Machine Gun Snare Rolls

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Billy+
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13 Nov 2021

so we've all done it - just chucked a quick machine gun style snare roll into an arrangement just to keep things moving on without a second thought about it until you get to that point when you're sick of hearing!
machinegunsnareroll.png
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so my question is : How do you treat yours to make them sound a bit better?

do you have a simple trick or do you go full composer?

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jam-s
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13 Nov 2021

Increase (or at least vary) the velocity from low to high with some variation and then have the velocity influence the sound of the snare (volume, pitch, etc.)

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Billy+
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13 Nov 2021

you beat me to the next post :lol:

but yes add a pitch and or velocity changes is definitely one solution.
SnareRollSolution1.png
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I quite like adding an echo device to the snare insert, it also works quite well on hats as well when your feeling a bit lazy....

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huggermugger
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13 Nov 2021

Route the snare thru a phaser or flanger during the roll

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BRIGGS
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13 Nov 2021

Use less notes.
r11s

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Timmy Crowne
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13 Nov 2021

Triplets.

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Billy+
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13 Nov 2021

I was kinda hoping for visual examples but I guess it's Reason Talk not Reason Show & Tell :lol:

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motuscott
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13 Nov 2021

It's all in the fingers y'all
"A man with a good double stroke don't need no justification"
Who’s using the royal plural now baby? 🧂

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MarkTarlton
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13 Nov 2021

One crude, simple and easy approach... Try using the same sample in redrum on 2 channels with slight variations in pitch, and than do a velocity edit like the picture shows. 1 channel has a subtle pitch variation, so it doesn't sound like a machine gun/robot. A real drummer has a change in sound when alternating LRLR stickings. This method won't get you a real drummer roll, but it will at least be less machine gun sounding.
Screen Shot 2021-11-13 at 7.32.30 PM.png
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BRIGGS
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13 Nov 2021

Billy+ wrote:
13 Nov 2021
I was kinda hoping for visual examples but I guess it's Reason Talk not Reason Show & Tell :lol:
Image
r11s

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willy_dinglefinger
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14 Nov 2021

MarkTarlton wrote:
13 Nov 2021
One crude, simple and easy approach... Try using the same sample in redrum on 2 channels with slight variations in pitch, and than do a velocity edit like the picture shows. 1 channel has a subtle pitch variation, so it doesn't sound like a machine gun/robot. A real drummer has a change in sound when alternating LRLR stickings. This method won't get you a real drummer roll, but it will at least be less machine gun sounding.

Screen Shot 2021-11-13 at 7.32.30 PM.png
This plus maybe humanise it a bit if it's like an acoustic sample set or something. Can be done from the F8 toolbox thing if I remember correctly.
Hypernormalise forum signatures :reason:

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MrFigg
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14 Nov 2021

Pan each hit randomly L or R so it messes with peoples heads in a disorientating fashion.
🗲 2ॐ ᛉ

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selig
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14 Nov 2021

willy_dinglefinger wrote:
14 Nov 2021
MarkTarlton wrote:
13 Nov 2021
One crude, simple and easy approach... Try using the same sample in redrum on 2 channels with slight variations in pitch, and than do a velocity edit like the picture shows. 1 channel has a subtle pitch variation, so it doesn't sound like a machine gun/robot. A real drummer has a change in sound when alternating LRLR stickings. This method won't get you a real drummer roll, but it will at least be less machine gun sounding.

Screen Shot 2021-11-13 at 7.32.30 PM.png
This plus maybe humanise it a bit if it's like an acoustic sample set or something. Can be done from the F8 toolbox thing if I remember correctly.
Came here to post the left/right idea, and would not think randomizing would sound good in this example (drummers may act random, but their playing is not). If anything a VERY slight shuffle would give it a more realistic human element, since single stroke rolls are difficult to play exactly even between the hands. Use NNXT or Kong for the Alt Sample effect for even more realism, and to take it further use a separate left/right multi sample for snares. But all these ideas are for making it more realistic, which may not have been the original question…
Selig Audio, LLC

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Billy+
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14 Nov 2021

So I've been off looking at real drummers and although my understanding of the drum roll hasn't changed much I'm still looking for a better solution within a daw Reason standalone to be more precise

Take a look at the following videos





And maybe a read

https://www.andrewbaldwinpercussion.com ... _types.pdf

https://www.edmprod.com/ultimate-guide-build-ups/

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MarkTarlton
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14 Nov 2021

I'm not sure exactly what you are trying to achieve, but if you want the sound of a real drummer your best bet is to find samples, like the videos you posted and use those. Trying to program something like this is really challenging to make it sound real, I have yet to find a method that sounds like a great live drummer, but there are a lot of times you don't need that, and if I do, I play it for real because it's faster and easier, plus it gives me a chance to play, which I enjoy doing. I grew up playing in marching bands and studying rudimental drumming.

I programmed all the rudiments like singles, doubles, paradiddles, 5 strokes, etc.. I did the entire Tommy Igoe lifetime warm up as a Reason file and use it to practice along with at different tempos, which is helping me get back to where I was when I played in drumline. It sounds nothing like a real drummer, if I used really good samples and edited velocities, pitch, etc... it still wouldn't sound the way I am used to hearing it, there might be some other whiz kids out there that can do it, but I find it very hard to pull it off, if that is my end goal.

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selig
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14 Nov 2021

MarkTarlton wrote:
14 Nov 2021
…which is helping me get back to where I was when I played in drumline..
Knew there was something I liked about you! Spent 7 years of school in drum lines, hours of practice pad time put in with a metronome - would have LOVED to have had a resource like Reason to help as you have described. :)
Selig Audio, LLC

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Billy+
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14 Nov 2021

I'm just after a discussion about the topic tools and techniques to create a better snare roll ;)

Although better is definitely a very subjective term admittedly but either way I'm sure that the wealth of expertise within the community should be able to provide more than enough information about it.

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Billy+
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14 Nov 2021

SnareAutoMod.gif
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so I'm trying an ammo100 modulating the snare pitch & decay off sets via CV, its all adjustable via the ammo device.
now I'm not saying its perfect but its not a robotic snare sound any more.....

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