Can't get loops to sound smooth!

Hey all,

I'm having lots of trouble recording to the click track. I've played drums for 10+ years but cannot get my beats to sound tight on four bar loops. They sound fine up until the fourth bar ends and it loops back to #1. Also, when I'm playing with the click on while recording, I always have trouble staying with the click. Sometimes I can't hear it enough, sometimes it feels like it's playing tricks on me and changing speeds. Do you guys record with the click on? It seems like you'd have to in order to get your beat to loop correctly, right? (To get it to loop right without a click would mean that you'd have to naturally have absolutely perfect timing, right?). I've tried with TC both on and off and have had mixed results. I mean, sometimes I get well-looped beats (maybe 1 in 7), but most of the time I have to tolerate ish sounding sloppy for the sake of just getting the ideas down.

I feel this is a pretty typical problem, and hard to describe in typed words, but it's really holding me back. Couldn't find much help of consequence in the manual. If any of you can help me out, I'd much appreciate.

Alec

when i got my mp i was having the same problem it was hard to describe to the board but my drums were not soudning smooth and on beat even though I felt that I was hitting it right . I fixed the problem just try different t.c settings and it should help them sound better

Practice, that's really the only secret. You say you've played drums for 10+ years, it really shouldn't be that difficult. I'd start with a real simple beat, with a kick on beats 1 and 3 and a snare on beats 2 and 4, Boom Bap Boom Bap. Just listen to the click and hit the pads in time with that. Practice man, that's really all there is to it.

I know what you mean. I had exactly the same problem when I got my 2k. What really works for me is recording a simple hi-hat to the click track first.

That would be recorded with TC on. Then over-dubbing the kick or snare next, but never at the same time. Also, I don't usually record my snare or kick with TC on because you've got the hi-hat as a reference point.

Alternatively, if you're still having problems, turn the Master Volume on your MPC up (not too loud though, we don't want any deaf producers - and I mean the bad kind of deaf, not the good kind), go into your mixer settings, turn down the volume of your drums, then record.

This should help you hear your click track more prominently over your drums and provide a clearer reference point in terms of timing.

After you've done that, turn your Master Volume back down to a normal level, and increase the volume on your drums in your mixer settings.

Simple. I hope.

easiest way is to insert a kick on the first measure of every bar in the step sequencer to get you started. you can always erase it later. dont forget about the step sequencer. its great.