Quote:
Originally posted by Diki:
Multi-velocity, ambiently recorded drum sounds are the wave of the future... Strike that, they are the wave of NOW..

Some of the most popular VSTi's are things like EZ Drummer, Groove Agent, BFD, DFH2, etc., that combine automatic generation of drum tracks with fills, intros and endings etc. (because our WS and DAW brothers have just as hard a time as we do creating utterly convincing drum parts from scratch!), with drum sounds that are recorded with MANY different velocity splits, and with adjustable ambience.

The results of these plug ins are drum tracks you would be hard to spot as anything other than a live drummer. Dynamics is much more that an increase in volume, as far as a drum is concerned. The more velocity splits you have, the more realistic the sound, and with good programming the more realistic the groove.

Until arrangers embrace this approach (and even Roland have a long way to go to match BFD!) we are always hobbled from the start. Great drum grooves need great, dynamic drum sounds.

I think it is a mistake to go down the 'chopped loop' route, that Ketron seem to want to do with the Audya, when utterly convincing results can be had simply using better, more dynamic drum kits, and using the old reliable MIDI as it's driver. It's easier to edit, it's easier to create, and it's easier to change around completely. A loop is a loop... There's not a whole lot you can do to it.

But I think a lot of Yamaha's problems in the drum department are self-inflicted. I seem to remember someone (was it Gary?) posted a demo a year or two back that had the T2's drums pumped in the mix, and a lot of the mastering compression taken off. They sounded MUCH better. Not, unfortunately, quite as good as the Roland V-Kits, IMO, but a BIG improvement. Unshackle the T3, and possibly it can start to get cooking!

In the meantime, with 1GB of sample RAM available (any details about load-up times on the T3 yet?), the opportunity for someone to create a SERIOUSLY punchy TVN drum kit (or three!) with gobs of vel-splits awaits. It's just drums (little programming required). Surely SOMEBODY out there could fill this need...?

Toontracks, are you listening?


What he said. Especially the ambience part. Also, it is critical, imo, to have separate level controls (I do not mean varying the levels with velocity since velocity should be for various samples) for EACH drum in the kit. That's why I said there is a need for a gui drum screen to setup user defined drumsets. Position of the microphones should be variable on any drum to provide either close mic without bleed or more room ambience. It's the difference between CANNED drums and REALISTIC drums. And certainly the ability to randomize the drum hits in the loop. And ditto on the harmonizer comments although I fixed that problem years ago when I bought a TC Helicon Voiceworks.

Danny




[This message has been edited by pianodano (edited 09-11-2008).]