Complex drum programming question

[gropha]

Hi guys.

I'm very strongly considering buying a Nerdseq as the main sequencer for my setup. Everything looks awesome and meets my needs. The only thing I'm not clear about is how easy it is to use for complex drum programming (long passages of complicated non repetitive drum sequences, ala Aphex Twin, Squarepusher, etc).

I'm trying to imagine the workflow, and it seems like you have to create patterns for each separate drum track, and then sequence them in the sequencer. So you are never looking at a screen which shows the relationship between the different drum tracks at once (eg, you can't easily see: there's a kick on step 3 in this bar so I can put a snare on 5, and see them both together on the same screen).

Given this, it seems like it would be pretty laborious to program the kind of complex sequences I referred to.

Anyone have experience of this? Is it easier than I'm making it sound? Maybe there's a mode I don't know about, or maybe it's just not the big a deal to switch pattern screens quickly? Or maybe this is a hard thing to do in this particular paradigm.

Thanks for reading! Hope this question is clear, feel free to ask clarifying questions if not.

[skybox]

If you can sequence breaks in Renoise, you can sequence in Nerdseq just fine just keep in mind that you can only have up to 4 samples playing at once, and you can put any samples on any track as long as you don't mind if they choke the previous sample. Just keep in mind that the sample bank has very limited memory (mostly, but not entirely resolved by sample kit swapping minus) and 8bit resolution so everything is a little crunchy.

[XORadmin]

You are right, beside that skybox is talking about samples. The drum tiggering is not showing all tracks on one screen.
However, you can trigger all trigger outputs from every track, so you can combine different drums to one or more patterns in different ways.( Using either the local trigger, the trigger and fx column which allows together 5 different trigger outputs from one track/pattern, the patches which allows all trigger outputs from one track/pattern, the tables which allows all the crazy stuff putting on triggers and more using the automators).
So i don't see anything in the way to make crazy IDM style drumming using different functions all together.

The game changes completely with the new coming trigger expander which allows you 16 more trigger/gate outputs per expander and with these you have the full overview to all 16 triggers via the known trigger control and also a new drummatrix and all the crazy stuff together. And you can share one expander to different tracks if you want to.

All in all, crazy drumming is definitely possible in many different constructive and destructive ways :-)

And now hit the 'buy' button ;-)

Just kidding with the last one. I know it's a tough decision. Maybe someone else can add some real life experience here.
Also they are some videos online on social and youtube which sometimes use also extensive drum programming.

[theotteryears]

Hi guys.

I'm very strongly considering buying a Nerdseq as the main sequencer for my setup. Everything looks awesome and meets my needs. The only thing I'm not clear about is how easy it is to use for complex drum programming (long passages of complicated non repetitive drum sequences, ala Aphex Twin, Squarepusher, etc).

I'm trying to imagine the workflow, and it seems like you have to create patterns for each separate drum track, and then sequence them in the sequencer. So you are never looking at a screen which shows the relationship between the different drum tracks at once (eg, you can't easily see: there's a kick on step 3 in this bar so I can put a snare on 5, and see them both together on the same screen).

Given this, it seems like it would be pretty laborious to program the kind of complex sequences I referred to.

Anyone have experience of this? Is it easier than I'm making it sound? Maybe there's a mode I don't know about, or maybe it's just not the big a deal to switch pattern screens quickly? Or maybe this is a hard thing to do in this particular paradigm.

Thanks for reading! Hope this question is clear, feel free to ask clarifying questions if not.

I was going to mention the trigger expander too as I think this will give you the overview you are looking for. I was in the same position as you before, wanting an overview of the track relationships. I was a heavy user of Renoise before getting the nerdseq. 

Tbh I haven’t even needed to see the relationship between tracks so far. It’s a different way of working to Renoise but the more time you spend with it the more you will appreciate just how beautiful a design it is. I’m a big fan!

All I can say is BUY IT. It’s awesome. It’s an amazing sequencer. And There are new things added almost weekly. It’s crazy how well supported this is. 

I have no problem making IDM beats. Make use of the probability and tables and you’ll be creating this with some structure but with some randomisation which will keep you on your toes and which would take ages to program step by step. Cloning patterns is also useful. Then moving some hits around, adding trills etc. 

I run one of my gate outputs into the clock in on MI Grids - then send resets at different subdivisions. This gets the some cool stuff too. See Venetian Snares on YouTube of him doing this with his modular. 

Unfortunately both aphex and Venetian snares literally spend hours putting their drum tracks together. Both use or have used trackers to do this. There’s no other way to get drum rhythms like they do without meticulous programming - but I’ve got results I like and quickly using the above methods. 

Cheers!

[gropha]

However, you can trigger all trigger outputs from every track, so you can combine different drums to one or more patterns in different ways.( Using either the local trigger, the trigger and fx column which allows together 5 different trigger outputs from one track/pattern, the patches which allows all trigger outputs from one track/pattern, the tables which allows all the crazy stuff putting on triggers and more using the automators).

Ah! I had missed this part. This will definitely make it easier. And the expander sounds super sweet. Do we know when that is going to be released? 

Thanks for all the replies guys, super helpful! I'm now 99% I'm going to get it next paycheck. I'll come back and post the first crazy breakbeat I program

"I run one of my gate outputs into the clock in on MI Grids - then send resets at different subdivisions. This gets the some cool stuff too. See Venetian Snares on YouTube of him doing this with his modular. " - will check this out

"Unfortunately both aphex and Venetian snares literally spend hours putting their drum tracks together. Both use or have used trackers to do this. There’s no other way to get drum rhythms like they do without meticulous programming - but I’ve got results I like and quickly using the above methods. " - yes! I used to spend hours programming that stuff in fruity loops many years ago. Super fun, but also a crazy time hog. I'm very curious what's possible with a combination of meticulous programming plus generative modular patches

[theotteryears]

Here's a little test of what I was talking about. Took me all of 10 seconds to put together... this is simple and in 4/4 without any off beat resets of grids either.

Clock out to MI Grids ----> VCAs ----> Nord Drum 2
Channel 1 of Nerdseq to kick drum (probability set at 50%)

Thats it  


[oops - I didn't realise I couldn't add an MP3 here sorry]

[Retape]

drukqs was made in a tracker, after all!

[T3t_one]

With the mod/cv/trig at your disposal, you have the ability morph any sound into a new sound by using different parameters on each line of the page. This means you could use one oscillator to harvest a multitude of different drum hits, just from 1 channel. With the patch screen this operation is made even more effective.

[Friend of Dogs]

drukqs was made in a tracker, after all!

it was? fuck..., no wonder i'm here

[Retape]

drukqs was made in a tracker, after all!

it was? fuck..., no wonder i'm here

yep

https://vimeo.com/223378825