Drum help! I'm begging

[glriley]

I just bought the Micro br and so far love it. Although I can jam with the drums, I have no idea how to lay them out for a song. Yes I know I could read the manual in which I did, but i have A.D.D and need someone to put it in layman terms. I know someone else out there has had this prob. If this question has already been posted, please forgive.  Thanks guys!

[Wiley]

Hey I don't have ADD and I still can't figure it out.  I've had my BR 2 weeks.  I think it just takes time.  I can lay down a basic pattern also. But have no idea how to add  fills intros etc.   Hope some one helps us all.

[64Guitars]

Start here for a basic introduction:

http://www.geocities.com/sixtyfourguitars/BossBr/Tutorials/Rhythm_Guide_Intro.html


Then try this Micro BR specific example:

http://microrecorders.org/articles/create_a_simple_drum_sequence.html


Finally, if you need another example, try this one:

http://www.geocities.com/sixtyfourguitars/BossBr/Tutorials/Arrangement_Example.html

This last one is aimed at users of the BR-864, BR-600, and BR-900CD, but the Micro BR is very similar and you should have no trouble entering the same arrangement into your Micro BR.

[Glenn Mitchell]

You can always do the changes real time during the bounce or master.
It takes a bit of practice to change at the right time ahead but works well and is dead simple.

[64Guitars]

I've never understood why BR users are so terrified of drum arrangements. I'm not just talking about Micro BR users in this forum. I've noticed the same fear for years in the Yahoo! BossBR group and its predecessors from users of the BR-900, BR-600, and BR-864. I believe that the biggest impediment to learning how to create a drum arrangement is that people convince themselves that it's beyond their abilities before they've even tried it! There's nothing to fear but fear itself. Creating an arrangement is just as easy as trying to select patterns on the fly while bouncing or mastering.

Let's take a look at a simple example and examine the decisions that must be made using your realtime method versus creating an arrangement. We'll use a very simple, short song that consists of a verse, a chorus, and another verse.

Realtime method:

1) You'll first have to preview some patterns and decide which ones you want to use. Let's say we decide to use P002:ROCK1-V1 for both verses and P004:ROCK1-V2 for the chorus.

2) You turn on the RHYTHM, set it to Pattern Mode, and select pattern P002:ROCK1-V1.

3) Now you play the song and set all your track levels, panning, and rhythm level as desired for the final mix.

4) You select bounce mode or mastering mode and zero the counter, then press Record and Play to begin the recording.

5) The song starts playing along with the selected pattern. You listen to the song and just before it's about to change from the first verse to the chorus, you quickly change the pattern to P004:ROCK1-V2.

6) You keep listening and just before it changes from the chorus to verse 2, you quickly change the pattern back to P002:ROCK1-V1.

7) You continue listening and when the song ends you press STOP.

If all went well, you now have a 2-track mix that includes the drums. If not, then you have to try again because there's no way to edit the drum performance.


Drum Arrangement:

1) You'll first have to preview some patterns and decide which ones you want to use. Let's say we decide to use P002:ROCK1-V1 for both verses and P004:ROCK1-V2 for the chorus.

2) You zero the counter and play the song while watching the display. While listening, you take note of the measure number shown in the display at the point in the song where it changes from verse 1 to the chorus, and from the chorus to verse 2. You also note the measure number shown in the display when the song ends. Let's say the chorus starts at measure 9, verse 2 starts at measure 17, and the song ends at measure 25. So, the desired arrangement is:

Step 1: measure 1   Pattern P002:ROCK1-V1
Step 2: measure 9   Pattern P004:ROCK1-V2
Step 3: measure 17  Pattern P002:ROCK1-V1
Step 4: measure 25  Pattern P327:BREAK   (to end the arrangement)

Now that you've defined the steps of the arrangement, it's a simple matter of entering the data.

3) You turn on the RHYTHM, set it to Arrangement Mode, select arrangement S01, and set step 1 to pattern P02:ROCK1-V1. The starting measure of step 1 always defaults to 1 and you can't change it. So, the arrangement will play pattern P02:ROCK1-V1 beginning at measure 1 of the song.

4) While still in arrangement mode on step 1, you press the Fast-Forward button to advance to step 2. The starting measure and pattern are empty by default. You use the cursor right button to move the cursor to the starting measure, and the -/+ buttons to set it to 9. Then you use the cursor right button to move the cursor to the pattern number, and the -/+ buttons to change it to P004:ROCK1-V2.

5) Press Fast-Forward again to advance to step 3. In a similar manner, set the starting measure to 17 and the pattern number to P002:ROCK1-V1.

6) Press Fast-Forward again to advance to step 4. Set the starting measure to 25 and the pattern number to P327:BREAK. This marks the end of the arrangement.

7) Exit out of arrangement mode, zero the counter and press Play to hear the arrangement along with any tracks you've recorded. If you made a mistake in entering the arrangement, it's no problem. Just go back into the arrangement and make any changes you like. That's what's great about arrangements. You can change them at any time to adjust the starting measures, choose different patterns, or add/delete steps.

That's it! What's so difficult? With either method you have to decide ahead of time which patterns you want to use and at what points in the song those patterns should change. In the realtime method, you perform the pattern changes on the fly. With the arrangement method, you enter the pattern changes ahead of time in a series of arrangement steps. It seems to me that this is just as easy as trying to perform the changes in realtime, and has the added benefit of being editable.

Trust me people. Try a simple arrangement. After you've done one or two, you'll wonder what you were so worried about. There's really nothing to it.

[tkofaith]

64--I certainly admire your patience.  I know that these questions have been asked a million times.  And I know that each time you answer them like it's the first!  I know that I could never have that much patience.  Thanks for being there, man!

[knniggits]

Drum arrangements are very simple,it's pressing the right buttons on the BR to get to drum arranger is the problem 
If you've got a song recorded to a drum track load it up.
Press Rhythm(ensure it says ON in the bottom left of the screen)
Top left of the screen says AR:P15.
Highlight "P" with the cursor
Press "-" with the value buttons(should now read AR:S01)
Press TR4(EDT)
Press TR1(STP)
Now you're in the drum arranger 
The right of the screen is your pattern
The left is the section of song and bpm
Hope this helps 

[AlchemyMN]

Trust me people. Try a simple arrangement. After you've done one or two, you'll wonder what you were so worried about. There's really nothing to it.

This is the best tutorial and encouragement I have seen.  Thanks, from all of us that have struggled as 'non-drummers' trying to create drum parts!

[Jim2711]

I would just like to say a special thanks to 64 Guitars, it was this reply of his that has helped me the most with drum arrangements. I now have it totally sussed out, cheers man.....I hope the original person who posted the question back in Feb 09 had the same success from your reply as I did.   Jim2711....

I've never understood why BR users are so terrified of drum arrangements. I'm not just talking about Micro BR users in this forum. I've noticed the same fear for years in the Yahoo! BossBR group and its predecessors from users of the BR-900, BR-600, and BR-864. I believe that the biggest impediment to learning how to create a drum arrangement is that people convince themselves that it's beyond their abilities before they've even tried it! There's nothing to fear but fear itself. Creating an arrangement is just as easy as trying to select patterns on the fly while bouncing or mastering.

Let's take a look at a simple example and examine the decisions that must be made using your realtime method versus creating an arrangement. We'll use a very simple, short song that consists of a verse, a chorus, and another verse.

Realtime method:

1) You'll first have to preview some patterns and decide which ones you want to use. Let's say we decide to use P002:ROCK1-V1 for both verses and P004:ROCK1-V2 for the chorus.

2) You turn on the RHYTHM, set it to Pattern Mode, and select pattern P002:ROCK1-V1.

3) Now you play the song and set all your track levels, panning, and rhythm level as desired for the final mix.

4) You select bounce mode or mastering mode and zero the counter, then press Record and Play to begin the recording.

5) The song starts playing along with the selected pattern. You listen to the song and just before it's about to change from the first verse to the chorus, you quickly change the pattern to P004:ROCK1-V2.

6) You keep listening and just before it changes from the chorus to verse 2, you quickly change the pattern back to P002:ROCK1-V1.

7) You continue listening and when the song ends you press STOP.

If all went well, you now have a 2-track mix that includes the drums. If not, then you have to try again because there's no way to edit the drum performance.


Drum Arrangement:

1) You'll first have to preview some patterns and decide which ones you want to use. Let's say we decide to use P002:ROCK1-V1 for both verses and P004:ROCK1-V2 for the chorus.

2) You zero the counter and play the song while watching the display. While listening, you take note of the measure number shown in the display at the point in the song where it changes from verse 1 to the chorus, and from the chorus to verse 2. You also note the measure number shown in the display when the song ends. Let's say the chorus starts at measure 9, verse 2 starts at measure 17, and the song ends at measure 25. So, the desired arrangement is:

Step 1: measure 1   Pattern P002:ROCK1-V1
Step 2: measure 9   Pattern P004:ROCK1-V2
Step 3: measure 17  Pattern P002:ROCK1-V1
Step 4: measure 25  Pattern P327:BREAK   (to end the arrangement)

Now that you've defined the steps of the arrangement, it's a simple matter of entering the data.

3) You turn on the RHYTHM, set it to Arrangement Mode, select arrangement S01, and set step 1 to pattern P02:ROCK1-V1. The starting measure of step 1 always defaults to 1 and you can't change it. So, the arrangement will play pattern P02:ROCK1-V1 beginning at measure 1 of the song.

4) While still in arrangement mode on step 1, you press the Fast-Forward button to advance to step 2. The starting measure and pattern are empty by default. You use the cursor right button to move the cursor to the starting measure, and the -/+ buttons to set it to 9. Then you use the cursor right button to move the cursor to the pattern number, and the -/+ buttons to change it to P004:ROCK1-V2.

5) Press Fast-Forward again to advance to step 3. In a similar manner, set the starting measure to 17 and the pattern number to P002:ROCK1-V1.

6) Press Fast-Forward again to advance to step 4. Set the starting measure to 25 and the pattern number to P327:BREAK. This marks the end of the arrangement.

7) Exit out of arrangement mode, zero the counter and press Play to hear the arrangement along with any tracks you've recorded. If you made a mistake in entering the arrangement, it's no problem. Just go back into the arrangement and make any changes you like. That's what's great about arrangements. You can change them at any time to adjust the starting measures, choose different patterns, or add/delete steps.

That's it! What's so difficult? With either method you have to decide ahead of time which patterns you want to use and at what points in the song those patterns should change. In the realtime method, you perform the pattern changes on the fly. With the arrangement method, you enter the pattern changes ahead of time in a series of arrangement steps. It seems to me that this is just as easy as trying to perform the changes in realtime, and has the added benefit of being editable.

Trust me people. Try a simple arrangement. After you've done one or two, you'll wonder what you were so worried about. There's really nothing to it.