Making beats using Drummer

Understanding Drummer

So we've taken a brief look at Drummer before. Let's spend a bit more time looking at what it is, and let's start by defining it.

What is Drummer?

Drummer is a virtual drummer that essentially works with you on whatever you're working on.

• For example:
  • If you're a singer-songwriter needing a beat behind you, similar to playing with a live drummer.
  • If you're an electronic producer who struggles with programming beats or finds it one of your weaknesses, Drummer can help.

Virtual Drummer, or as we know it in Logic as Drummer, is a tool that can enhance your productions and songs rhythmically.

How Drummer Works

As we've previously discussed, the regions you see are usually signified in yellow. They resemble waveforms but aren't adjustable like MIDI data.

1. Click or Double Click: When you click or double-click on a drummer region, a set of parameters appears that you can change.

2. Library Overview: Before diving deeper into those parameters, let's explore the library itself.

   • Press Y when on a drummer track to access.
   • At the top, you'll see the selected drummer, along with all relevant information.
   • For instance, Isabella, who draws inspiration from multicultural sounds in her hometown of Miami.
   • Different genres feature different drummers. In the songwriter genre, we have Levi, a funky songwriter.

Drummer Kits and Patterns

• Each drummer comes with their own kit and a set of preset patterns they play.

Example with Levi:

• We can listen to Levi's basic pattern. When we click on his name, we hear:

  • Levi is playing a kit that came with the selection.

• Kit Selection:

  • You can switch to a different kit.
    • For instance, let's try the Slow Jam Kit.
    • Or, perhaps the Sunset Kit.

Preset Patterns

• Once in the editor window of the drummer, you will find these preset patterns.
  • Currently listening to Big Swell.
  • Let's check out:
    • Beach Bonfire
    • Trade Winds (Cool choice!)

Utilizing the Settings

You'll notice a drop-down menu with two important options:

• Keep Settings When Changing Drummers: Retain all these settings while switching drummers.
• Keep Drum Kit When Changing Drummers: Maintain the drum kit while trying different drummers.

XY Pad Adjustments

With these settings in play, I'll show you the XY Pad here. Currently, Levi is playing loudly and is centered between simple and complex.

• To adjust:
  • I can make him play quieter and simpler by moving the yellow ball down.

Now, let's listen to the difference compared to the previous setting.

Result: You can hear different combinations as you move the ball around the XY pad.

Performance Variation

Consider you want Levi to play later on in the song:

1. Copying Performance:

   • Copy the current performance for later use.
   • You can then alter some of the presets.

2. Dynamic Transitions:

   • The transition might sound different, adding dynamics to the performance.
   • Hovering over the end of the last region reveals a yellow plus sign, which allows you to create a new region with the same parameters.

This provides additional flexibility in how you utilize Drummer!