electronic drums through Mixcraft drum vst ??

[gypsy101]

I just picked up a set of Yamaha DTxpress
http://usa.yamaha.com/product_archive/d ... xpress_ii/

basically I just want to use them as triggers w/ the Acoustica vst kits or other kits.
it's an older kit so it doesn't have usb but there's midi & mono/stereo audio outs.
so if anyone here does this enlighten us.
yes,I have the manual but you know how those are...

[Jaymzzb]

Hi there,

I use a cheap electric drum kit which has a midi out.
I bought a midi to USB cable (See link) which works fine. Plug it in and then it will show it in your list of VSTinstruments, Once you select it you can change the instrument to Acoustica drums/ezdummer etc...


http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/6-feet-USB-to ... 20d147324b

Hope this helps,
James.

[gypsy101]

I don't really need a converter cable,I can go drums midi out>audio interface>usb/computer.
I was more on about how well it actually works w/ the vst drums & editing or programming the triggers.

[bob53050]

I have done this quite a bit so this is what you should look into:

What is the latency of your audio interface?

For the drums, check if you can set them to just act as triggers and not produce sound which also reduces latency

I have done this with Komplete's Battery 3 in Mixcraft 6.1 Pro

[bbdrmz]

I have a alesis i/o unit (receives 6 inputs I believe) probably similar to what you have. Midi out directly to interface. It work's fantastic for any type of vst. I've used it with fruity loop's, ez drummer, superior drummer, battery, and a couple more. I actually built a xylophone kit the other day. Editing is to easy. Set quantize to group's of instruments/samples, or one at time.

[benhal9]

I use 2 5 piece xbox kits with a alesis i/o and I love it. For less than $500 I have an awesome kit that works great with MC and any vst you can think of.

[fredfish]

I use 2 5 piece xbox kits with a alesis i/o and I love it. For less than $500 I have an awesome kit that works great with MC and any vst you can think of.

Do you mean something like these? http://www.amazon.com/Xbox-360-Rock-Ban ... B000TT2D2A

Are they MIDI kits then?

Cheers

John

[Mark Bliss]

They are usb controllers using a joystick standard.

People have been using them as midi controllers with what is apparently a minor hack. What may be needed is a free applet such as http://www.mattgrounds.com/rb2midi/
or
http://sourceforge.net/projects/joy2key/
To convert it to a mappable midi controller.

What may be an issue is latency or delay that you cant eliminate. Worth a try if you have a kit, but if not..... theres a risk it will work but not be very satisfying.

For the record, not that it would concern many of us, but there is also hardware/adapters to use real midi drum sets for Rockband too.

[gypsy101]

so I'm guessing that to record to separate tracks I need to set up the pads to individual midi channels?

[bbdrmz]

so I'm guessing that to record to separate tracks I need to set up the pads to individual midi channels?

No, one midi cable is all you'll need. To have individual control over each drum will be done within the software. All midi information is sent to your interface in the one cable, be it midi, or USB.

[bbdrmz]

I use 2 5 piece xbox kits with a alesis i/o and I love it. For less than $500 I have an awesome kit that works great with MC and any vst you can think of.

Do you mean something like these? http://www.amazon.com/Xbox-360-Rock-Ban ... B000TT2D2A

Are they MIDI kits then?

Cheers

John

No this is not a proper midi drum set up. Although, as already described, if you have one already, experimentation breed's innovation.

[Mark Bliss]

so I'm guessing that to record to separate tracks I need to set up the pads to individual midi channels?

I dont see any reason that wouldnt be the case Gypsy, but I am not the one to ask about it really. But mapped to say Ezdrummer as a multi out, why not?
I am hoping Benhal9 will fill us in more on his method of setting it up with 2 sets mapped out as well.

I am no drummer by any stretch, but I have tried the electronic drum trigger thing and in general found it very odd. The trigger pad makes an odd flat pop noise, then a speaker makes a drum sound.... I dunno, just weird. I think it might be a great way for a skilled and experienced drummer to enter data, but a very unsatisfying actual drum performance kind of experience. Anyone elses thoughts on this?

Caveat: Although it does work somehow for Rockband. Yeah, I have a couple of (now adult) children who were the right age at the right time and we had some family Rockband partys. I'll admit to it.

Run to the hills, Iron Maiden. Go ahead, advanced setting. You know you want to right now.

[gypsy101]

so I'm guessing that to record to separate tracks I need to set up the pads to individual midi channels?

No, one midi cable is all you'll need. To have individual control over each drum will be done within the software. All midi information is sent to your interface in the one cable, be it midi, or USB.

yes I know it's only 1 cable. I meant assigning each pad to a midi channel
snare-ch.1
bass drum-ch.2
tom1-ch.3
etc.etc....

as far as cables,there are 3 ways to connect mine-
audio interface midi out to midi in on the brain
host out to comp's serial port
midi in to usb converter cable to comp.

[bbdrmz]

so I'm guessing that to record to separate tracks I need to set up the pads to individual midi channels?

No, one midi cable is all you'll need. To have individual control over each drum will be done within the software. All midi information is sent to your interface in the one cable, be it midi, or USB.

yes I know it's only 1 cable. I meant assigning each pad to a midi channel
snare-ch.1
bass drum-ch.2
tom1-ch.3
etc.etc....

as far as cables,there are 3 ways to connect mine-
audio interface midi out to midi in on the brain
host out to comp's serial port
midi in to usb converter cable to comp.

Ahhh..I see what you mean now. What would be the reason for having each pad to it's own midi channel? Now I'm curious.

[gypsy101]

Ahhh..I see what you mean now. What would be the reason for having each pad to it's own midi channel? Now I'm curious.

I'm trying to figure out if or how to assign each drum to a separate track just like you would w/ mics for an acoustic kit.