Author Topic: Alesis w AD2 demo  (Read 1613 times)

Offline AlanK

Alesis w AD2 demo
« on: April 15, 2020, 02:14:38 PM »
What do you do when you're isolated alone during the pandemic? You play drums of course  8)

I'm getting old and sore, and don't play as much as I'd like to.. but when I do get on my DM10X, I love to just fart around trying things out on it, and since I've pretty much gone exclusively to using Addictive Drums 2, I have a few favourite go to kit presets out of the 10 or so Adpacks that I bought into. It often turns out to be an hour or so of straight time (aside from the odd slow moment to change kits or pieces or volume, which I'm learning to do while maintaining some semblance of a beat while making changes on the software with my new mini wireless keyboard/trackpad) and I'll just go through a bunch of different snares, kicks, hats, or switch to a whole different preset kit then get back at the groove or whatever till I run out of steam.

The other day I decided to record it with Ableton Live 10 and a couple of cameras and then put it on my youtube channel for my son, brothers and a couple of buddies to check out, so if any of you feel like seeing (hearing) some randomized AD2 sounds feel free to check it out.. apologies that I'm still working on my video skills and the audio isn't perfectly lined up with the front view (which is grainier than the side view).. working on that.. it's long, and a lot of repetition but I was kind of doing my go to beats and changing up the snare piece, or kick drum, or both.. later on I try out 4 or so hi-hat options.. some respond much better to chicks and 32nds (16ths?) than others.. but I feel like I've got my Pro X setup/calibration working fairly well for me now.. not perfect by any means, but it's acceptible (I do have some frustration with dropped hits on the hat, and all the toms and pads at times but I haven't bothered to do much in the way of re-calibrating sensitivity or trying out tightness of the mesh heads or positioning of cones in years now..I really should spend some time on those plus try to get my kick pedals and kick drum to work better but I also have on and off numbness or tingling in my right foot and it mucks with my playing).. excuses excuses huh?

Anyhow, if anyone wants more detail on the AD2 kit pieces, or my setup... there's some info in the video's description but feel free to ask what I was using. The basic kit started out from the United Pop adpak, I think it was Zildjian K crashes and ride but I'd have to take a look at the plugin settings I used when I recorded it. I tried to sample through all the wood, steel, picolo snares etc and the various kick drum models to get a feel for how punchy or deep each were... unfortunately I realize I spent way too much time on some kicks that I'm not liking much.. I didn't plan out this video, just started playing whatever came to mind, then periodically changed the pieces around.. after re-watching I cringe during some (alot) of it where the kick drum is horrible sounding and it totally doesn't go with whatever snare I chose at the same time. Also, I usually do my recordings in Ableton with AD2, pick a kit and stick with it so the track is a midi track, then I export the final product to a wave file and sync it with video if I've used camera(s) too. But if I switch the Addictive kit while recording, or after in editing, it takes on that new kit for the whole recording. This time I decided to record the midi track but send it to an audio track at the same time, this way the audio track would capture each kit piece change I made for the duration that it was in use, not affect and change the whole video.

It's pretty long.. played about an hour and managed to trim about 15 minutes off.. so you may get bored but hopefully if you stick with it to the end, there's something semi decent every few minutes to make it somewhat worth the long watch.. it's not expert, but it's hopefully not horrible.. apologies for screwups and stupid moves in advance.. for any beginners out there, let me say that recording yourself audio and video from more than one angle is such a great way to see how you play, the good, the bad, but it gives you that outside view to be able to find places you need or want to improve as well as sounds or moves you make that you get to see and hear again and think, hmm, that looks pretty cool, I should do more of that. I've found it to be a really great way to take a good look at how awkward I appear and have some laughs, but also when I do something that really works, I get to watch it over and over or share it with my family or friends.. that being said, I'd love to get to see more of your guy's playing if you can/want to share!

Be well drummer brothers (and sisters)! Hope you're all managing this lockdown insanity.. Alan

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iQrCUG44AOo&t=1072s
« Last Edit: April 15, 2020, 02:38:01 PM by AlanK »
DM10X with Addictive Drums 2, Pro X hi-hat, 4 crashes, foam cone conversion w Roland mesh heads, Laurin Drums snare and kick, Mapex P710W double kick pedal, Mapex 2 legged hi-hat, Behringer 8 channel USB mixer, Tascam 144MK AI, Samson Expedition Escape powered speakers

Offline Iggford

Re: Alesis w AD2 demo
« Reply #1 on: April 16, 2020, 09:18:06 AM »
Very nice, Alan!  I like the sounds you're using, and I think you're a great player.  You're exactly right, though, drumming is a perfect way to pass some time. 

We had to replace some living room items, and that's where my kit is at the moment.  My dedicated space is coming in the next year or two, hopefully!  I finally got the kit back together, and I'm trying to get it working with my mixer and PC.  I'm using the direct outs from my Strike into my XR18 to do some recording on an album project for Band #1, and using the mains for practice all of that for Band #2.  So, getting all of that set up and working properly is taking more time than I'd hoped.

Got my GoPro standing by, ready to capture some moments, and I'll probably set my phone up for a second angle.  I don't know if I have an interesting enough repertoire to keep it going as long as you did, but I've been wanting to get some video of just my playing for some time now, just, as you said, for reference purposes.  I'll post some results once I finally get them!

I've been wanting to use some of this down time to build some more skills and get some technique down that I've missed over the years.  I'm still having to work in all of this, but I'm working about an hour into most evenings for something drum related, hopefully by the weekend, that will be actually playing!

Stay safe, brother, and I look forward to seeing more!


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Shawn