Okay MIDI experts! I'm not sure how many posts it takes to move up from "newbie" status, but I'll be well on my way with the number of questions I'm putting out there. I've scoured the forums pretty thoroughly trying to find answers, so please forgive me if I am asking anything already asked in the past.
Here's what I need help with... I am (among other things) a drummer, and am going to be putting a fancy new electronic kit that I put together to work using EZDrummer in RealBand. Both EZDrummer and my Alesis DM8 module basically use general MIDI mapping, but there are a few outliers. Namely, I would like to ideally just disable a few midi notes to clean up the sound of the kit, such as the fully open hi-hat sample (which will never get used, but could mess up a take if mistriggered). Is there a way to disable specific midi notes for a particular track?
is it ezd1 or ezd2 as ezd2 track don't work in real band as the vst don't receive any timing signal from real band to work (in the forum somewhere they are suppose to be fixing it this year) so you can only put the midi in a real band track not the ezd2 track where you have more editing capabilities - but you can still edit notes in the real band piano roll by clicking a piano note it will select all the same hits then you can hold shift and move all the same hits up or down or delete. Hope this helps.
Thanks for the reply, Pipeline! I am aware that there are other midi mappers out there, but was most curious as to whether I could take care of it directly in RealBand. It looks like the MIDI File Mapper program only allows you to remap existing midi files. I would like to reassign the DM8 general midi notes for use in real time. Any seasoned keyboard users around here might be able to offer some insight on that.
Interestingly, I have had no problems getting EZD2 to work as a vst in RealBand. I am using the 64-bit version with jBridge. I was able to track live through it with no problems last night. It should be noted though that I am recording the midi in RealBand (not EZD2), which is fine. I'm a gigging drummer going for more of a live feel, so any editing would be a simple note shift here or there.
More suggestions pertaining to midi map adjustments in RealBand are welcomed!
Mark, do you have the option of saving presets in EZD and/or the DM8? If so find the open hi hats layers and/or pedal settings and set their maximum velocity to zero. Then save the preset.
Or if possible assign another sample(s) to the hi hat pedal layer or pedal setting. Maybe something like a closed hi hat bell or semi-closed hi hat rim hit.
I know nothing about either so this may or may not be a viable option.
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Thanks, Pipeline!-Those links along with the EZDrummer midi map should be helpful. Are you currently using EZD2? Your solutions sure give that impression. I look forward to getting a chance to work with them.
Mario-Unfortunately, the Alesis DM8 module has limited midi routing capabilities, and EZD2 has none (other than e-drum presets). The DM8 module allows for varying the midi note for the drums, but not the hi-hat. I assume that has to do with the continuous variability (from closed to open) for smooth transitions that it offers within the module itself. I suspect that getting such variability with a vsti may be unlikely. It is able to trigger appropriate samples with EZD2, but the crossfaded transitions between samples aren't smooth and realistic sounding. I hope that makes sense!
Last night, I was able to get a decent hi-hat sound using the open/closed "note only" setting on the module. That sounds more musical than rough transitions heard with the EZD2 Alesis preset (which contains a handful of different samples). I will try mapping it using Pipeline's solutions, and see which sounds most musical. In the end, how it sounds in the context of a mix is what matters most!
I do not know if this will help. Use Edit > Midi > Split Midi Drums which separates the Drum Track into multiple tracks each one for a separate drum instrument. By using the Classic Tracks Menu column KEY you can change any instrument by adding or subtracting the number of semi-tones
Thanks again for your suggestions! I decided to forgo the midi mapping, and simply use the "note only" setting. I got decent results by calibrating the open/closed settings in the module and curve settings in EZDrummer, but realized that the audible cross-fading/notching between samples is simply unavoidable with the Alesis modules and continuous pedals. It's just too inconsistent, unpredictable, and unacceptable for recording. So, my plan is to record using "note only" and edit in any additional, desired articulations manually.
Originally Posted By: LynB
I do not know if this will help. Use Edit > Midi > Split Midi Drums which separates the Drum Track into multiple tracks each one for a separate drum instrument. By using the Classic Tracks Menu column KEY you can change any instrument by adding or subtracting the number of semi-tones
It will, in fact help. Thanks, LynB! I recorded some test parts this evening that required some light quantizing. Being that RealBand only allows you to select complete vertical groups of notes, this function will be helpful (for fx applications, too). If there's a better way of doing this in RB, someone please feel free to chime in!
Maybe by cleverly using the the Edit radio buttons and utilizing the Data Filter will help. Just an idea. This let's you select ranges of data to work with. Sometimes using a secondary Data Filter helps too.
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