Virtual Controller & SI Drum kit

[Haegri]

I'm new to DAWs, but I'm finding audio OK so far. Not so much MIDI. I know what it is and I've an idea how it should work, but I keep coming across problems.

My current one is how to control the SI Drum Kit with the virtual computer keyboard controller. I'm trying to do a quick fix (famous last words!) temporary drum  track, simply by tapping in the beats by keyboard. I've done the kick, but I can't find a key on the virtual keyboard that inputs the closed hi hat alone (OK, I know I could use the mouse, but I'm trying to find out what's going on here...) The virtual piano keyboard has the same problem.

What happens depends on which kit is loaded, but none of them seem to have a key assigned to the high hat individually - only in combination with the snare or a tom (as far as I can gather.) And in all of them, the Eb key makes the same chinging noise that doesn't sound like anything in a drum kit. I wondered if it's this key that's supposed to play the hi hat, and if there's a glitch.

Haegri.

 

[scook]

Each instrument in SI-Drums has a dedicated MIDI note assignment. These assignments are in the documentation (click in the UI of the plug-in to give it focus then F1 to bring up the help) and also in kit pieces at the bottom of the UI where one may set the instruments to audition. Also there are two velocity layers for each piece triggered by clicking low or high on the instrument images. The keys on the virtual keyboard are not velocity sensitive. They all send a set velocity based on the velocity arrow keys on the virtual controller.

[Haegri]

Right - thanks. I can change the note number of the hi hat by right clicking on its lower pad, and I can play it either by left clicking on it there - with different velocities - or in the drumkit graphic, which gives a single velocity - which is what I assume that the controller should produce? However, there is still no key in the virtual controller which will do this. There are ones that trigger it visually in the graphic, but the resulting sounds are other drums, or combinations of them.

[scook]

It is possible to trigger all 128 notes using the virtual controller but it is necessary to use the Oct Dn/Up arrows on the right side of the controller to switch octaves.

That said, to get the Drum Kit  to fit in the range provided by the virtual controller or to make it easier to play certain kit pieces, it may be necessary to re-map some notes. This may be done using the Transpose MFX or a drum map.

MIDI notes 7 through 11 trigger pattern play in SI-Drums (part of the SI-Drums documentation mentioned above),

 

[Haegri]

Thanks again. But I've found the problem. There was another drum machine active, and the virtual controller was playing both at once!

I'm just off to print myself 'Let's not overlook the possibility of genius' and 'Darwin award' certificates!