Using practice kit to trigger MDrummer in Reaper

The latency is very low (4ms) so no problems even with using a reverb plugin on the snare (Onmiverb) and a compressor on the buss out (Density MkII - yet another excellent Bootsie freebie) in real-time!

I've found that I can practice for hours now without getting bored - the sound is great and very natural to play. The trigger settings on the drum-kit are modified to achieve this.

You may notice that a velocity layer has been added in MDrummer too on the ride cymbal so that when hit hard it's another crash. Also I've modified the snare layers some what (using 4 multi-layer samples) so that it's not always triggering the rim-shot sound, only when hit hard.

MDrummer in my opinion is extremely versatile to use. Especially in editing your own kit sounds. Levels are a little hot and it did take some work making the kit feel right by tinkering with DTXpress trigger settings, but its been well worth it. I'm considering using it live when I can get a decent soundcard for the laptop.

Reaper templates and the MDrummer kit setup are in a zip file for download on my blog: mikethrusell.posterous.com

(note: you'll need to set up MDrummer for 4 stereo channel output)

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• mdrummer
• reaper
• audio
• vst
• drumming
• drums
• plugins

[MikeThrussell]

Thanks. You will need a drum synth, here I was using MDrummer. You can download a version featuring just the kit I was using for free and if you're in education it's very cheap to buy the full package. If you search through the Reaper forums there's a whole list of drum synths. Steven Slate is very popular there, although I'm not a fan. Once you get the synth it's worth spending time playing with the drum pads response (or velocity curves) to get it 'feeling' just right to play.

[EvenMoreDeliciouz]

Nice!

[SsLilScottStorch]

Wow...nice 

[ultrasonictechnology]

excellent

[bongodogdesigns]

nice groove man! cool setup too... i am trying to build something similar now - got the Alesis IO, some Roland pads and a copy of Reaper - but no sounds yet... I'll keep at it (only been a few hours so far - but i am stumped!)

Do you need a drum synth plugin too - or can you load your own samples into Reaper and create your own kits that way?

[Marisueksu]

Great demonstration with MDrummer samples. It's truly an underrated piece of software. :)

PS: How much was the practice kit?