Skip to main content

Hello all,

I have received a response to my previous question and I sincerely appreciate the help. However, that leads me to a new question and I will restate the relevant facts in this message so you don't have to look for them in my previous message. First, I sincerely apologize if I posted this message in the wrong forum category.

I am an experienced guitar/bass player but am new at digital recording. I am looking for advice on the best way to add drum sounds to my songs, if anyone can help me out, it would be greatly appreciated.

I am using the Boss BR-864 8-track digital recorder. I want to record drum sounds into a song I have written.

My difficulty:

The intro tempo to the song gradually changes from a tempo of 75 (according to the reading on the display screen of the recorder as I play along with a preset drum pattern) into the verse which ultimately becomes a tempo of 120. Then the fill/solo at a tempo of 95 gradually goes to the verse at a tempo of 120. What I mean by gradually is that there is a transitional fill that gradually speeds up in tempo with so many beats as you go from the intro and/or solo into the verse. To me, the easiest way to accomplish this is with real drums and a real drummer. But, what if that option is not available? Can this be accomplished with an external drum machine? Or, would it be easier or better to create this in some sort of software and then transfer it into the song? Finally, either way, does anyone have a suggestion as to which drum machine and/or software would be the best for accomplishing my goal?

Thank you in advance for any advice that anyone may provide. Feel free to e-mail me at revrosco@yahoo.com.

Rosco

Comments

anonymous Mon, 11/15/2004 - 20:18

By Joe, I think I got it.

Since I figured it out, I thought I would post this for those that may need help themselves, because the manual for the BR-864 does not explain it sufficiently.

First, read the instructions in the manual regarding creating arrangements and patterns in using the rhythm guide which starts on page 89. This is how I structured my arrangement:

Step 1: starts at measure 1 set drum pattern set tempo
Step 2: starts at measure 2 set drum pattern set tempo
Step 3: starts at measure 26 set drum pattern set tempo
Step 4: starts at measure 30 set drum pattern set tempo
Step 5: starts at measure 71 set drum pattern set tempo
Step 6: starts at measure 79 set drum pattern set tempo
Step 7: starts at measure 87 set drum pattern set tempo
Step 8: starts at measure 91 set drum pattern set tempo
Step 9: starts at measure 136 set drum pattern set tempo

All you do after you enter the info for one step in creating an arrangement, is move the cursor to the step number, move the dial to change the step number and enter the appropriate data for the new step. In addition, if you want a pattern other than what is available on the box, you will have to create it to add it to the arrangement.

Now, the drum pattern that starts at measure 2 (Step 2) plays until Step 3 starts at measure 26. Then the Step 3 drum pattern plays until Step 4, and so on. This will get you through the whole song in perfect time. Then you can later create the patterns/arrangement that you want to record into the song, and enter that arrangement at mix down/bounce (pages 60-61).

When creating arrangements, you will need to know how many steps there are. When anything changes (e.g. tempo or drum pattern), you will have a new step. Steps are not created for each measure. You will want to know before you start to create and arrangement, what drum pattern you are going to want to use, at what tempo, and for how many measures. What I did was played along with the pattern to get the right tempo. Then I played the entire step along with the pattern and used the display screen to tell me how many measures.

Rosco