Drum Plugin for Live Performance?

[ALC]

What's a good drum plugin that can be used live for accompaniment?  I'd like something that works like the Alesis SR-16, being able to trigger A/B (verse, chorus sections).

I have BFD 3, MODO DRUM, SSD 5, and JamStix 4.  If I'm not mistaken, all of those are more for composing, where the structure is known ahead of time, but not for live performance where the structure isn't set.

The closest for live performance seems to UJAM Virtual Drums (I only have Phat right now).  Do others have recommendations?

Or if there were something like Beat Buddy in software form ...

What are people using?

 

Edited August 25, 2021 by ALC

[craigb]

?

[Bapu]

Awaiting @Notes_Norton to reply.....

Edited August 26, 2021 by Bapu

[Byron Dickens]

This would probably get more traction in the instruments and effects section.

[Notes_Norton]

23 hours ago, Bapu said:

Awaiting @Notes_Norton to reply.....

I probably can't help because I play my own drum parts. My first instrument was drums.

When I make a backing track, I play the drum part first using MIDI drum controllers and then the bass part. The two work together as a unit.

Then I layer other parts on, the order depends on the song itself.

I always save the two most fun parts of the song out of the backing tracks for Mrs. Notes and me to play live on top of the tracks.

Notes

[Michael A.D.]

Since you have Jamstix 4, check out the jam mode.   You can have the program respond to your playing. 

I have not played with it much,  so can't really say how effective it will be,  but it's certainly worth exploring since you have the program.

 

Edited August 27, 2021 by Michael A.D.

[craigb]

7 hours ago, Notes_Norton said:

I play the drum part first ... and then the bass part. The two work together as a unit.

I wish more people realized that... ?

[Notes_Norton]

11 hours ago, craigb said:

I wish more people realized that... ?

Without a good foundation, the other instrument players don't know exactly how to play their parts to fall into a unified groove.

In the recording studio, for pop songs anyway, the drummer is the king. Everybody syncs with the groove the drummer establishes. The bass player and drummer should work as a team, if not the groove is messy or lost. (In Latin American music, it's  usually the clave player who sets the groove.)

Then, if everyone else is listening and locking to that groove, the result will be a tight rhythm section instead of a sloppy one.

When I lay down the drum part for a backing track I'm making for my duo, I 'sing along' the melody and bass line in my head while I'm playing the drum part. In that way, the groove fits the song and takes care of itself.

I dislike drum machines for two reasons.

1) Each song needs its individual groove. Even if the variation is only slightly different from similar songs

2) The drum patterns and fills IMO must be tailored to each individual song as well.

Of course, if you can't play drums, you have to find your best compromise. But keeping these things in mind might make your selection of a pre-played drum pattern a wiser choice.

Insights and incites by Notes

I've played in pop/rock/funk/Latin bands since I was a kid in Jr. High School. I learned to double on bass, rhythm guitar, and keys because every songwriter doesn't have the good sense to write a sax part.

In the band I was on the road with for years, the drummer was a decent singer. Since my first instrument was drums, I knew how to keep time, I knew the first dozen or so rudiments, and I could do it, I'd sit behind the kit for 4 or more songs every night, so the drummer could get up and sing in front of the band.

It impressed the girls, when I switched from sax to bass or guitar (most called them both guitars), keys, drums, sax, and flute. They would say something like, "How many instruments DO you play?"

Another thing about learning all those instruments, is when arranging, making backing tracks, or writing styles for Band-in-a-Box, the experience lets me know the gifts and limitations of each instrument, and how the different instruments should interact with each other.

Now I'm sure I couldn't keep up with the majority of good guitarists, bassists, or drummers, but I'm OK with that. Wind-Synth / Sax is my main axe.