Drum & Percussion patterns
Posted: Mon Feb 13, 2017 7:44 pm
G'day,
In any compositional task, I personally consider the task of supplying drums & percussion the most tedious, challenging and (ultimately) least successful part of the process. Drumming & percussion, including the act of performing it, notating it, and especially composing something that "fits" and does what I want it to, is an impenetrable barrier.
Depending on the genre, there are some tools to help. Sib has the Drum Pattern add-in, but let's face it, the range of styles offered there is extremely limited. I have had some luck in the past by creating drum tracks in Jammer or Band In a Box, export the MIDI, and then using that. And for certain genres, that has provided an acceptable mechanism.
But I'm now in the process of arranging/orchestrating a musical, and, to be frank, all these tools seem totally inadequate for providing appropriate percussion. Unless you're doing a rock musical or some other modern variation, it's next to impossible to find something simple enough.
On the other hand, for someone totally unschooled in the percussive arts, I can't seem to only be able to provide patterns that border on the inane. A snare on the 1 & 3 and and a kick on the 2 & 4 ain't cutting it.
SO. My question is: does anyone know of any source for other percussive patterns that are useful in Sib? Or have some tips on how one would compose this stuff (or where to go to find such tips)?
If it were to be played by an ensemble, I could likely get by with some broad descriptions and just have a drummer and percussionist "make it up", but there's a high probability that the whole thing may be done electronically. So I need to try and get it "right"
Thanks!
In any compositional task, I personally consider the task of supplying drums & percussion the most tedious, challenging and (ultimately) least successful part of the process. Drumming & percussion, including the act of performing it, notating it, and especially composing something that "fits" and does what I want it to, is an impenetrable barrier.
Depending on the genre, there are some tools to help. Sib has the Drum Pattern add-in, but let's face it, the range of styles offered there is extremely limited. I have had some luck in the past by creating drum tracks in Jammer or Band In a Box, export the MIDI, and then using that. And for certain genres, that has provided an acceptable mechanism.
But I'm now in the process of arranging/orchestrating a musical, and, to be frank, all these tools seem totally inadequate for providing appropriate percussion. Unless you're doing a rock musical or some other modern variation, it's next to impossible to find something simple enough.
On the other hand, for someone totally unschooled in the percussive arts, I can't seem to only be able to provide patterns that border on the inane. A snare on the 1 & 3 and and a kick on the 2 & 4 ain't cutting it.
SO. My question is: does anyone know of any source for other percussive patterns that are useful in Sib? Or have some tips on how one would compose this stuff (or where to go to find such tips)?
If it were to be played by an ensemble, I could likely get by with some broad descriptions and just have a drummer and percussionist "make it up", but there's a high probability that the whole thing may be done electronically. So I need to try and get it "right"
Thanks!