Some DAWs allow computer-keyboard MIDI entry. Check ti see if yours does.

A better, inexpensive solution would be M-Audio Trigger Finger.

Mine doesnt. Do you know of a DAW that does support computer keyboard midi entry?

What are you recording with? What software?

If you want to actually CREATE the beats, then you'll need some sort of entry device. If your DAW won't let you use the computer keyboard, then you'll have to use a mouse and place each note one by one. Then you'll need to create your velocities for each note...to make the drums sound realistic. But all of that really sux..and you'll do one song like that then just go out and buy a MIDI device of some kind.

The only alternative would be to look for ready made MIDI drum loops. There are tons of them that you can buy or possibly download. You just put the loops into your DAW, then you can tweak them to your liking.

If you want to easily create your beats AND have them sound realistic, you'll need some sort of MIDI device that not only generates MIDI notes but also will send velocity data to your DAW. Just about every MIDI keyboard/controller made these days does that. But if you don't want a keybard, what he said was right. The M-Audio Trigger Finger is great. It's basically a bunch of pressure/velocity sensitive MIDI pads that can be assigned to do a bunch of things. Both Akai and Korg make similar products. If you don't have a MIDI drum kit, and don't like playing drums with a keyboard, one of these devices is a must have.

Your shelling out the dough for BFD, might as well get the right tool to use it.

right now i have adobe audition but ive been thinking about getting something else.Do you know of anything that would let me use the computer keyboard for midi entry?What about Sonar 5?

pr0gr4m wrote: But all of that really sux..and you'll do one song like that then just go out and buy a MIDI device of some kind.

Its not that bad: you can program basic accents & ghost notes into the main pattern, and then use BFD's built in velocity randomizing function to add some 'human' inconsistencies. I often find that approach works faster than trying to play in beats on a piano keyboard..

pr0gr4m wrote: The only alternative would be to look for ready made MIDI drum loops.

Or use the ones built into BFD ;)