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Posted by: ElHombre Oct 10 2013, 04:54 PM

Hello

I use EZ drummer, but I can almost only use 4/4 time signature.
I is not possible atleast for me to change it in the actual daw.

I was thinking of getting Superior drummer instead? good or not?

Posted by: Caelumamittendum Oct 10 2013, 05:25 PM

Superior Drummer is brilliant, but I think it would be just as wise to learn to edit from 4/4 in the DAW. I know that's possible anyway. You could also create your own drum tracks.

I have Superior Drummer though and I like it.

Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Oct 10 2013, 08:11 PM

Exactly! The meter must be changed with the Daw... what software are you using?

Posted by: Sinisa Cekic Oct 10 2013, 10:04 PM

I recently started to use http://www.native-instruments.com/en/products/komplete/drums/abbey-road-modern-drummer/?content=1440. Maybe my ears are too used to a AD and EZ, so this sounds fantastic and fresh !

Posted by: Bogdan Radovic Oct 10 2013, 10:27 PM

I'm not sure I understood what you meant with "I can almost only use 4/4 time signature"?
Superior drummer is pretty much just an upgrade over ez drummer in terms of samples and somewhat flexibility.

All these VSTs do is play your midi tracks you assign to them, they are both capable of playing any groove and time signature.
I think you might need to solve the time signature in the DAW setup and also maybe get some add-on midi groove packs that you can use with ez drummer (or superior) which feature other than 4/4 time signatures. I don't think Superior Drummer is worth upgrade only for the built in midi groove library it comes with.

Posted by: Ben Higgins Oct 11 2013, 08:15 AM

Yes. This

Bogdan is right. You should be able to change the time signature. In Cubase, I change it on the main command panel. I just click in there, and type in 6/8 or whatever.



If the track has multiple time changes, it's a job for the tempo track !





All DAWs are going to be different but they still share basic features.

Posted by: Cosmin Lupu Oct 11 2013, 09:34 AM

Ben pointed things right But it depends on what DAW you are using. All DAWs have that transport zone that Ben showed you and near the metronome settings there, you can change the time signature Tell us - what sort of DAW you are using?

Posted by: ElHombre Oct 12 2013, 08:34 PM

I use reaper.
Maybe Im wrong, but for me changing it in the bar below the tracks (where u also change tempo) didnt work
Also insert time signature/tempo change didnt work either

Posted by: Todd Simpson Oct 12 2013, 08:55 PM

You can change time signature/temp in reaper as many times as you want within a given project Here is a screen grab of where to click.

Posted by: ElHombre Oct 13 2013, 12:03 PM

Thank Todd but that did not work at all for me, I have used it before and I can only seem to change the tempo, never the signature.
I feel like im missing something, something u have already expected me to do to get it to work but i have not done


When working with projects i only drag the actual grooves out to the track
Well the bars change when I do this, but actual drums remain the same

Posted by: Cosmin Lupu Oct 13 2013, 12:49 PM

I think I know what your trouble is - are you writing the drum grooves from scratch in the DAW over the newly set time signature grid?

Posted by: ElHombre Oct 13 2013, 04:58 PM

I am not writing them
Just "dragging" ready made grooves

Posted by: Cosmin Lupu Oct 13 2013, 05:10 PM

Well, that solves your problem You should write them from scratch according to the time signature that you set beforehand. It will most likely work

Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Oct 13 2013, 05:17 PM

I think that Cosmin found the problem. Most of the loops that include EZ library are in 4/4, there are just a few in 6/8 and 3/4. If you need loops in other meters you will have to write them or search for midi files. If you download loops and want to find them in EZ drummer, you have to copy the files here:

C:\Program Files (x86)\Toontrack\EZDrummer\Midi\MY MIDIFILES


Ok, I hope that this solves the issue, if not keep on giving us information.

Posted by: Todd Simpson Oct 13 2013, 07:16 PM

BINGO!! Cosmin Nailed it If you are dragging midi grooves on to the timeline, they will just sit there being whatever they were created in. You can change the time signature like I showed you in the example before you put the groove in though and have as many time signature changes on a give track as you like. But dragging grooves on then trying to change the signature is probably not your best bet.

Posted by: Barthandelus Oct 13 2013, 07:31 PM

Great topic, interesting stuff.

I have never really thought about making my own drum tracks - might give it a go now!

So it looks like Superior Drummer is the way forward. Do i need a DAW as well? Is Reaper good enough, or would something from Cubase be better / easier?

I take it SD contains loads of loops that can then be edited in the DAW?

Posted by: ElHombre Oct 13 2013, 07:48 PM

The only thing I have ever programmed for drums is a few "count ins" in 4/4
I would be more than lost unfortunatley

Posted by: Cosmin Lupu Oct 14 2013, 08:16 AM

Mate - it's very simple The first step would be to analyze a simple groove and re-write it so that you may understand how things work - you open up the piano grid and if that channel has the drum pluggin assigned, each piano key (the black and white ones on the left side) will have a drum element assigned - of course, if you say you have written the 1,2,3,4 hi hats you have done this at the most incipient level Now, try it with the simplest groove - listen to it and try to emulate it on the grid.

The grid is divided into rhythmic subdivisions as you will choose them, but it's better to set it on 16th notes

Please let me know if there are questions and I'll gladly help further.



Mate - as I said, it's better to learn how to write a groove from scratch, rather than be confined in using pre made loops. You need a DAW, having the SD assigned to a midi channel, on which you will start writing the drum groove. Reaper is very good so, please try this and once you do it, open up the piano roll or events grid how it's called and follow these steps:

he first step would be to analyze a simple groove and re-write it so that you may understand how things work - you open up the piano grid and if that channel has the drum pluggin assigned, each piano key (the black and white ones on the left side) will have a drum element assigned - of course, if you say you have written the 1,2,3,4 hi hats you have done this at the most incipient level Now, try it with the simplest groove - listen to it and try to emulate it on the grid.

The process is pretty nicely described in here:



The grid is divided into rhythmic subdivisions as you will choose them, but it's better to set it on 16th notes

What do you think?

Cosmin

Posted by: Barthandelus Oct 14 2013, 09:22 AM

Cool stuff!
Can i lay down a backing track in Cubase / Reaper as well? Like a bass line and strings?

Posted by: Cosmin Lupu Oct 15 2013, 08:15 AM

Yes - for certain It's all a matter of assigning the right pluggin (strings, bass, synth .. etc) on a separate track and writing it in the same manner as you write the drums The possibilities are endless - but that's the whole fun in it

Posted by: enlo22 Oct 15 2013, 12:51 PM

Try to Drag the grooves then open the midi, to edit them into whatever you want, just use the grooves as a start, from there you can change the time signature on your DAW(reaper) which is what I have as well, and then adapt the MIDI to whatever you want

Posted by: Cosmin Lupu Oct 16 2013, 03:45 PM

Marco is right - that is also a possibility, but try writing them from scratch even if it will seem a bit difficult at first It is a very good exercise! Trust me