What is the BEST workflow to replace/add drum samples?

[ERO]

I know there are different ways to do this in Logic, but I'd like to know the BEST (i.e, fastest, most accurate) way to replace or add drum samples (i.e., snare, kick) to a project. I have tried Logic's drum replacement function, but it isn't accurate enough for my purposes (in terms of timing). So what method do you use for the best results?

[steveo12ax7]

I usually use the Doubling function to set up the midi track with enough sensitivity to add extra notes rather than take out real ones, then blow it up in the piano roll and solo the original audio track while watching the midi notes. Delete notes triggered by bleed or noise, then adjust the minimum and maximum velocity of all the notes with the Transform function (if I need added consistency).

 

That's what works for me, but I'm interested to know how others do it as well.

[Jimi-Dharma]

I do EXACTLY that as well. It is a pain that the sensitivity isn't that great. One workaround is to strip as much silence as you can & bounce an audio file with enough treatment to really get rid of everything but the transients you want. Drum Replace on that track, then delete it when you've printed the notes out.. It's give and take,, if it's a LOT of deleting, I'll do it that way, but if it's not too bad, I'll work off the original and delete notes.

 

Sometimes I only need to replace a few hits,, (say they clipped). I'll make another lane for the track needing replacements, cut and copy a good one from elsewhere in the performance, lay them out beneath the bad ones, zoom WAY in and make sure the phase lines up really nice.

 

I've always heard "Drumagog" was really good, but never had it.

 

I'm interested to hear more techniques myself!

[ERO]

What is the best workflow if you don't use the Drum Replacement/Doubling feature? Suppose you have a great snare sample and just want to drop it into the song precisely where the recorded snare hits?

[Jimi-Dharma]

Well, the only way I can think aside from the doubling feature or a vst would be to beat map the snares so you have a nice grid to snap to, then manually drop that sample beneath the recorded snare.

[David Nahmani]

I have tried Logic's drum replacement function, but it isn't accurate enough for my purposes (in terms of timing).

You can make it as accurate as you'd like by adjusting the position of transient markers in the sample editor in transient editing mode: http://documentation.apple.com/en/logicpro/usermanual/index.html#chapter=17%26section=6%26tasks=true - IMO that's still the fastest, easiest and most accurate way to do it.

[ERO]

I know Logic's Drum Replacement/Doubling is faster, but is this really more accurate than Tab/Paste waveform replacement? I assumed that most Logic pros were still doing this the old fashioned way...

[zakkleifeste]

I personally think using the "audio to midi groove template" works WAY better than logic's drum replacement. I've been doing that for a few years now and never have any problems.

[danyg]

drum rep tool is cool and accurate... but there's no quick trick for any software. forget about klick and go... it time consuming task

[ERO]

Just a short coda on this thread... I did some more testing of the Drum Replacement/Doubling command and it really is the BEST way to do drum replacement in LP. The Tab/Paste process (using the Forward by Transient command in the Arrange page) works well also, but after you paste the samples, you have to manually adjust gain or automate volume of each hit, which is very time consuming. Logic's DRD process does this with MIDI velocity (although individual hits still may need some volume tweeking). Both processes depend on very careful editing of transient markers in the drum track before adding samples... that's the key to accurate placement. Get the transient markers right and DRD works great - the timing is dead on.