Advice on drums from Ableton with drum racks
Advice on drums from Ableton with drum racks
We use Ableton Live Suite 8.2 for sequencing external gear and for some effect loops/pads and now, I am switching to using it for drum sequencing as well, as it is easier to create drums with the racks compared with Electribe. For live use, I want the drums punchy. If I use samples from our recent recording session (electronic drums have been mixed in a studio and are really phat sounding), I guess I won't really need to process them, or should I use a compressor/limiter to get the drums louder and more punchy for live use? I am in two minds here as the samples are already good as they are.....
-
redrimshot86
- Posts: 13
- Joined: Sat May 28, 2011 4:49 am
Re: Advice on drums from Ableton with drum racks
Well, I would say test them on a sound system similar to the one you'll use live and play some other instruments behind them. Punchy really depends on a lot of things besides the effects of compression, i.e. competition between frequency bands of different instruments, room acoustics, speaker sizes and crossovers, etc. They're already processed, and if mixed on a good set of monitor speakers, should sound fine live anyway. If you're still worried though, maybe try some multiband compression on the midi channel with the samples and set your frequency ranges to only effect the problematic samples, if there are any.
Hope this helps.
Hope this helps.
Re: Advice on drums from Ableton with drum racks
I´ve learnt my lessons over the years when it comes to transitions from studio to live PA.
I´d say it is best to remove any fx from the raw audiofile. I can adjust to the accoustics in the venue with subgroup eqs. I also noticed it is best not to use compressed or much effected sounds on stage
thus it is easier for the live played instruments to come through the mix. The gain reserves on half decent pa systems should suffice regarding volume. Often times they have bumps in certain frequency ranges. Also sound engineers of have an easier job to fit you in the mix if they got playback signals with rather high dynamic range.
Even if it sounds a little thin and narrow at home it doesn´t mean it has to be in a live venue.
I´d say it is best to remove any fx from the raw audiofile. I can adjust to the accoustics in the venue with subgroup eqs. I also noticed it is best not to use compressed or much effected sounds on stage
thus it is easier for the live played instruments to come through the mix. The gain reserves on half decent pa systems should suffice regarding volume. Often times they have bumps in certain frequency ranges. Also sound engineers of have an easier job to fit you in the mix if they got playback signals with rather high dynamic range.
Even if it sounds a little thin and narrow at home it doesn´t mean it has to be in a live venue.