[sdiy] harmonics & vibrato - drums

[Scott Gravenhorst]

Hmm.  First, I'm here to learn. 

This is a very interesting topic since I like to sequence and have no drum set and couldn't play it
if I had it.  I had always looked at a human drummer as something that physically cannot have
quartz crystal tempo perfection.  To my way of understanding, that means that a "good" drummer will
hit very close to on the beat (or _consistently_ ahead/behind for feel as Harry said), but being
human, cannot achieve absolute perfection at this.  The actual beat accuracy would, I think, look
like a bell curve where the peak is at the desired timing point.  The better the drummer, the
narrower s/he can make this bell curve (if that's desired) and the more accurately s/he can align
the peak with the desired timing.  I could only best describe the data on both sides of this bell
curve peak as "random".  It was this thinking that first made me try weighted random distribution
of beat accuracy in my sequencing.  Instantly, a piece that sounded robotic and mechanical (from
quantization) sounded more pleasant, erm more "human".  However as some have pointed out, there are
other factors besides beat accuracy variation such as slight variation in striking strength
(velocity) and variations in drum timbre due to different parts of the surface being struck.  The
drum sounds I use are not analog, so I'm stuck with the control I get from the sound module (Roland
U-110).  Unfortunately, I can't do anything to make subtle timbre changes, but I can certainly
control velocity, which affects amplitude.  I suppose this is the tradeoff between sampled drum
sounds and real analog electronic drums.

Are there any really good analog drum synth circuits that can emulate (for example) a snare sound
as convincingly at least as a sample?  If so, these would be a good candidate to get a more
live/real sound.  Most of the circuits I've looked at are rather simple, like pulse excited
gyrators and enveloped noise stuff.


Someone dry me off if I'm "all wet"...


harrybissell at prodigy.net wrote:
>My theory of drum 'feel' is that it is not randomization, but
>very subtle phase shifting of the drum hits with respect to the
>absolute (correct) beats.
>
>If you play a snare drum just a shade AHEAD of the actual beat, you get
>a very energetic 'rock and roll' sound. Tempo is not affected and there
>is not a random distribution causing the effect.
>
>Play a shade after the beat and the effect becomes laid-back, bluesy,
>etc.
>
>I try to instruct my drummers (when its not me...) to play on the front
>edge of the beat, or stay on the back edge of the beat to achieve 
>different feels. Most times this results in them increasing or 
>decreasing tempo (ie they'rs not getting it). You CAN experiment 
>using sampled sounds and a good sequencer like Cakewalk... to 
>slide a snare or hi-hat track just a millisecond early or late, 
>without moving tempo. Slight 'random' differences in timbre are 
>very helpful... and I like to layer cymbals and have higher 
>velocities trigger samples that are detuned down slightly. Try 
>that too... H^) harry > >On Wed, 18 Dec 2002, Richard Wentk 
>wrote: >> >Randomize the quantisation of drum machines to get a 
>human touch ? >> >As if a good drummer would play around the beat 
>at random! >> Agree with you on that one. That approach has 
>always been really - uh - >> random. :) >> But be fair - it is a 
>great way to simulate a really bad drummer. :) > I remember the 
>thread on this a while back. Perhaps a more >productive approach 
>might be to slightly vary the amplitude of >the impact, rather 
>than (or along with) the tempo. I suspect >that timing is more of 
>a matter of psychology and coordination >than physical ability, 
>and that a competent(!) drummer may be >better able to keep on 
>tempo than to ensure that each beat >sounds the same; muscle 
>fatigue, small changes in position, >and many other factors can 
>affect the speed and force of the >impact. Maybe it's a bogus 
>theory, but I believe that's a >significant "humanizing" element 
>electronic drums lack. >-- >--Robert Kent > hanuman at ccsi.com 
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