Recording quesrion

[rullywowr]

I second Jamstix.  Stupid name but really cool human feel element.  I also have used ToonTrack EZD, however JamStix is really fun once you get the hang of how it works.  I really enjoy having it play MIDI files of songs and tweaking the human feel to see what it does.

[blearyeyes]

Logic's drummer. It sounds okay (I have multiple demos people were surprised to learn the drums were programmed) and relatively easy to edit both on a surface or midi level. Things start to sound much better when you split each drum out to a separate tracks for different processing and even use different kits for different instruments. Some kits have better sounding cymbals, for instance.

The real limitations come when you start trying to program in the human element. Despite a sliding scale on intensity of a drum hit, there are a limited number of samples for the program to play back. So it's almost impossible to get the minute variations in timbre and volume needed.

I'm not sure about Logic X's drummer, and I hear you on the sample layers issue. I'm on 9.x I'm no drum programming wizard, but I've had some luck with randomizing very slightly the timing and velocity of the MIDI and most drummers are stylized by being slightly ahead or behind the beat with the snare or a little slow or pushy with the kick etc. "on top of the beat" or "laying back into the groove" depending on the song. Just have to mess with it and find out where the pocket is. If you have the drums split out on different MIDI tracks you can use the track timing to move things a bit [- numbers] are ahead of the beat [+ numbers] move them back. (towards the end of the song) Don't be afraid to speed up the tempo very slightly if you are going into a chorus or solo as drummers can push it just a wee bit when they get get to different parts of a song. Just a feel thing. But like Jon said if the sample layers aren't there you're outta luck with nuance and ghost beats etc. Nothing beats a good drummer with a good drum set and great mics with a stellar engineer in a great room but hey wadda ya gonna do?

I'll have to check out Jamstix. Drum drops.. Never heard of them.

I guess I could have just posted +1 what they all said...
Getting old and verbose.