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Using FL and Cubase, drum sequencing, etc.


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So, I'm just learning to use FLstudio to create drum tracks and loops because I like the interface, but I normally use Cubase SX for my audio recording, midi sequencing, and all that stuff.

Is this a bad method? Should I just stick to one program, learn it really well, and then use that for every part of the remixing process? All of the tutorials I seem to see for people who do remixing stuff seem to exclusively use FL.

If it's not a bad method, do any of you other guys do it? I'm finding it frustrating having to go back and forth between FLstudio and Cubase trying to see if the beat I've come up with matches the tracks I've already laid down to get the right sound.

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Just bc alot of people on 1 site use a particular program does not make it the best for a singular purpose.

It sounds like you are not enjoying the process of bouncing between two programs. If that is the case you should def look for another solution. Maybe look at FXPansion Geist or a drum/looping based plugin.

You are using Cubase SX and not one of the newer versions correct? Here are two things in Cubase that could massively improve your workflow:

Drum Tracks:

http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/oct03/articles/cubasenotes.htm

Folder Tracks:

http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/may05/articles/cubasenotes.htm

In Cubase I'll use Folder Tracks that contain tons of Audio tracks. I'll arrange and sequence my drums on the audio tracks themselves. This makes it SO EASY to apply reversing and pitch shifting right in the arrange view.

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I used to do something similar, creating my drum tracks in FL Studio and doing everything else in Audacity, but I found my workflow improved significantly when I started doing everything in FL Studio. Since Cubase is a clear preference for you, you might wanna try figuring out a way to do your drum tracks in that program. It can make a world of difference in workflow to not have to switch between two programs for a single track.

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Personally I love doing my drum tracks in Cubase, but at the end of the daye it's all about personal preference.

There's no wrong way to create music as long as it works for you, I use Cubase, Ableton and Logic because I find I prefer different features in each of them. Ultimately if you get the results you want it doesn't matter how you went about doing it.

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You are using Cubase SX and not one of the newer versions correct? Here are two things in Cubase that could massively improve your workflow:

Drum Tracks:

http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/oct03/articles/cubasenotes.htm

.

Okay, wow, so this has opened up a whole new world of Cubase for me that I never knew existed. It's not quite as user friendly as FL, but it does essentially the same thing.

I think it'll take some messing around before I can make this do what I want. The other suggestion of opening up the FL VSTi was great too - now I want to be able to integrate the two so that I have all my drums on one midi track that maps to the FLstudio VSTi. Otherwise I am going to have to have a separate midi track for every layer of my drums, which is not what I am going for...

Edit: Let me clarify.

Is there a VST that I can open, to which I can point that single drum track, that will allow me to load multiple samples on multiple channels? So, instead of me having to have 5 VST instruments open to load 5 samples, I can load 1 VST instrument to load 5 samples? I tried doing this with FL studio, but then it seemed to be mapping the LOOP and not the samples.

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Also, NI Kontakt (http://www.native-instruments.com/en/products/producer/kontakt-5/); it's not just a drum sampler, but it's the best sample playback VST, and if you want to drop money on other sample libraries, you'll probably find you'll need to get Kontakt before long anyway. You can get good libraries like NI's Studio Drums or Abbey Road Drums that play in Kontakt.

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Is there a VST that I can open, to which I can point that single drum track, that will allow me to load multiple samples on multiple channels? So, instead of me having to have 5 VST instruments open to load 5 samples, I can load 1 VST instrument to load 5 samples? I tried doing this with FL studio, but then it seemed to be mapping the LOOP and not the samples.

FL has various samplers; I think (but I'm not certain) that FPC can do what you want. Drag samples to pads, and you should be good to go.

Try also http://vemberaudio.se/shortcircuit.php

You see that you can assign multiple drum samples to a single key, depending on the velocity; so hit the keys hard, and you can trigger a different sample. It also has multiple outputs.

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Personally I love doing my drum tracks in Cubase, but at the end of the daye it's all about personal preference.

There's no wrong way to create music as long as it works for you, I use Cubase, Ableton and Logic because I find I prefer different features in each of them. Ultimately if you get the results you want it doesn't matter how you went about doing it.

So I'm playing with the Kontakt5 and some samples I have in Cubase using the drum map. but it seems like whenever the drum map is ON, I don't get anything going through the contact even if the drum map is littered with hits. Then, as soon as I turn off the drum map and switch it back to piano roll, it goes through and I hear all the sounds loaded up in the Kontakt. What's up with that? I'm not changing anything except the way I view the MIDI track..

I feel like I'm very close to getting what I want out of this. Thanks for your help so far, guys.

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So I'm playing with the Kontakt5 and some samples I have in Cubase using the drum map. but it seems like whenever the drum map is ON, I don't get anything going through the contact even if the drum map is littered with hits. Then, as soon as I turn off the drum map and switch it back to piano roll, it goes through and I hear all the sounds loaded up in the Kontakt. What's up with that?

Hmmm very odd...I've not come across that at all before, it doesn't make sense, as you say, the midi map is just a different way to view the piano roll. I've just quickly plyed around changing a number of my tracks from piano roll to drum map and vice-versa and it's made no change to any of my tracks.

That all being said I don't use kontact so it sounds like it must be that which for some unknown reason just doesn't like the drum map, stupid as it sounds that can be the only reason (at least the only one i can think of so far).

I think you'll just have to program your drums in the piano roll, slightly more annoying and time consuming, but not an unworkable issue.

EDIT: Ah! Just had a thought! the drum map sometimes doesn't account for the notes lengths, i.e. treats every midi note as a staccato burst (if that makes sense) some of kontact's samples may need their notes to be held for a little bit in order to hear them, i.e. the drum map is playing the notes so sharply/briefly/quickly that it's not giving the samples a chance to play fully, perhaps?

If this is what is going on i think again you'll just have to put up with programming in the piano roll

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Agreed about the duration of notes; I was using NI Studio Drummer and dragged some groove patterns out to Cubase MIDI tracks, and the MIDI clips I got had some notes with really short durations. Those didn't sound. Possibly the drum map is changing note durations?

Another thought: does the drum map change the MIDI channel to 10 by default?

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EDIT: Ah! Just had a thought! the drum map sometimes doesn't account for the notes lengths, i.e. treats every midi note as a staccato burst (if that makes sense) some of kontact's samples may need their notes to be held for a little bit in order to hear them, i.e. the drum map is playing the notes so sharply/briefly/quickly that it's not giving the samples a chance to play fully, perhaps?

Nah, I have it set so that even a staccato hit of a sample will force it to play the full thing. Oh well. Piano roll it is.

And no, Kanthos, I've messed with the channels until the cows come home with no results.

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