Do You Use Drum Maps?

[Sailor55]

Many thanks scook for this information and taking the time to make the video. This had been bugging me for a long time. As I said in the edit to my post above, I was able to do it for the first time earlier today and I have no idea why it worked.

However, your way seems to be the best way to go and to make sure it always works. Much obliged!

[iZiKKO]

Hi all drummers! I have been using maps as well as dropping individual samples to separate drum tracks. I prefer the latter. Lately also been testing Loopcloud material, which seem pretty high end at times! But, my additional question is somewhat related to using drum maps. Regarding drum pads, what is the best way to program those 8 midi pads on your controller? I use Akai MPK mini2 and the software that comes with it just sucks. So, looking for advice how to program my Akai pads within Cakewalk.

Edited February 24, 2019 by iZiKKO

[studioguy1]

Anybody have an idea on how to make the drum easier to read.   ie change color of either text or background?

 

[studioguy1]

Sorry,.that was supposed to read:  Does anybody have a idea on how to make the DRUM MAP easier to read.   i.e. change the color of either the text or the background?????   These old eyes are having a real problem with that.      Help!

[jsteinmetz]

I use drum maps for keyswitches for Kontakt instruments.  Mostly orchestral.  However, I agree with SG, would be great to be able to see it better.  The contrast between text and background color is nearly non-existant.  And a shot to the eyes if your using the darker interface.

I've been through the theme editor top to bottom, changing every color I could find to florescent pink, trying to find that background or the text color.  And I did the same in the preferences>colors.  No luck.

The only workaround I've found is zooming in really close on the drum map.  And that gets quite fiddly.  Change zoom on drum map and piano roll disappears...get piano roll back and drum map disappears....eventually you get them both back up and big enough to see drum map.  I set it as a lens to save time.

[DeeringAmps]

Had a request for the Trilian Drum Map so here goes:

Note that you want to select "Show Note Duration", also set Trilian for Octave -1

here's the link to the map
http://deeringamps.com/cakewalk/trilian
right click "trilian.map" and save to your drum maps folder.

T

Edited March 10, 2019 by DeeringAmps
correct link to trilian.map

[Myriad Rocker]

I used to use drum maps.  But then I had about a 10 year break from doing anything recording related and forgot how to do all that.  These days I only have edited versions of the "note names" file that I just set the PRV to use depending on the VSTi drums I'm using.  Super easy for me this way.  These days I use SSD5 exclusively, but I also own BFD3 and I'd probably just want the note names for that as well.

[scook]

9 minutes ago, Myriad Rocker said:

I also own BFD3 and I'd probably just want the note names for that as well

FXpansion is one of the few drum synth manufacturers who implement the VST2.1 effGetMidiKeyName opcode which CbB uses to populate the PRV notes pane names. IOW, using BFD3 there is no need for a drum map or extending the master.ins to see instrument names in the PRV. It would be nice if all of the drum synth manufacturers bothered to implement this feature.

[Myriad Rocker]

1 hour ago, scook said:

FXpansion is one of the few drum synth manufacturers who implement the VST2.1 effGetMidiKeyName opcode which CbB uses to populate the PRV notes pane names. IOW, using BFD3 there is no need for a drum map or extending the master.ins to see instrument names in the PRV. It would be nice if all of the drum synth manufacturers bothered to implement this feature.

That would explain why I always saw note names back in the BFD days.  For SSD5, I just modified the master.ins file.  Easy enough.

[Steven Gerard]

On 2/20/2019 at 1:03 PM, Logan_4600 said:

Well, the great thing about maps is that you can have custom templates for inputs and outputs from different source or form feeds to specific outputs.

In my case, I use mostly BFD for drums. BFD1 has different layouts and fewer drum pieces than BFD2. Not only that, through the years I've tried many input methods, for example, drums fron scratch through mouse&keyboard with arbitrary keys for i/o, then some were GM drums, and then V-Drums. All of them had different inputs and outpus, which, through maps I could easily switch and even have campatibily between all of them. I find them as a key feature really. Also, having the names of the piece kits, and arrange them in any form is really handy. Great feature

How do you setup your inputs and outputs when using a drum map for a vst and using v drums to trigger the vst?  Thanks in advance. 

 

[Steven Gerard]

How do you setup your inputs and outputs when using a drum map for a vst and using v drums to trigger the vst?  Thanks in advance. 

[JL]

drum maps are pretty cool but kinda a pain to navigate around, I use it mainly to combine all my midi triggering for Samples via different VSTi or Trigger 2 and also trigger gates (like Fab filter Pro C) to open. Really helpful to go into detail like triggering which specific sample or open which mics base on the velocity of the hits, amount of bleed in the drum mics. 

[NeedMoreGuitars]

I would use drum maps but in cakewalk it's not built into the piano role. 

[Notes_Norton]

I've never used drum maps.

I record drums live using a MIDI percussion controller in real time. That way they get the proper groove.

After I record, I might separate them to different tracks for further tweaking and massaging.

IMO the best way to record anything is to do it in real time.

Of course, there is more than one right way to make music.

Insights and incites by Notes

[Promidi]

On 2/20/2019 at 11:54 PM, Adam Grossman said:

So I have used Drum Maps for years and years and today I am thinking of not using them anymore.  They seem to be more of a hassle than they are worth.  

I've given up on using drum maps for MIDI files because if I do use them, I no longer have access to NPRN parameter names (as defined in instrument definition files) via the controller lanes.  Yes, I still use a hardware module.

PRV with the drum piece names on the PRV keyboard is much easier for my work flow.

[Starship Krupa]

On 2/28/2020 at 6:40 AM, Notes_Norton said:

I've never used drum maps.

I record drums live using a MIDI percussion controller in real time. That way they get the proper groove.

After I record, I might separate them to different tracks for further tweaking and massaging.

IMO the best way to record anything is to do it in real time.

Of course, there is more than one right way to make music.

Drum Maps don't have anything to do with how you record MIDI data, or adjusting your timing or groove, are you thinking of Tempo Maps?

Drum Maps (among other things) assign friendly instrument names to MIDI notes so that Cakewalk can do things like display a list of drum names along the left side of the Piano Roll instead of piano keys. It makes editing MIDI drum tracks easier by not having to remember which piano key corresponds to kick drum, snare, etc.

Erik "Rests" Miller

[Notes_Norton]

Thanks Eric - I guess I didn't understand because I never used them.

I'll check it out.

[Mark McDowell]

On 2/21/2019 at 6:34 AM, DeeringAmps said:

Not only do I use them for EZD and Superior, I also have a Trilian map. That way all notes and key switches are on screen and labeled. I don’t have to “think” when I want to “slide” a note. 

T

Any chance you could make your drum maps for EZD, Superior, and Trilian available? I have all three and have wanted to experiment, but have never had the time. Trilian is a complex beast, so having a map for that seems incredibly helpful!

[DeeringAmps]

Here is the link to the Trilian Map and some instructions for using it.
The Toon maps are pretty widely available (try google), if you come up empty, send a PM, I'll try to get a few at the same link.

t

[Robert Bone]

On 2/20/2019 at 7:24 AM, Adam Grossman said:

So I have used Drum Maps for years and years and today I am thinking of not using them anymore.  They seem to be more of a hassle than they are worth.   For example..moving certain parts around are pain in the ***** since you can't use the track pane view (say you only want to move the percussion parts to another part of the song, you must lasso them in PRV to move them).

I am also starting to think it might just be easier to have each drum part on a different track (same as if I was recording a real drummer with mics).

What exactly is the benefit of drum maps and do you use them for MIDI drums?

 

 

I route each drum kit piece to its own audio output channel, from the VSTi, and then I associate a separate audio track to each of those, while the midi data is always contained in a single midi track.  I have a 2nd midi track, also routed to the drum synth, that I use for any click track events, such as a 1 or 2 measure song count in, and possibly at other ppoints in the song, where a click track would be helpful.  All of the tracks and buses, and any effects (parallel comp, etc.), are all  exported as a Track Template, which I do for every drum kit as I set up for and use for the first time.  Additionally, all of the drum kit audio tracks, and the 2 midi tracks, are contained in a Drums track folder.

The principal use of using a drum map for any kit in my approach, is for making it easier for me to see which kit pieces are triggered by which note numbers, in the Step Sequencer, which is where I happen to do my drum sequencing.  Same principal for Piano Roll View - I just prefer using the Step Sequencer.

If you happen to use Addictive Drums 2, Noel has a drum map built for the standard AD2 drum mapping, which is super helpful, as there are a zillion mapped notes for all kinds of non-standard (non-GM) choices, like the Hi Hat shaft, for instance.  That map can be found at: http://www.noelborthwick.com/cakewalk/2015/02/06/drum-maps-ad2-in-sonar/ 

He has another set of posts on how to sound more like a real drummer, using AD2, at: http://www.noelborthwick.com/cakewalk/tag/addictive-drums-2/

Bob Bone