A plugin that can trigger audio files from audio.With ProTools 2020.11, both ProTools and Cubase now offer the ability to turn audio into MIDI, making the triggering process somewhat easier. I’ll be using ProTools but you can use Cubase, Logic, Reaper, Ableton, GarageBand, Cakewalk (free built-in drum trigger plugin), or one of many others. At least one microphone, with a microphone stand.An audio interface, with one or more microphone inputs.If you want to follow along, you’ll need: This is going to be a long article with tons of information, so strap in! I will also be using a few bits of software during this article and video demos such as Pro Tools, Slate Trigger 2, NI Battery, NI Kontakt, and some third-party plugins that will help me illustrate what’s going on in the mix. If you’re new to samples and relatively new to recording, there’s a handy glossary at the end of this guide in case you aren’t familiar with some of the terms. My goal is to give you, as a drummer, enough tips and tricks so that you can deliver a fantastic performance in the studio the next time the engineer asks you to take samples of your kit.Īnd if you are one of those people who dabbles in mixing your own productions and recordings, we’ll look at a few techniques on how to apply samples to your mixes, and eventually how to get creative with samples and special effects. In this guide, you’ll learn what samples are, what they’re used for, their pros and cons, and how to record and edit your own. Sound augmentation (adding different sounds).Sound reinforcement (adding similar sounds to help notes sound cleaner).Sound replacement (replacing the notes).After all, it mentions three important uses of samples that we will focus on in this article: While that article focuses on the many ways a trigger can be used to expand your drumming and creativity, I felt remiss not to mention it here.

I was going to start this article with a small anecdote about whether or not using samples is ‘cheating’, but Aaron Edgar beat me to it: Are Triggers Cheating? If you don’t want to record your own, click here for a zip folder full of drum samples you can download and use! Table of Contents (If you’re new to recording drums in general, you should start with the beginner’s guide here.)

New to samples and sample replacement? Wondering how to get started? If so, you’ve come to the right place!

Superior drummer sounds weak