Ghost note trick for you Logic Pro users out there! Use Logic’s drummer to get a feel you like and then convert to MIDI… delete all but the snare ghost notes. Super quick and easy way to get some ghost notes and human feel into things. It works great for hi hats too.
That’s awesome! Yeah superior drummer does a good job with the ghost notes and all of that detail. But if you want drums to crack and cut through the mix, you’ll def want to layer in some beefier samples with it.
Everything you say is right, but.. if you're open for criticism.. I have some experiences with drum programming as well, originally coming from keyboard playing.. What I have to tell you: My drums never sounded right and organic until I did one thing and this is my advice to everybody, who's trying to achieve humanly sounding drum programming: Learn to play the drums! Learn about playing paradiddles and different stickings.. Rolls.. Think like a drummer.. And if you don't have time to do so, consider building drum fills from these little building bricks, like RLK, RLLK, RLLRRK, RLRL (at least take your time visiting some Drumeo-lessons, if you don't know what I'm talking bout, especially watch the video with Jost Nickel, it's all there!!!).. Build your drum grooves from a base scheme (that what is heard the most in the later track) and then add ghost notes (mostly on snare or hihat) in a grid that is suitable for your song (mostly 16th or triplet 16th). Don't add a ghost note, when there is a simultaneous kick-drum or two hand hits the same time. After creating like 10-20 grooves you'll have at first a solid library for re-use or re-edit and you'll have become a better musician as well! My critic about this video (still a very good video) is the misleading title: It should be named "How to make programmed drums sound even better" and not "How to program drums". Thank you for reading
LOVE IT!!! Hey Christian, we are a new music company looking to get into exactly what you're already doing. We'd love to extend an invitation to be on our podcast sometime and discuss music and gear and your career. Love what you're doing here!! Keep it up!!
Really amazing video All the subtleties you include are mind-boggling How much time would you say it took to program the high hats and get the velocity and timing real? How long did it take to program the Snare ghost notes?
Thanks man! Glad it was helpful. I think I did this song start to finish over roughly two days. A good amount of that time was spent on drums. I did pull some midi loops that had ghost notes in them already, but def spent a lot of time making it feel good!
Hey Christian, loved the video! Wondering if you would consider doing a video on this track, specifically mic'ing and processing acoustic instruments like banjo and mandolin?
Love it man! I’ll mention that the banjos in this song were programmed out of ease. Programmed banjos actually work great. BUT I have a 3 hour video of me mixing a pop-country song start to finish coming down the pipeline. You’ll see some stuff in action on that!
![Pop & Country Mixing Masterclass with 7X Grammy-Winner Brian Vibberts [MixCon 2021]](/img/n.gif)
Ghost note trick for you Logic Pro users out there!
Use Logic’s drummer to get a feel you like and then convert to MIDI… delete all but the snare ghost notes.
Super quick and easy way to get some ghost notes and human feel into things. It works great for hi hats too.
What an informative video. Exactly what i was looking for. Thank you!
Thanks for the kind words - glad this was helpful!
Here for it!!!! This is the gold I need.
Superior Drummer sounds awesome! I need to check that out.
I’ve been using the MixWave kits a lot. Jason Royster and Thomas Pridgen kit sound awesome!
That’s awesome! Yeah superior drummer does a good job with the ghost notes and all of that detail. But if you want drums to crack and cut through the mix, you’ll def want to layer in some beefier samples with it.
Oh yeah for sure! Thanks for making such great content!
Everything you say is right, but.. if you're open for criticism.. I have some experiences with drum programming as well, originally coming from keyboard playing.. What I have to tell you: My drums never sounded right and organic until I did one thing and this is my advice to everybody, who's trying to achieve humanly sounding drum programming: Learn to play the drums! Learn about playing paradiddles and different stickings.. Rolls.. Think like a drummer.. And if you don't have time to do so, consider building drum fills from these little building bricks, like RLK, RLLK, RLLRRK, RLRL (at least take your time visiting some Drumeo-lessons, if you don't know what I'm talking bout, especially watch the video with Jost Nickel, it's all there!!!).. Build your drum grooves from a base scheme (that what is heard the most in the later track) and then add ghost notes (mostly on snare or hihat) in a grid that is suitable for your song (mostly 16th or triplet 16th). Don't add a ghost note, when there is a simultaneous kick-drum or two hand hits the same time.
After creating like 10-20 grooves you'll have at first a solid library for re-use or re-edit and you'll have become a better musician as well!
My critic about this video (still a very good video) is the misleading title: It should be named "How to make programmed drums sound even better" and not "How to program drums". Thank you for reading
LOVE IT!!! Hey Christian, we are a new music company looking to get into exactly what you're already doing. We'd love to extend an invitation to be on our podcast sometime and discuss music and gear and your career. Love what you're doing here!! Keep it up!!
Love this - super helpful!!
Thank you!!
Really amazing video
All the subtleties you include are mind-boggling
How much time would you say it took to program the high hats and get the velocity and timing real? How long did it take to program the Snare ghost notes?
Thanks man! Glad it was helpful. I think I did this song start to finish over roughly two days. A good amount of that time was spent on drums. I did pull some midi loops that had ghost notes in them already, but def spent a lot of time making it feel good!
Hey Christian, loved the video! Wondering if you would consider doing a video on this track, specifically mic'ing and processing acoustic instruments like banjo and mandolin?
Love it man! I’ll mention that the banjos in this song were programmed out of ease. Programmed banjos actually work great. BUT I have a 3 hour video of me mixing a pop-country song start to finish coming down the pipeline. You’ll see some stuff in action on that!