Drummer Regions on Half-Measure

[Scott2]

I’ve been struggling with Drummer Regions for the longest time and can’t seem to figure out one aspect of the program. While my musical pieces aren’t overly complex, my verses/choruses frequently don’t end at the start of the following measure. For example: if I have a Verse that starts at measure 1, but finishes at 12.3 (halfway between measures 12 and 13), this creates chaos. The “drummer” in the last half-measure of the Verse -- between 12 and 12.3 -- seems obligated to do a lengthy fill to get me into the following chorus. Worse, the Chorus that begins at 12.3 doesn’t begin proper until this section reaches measure 13. For the preceding half-measure (12.3-13), the Drummer program executes a crazed fill before entering at 13 with the appropriate cymbal crash and beat.

 

I can’t be the only person struggling with this, although I’m sure my inexperience shows. Is there a way to start a verse/chorus/bridge section square on a half-measure (as it would if it was lined up to the start of a measure with the crash)? I would prefer not to convert the Drummer track to midi until I finish all the other overdubs, but this issue is problematic when tracking.

 

Thanks so much!

[David Nahmani]

It sounds to me like you want a bar of 2/4 at bar 12, then resume with a new downbeat on what would have been beat 3 of bar 12 when bar 12 was still in 4/4.

 

To do that: place your playhead right at bar 12 and change your time signature in the Control bar to 2/4. Now place your playhead right at bar 13 and change the time signature back to 4/4.

 

Make sure you turn the fills knob all the way down with the Drummer region selected so the Drummer does not play fills.

[Scott2]

Thank you so much, David! That worked like a charm. I have struggled with (and researched) this issue for ages, to no avail, so I really appreciate the assistance.

[David Nahmani]

Great! Good to hear.