Toontrack EZdrummer

[Mornats]

[quote name='urb' timestamp='1334310610' post='1614141']
You can also use a MIDI controller
[/quote]

Such as one of these: [url="http://www.dv247.com/computer-hardware/midi-keyboard-controllers/"]http://www.dv247.com/computer-hardware/midi-keyboard-controllers/[/url]. I'd recommend one with at least 49 keys so you can get a few octaves at your disposal. I use an M-Audio Keyrig 49 (discontinued now but has replacements) and it's simple, cheap and works well. It's velocity sensitive too which I think is essential.

If you want some other instruments for it to control, check out the free players from [url="http://www.native-instruments.com/"]http://www.native-instruments.com/[/url]. The free Kontakt player has a good selection and they have a couple of synths (Reaktor Spark) too.

[urb]

[quote name='Mornats' timestamp='1334313203' post='1614222']
Such as one of these: [url="http://www.dv247.com/computer-hardware/midi-keyboard-controllers/"]http://www.dv247.com...rd-controllers/[/url]. I'd recommend one with at least 49 keys so you can get a few octaves at your disposal. I use an M-Audio Keyrig 49 (discontinued now but has replacements) and it's simple, cheap and works well. It's velocity sensitive too which I think is essential.

If you want some other instruments for it to control, check out the free players from [url="http://www.native-instruments.com/"]http://www.native-instruments.com/[/url]. The free Kontakt player has a good selection and they have a couple of synths (Reaktor Spark) too.
[/quote]

Yes the Impulse keyboards are very cool - I am borrowing one at the moment and it pretty much does everything you could need - I also use a Novation Launchpad as it's great for Ableton and also I've just got one of these Akia LPD8 ones as they are £37 and have both rotary knobs and 8 pad/triggers that are great for MIDI mapping and all that jazz:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Akai-LPD8-Laptop-Pad-Controller/dp/B002M8EEW8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1334319831&sr=8-1

I'm hopefully getting an iPad for my b'day in July so that'll be added to my MIDI controller collection - so I can use the Lemur app - which looks amazing:

http://liine.net/en/products/lemur/

Lots of fun....

[lowdown]

Hey Mike
I know you like using Ableton.
A friend of mine plays Drums for Howard Jones.
He is here with Robbie Bronniman in a video explaining their use of Ableton for the current tour.
And how they reconstructed HJ's first two Albums using Live.

[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I7TrGTLNkNU&feature=player_embedded#!"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I7TrGTLNkNU&feature=player_embedded#![/url]


Garry

[urb]

Nice one Garry - I'll have a look at that later - I may well end up using Live to perform some music I've been working on with a singer - I know it can all be played 'live' but I think it's exciting to mix 'studio' and live stuff - the boundaries are disappearing between the two and I think that's so cool....