MegaDRUM presets featured in Addictive Drums 2

[angr77]

Hi John.

What I tried to say was that you can actually choose where you want to store your velocity curves. The function is the same in both MD and AD. However, there is one curve that you can't change in AD2 and that is the hi-hat velocity curve. (using a exp1 curve etc.)

If you set all the curves to linear in MD ...you can change them instead in AD and vice versa. You will get the same results. If you mix curves from both systems... some strange effects will occur...

Best regards

Anders

[angr77]

Hi all,

I am interested in building an e-kit with the MD32 and would like to use the AD2 software in standalone mode.
I would like to know what laptop/Tablet/PC would be best for that combination?
My objective is portability between my house and church which I play a Roland TD-20x
I was thinking the surface pro 2.
any suggestions is much appriciated

cheers,

JG

Hi JG!

I am using a Surface Pro (first edition) with the AD2 standalone player (I actually personally forced XLN to add tablet support in AD2...in the BETA program...) So AD2 operates very well on a tablet.

I am then using a external sound card connected to the Surface 2. The standalone player in AD2 is now running in 64 bit mode... and do actually performs better and more stable than in the AD1 standalone player which was running with 32 bit.

Best Regards

Anders

[John M]

Anders, I tried both of your MegaDRUM presets for AD2. I mapped my kit to the appropriate slots and everything was working fine. Then I discovered my understanding of how to save files/config slots etc in MD was seriously lacking.... I lost the mds file in the process and had to start again. Fortunately I'd already saved individual syx files so it was quick and easy to start over again.

What I eventually noticed is your MD presets appear in MDM with a default setting of 56 inputs. From what I've read elsewhere on this forum, if you have a 32 input MD (like me), and don't change the Inputs setting to 32, you'll think you've saved an mds file, only to find it didn't work.

Long story short.... I resorted to reloading MD's default settings (press right button while switching on MD). Made absolutely sure Inputs was set to 32. In AD2 I chose the GM preset and customised it where necessary to suit my kit. Then saved that modified preset and set it as the default in AD2.

So the end result is I'm not currently using either of your MegaDRUM AD2 presets, but in the process of trying, I learned a LOT about saving my settings correctly in MDM and how to assign them to a config slot.

If possible, I think it may be a good idea to offer separate presets for MD32 and MD56 users. It might save someone else with a 32 input MD having the same problems (losing mds files). Also the input layout is different between 32 and 56 MD, so some cable swapping is required when using your existing MD/AD2 preset on a 32 input module. Obviously it's no big deal having to plug and unplug a couple of cables but the preset would become more user friendly if channels matched the 'out of the box' MD layout.

Having gone through all of that, it should be easy for me to quickly zip through the routine again to configure your AD2/MD presets but I'm taking a breather first

Please note these are not criticisms - just observations from a not especially experienced MD user!
Keep up the good work!

[airflamesred]

I think the idea is only to take the note mapping from Anders' mds. All the other settings will be specific to your kit and playing style.
It might make sense if the note mapping could be loaded as a syx file but separate from the general pad settings.

[angr77]

Hi! Thanks for great feedback! Sorry if you got in trouble...but you are right. Maybe we should keep this simple!

I have made some clean up in my MDS MAP files for AD2.

In my previous attempt I did map channel 1 to 38 in a attempt to cover all AD2 kit piece slots.

But this might be a bit overkill...what do you think of having a predefined kit with the following items:

1 Kick

Hi-hat

Snare

Toms 1 to 4

Cymbal 1 to 3

Ride 1 (3way)

Flexi 1

This "standard kit" would utilize about 13 dual channels (About 26 inputs - Just fine for a MegaDRUM-32)

This has been reflected in the attached MegaDRUM_32_AD2 MDS files.

As a extra option I would like to add two files for MegaDRUM_56_AD2 and add the following channels in order: 26-38
Cymbal 4 to 6,
Flexi 2 and 3.
Ride 2

Not attached yet!
Do you have any good suggestions on this?

Best Regards

ANGR77

[John M]

...what do you think of having a predefined kit with the following items:

1 Kick

Hi-hat

Snare

Toms 1 to 4

Cymbal 1 to 3

Ride 1 (3way)

Flexi 1

This "standard kit" would utilize about 13 dual channels (About 26 inputs - Just fine for a MegaDRUM-32)

More than enough slots for me!
Wish I had this a couple of weeks ago - would have saved me hours

One observation: are the Long/Short/ChickThresh numbers included in the mds file based on your own settings? I tried them and got a dead spot at part opening. Found this info from Dmitri where he discusses ChickThresh settings for a hall effect sensor hi-hat:

"ChickThresh must always be greater than ShortChickThresh and ShortChickThresh must always be greater than LongChickThresh".

Using the method above I've got my HES hi-hat working almost as I'd like. Needs a little more fine tuning to get it just right but I'm getting close.

[angr77]

Good John!

The MD forum tries to improve...and the AD2 preset work is one goal to address the time consuming MD configuration.
But there still some work to do here! As Airflamered is mentioning above...one of our dreams is to be able to separate the midi map from the actual PAD settings in MDM. We will se whats happening here in the future.

Regarding the missing ChickThresh value - I have entered a higher value for this field as well. (I think my figures came from some real old configuration - I am using a VH-11 and not a hall sensor...so the figures could differ alot.) The hi-hat values are just guidelines and needs to be tweaked...but the mappings are right.

I am posting my four configuration files in this post.

MegaDRUM_Basic_32.mds

MegaDRUM_Basic_56.mds

MegaDRUM_Advanced_32.mds

MegaDRUM_Advanced_56.mds

The MD_AD2 fixed input map is now looking like this:
MegaDRUM_XX_32.MDS give you a map for channel 1-25:

Kick

Hi-hat

Snare

Toms 1 to 4

Cymbal 1 to 3

Ride 1 (3 way)

Flexi 1

The MegaDRUM_XX_56 adds for channel 26-38

Cymbal 4 to 6

Flexi 2 and 3

Ride 2, (3 way)

Basic = MegaDRUM will do all hi-hat sound articulations
Advanced= AD2 do will all hi-hat sound articulations based on the cc:04 pedal value: closed to open, chick & splash + Positional Sensing for snare have been set.

Finally - I just wanted to raise a small warning - Using the Map Preset "GM" in AD2 will give you a lot of more work. If you want to do your own map in AD2 - Promise me that you always starts with the Map Preset AD2 Default. Reason - looking in the map for "GM"...I am estimates that only 40% of the sounds have been addressed with a midi value IN AD2...and you will need to do the rest of the sound mapping yourself inside AD2. Time consuming!!

The MegaDRUM Map Presets in AD2 is following 100% the AD2 Default settings for all mappings.

Best Regards

ANGR77

[John M]

Hi Anders,

Yes, it will never be possible to provide a 'one size fits all' preset due to the huge variety of drums/pads/cymbals/hihats etc being used with MD. However, your AD2 presets are as close as we could hope for. Bundle these together with Dmitri's pad configuration advice and you'll be up and running very quickly.

Re GM preset in AD2...

Finally - I just wanted to raise a small warning - Using the Map Preset "GM" in AD2 will give you a lot of more work. If you want to do your own map in AD2 - Promise me that you always starts with the Map Preset AD2 Default. Reason - looking in the map for "GM"...I am estimates that only 40% of the sounds have been addressed with a midi value IN AD2...and you will need to do the rest of the sound mapping yourself inside AD2. Time consuming!!

I used GM as the basis for my current map and as you say, I had to manually assign several midi values to make a full kit. It didn't occur to me the AD2 default would have made life easier
I've been on a steep learning curve since my MD arrived!

Now I have my kit configured to a good standard, I'll create a fresh map using the new MD_AD2 preset.

[airflamesred]

Well, I do think it would make sense to have the note/channel mapping as a loadable file. It does seem to be a potential drawback for some that MD is perceived to be difficult to program.

So mappings for AD, EZ, SD etc along with Anders' pad/cymbal settings would give people a really good start.

[angr77]

Stay tuned best friends...nice things is coming up in this area regarding the midi maps and AD2:-)

Best Regards

ANGR77