Hi,
I'm a guitar and piano player and would like to use Live for two main reasons.
First of all, I'd like to make arrangement.
Secondly, I'd like to use a drum machine hardware next to my mac.
I've seen the ableton movie concerning "playing guitar with Live". Avi Bortnick is using a korg es-1 with his mac. Which type of connection does he have to connect the korg to his mac ? And whatfor is this drum machine used ?
Thanks a lot,
Sanka.
ps: I've got a macbook pro and do not have any midi connection )) perhaps via the usb ???
choice for a drum machine
Hey,
There are quite a bit of options...
First, you need a midi to usb interface (either built into an external soundcard, or just a $40 usb to midi interface) check m-audio if budgets are a concern...
Also, as far as the drum machine, it depends on what kind of music you are trying to create. A Korg MX is a good option if you are into electronic/techno type stuff. It also includes a pretty flexable synth too. If you are more into traditional songs, you still can't beat a Boss or old Alesis sr-16 for the money. The Korg Es-1 is a sampler. Sure you can load drum sounds into it and it offers the flexablilty neccessary to tweak sounds but it isn't a drum machine out of the box. The Korg Er-1 is a drum machine and they go for about $150 or so used and are still really nice to play with.
Just make sure you delete factory presets on the Korgs and program your own beats. Those things sound dated the second they come out!
There are quite a bit of options...
First, you need a midi to usb interface (either built into an external soundcard, or just a $40 usb to midi interface) check m-audio if budgets are a concern...
Also, as far as the drum machine, it depends on what kind of music you are trying to create. A Korg MX is a good option if you are into electronic/techno type stuff. It also includes a pretty flexable synth too. If you are more into traditional songs, you still can't beat a Boss or old Alesis sr-16 for the money. The Korg Es-1 is a sampler. Sure you can load drum sounds into it and it offers the flexablilty neccessary to tweak sounds but it isn't a drum machine out of the box. The Korg Er-1 is a drum machine and they go for about $150 or so used and are still really nice to play with.
Just make sure you delete factory presets on the Korgs and program your own beats. Those things sound dated the second they come out!
-
Michael-SW
- Posts: 2054
- Joined: Sat Apr 30, 2005 4:05 pm
- Location: Stockholm, Sweden
You don't NEED a drum machine. Live comes with a pretty capable software one called Impulse. Start out with Impulse, and when you feel the need to upgrade, you will be knowledgeable enough to make the right choice.
I like my Korg EMX-1, both for sounds, knob tweaking and the step sequencer. But it doesn't feel like the natural choice for someone who makes music based on real piano and real guitar.
A much more natural choice would be a "real sounding" software drum machine/sequencer like DFH.
I like my Korg EMX-1, both for sounds, knob tweaking and the step sequencer. But it doesn't feel like the natural choice for someone who makes music based on real piano and real guitar.
A much more natural choice would be a "real sounding" software drum machine/sequencer like DFH.
I play guitar too and I use the Impulse thingie to make beats for my tracks. Don't forget you can load your own samples into its 8 slots, you can also tweak the sound of the samples in an audio editor or in impulse itself, or anywhere really before loading them.
If 8 slots seem not enough just load another Impulse. For example on the song I'm currently working on I have one impulse for kick/snare/tom and another with HiHats/bells etc. I could easily have one for kicks, one for snare etc but usually a few samples well matched with the song are better than a lot of stuff just to show off.
If 8 slots seem not enough just load another Impulse. For example on the song I'm currently working on I have one impulse for kick/snare/tom and another with HiHats/bells etc. I could easily have one for kicks, one for snare etc but usually a few samples well matched with the song are better than a lot of stuff just to show off.
DFH always looked pretty interesting. I have Propellerhead Reason which I really like. So the Reason Drum Kit works well for me. I use the Reason Drum Kit for midi drums playback. I like it because it has lots of samples velocity layered.
I do all the midi sequencing and editing in Live though. Reason Drum Kit came with a large library of drum playing. Midi sequences. I transfered the sequences into Live though. Because ergonomically I like to control performance / arrangement stuff in one program. I prefer midi to audio loops because I have more control of the performance and tempo issues. It's also easy in Live to write and make complex beats from scratch. The Reason drum kit is a big realistic pallet of sounds I find the velocity controls of the hits (multi-sampled) in Live are the most important thing for realistic beats. Besides Lives ability to define clips (start stop times,etc.) or consolidate clips lets me see everything broken down or holistically (from measure to whole song). It's kind of like having a flashlight (with keystrokes). And very fast. All lined up and editable with the rest of the music. It's a great writing tool. Voice, guitar, and drum programing. And most importantly at that stage tempo control.
You can use the computer keyboard, or your regular music keyboard. The Trigger Finger looks pretty popular. I'm going to probably pickup one of those myself.
I have a real drummer, also all miked up and thankfully anything I can think of he can play and give me more. I see it's now conceiveably possible to program as complexly as a great drummer might play though. It sure is not faster though.
It's amazing how realistic it now sounds the programming. But if you're a producer / player it's hard to be faster then playing your instrument while the rest of the band plays theirs. Also the chemistry thing as far as performance. Always any recordings are going to be more realistic to real life shows, etc. Remember a real professional drummer puts out voluminous amounts of information. It's their knowledge and experience with style,timing and coordination,as well as perspective that make them the most valuable way to do your final drumming.
Excuse me for going a little off topic.
I do all the midi sequencing and editing in Live though. Reason Drum Kit came with a large library of drum playing. Midi sequences. I transfered the sequences into Live though. Because ergonomically I like to control performance / arrangement stuff in one program. I prefer midi to audio loops because I have more control of the performance and tempo issues. It's also easy in Live to write and make complex beats from scratch. The Reason drum kit is a big realistic pallet of sounds I find the velocity controls of the hits (multi-sampled) in Live are the most important thing for realistic beats. Besides Lives ability to define clips (start stop times,etc.) or consolidate clips lets me see everything broken down or holistically (from measure to whole song). It's kind of like having a flashlight (with keystrokes). And very fast. All lined up and editable with the rest of the music. It's a great writing tool. Voice, guitar, and drum programing. And most importantly at that stage tempo control.
You can use the computer keyboard, or your regular music keyboard. The Trigger Finger looks pretty popular. I'm going to probably pickup one of those myself.
I have a real drummer, also all miked up and thankfully anything I can think of he can play and give me more. I see it's now conceiveably possible to program as complexly as a great drummer might play though. It sure is not faster though.
It's amazing how realistic it now sounds the programming. But if you're a producer / player it's hard to be faster then playing your instrument while the rest of the band plays theirs. Also the chemistry thing as far as performance. Always any recordings are going to be more realistic to real life shows, etc. Remember a real professional drummer puts out voluminous amounts of information. It's their knowledge and experience with style,timing and coordination,as well as perspective that make them the most valuable way to do your final drumming.
Excuse me for going a little off topic.