Re: Drum machine PRE AMP???

[Douglas Baldwin <coyotelk@optonline.net>]

Adam Hart wrote:
> Any thoughts or advice as to how to process
> the [drum machine] sound before it hits my PA?""

...to which Rick Walker replied with some of the best advice you'll find
anywhere.
I would humbly add the following:

1) Rick wrote: > remember that drummers tend to have one hand stronger than
another hand.
When I program prominent fills on snare or toms, I often take the time to
set up two different pads for each drum - a "left hand" pad and a "right
hand" pad. The left will be marginally softer and tuned marginally
differently. I will also offset the left hand so it's just a bit slower
(2%-5%) than a perfect subdivision of the beat. Sounds human to me!

2) Another "humanizing" trick is to record the bass and ride 
(cymbal/hi-hat)
WITH quantization, and the snare WITHOUT.

3) Pull out some CDs with great drum tracks and A/B your patterns. Tune,
tune, tune those drums to match what you hear. Balance, balance, balance
too.

4) Overlay multiple drums with very slight offsets to get more reality. My
favorite "sandwich" is a piccolo snare tuned down a bit for snap, a timbale
for ring, and a way down-tuned deep snare, mixed very softly, for snare
rattle.

5) Don't pan too hard left or right.

I only have two tunes on my web site, but they both have drum machine
tracks.
Here are links:
http://www.thecoyote.org/index.cfm?go=1&component=music-download&id=173686
http://www.thecoyote.org/index.cfm?go=1&component=music-download&id=105737
No, they're not looping tracks, so sue me for off-topic content ;-)

Douglas Baldwin, coyote-at-large
www.thecoyote.org
coyotelk@optonline.net

"The volume knob on your telepathy is your morality."
- Stephen Gaskin, The Farm