of years of frustration ahead of you.
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    bitflipper
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    Re: SONAR 5 PRODUCER EDITION - Writing drum tracks 2014/09/11 10:41:03 (permalink)
    SONAR 5 does have groove clips.
     
    You'll want to choose a loop that's already close to the project's tempo, and then stretch or compress it to match the project. Or do it the lazy way and start your composition with the loop and build the song around whatever tempo it's at. That why loops typically come already at common tempos such as 60, 120 and 140 BPM, and often have the tempo in the file name. The SONAR 5 help file has enough information to get you started. Look up "Groove Clips".
     
    Basically, think of the loop as a piece of the drum track that's going to be repeated as many times as you need. It's just an audio file. Once you've converted it to a groove clip, it's still an audio file but now it has additional information embedded in it that allows the clip to be stretched to adjust tempo or to change pitch.
     
    The cool thing about groove clips is that they can be made any length you want, regardless of what length they start out at. You can start by dragging in a 2-measure fragment and then simply drag it out to five minutes if you like. This is how I normally create click tracks (although I'm using MIDI groove clips instead of audio - same principle).


    All else is in doubt, so this is the truth I cling to. 

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    #10
    Pete Mitchell
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    Re: SONAR 5 PRODUCER EDITION - Writing drum tracks 2014/09/12 19:55:57 (permalink)
    Thanx guys.. I've just finished my first drum track and I'm using groove clips in Sonar 5 with software from DRUMS ON DEMAND..... I have to say I am very impressed with them...
    The acoustic sounds are incredible... 
    #11
    bitflipper
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    Re: SONAR 5 PRODUCER EDITION - Writing drum tracks 2014/09/13 10:39:18 (permalink)
    Great, Pete! Now be sure to post a link in the Songs forum so we can all ridicule, er, offer constructive criticism for it. 


    All else is in doubt, so this is the truth I cling to. 

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    #12
    Pete Mitchell
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    Re: SONAR 5 PRODUCER EDITION - Writing drum tracks 2014/09/13 12:00:43 (permalink)
    Hi bitflipper, I think it will be a while before I have a 'finished track' but I will certainly do that on completion...  Cheers!
    #13
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