HOW TO: Record your electronic MIDI drums (VSTi, Edrum MIDI Mapper)

[cobby]

It's been a long week for me, most days I haven spent trying to get my electronic drum kit recording well. I've seen there are lot of other people who have ran into the troubles I have, so I thought I post a little tutorial on how to get eveything working....so here goes.

My setup:
Yamaha DTXplorer
M-Audio MIDI Uno USB interface
-Computer
Core 2 Duo E6300 (@ 1.86Ghz)
3GB Corsair DDR2-667
Gigabyte P965-DS3 (Rev 3.3)
Sumsung 300GB SATA
XP Pro SP3

MixCraft 4
ezDrummer w/ Drumkit From Hell

You will probs have a different setup, so adjust as you go along accordingly.

NOTE FOR VISTA
We will be using a driver called ASIO4ALL, from person experience it is a bit unstable in Vista...if you run into sound troubles it because of ASIO4ALL.


Step 1
Here is three programs you will likely need.
ASIO4ALL - ASIO4ALL - Universal ASIO Driver
This is a free and universal ASIO driver. ASIO allows realtime playback of an input (in our case a MIDI Input). Make sure you install Off-line settings during the installation. The other option...is...well...optional.

MIDI Yoke - MIDIOX
Free. Creates virtual MIDI ports. We use this to pass remapped MIDI singals to a VST host. If you don't understand...you will see later.

eDrum MIDI Mapper - Chaotic Box
Come with a free trial, costs $10. eDrum MIDI Mapper remaps MIDI messages from our drum kit. There is a slight change you might not need this, SLIGHT. Alternatively, your VST host may have a built-in mapper (Cubase does). In my case, my snare produced crash sounds and my kick pad was a snare. There is a free alternative, Edrum Monitor. However I don't know how to configure HiHat controllers with this program.

So get the latest versions of those, once all three are installed you HAVE to restart your computer. For the rest of the tutorial I assume that you will be using the above software or you know how to work your own alternatives.


Step 2
Of those above programs, we only have to setup eDrum MIDI Mapper, however you might like to open up MIDI Yoke settings from Windows Control Panel and set the number of ports to 1.

MAPPING YOUR DRUMKIT
Go ahead and open up eDrum MIDI Mapper.
You should be shown something along the lines of...


First thing we need to do is setup up the MIDI devices.
In the input drop-down, select your MIDI interface (that your drumkit is connected to)
And in the output, select a MIDI Yoke port.

You will probably also want to uncheck Note off filter, makes your record look more presentable on the piano roll.


This is were is starts to get a little tedious, we now have to map our drumkit according to our VSTi. You will have to map ALL inputs, even if some are already correct when you VSTi directly use your drumkit.

Before you start this part, you will want to find what MIDI messages you drumkit outputs and what MIDI messages your VSTi expects as inputs.
My Yamaha DTXplorer manual told me what it outputs on page 31. You should still be ok if you can't find your manual...eDrum MIDI Mapper has a 'Learn' function.

And from the help menu in ezDrummer (the ? in the top-right corner) I was able to open a PDF showing the key values Drumkit From Hell want. You will have to find the corresponding info for your setup. I assume you know how to open ezDrummer, or whatever you are using...its not a standalone program.

Adding a generic pad.
To add a new pad in eDrum MIDI Mapper, go Pads -> New Generic (or Ctrl + N). It will display a new 'Drum Pad' in the list below. Double click it and it will display the Settings/Edit window.


Settings Window Explained.
It's divided into two sections, MIDI input and MIDI output...pretty easy.
Next to some of the the input boxes is a button [...]. This is the 'Learn' button so to save looking into your manual you can just press this button the trigger what you want.

Just a little more theory (for those who don't know anything about MIDI), MIDI is split into 16 channels and 128 note numbers per channel. The standard is that edrum use channel 10. MIDI notes number are like sub-channel if you will, of the main channel they are transmitting on. If you want a gay little analogy, think of the MIDI channel as your area code and note number is your phone number. Note number are mainly expressed in two different ways, as an integer (0 - 127) or as a note (C-1 - G9)...they can also be expressed in hexadecial or what ever you want, but integer and note are the only ones we are concern with.

So if you didn't figure, each possible transmission your drum module can make (hit a pad, choke a cymbal, etc) transmits on a unique note number. You maybe be able to configure this on you drum module as well.The eDrum MIDI Mapper works in note number, but you can but integers into the textboxes and it will convert for you.

So for input note, click the [...] button and hit a pad (dont do hihat) and it should automatically put into the text box. Select channel 10 (as the default). If you are configuring a choke-able cymbal, check the Choke note box and get it to learn the choke note.

If your drumkit ever false triggers notes (my crash cymbal can trigger my hi tom), then you might want to setup up softest and hardest hit. These values simply don't just filter out messages below or above these velocties, look in the eDrum MIDI Mapper manual for 'Trigger Calibration' for more info on this.

For output settings, you have to manually enter them in. You will have to find out which to put as the output note from your drum VSTi manual. Remember that you can enter an integer into the text boxes and it will convert for you. If you use Alternate note, it will output between that note and the main note.

You can set channel to what ever you want, if you want to get tricky you can set different pads on different channels so you can record on separate layers in what ever software you use. For the moment I happy with channel 10.

Finally set the output choke not, if you are using choke.

And that is done, click Ok and you will go back to the main screen. Before you go on to your next pad, rename them as you go so you don't forget which is which. Now go through and set up all you pads...except your Hi-Hat. You may opt to open up your VSTi host in the background, select your output channel and test everything as you go.

Now for your HiHat pad, its gets its own dialogue because we have to configure your pedal and such.

The input is pretty straight forward. Even if you aren't on a Roland vDrum kit, leave Rolan mapping checked for the time being, chances are it will be correct. Pedal CC# is likely to be 4 (if your interested, read up on MIDI Continuous Controller), to be safe you can still use the learn button and press your HiHat pedal.

The output is also pretty straight forward...except from X-fade.
At the moment, we only have support for open or closed HiHat and nothing in between, which is what X-Fade and all those boxes on the far right are for.

Enable the Open 1 level, In here, put re-enter your HiHat closed note. ezDrummer supports 4 levels of HiHat, Closed, two half open and open. So for me, I enter those notes in at levels two and three (C#1 @ 40 and C1 @ 80). And then I put HiHat open on level 4, with a threshold of 120. The threshold is used to define at what level of HiHat pedal depression to to play this note. Depending on the quality of your HiHat Pedal and you VSTi, you will likely to have slightly different settings for here.

Once you have enter those in, the X-Fade open levels box is now checkable, so go ahead and check it. It fades between the levels to create a smoother transitions between HiHat openees. And that pretty much covers it for eDrum MIDI Mapper. Make sure you save your kit (from the File) menu.


Setting up your VSTi host
What you do here will vary depending on what VSTi host you are using, so I can only give generic instructions.

First you will want to configure your audio and MIDI devices settings. For audio input and output, select ASIO4ALL. And select MIDI Yoke 1 for input.
Now create a virtual instrument track and set it to what ever channel eDrum MIDI Mapper is set to. Now you can load up your drum VSTi and once its loaded start playing!

Hopefully everything goes according to plan.

A few troubleshooting tips if you get no sound.

• Set everything to channel 10 to be safe.
• Double check MIDI devices in eDrum MIDI Mapper and your VSTi host.
• You may have to select a 'Monitor Input' in your VSTi host for real-time playback.
• In your VSTi host, set the audio devices back to your soundcard to check that ASIO4ALL isn't your problem. (Note: there will be around 1 second delay from when you hit to the sound.)
• In eDrum MIDI Mapper, click the play icon next to each pad. This send a dummy message. If this works there there is a problem between your drum module and eDrum MIDI Mapper.
• If some pads aren't triggering correctly, play around with different output notes. Remember to save your kit so you don't lose.
• You may have to open eDrum MIDI Mapper before you load your VSTi host. However, if you update a pad in eDrum MIDI Mapper it should update straight away in your VSTi host.

If you have questions or want to add some feel free to reply. I have also attached my current kit setup from eDrum MIDI Mapper.

Cheers,
Cob

[seanzy]

Cobby, let me start by saying this post has been really helpful in getting me started, and i thank you for posting.

This is what i'm running:
Roland TD3
M-Audio MIDI Uno USB interface
WinXP SP3
MixCraft 4
ezdrummer w/ drumkit from hell


I am a complete newbie when it comes to this kind of thing, i have a background in computer programming / networking so i figured i could probably handle it. . . . not so much lol

I have followed your directions but i seem to have a problem when using the eDrum MIDI Mapper.

I think it might have to do with my MIDI out because i can't get mine to look like yours. You have "Out to MIDI Yoke: 1" and mine is "USB Uno MIDI Out". I have a feeling this is what is partially causing my problem. When i try to add a new generic pad and click the "..." button to try and get it to recognize my edrum sets midi configuration it doesn't register anything.


I am also confused by this "we now have to map our drumkit according to our VSTi. You will have to map ALL inputs, even if some are already correct when you VSTi directly use your drumkit."

Like i said before i'm a complete newbie and this is my first experience with an electric drum kit, if you could help me through this i would be eternally grateful.

[cobby]

Hi seanzy...im glad I could help.

I too come from a programmer/pc technician background and thought I would be able to handle it on my own (despite being a complete newbie like yourself)...I ended up getting help from a nice chap on Youtube. In fact his help inspired to write this little tutorial :P (YouTube - JoshKoen's Channel).

Firstly, if you don't have "Out to MIDI Yoke: 1" in your output options, then you haven't gotten your virtual MIDI interface installed. Go here: MIDIOX to get the program I use. Once you installed it, you need to restart your computer. If you have got this installed then we have a problem. One thing to check (if it is installed). Go into control panel, and open MYokeNT. Check the number of ports is at least 1.

For the record, I'm using:
Midi Yoke NT ver. 1.75 Beta
MIDI Feedback:
Data Rate, then Ctrl ID
Feedback Ctrl ID: 103

Other things you could try is reinstalling MidiYokeNT or trying an alternative like Maple Virtual Midi Cable

Hope that should sort out that problem.

Do you understand how a VSTi works with MixCraft?
(Just a quick note, don't start doing anything until you have read the read of this reply.)
I'm not entirely sure what you are unsure of.
If you don't know how to load EZDrummer in MixCraft, skip the next 4 paragraphs. If you are having trouble mapping, read on.

Basically your VSTi (which is EzDrummer), plays a certain sound based on the MIDI note number from the MIDI input. If you go to C:\Program Files\ToontrackEZDrummer\EZX_Dfh\EZXKeys.pdf you will find the note inputs.

So you need to make sure then when you hit your ride edge on your TD-3, the finally note number sent to MixCraft (and then ultimately EZDrummer) will be 59. If you go to page 61 of your TD-3 manual, you will see under Drum Kit Note Number that your ride edge output is 53. So you need to map 53 (remember learn function in Edrum MM) to note 59.

Fortunately for you, everything is already mapped correctly expect for some zones of your cymbals, but snare, toms, hihat and kick will be just need be mapped to the same note number on the output in eDrum MIDI Mapper. Just check all your cymbals in your TD-3 manual. Also make sure that in MixCraft preferences that you have midi yoke as the midi input.

Hope that helps...if you are still unsure about how to map...i can attempt at make a map for your TD-3. Alternatively, you can in fact map the outputs directly on your TD-3 Module (instructions on pg. 60 of manual).

To load a VSTi in MixCraft, create a virtual instrument track. Click the little piano keys icon next to the virtual instrument track image. Under the category list, select the 2nd one from the top ('<Instruments>') and then in instrument presets go to ezdrummer. Click the show details button to show more settings. In there you will see one Synth called ezdrummer, click the edit button which brings open the EZDrummer window and you can change to DFH.

Once thats done, close these window to go back to main mixcraft window. In preferences, make sure that MIDI input is set to In from MIDI Yoke and that your audio driver is ASIO4ALL. On your virtual instrument, click the arrow next to arm and select channel 10. Hopefully you will now be able to play in realtime, hit record if you want to start recording!

Remember to try my troubleshooting tips at the end of my orignal post.

Cheers,
Cob

[seanzy]

Thank you for the prompt reply.

My Midi Yoke issue is fixed now and appears correctly. My problem comes when i try to add a generic drum pad in the edrum MIDI Mapper. When I open up the drum pad settings under "MIDI Output" i entered 53 to correspond with my TD3's ride cymbal edge. Then under "MIDI Input" i put the corresponding 59 for ezdrummer. I then clicked the the "..." which opens a message box that says "Strike a trigger to set note and channel" So i hit the edge of the ride cymbal and nothing happens. I clicked cancel and the numbers in the textboxes were converted to F3 and B3, but nothing really seemed to happen. Is that what it is supposed to do?

Also, i do understand how to open ezdrummer so we dont really need to go through that bit :-)

[cobby]

I'm glad you got the MidiYoke problem sorted!

Firstly, you need to be entering 53 under MIDI Input and MIDI output should be 59. But at the moment, this is irrelevant as eDrum MIDI Mapper is unable to signals coming from your drum kit.

This is an attempt to degrade your intelligence, but we need to go through some basic troubleshooting:
-Have you plugged your 'To MIDI Out' connection on your interface to your drumkit?
-Is your drumkit on?
-Have you tried using a USB port on the back of your computer?
-Are your interface drivers up to date and installed correctly?
-Have your tried reinstalling the driver?
-Is your Uno Interface selected as the input in eDrum MIDI Mapper?

Download and install Toontrack Solo. It is a simple VST host for EZDrummer. Under the MIDI menu, set controller to E-Drums. Set the input to your Uno interface and try playing. If this works then at least we know that everything up until eDrum MM is working.

If after all those, and its still not working we could have a little problem on our hands.

[seanzy]

Alright, despite your best efforts i'm starting to think a high power does not want this to work.

So, when i open Toontrack solo it asks me to open a project or to select which drummer to use. What is shown is as follows:

In the upper box it says "DFH Sampler"

In the "VST plugin path" box it says "C:\Program Files\VstPlugins\"

The only file in that directory is "ezdrummer.dll" . . .which i think is correct.

So next i clicked okay at the bottom.

I then verified that under the MIDI menu "E-Drums" was selected as the controller, that the MIDI device was USB Uno MIDI In. I left the channel on Omni to start, but then i began playing with that thinking that was the problem. . . which it didn't seem to be.

The Audio Device is set to ASIO4ALL v2. I only have the choice of "Channels 1+2" for audio channels. My latency buffer size is set to 256.

I also did try your troubleshooting tips in the previous post. I reinstalled the drivers for the USB Uno device and tried all the USB ports on my machine.


Thank you very much for your help, and i will understand if there isn't much else you can do.

[cobby]

It really sucks that you aren't having much luck with this.

If you have done everything I mentioned, I leaning towards that fact the either the MIDI output, the MIDI interface, or at least something it potentially faulty. Just double check something for me (as I found this kinda confusing) but have you got the To MIDI Out connection (on your Uno) connected to the MIDI out on your kit.

Aside from that, there isn't much else I can do for you. I don't think this is a configuration issue within your software.

I would be trying other MIDI devices and another computer, provided you have access. Sure a friendly will have a keyboard or something!

But yes, I can't really do anything further.

Oh, if you click on a drum on toontrack, does it make a sound?

[seanzy]

Cobby,

I tried using another computer, same problem.

Yes, if i click on a drum on toontrack it does make a sound.

I'm going to try and test it with a friend's keyboard to see if i can get anything from the cable i guess.


Seanzy out.

[cobby]

Ok, also another thing...you might want to try and hunt down some sort of MIDI monitor to see if there is any input being registered.

[seanzy]

I just ran a program called "MIDI monitor" go figure. . . .

anyway, it was definitely registering input. It looked something like this in the program:

80 01 11 Note Off C#-2 (do# -2Velocity: 17 Channel 1
80 09 19 Note Off A-2 (la-2) Velocity: 25 Channel 1
80 09 11 Note Off A-2 (la-2) Velocity: 17 Channel 1
80 09 11 Note Off A-2 (la-2) Velocity: 17 Channel 1
80 09 19 Note Off A-2 (la-2) Velocity: 25 Channel 1
80 01 01 Note Off C#-2 (do# -2Velocity: 1 Channel 1
C0 01 00 Program Change 1 Unused Channel 1
C0 19 00 Program Change 25 Unused Channel 1
E0 01 19 Pitch Bend 1 25 Channel 1
E0 09 19 Pitch Bend 9 25 Channel 1
C0 09 00 Program Change 9 Unused Channel 1
C0 01 00 Program Change 1 Unused Channel 1
C0 11 00 Program Change 17 Unused Channel 1
80 01 09 Note Off C#-2 (do# -2Velocity: 9 Channel 1
80 01 19 Note Off C#-2 (do# -2Velocity: 25 Channel 1
80 01 19 Note Off C#-2 (do# -2Velocity: 25 Channel 1
C0 01 00 Program Change 1 Unused Channel 1
C0 11 00 Program Change 17 Unused Channel 1
C0 09 00 Program Change 9 Unused Channel 1
C0 11 00 Program Change 17 Unused Channel 1
C0 09 00 Program Change 9 Unused Channel 1
C0 11 00 Program Change 17 Unused Channel 1
C0 09 00 Program Change 9 Unused Channel 1
C0 11 00 Program Change 17 Unused Channel 1
C0 09 00 Program Change 9 Unused Channel 1
C0 11 00 Program Change 17 Unused Channel 1


So it seems like the cable isn't faulty. . . . we're running out of variables to test!