The Challenge 16/11/09 Voting

Renesongs

Here are the entries for the shred metal challenge - voting closes on Sunday

[quote author=evolucian link=action=profile;u=1152 date=1258903926] http://www.box.net/shared/qas8vgtodk Evo, Metal challenge, Category A pls [/quote]

[quote author=PeteM link=action=profile;u=1544 date=1258977503] Well, here's my attempt at metal http://www.box.net/shared/2psukyhgsd Category A. [/quote]

[quote author=Guy Onraet link=action=profile;u=103 date=1258992684] Here's my entry for this week: http://www.box.net/shared/kfjng7jh9u Category A please. One rhythm guitar track - panned slightly left One shred guitar track - panned slightly right One bass track Drums [/quote]

[quote author=Squonk link=action=profile;u=298 date=1258967312] http://www.box.net/shared/3klrt8uar6 Peavey T-60, Behringer Interface, Line 6 Effects, HP Keyboard. Strictly beginner category [/quote]

[quote author=doc-phil link=action=profile;u=323 date=1258997364] I only just saw the challenge abt 20 minutes ago.. :( I know I've missed the deadline, but I'll chance my arm and pm you my entry. If you don't fell that it is fair to include my entry I understand :) I've posted this clip before in the forum under clips for review.. however I haven't redone it or touched it up or anything so its exactly the same file. It's just 2 rhythm guitar tracks, 1 bass track and drums done with drumkit from hell. Its the best I can come up with in 2 min :P http://www.box.net/shared/9jgg0sn5pl I would like to be in the Beginner category please. [/quote]

(old forum) Poll Results: Metal

evolucian (A): 5
PeteM (A): 2
Guy Onraet (A): 9
Squonk (B): 7
doc-phil (B): 5

CDee

Wow! Very high quality entries this week well done to all! ?

evolucian

Pete's is ultra cool.... and Squonk... yours has a very cool groove... nicely done dude. Develop it into a full song and it should be something awesome. Nice one!

Guy-Onraet

Great stuff guys, tough decisions.
FYI ,I used used an Ibanez Prestige RGA loaded with Dimarzio Breeds, a kak early-90s Cort bass, Guitar Rig 3, Sonar and EZ Drummer.
In my usual fashion, i started composing and recording just as the sun touched Lions Head.
Did the whole 1 minute piece in about 35-40 minutes.
all good fun though ?

doc-phil

Well done to everyone for their face-melting entries! 8)

Shredder3211

Sweet entries all round, Petem bit of a enter sandman vibe going on there ? @squonk shit dude, i heard u play about a year ago, improved a lot relaay well done - y in the b group? A all the way

Squonk

Thanks for the kind words Evo and Off-Kilter ?

The reason for B section especially in this kind of category "Metal" is that I have only recently started playing electric guitar, about a year ago (Only after joining GFSA!) although I have been playing Nylon and Acoustic for years(Well.. at least trying to).

I still need to get an amp, So I have to trust Line 6 for my tone :-[ But what a brilliant road this guitar playing is, so much to learn, and GFSA to help you along.

The reality that has struck me is that I am so limited and have to rely on my what I hear in my head and I will need to find a teacher in the New Year so I can get a crash course in Theory, Modes, scales. The pentatonic scale is quite limiting :-[

But Seriously, Guy, the Doc, Pete, and Evo, excellent entries. And as Wayne would put "I am not worthy...." ?

doc-phil

Hey evo... what did you use for the drums in your entry? the kick really hits me in the chest! 8)

evolucian

Hey doc... I used ezdrummer... one of the metal patterns... then some reverb and TRacks3 vintage 1 setting. It is quite heavy on the bass drum there... I think i was showing a friend and demo'd the ezdrummer... I may have accidently left that kick high, lol. Oh, and i changed the beater on the bass drum i think. The kit was the standard pop/rock kit as it has the best sound out of all the kits.

doc-phil

O ok thats cool. I recently bought ezdrummer and drumkit from hell. I really like it but from what I've read, to get the most out of it you need to EQ the samples a bit. I don't do that though cos the whole multi-out thing is a mission cos I'm lazy and like to tab out my drums in guitar pro then import them straight into my DAW. ?

evolucian

there's no need to make it into 8 tracks and eq each... just export as a stereo file... bring it back in and eq it with TrackS3 or something... one that does a full spectrum. Thats my shortcut... some other people who know a lot better can inform you nicer, lol...

Oh, and the drumkit from hell is a very harsh sounding kit... especially those china's... apparently metal drummers can't play with dynamics... so use those clips in the pop/rock kit...

Also the vintage rock kit is for old people who like their bass drums to have a thud instead of a decent kick. Use sparingly

doc-phil

evolucian wrote: there's no need to make it into 8 tracks and eq each... just export as a stereo file... bring it back in and eq it with TrackS3 or something... one that does a full spectrum. Thats my shortcut... some other people who know a lot better can inform you nicer, lol...

Oh, and the drumkit from hell is a very harsh sounding kit... especially those china's... apparently metal drummers can't play with dynamics... so use those clips in the pop/rock kit...

Also the vintage rock kit is for old people who like their bass drums to have a thud instead of a decent kick. Use sparingly

Ah that's a cool shortcut, I'm not 100% sure that I understand how to do it correctly, but I'll fiddle around. The next problem is knowing how I should EQ things... I don't have a clue ?

I love the chinas in DFH 8) I go heavy on them during breakdowns! I don't have the vintage kit so no need to worry abt the kick, what I do avoid however is the one kick in DFH, it takes the 'clicky' bass sound to a whole new horrific level ???

AlanRatcliffe

If you get Superior Drummer it has a full mixer with groups, FX and multiple outs. Being able to process individual drums is essential, IMO. That Vintage Rock kick "thud" fits perfectly in a mix, BTW. The Funk and country kits are also nice and the standard kit is very flexible with a bit of EQing. The only kit I don't like is DFH - it's way too "clicky" and the cymbals are all too harsh.

evolucian

Alan Ratcliffe wrote: Being able to process individual drums is essential, IMO. That Vintage Rock kick "thud" fits perfectly in a mix, BTW. The only kit I don't like is DFH - it's way too "clicky" and the cymbals are all too harsh.

I'm sure it is essential, but if it aint broke... although some mixes (especially mine) could really use the tweaking but i'm not trying for amazing quality, just something listenable. That thud? I frikkin hate it, lol... in the heavier stuff i do... its gone... may as well be a dance pulse thing happening if i crank it. I've just never liked it... reminds me of our old band recordings... the kick was that and it was poo. I agree with the dfh... its sound is crap. Metalhead drummers just hit... so i guess thats what mattias was aiming at. The superior drummer I should be getting soon... then i can experiment more. Thanks for the heads up Alan

doc-phil

haha everyone is hating on DFH, but I love it ? Do you guys dislike DFH specifically as compared to other metal sample kits or is it just modern metal drumming in general that you dislike? I only have the pop/rock and DFH kits, and the pop/rock one just doesn't sound good to me when recording metal, plus it doesn't have enough toms and cymbals. I'm not a huge fan of the DFH toms though.. I don't know what it is, but they seem to get lost in the mix for me when doing blastbeats. Maybe this could be cured with some EQing, but I wouldn't know what to do.

How does superior drummer metal foundry compare in terms of out the box samples? Maybe don't tell me cos its way out of my price range ?

AlanRatcliffe

I can take the Pop/Rock kit and make it work in any style of music with a few EQ and compressor inserts or a godd track insert like Waves. DFH works only for metal. Pity, because it has a wide range of cymbals and toms. Another thing I immediately noticed was the sample quality of the drums is nowhere near as good as the other kits.

evolucian

u right, you dont wanna know about the metal foundry loops... lol... they swing way more than blast beat crap... the dfh is simple compared to the metal foundry... The midi monster pack also gives awesome loops... I have yet to get my hands on the jazz ones... sigh... using groovemonkey stuff as well... problem is that the velocities aren't set so its all done by a metal drummer, lol. But great loops... amazing odd time ones too... the jazz on there is great as some are in 32 bar format already so no need to suck it out yr thumb what the groove should be.

Renesongs

I have EZDrummer Pop/Rock, DFH, Vintage Rock, Jazz, Latin and Cocktail - Does superior drummer have better samplers (I'm talking layered samples) or is it the same samples with a more tweakable interface?

AlanRatcliffe

It comes with a 20GB library of it's own and there are a few addons specific to Superior. It can also us any EZ kit. The main thing is a higher quality engine and the mixer section, which feature Sonlalksis effects.

To be honest, I prefer the browsing capabilities of EZD so I use that first. Then once I've dragged and dropped the patterns I want into a MIDI track, I change to Superior for the mixing capabilities. I do wish it would allow me to make my own kits by combining drums from other existing kits though.

doc-phil

Alan Ratcliffe wrote: I do wish it would allow me to make my own kits by combining drums from other existing kits though.

I agree. It seems they sacrificed a feature which is standard in most drum samplers for the sake of a cool looking user interface. So if there's one piece in a kit you don't like you just gotta live with it.