Need advice from V-Drum Users

[bOing]

I'm not sure if this is what you're asking, but if you go into the DP Drum Editor and view the Controller information as lines, you can easily select points and raise and lower them. This type of editing will adjust the in-between levels of openness/closedness.

It's part of it. The thing is how do you then use those controller points to control external samples? It's a process I've never been through and the internet seems rather sparse on actual instructions - but not on claims that it can be done. And when I follow those up, there's usually the sentence "but you'll have to do some more programming to get the highhats to work"...which is like saying they didn't get it right either. The kick and snare are easy, obviously. I'm after the deeper stuff.

[monkey man]

I saw nothing on the Roland site that might be helpful for 3rd party integration.

Same here.

You might, however, try V-DrumLib or MidiPipe for ways to do that. I think this will be where I find my answers too.

Haven't tried MIDI pipe for this sort of thing; it's for routing/processing, isn't it?

VDrumLib bombs out as soon as I try to load anything from the TD into it. I've got the latest version, v1.1.1 PPC, but it's not a happy camper. I can't drag MIDI file versions of my sounds onto it either.

I don't think that the hi hat offers positional sensing; only bow and edge sounds, or open and closed. And if I'm not mistaken, the three zones on the ride refer to bell, bow and edge. The bow of the ride cymbal does offer positional sensing, but in some cases I've turned it off because I like the sound better without it.

Oh, so the sound abruptly changes from one sample/simulation to the next with no overlap? Yikes; I thought it was more sophisticated than that, but this is good news as it means I'm not really missing out on anything programming the hats from the keyboard. Thank you, Ron.

The ride uses one of the general-purpose controllers; I've forgotten which one, but it's as you've said - I'm only able to influence one of them. The thing is that a strike resets/zeroes the controller value in the TD's memory, meaning that I must input a new one before striking again. Perhaps a clipping scheme along the lines of the choking one I sent you will suffice; obviously it'll only work whilst programming as opposed to playing as I'll need to drag the notes in one at a time. The theory would be to store a single note and its immediately-preceding CC event; I could tweak the velocity of the note as well as the CC value (position) as an integral part of the process.

Another handy clipping set might consist of several controller-only clips at varying densities. These could prove useful for super-imposing over already-played material, IMHO. We'll see. No drama, farmer.

I've never triggered from a keyboard, but I can record a MIDI track for you by playing my kit, and send the file to you so you can see what the controller data looks like. Maybe it will give you some clues for editing.

As was the case with the tom data you sent me, Ron, I'd imagine it'd be handy to see. I've lost that original file, so if you could play the entire kit, focussing on one area at a time, but as "naturally" as possible, I'll very-much appreciate it, and would keep it for reference due to the lack of electronic kits around here.

As far as reordering the kits, VDrums Lib is the easiest way to do this. The other option is to back up to a CF card, and copy the kits one by one in the order you want them to appear.

VDL is out, I'm afraid, unless someone can compile it for UB. Oh, and the bugger won't respond to a machine that's been expanded, AFAIK.

The flash-card thing sounds doable but convoluted, and is the only interim-solution I've been able to think of. Once my preferred order has been established, It'll likely remain static. Not sure whether I should keep the new presets separate (but still ordered the same way as my originals), or mix them with the unexpanded ones - there are around 5 categories that I like to use, but if I were to keep them separated, there'd be 10, and auditioning would be trickier. Sounds like a typical monkey mission. LOL

Cheers, fellas. Thank you for everything.
Nicky

[jon]

I have been a V-Drum user and fan since the late 90's. I currently use the TD-20 and I am really not interested in the expansion because I remember as soon as the TD-10 got the expansion the TD-20 was announced. The one thing that I like about the TD-20 is that I can go right from the Digital Output Jack (COAXIAL) into my 2408Mk3. This way I get a very nice clean and even recording of the V-Drums.

Also if you are big fan of E-Drumming you must check out http://www.vdrums.com/forum/.

[bOing]

I've recorded my first V-Drum track for a song I'm working on. Had to tweak the mistakes and groove quantize the parts that decided to ungroove while I was playing. But I'm happy to report that I do have it working and it's come out pretty good.

I will post that song in the next couple of days cause it's for the...wait for it... REGIS & Kelly contest! [DOH!]

[monkey man]

I've recorded my first V-Drum track for a song I'm working on.

Yay!

Had to tweak the mistakes and groove quantize the parts that decided to ungroove while I was playing.

Ha ha ha! That's one of the funniest things I've ever heard, RK.

But I'm happy to report that I do have it working and it's come out pretty good.

Yay!

I will post that song in the next couple of days cause it's for the...wait for it... REGIS & Kelly contest! [DOH!]

Ha! I'll look out for it, man. If you can provide a direct link, that'll be mighty helpful for those with Jungleville skinny rubber... I mean, fat rubber bands... I mean, broadbeans.

EDIT: Anyone know whether the new card's features (better dynamics etc) apply equally to the existing soundset as well as the expansion instruments (sounds)?

[bOing]

Had to tweak the mistakes and groove quantize the parts that decided to ungroove while I was playing.

Ha ha ha! That's one of the funniest things I've ever heard, RK.

I probably missed my true calling - comedy. But then again, I think this is a safer vantage point when my routine bombs.

Re; the groove. I couldn't sleep if I cheated by using other people's grooves, so I just found a place among my many takes where the pocket felt comfortable and I made a groove from that and applied it sparingly here and there. But I did get an education in what to expect from the V-Drums in terms of velocity and double triggering on the kick drum, which is my only "rubber" surface. The hats sound okay. Not like Stewart Copeland (!) but passable for this song.

Yeah, MM. I figured a direct link is the way to go - which for now must remain the "missing link".

RK.

[monkey man]

Hey - has my calling you RK finally stuck? It appears that the repeated advertising has taken root in your psyche. LOL

FWIW, I too refuse to use anyone else's grooves... and loops, arpeggios etc. God knows how much time this has cost me (the mind boggles), and indeed how many song ideas as I've all-too-often become bogged down in basic drum-guide-track editing. The thing that keeps getting me is that I like to at least approximate the basic BD/SN/Hat feel that'll be most appropriate for a piece first, lest a bad selection here affect the direction and feel of a new idea.

Glad it all worked for you man. Don't worry about Stewert Copeland's hat sound - people will eventually forget it. LOL