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I write some pretty percussion intensive music that is all sequenced. Here's an eight bar MIDI file for a breakdown section in a tune I'm working on right now. Just thought I'd share an example rather than just talking about it. Mr. Walker mentioned a drummer's right hand being dominant over left, but I didn't catch anything about drummers' tendency to accent beats one and three on the "ride" instrument in a rock groove. I usually put about a ten-velocity difference in the hats, or ride, or crash or whatever is keeping the quarter note. The louder hits are on the kick and snare, the quieter ones in between. You don't really notice it, but I notice it when it's not there. Also, notice that I've kept my drummer to having two arms (for the most part, I think), so at the beginning when there are two cymbals being hit, he doesn't play a hi-hat under them. It's the little things... This is a swung groove, too, so examine where the offbeats are. Notice the ghost notes, stick drops, etc. Obviously, this is written to sound good on the drum kit I made for the song, but I listened to it on my Soundblaster's General MIDI soundset and I think the idea still gets across. http://www.neoprimitive.net/jlucas/tmp/drumsdemo.mid You may have to open this in your sequencer and tell it to use a drum kit, on channel 10, if it doesn't automatically do it. Good luck, y'all. -J