I have agreed to do another production with the fabulous choreographer I worked with before.
She has such talent, and ideas. Now comes my part.
I want a live rhythm section. Various percussion instruments will be all over the stage, but it's my responsability to have a Scope / Giga DAW for drums.
I will use the great Scope effects,an Alesis Q20, and Lexicon MPX550 for 2 AUX's. The sounds will come from Modular, and Gigastudio using the Larry Seyer Acoustic Drums Library. I am confident of the quality of sounds, but the drummer I want to use is old school, and will only use his kit. I really want this guy though as he is a great lead vocalist as well.
My trouble is the triggers that I will use. I want the best around, as I will use those rubber drum pads that fit on the heads to muffle the acoustic kit, while leaving the snare, hi-hat, and cymbals el natural. The marketing hype is overwhelming, and my head is spinning already from the numerous retailers, and adds w/ sponsored drummers claiming they're the best triggers, blah,blah,blah.
Surely someone here is a heavy D & B player with knowledge, and hands on experience. I will also have to have triggers for his ancient roto toms. the whole trick is to muffle the acoustics on those, the kick, and various toms. In this way the drummer will be comfortable by using his own set up, while triggering the sounds described earlier.
Drummers are more sensative to deal with than singers, and he is both. His kick drum right now sounds like shit, but you can't tell him that. Why are these guys such bitches when it comes to sound. His toms are also tuned odd, and since we have agreed to use the kit he is used to, I am literally walking on eggs with this guy.
Any experienced drum techhies, please speak up.
Thank You, S4L.
Scope / Giga Drummer Advice
Jimmy, from what you say you only want to set up triggers on the kick and toms, and muffle them with practice pads? Certainly attaching triggers to kicks and toms is pretty straightforward and relatively easy to get good results, but I don't know how effective they would be with practice pads attached. I''m not sure how enthusiastic he would be about playing with those attached anyway 
It may just be easier to get him to play actual trigger pads. If you go for acoustic triggers, there are a lot of them out there any of them should be fine for the kicks and toms. Whatever you do you will need a trigger-MIDI converter. The Roland TMC-6 should do the job. Alesis also has a trigger-MIDI unit out now, although I've not had experience with it. Never used the older D-series either, although I've heard they were limited. Roland trigger conversion works pretty decently overall.
It may just be easier to get him to play actual trigger pads. If you go for acoustic triggers, there are a lot of them out there any of them should be fine for the kicks and toms. Whatever you do you will need a trigger-MIDI converter. The Roland TMC-6 should do the job. Alesis also has a trigger-MIDI unit out now, although I've not had experience with it. Never used the older D-series either, although I've heard they were limited. Roland trigger conversion works pretty decently overall.
Yeah, Simmons also made one of the first awesome rack mounted line mixers w/ MIDI, etc.
This drummer is really good so I wish to keep him happy. That will be achieved through the DAS MM Mixer, and the way the wireless EU's sound, mixed with the vocals, and of course LSAD being triggered. The pads were his idea, and I am not sure if they are pratice pads, or made by someone to muffle the sound for triggering. 2 of the girl singer/actress/dancer/model's are re-locating from NYC to do this. I let the choreographer do all of the groundwork, and I take care of the automated lights, audio, and she actually has made me some cards bearing the name of her production company, where my title is production manager / MIDI Consultant !! WOW, I kinda like that.
Alesis and Roland have some decent units I am demo'ing, but before I buy anything I want him to play them, since I don't know his little quirks yet.
But the DAS MM is going to need all of it's I/O's for vocals, and sub mixed signals from other custom mixers for specific needs. But with the GigaPulse IR in GS3, and the two hardware reverbs the drummer will be using, it should be awesome. There will be 2 percussion stands w/ Timbales and many Bell Trees, as one of the girls is a Sheila E. type, a typical NYC Cuban dancer w/ chops, style, talent, and a serious booty as well.
All in all 3 girls, a kick ass funk bassist, drummer who sings, and a rockin' guitarist. No FOH / crew overhead until they hit the bigger venues. With all of the Scope synths being triggered by the hardware sequencer, and the Alesis HD 24/96 having the vocals pre recorded during the stronger choreographed parts, it should sound pretty full.
I can't believe the old ancient Scope DP DAW is still kicking major booty. I used it for 9 months prior to joining this forum, then the Hussies used it for 26 months, and now Jung Ho's will be using it. That's an incredible feat, even better than hardware IMO. Not one crash ever !! Scope has made me so much money doing this, I can play the gigs that I like, as opposed to playing some bull shit gig, and make enough dough to keep buying needed toys.
I should have done this years ago, I could have been a contender.
This drummer is really good so I wish to keep him happy. That will be achieved through the DAS MM Mixer, and the way the wireless EU's sound, mixed with the vocals, and of course LSAD being triggered. The pads were his idea, and I am not sure if they are pratice pads, or made by someone to muffle the sound for triggering. 2 of the girl singer/actress/dancer/model's are re-locating from NYC to do this. I let the choreographer do all of the groundwork, and I take care of the automated lights, audio, and she actually has made me some cards bearing the name of her production company, where my title is production manager / MIDI Consultant !! WOW, I kinda like that.
Alesis and Roland have some decent units I am demo'ing, but before I buy anything I want him to play them, since I don't know his little quirks yet.
But the DAS MM is going to need all of it's I/O's for vocals, and sub mixed signals from other custom mixers for specific needs. But with the GigaPulse IR in GS3, and the two hardware reverbs the drummer will be using, it should be awesome. There will be 2 percussion stands w/ Timbales and many Bell Trees, as one of the girls is a Sheila E. type, a typical NYC Cuban dancer w/ chops, style, talent, and a serious booty as well.
All in all 3 girls, a kick ass funk bassist, drummer who sings, and a rockin' guitarist. No FOH / crew overhead until they hit the bigger venues. With all of the Scope synths being triggered by the hardware sequencer, and the Alesis HD 24/96 having the vocals pre recorded during the stronger choreographed parts, it should sound pretty full.
I can't believe the old ancient Scope DP DAW is still kicking major booty. I used it for 9 months prior to joining this forum, then the Hussies used it for 26 months, and now Jung Ho's will be using it. That's an incredible feat, even better than hardware IMO. Not one crash ever !! Scope has made me so much money doing this, I can play the gigs that I like, as opposed to playing some bull shit gig, and make enough dough to keep buying needed toys.
I should have done this years ago, I could have been a contender.
Thanks Brotha' Man Darkrezin,
The TMC-6 looks to be the ticket, w/ the RT-10K/S/and T triggers. The practice pads are the HG percussion Sound Off series where the designs can be fit to size.
This will be a good sounding kit. Powerful, nice and tight. The hardware reverbs will add the necessary gated style, or hall effect, while GigaPulse IR's will add the Early Reflections and mic positions, as well as the " mic models " provided. I find them rather silly, as since this will be mixed in the Scope mixer, I would prefer Mehdi's FAT-CS4 to really thicken up the sound pre hardware FX of course.
Breaks Over, Gotta Go.
The TMC-6 looks to be the ticket, w/ the RT-10K/S/and T triggers. The practice pads are the HG percussion Sound Off series where the designs can be fit to size.
This will be a good sounding kit. Powerful, nice and tight. The hardware reverbs will add the necessary gated style, or hall effect, while GigaPulse IR's will add the Early Reflections and mic positions, as well as the " mic models " provided. I find them rather silly, as since this will be mixed in the Scope mixer, I would prefer Mehdi's FAT-CS4 to really thicken up the sound pre hardware FX of course.
Breaks Over, Gotta Go.