The pros have been using sampled beats and SoundReplacer to smooth over less-than-perfect drum performances for a while now. However, there is a way for the rest of us to rescue an unsteady kick track.

1. In Pro Tools, create a MIDI track and a stereo aux track.

2. Open Reason. Set ReDrum as the MIDI input and select the drum patch that sounds closest to your kick drum.

3. Back in Pro Tools, ReWire Reason in the insert section of the aux track.

4. Set the output of the MIDI track to Redrum channel 10, and find the key that triggers the kick sample on your MIDI controller (usually C1).

5. Start recording in Pro Tools and replace the kick hits where needed by playing the MIDI controller and recording to the MIDI track. This may be tricky. You will be able to monitor the original kick track; however, it may be easier for you to mute the original kick track , as it may distract you while recording the new MIDI version.

6. Use mute automation to silence the trouble spots in the original kick track.