Drum Computer Kick lacks OOOOMPH!
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- KVRer
- Topic Starter
- 9 posts since 31 Jan, 2019
I downloaded the demo hoping it would basically be a modernized Microtonic, but the kicks I've listened to so far are ... extremely weak. They seem almost "muffled" no matter what parameters I try. Is there any trick to getting a good kick out of this thing? Maybe this should have a sub-oscillator? I don't know ... where's the beef???
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- KVRer
- 15 posts since 2 Sep, 2019
I've given up on the kicks I usually mute the kick and use a sample
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- KVRian
- 576 posts since 30 Jan, 2021
This was one of my main complaints about drum computer (the other being the unintuitive way to assign keyboard notes to drum sounds). I'm glad SugarBytes added sample import otherwise DC would've been a big miss.
If you can't dazzle 'em with brilliance, baffle 'em with bullshit.
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- KVRAF
- 2025 posts since 11 Aug, 2012 from omfr morf form romf frmo
Did you audition presets? Did none of the kicks suit what you are envisioning? If not, is there is an example of what type of kick you are thinking of?
Did you read the manual or watch any tutorials? It's not as straightforward as Microtonic. Highly suggest you watch at least this video about the synthesis engines: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oq5Gt-H ... oN&index=3
The main things to know are that the three layers are separate but they can influence each other! On the second layer, did you not wonder where the modulator is coming from for the "FM" knob? It's coming from the resonator. So changing layer 1 will change layer 2 if you use the FM knob.
The first layer is a resonator so you need to know what that is. Think of it as a drum body that vibrates. For the drum to vibrate something needs to hit it. The thing hitting it is called the exciter. By default the exciter is "Envelope", a very short impulse. The decay knob doesn't control the decay of the resonator, it controls the decay of the exciter. So you may actually want a shorter exciter so as not to dominate the resonance. You can also change the exciter, for example with noise, if you want to make snares or noisy kicks.
There are multiple tone controls on the resonator. There's the filter, so change it around. There's a partial knob which adds higher inharmonic frequencies. The tone control does what it says.
The second layer (wavetable/analogue) provides more of the body. If you want an 808 kick you want more of a sine wave, so you can switch from wavetable to analog and change the wave to a sine and pitch mod it. But wavetable is really good for character especially when you modulate the wavetable index.
The last layer is the resynth/sampler. This can be the primary sound or support the others. So it can help to work on each one individually by toggling the speaker icon above each one. You can see since there are three layers it's more complicated but you can create a more complex, layered sound. It may be faster to use the smart random generation to get in the ballpark then refine from there.
Distortion and compression can add a lot more punch but they're one-knob so you don't get as much control from a full compressor. Also the master effects can further add snap, pump, warmth, etc..
Keep in mind, synth drums are often further processed once they leave the synthesizer. Trap 808s aren't plain, they've been compressed and distorted, as are 808 claps. So you may want to individually output them for processing. Note even if an drum is individually output the send reverbs continue to output via the Master channel.
Did you read the manual or watch any tutorials? It's not as straightforward as Microtonic. Highly suggest you watch at least this video about the synthesis engines: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oq5Gt-H ... oN&index=3
The main things to know are that the three layers are separate but they can influence each other! On the second layer, did you not wonder where the modulator is coming from for the "FM" knob? It's coming from the resonator. So changing layer 1 will change layer 2 if you use the FM knob.
The first layer is a resonator so you need to know what that is. Think of it as a drum body that vibrates. For the drum to vibrate something needs to hit it. The thing hitting it is called the exciter. By default the exciter is "Envelope", a very short impulse. The decay knob doesn't control the decay of the resonator, it controls the decay of the exciter. So you may actually want a shorter exciter so as not to dominate the resonance. You can also change the exciter, for example with noise, if you want to make snares or noisy kicks.
There are multiple tone controls on the resonator. There's the filter, so change it around. There's a partial knob which adds higher inharmonic frequencies. The tone control does what it says.
The second layer (wavetable/analogue) provides more of the body. If you want an 808 kick you want more of a sine wave, so you can switch from wavetable to analog and change the wave to a sine and pitch mod it. But wavetable is really good for character especially when you modulate the wavetable index.
The last layer is the resynth/sampler. This can be the primary sound or support the others. So it can help to work on each one individually by toggling the speaker icon above each one. You can see since there are three layers it's more complicated but you can create a more complex, layered sound. It may be faster to use the smart random generation to get in the ballpark then refine from there.
Distortion and compression can add a lot more punch but they're one-knob so you don't get as much control from a full compressor. Also the master effects can further add snap, pump, warmth, etc..
Keep in mind, synth drums are often further processed once they leave the synthesizer. Trap 808s aren't plain, they've been compressed and distorted, as are 808 claps. So you may want to individually output them for processing. Note even if an drum is individually output the send reverbs continue to output via the Master channel.
Last edited by yellowmix on Mon Feb 13, 2023 7:35 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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- KVRer
- 11 posts since 25 Jun, 2022
@yellowmix: That sounds interesting, thank you for your description.
Since today I worked with my Analog Rytm, the Punchbox, and highly processed Samples as well.
What I like on the Rytm is the possibility to tune the single Elements, that is important for me.
The exact tuning is something that I miss in the Punchbox Plugin, you are limited there in this respect when tuning and if you try it is a fiddly job for me.
I am very new in the DrumComputer Demo and want to know if the tuning of the single Elements is easy and possible.
Maybe someone could be so nice and share his experience regarding this tuning topic.
The processing of Drum machine Sounds is important, also on the Analog Rytm, I guess this will be the same situation with DrumComputer.
At the moment I think about a license for Drum Computer to have another nice Sound Source together with a nice Sequencer.
What will you guys advise me?
Since today I worked with my Analog Rytm, the Punchbox, and highly processed Samples as well.
What I like on the Rytm is the possibility to tune the single Elements, that is important for me.
The exact tuning is something that I miss in the Punchbox Plugin, you are limited there in this respect when tuning and if you try it is a fiddly job for me.
I am very new in the DrumComputer Demo and want to know if the tuning of the single Elements is easy and possible.
Maybe someone could be so nice and share his experience regarding this tuning topic.
The processing of Drum machine Sounds is important, also on the Analog Rytm, I guess this will be the same situation with DrumComputer.
At the moment I think about a license for Drum Computer to have another nice Sound Source together with a nice Sequencer.
What will you guys advise me?
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- KVRAF
- 2025 posts since 11 Aug, 2012 from omfr morf form romf frmo
FYI, KVR doesn't have @ tagging. If you quote a user it will notify them. I returned to my post to add a bit of clarity to individual out processing and to change "engine" to "layer", otherwise I wouldn't have seen your comment for a long time, if ever.
To answer your question, yes, there is tuning for each layer. Resonator, Wavetable/Analog, and Resynth/Sampler can each be tuned by MIDI note number (C= 24, 36, 48, 60, 72, 84, 96...). Each layer has a pitch mod control with decay time. Layer 2 can be FM/RM by Layer 1, so different tunings will achieve different sidebands and harmonics. The resonator's pitch can be modulated by the other two layers. There's global pitch modulation with a variety of shapes.
There's a good deal of possible interaction between the layers which makes them more powerful than individually.
