Got me a POD Studio GX to record with... need free drum software + tips?

[Pierre]

Well I'm ready to make my first foray into recording. Got me a POD GX, a simple USB soundcard to which I can connect my guitars and which comes with POD Farm and Gearbox.

I downloaded Audacity and I got everything working just well for now.

What I need is a free Drum software so I can at least have drums + guitars on my tracks (may buy a very cheap bass someday then, perfect excuse now ) and maybe some tips on how to setup the whole thing:

Right now the PC is outputing through the standard output (1/8 jack) which is connected to the analog in of my hi-fi system.

The GX acts as a standalone soundtrack... So when I record using audacity I have the POD Farm sound in my headphones from the GX, as well as whatever backing I have already opened in Audacity. Both play at the same time.

But of course then I get latency. I have no idea what's going wrong. I remember that using my old M Audio interface, I didn't have a latency when setup correctly.

So I'm not quite sure where to go from there...
Thanks!


EDIT: I got rid of the latency. So all's good on the recording side except for the lack of drumming.

 

[DankStar]

Re: Got me a POD Studio GX to record with... need free drum software + tips?

if you're doing super simple stuff that you don't really need to save, I'd try the fruity loops demo. you can export to mp3 or wav to import into audacity, but can't save the project in FL.

to save, I'd go with hotstepper and find some free drum hit samples to import to use with it.

 

[Reload in 5]

Re: Got me a POD Studio GX to record with... need free drum software + tips?

I ended up going with reaper and EZdrummer lite. Ezdrummer lite is on the DVD of the December issue of Computer Music. It wont do Crash Cymbal, but that is the only real drawback. Has some decent grooves as well. Could use the addictive drums demo, it just wont do ride (and you really shouldnt use it past the trial period anyway). neither has much Tom support.
Drumcore has a free product, but it doeasnt seem as intuitive to use. I might just go with the full pay version of ezdrummer, since I can get the upgrade right now for under $60.

Audacity wont do VSTi so none of these work with it, but reaper is SO much better its not funny. It cost $60 but the trial really never expires. I like it enough that I bought it.

 

[DankStar]

Re: Got me a POD Studio GX to record with... need free drum software + tips?

I ended up going with reaper and EZdrummer lite. Ezdrummer lite is on the DVD of the December issue of Computer Music. It wont do Crash Cymbal, but that is the only real drawback. Has some decent grooves as well. Could use the addictive drums demo, it just wont do ride (and you really shouldnt use it past the trial period anyway). neither has much Tom support.
Drumcore has a free product, but it doeasnt seem as intuitive to use. I might just go with the full pay version of ezdrummer, since I can get the upgrade right now for under $60.

Audacity wont do VSTi so none of these work with it, but reaper is SO much better its not funny. It cost $60 but the trial really never expires. I like it enough that I bought it.

if the song is simple one BPM, you could just do a simple track of just crashes using leaf drums, hotstepper, fruity loops, etc.; or, many keyboards have cymbals you could use to punch in over the demo drums.