How do I route usb midi in?

[T Boog]

27 minutes ago, HOOK said:

I use the Slate Drums.  Tiny footprint.  HUGE sounds.  Really cool.

Honestly, for my writing, this is the best money I've spent in a couple decades.

As far as sensitivity goes, it's just basic business to go in and do a bunch of manual edits to velocity...it's really no big deal.

Thanks bud. You actually just described me. I use the Slate drums and fine tune the velocity via mouse.

Btw, going back to my original question... How do u route the Alesis kit to Cakewalk? I assume it's usb midi out but does it just use general midi or is there a driver needed? 

[HOOK]

The Alesis brain has a USB output for the MIDI data.  I've never had to load a driver.  Perhaps there's a driver loading from Windows...but I don't know.  Sonar just seems to pick it up as a MIDI device.

 I never use the sounds on the Alesis brain for anything at all.  I just made sure the kit was close enough I can get a phone feed from Sonar via my interface.

The hardest part to get your head around is building the drum map.  I'm literally a MIDI moron and I figured it out with a couple YouTube videos.  But once you've done that it's off to the races any time you want.

 

[mettelus]

9 hours ago, T Boog said:

Btw, I appreciate yours & mettelus's diy tips but I think Im just gonna buy a $400 or so mesh kit like an Alesis or Simmons. I been watching lots of reviews on em and they seem to work fine controlling midi in a daw. Which was my main concern.

+1, right after I posted that I took a look at the newer starter kits and the Alesis Nitro Max caught my eye quick. For $400, that is ideal for a beginner (comes with BFD Player and a kit, and 3 months of Drumeo) and there are loads of reviews on that model. I am at the point where I would never set up or mic a standard kit and "small yet functional" gets much more priority. In this age of really nice VSTis where you can swap kit pieces willy-nilly, you just need something to fire them off with the proper feel/playability to it.

[mettelus]

7 hours ago, T Boog said:

Btw, going back to my original question... How do u route the Alesis kit to Cakewalk? I assume it's usb midi out but does it just use general midi or is there a driver needed? 

Most kits without a specific driver are going to be sending GM so they are "plug n play," but check the manual for the MIDI map just in case. Depending on the VSTi you use, the chokes may need to be set manually.

While the headphone out "can" be used to record the sound module (not really necessary with the VSTis available today), it can also be used to "bypass" the DAW latency (if needed). Muting the drum track in the DAW while recording your MIDI and monitoring the kit via the sound module headphone out may give you the best MIDI performance.

Edited Friday at 07:56 PM by mettelus

[T Boog]

2 hours ago, mettelus said:

I am at the point where I would never set up or mic a standard kit and "small yet functional" gets much more priority.

Amen! My main concern is because my brother is a great drummer who plays with subtleties, I'd hate to rob him of any of his expressiveness. But truth is, he won't sweat it. He could hit on a hubcap and make it sound good.

Also, I could maybe let him use his own snare and mic it up. But Im thinking that wont be necessary with the electric kits Im looking at. After all, Ive seen him rock out little toddler sets... This HAS to be a step up from that 😄