Midi newbie

[ppeach]

This probably has been b4...but I've searched and I can't find definitive answers to my inquiries. Overall I am not so happy with the cymbal and hi hat sounds i have happening....to me they sound mushy and thick: I like crisp and clean. My modules are a TD-10 exp and a TD-6 (v, i think. Black one anyways.) These are my questions...

1. Can I get a product like Dfh of EZ Drummer and download individual cymbal sounds to the modules?

2. How do u hookup your module to the computer?

3. Any chance of totally hosing my modules?

I have a feeling that any answers I get will beget more questions so please be patient with me. I am totally a retard when it comes to midi...I just can't get it, as much as I have tried to understand, it seems that any instruction starts talking with terminology I don't know. Thanks to anyone with patience that would like to help me with this...Cheers, Peach

[joelgarabedian]

Hi PPeach,

You can't use MIDI to upload any new sounds from DFH, EZDrummer, or BFD to your Roland modules. All MIDI will allow you to do is trigger sounds from these plugins using your PC. So you connect the MIDI out of your Roland module to the MIDI in on your PC's MIDI interface and play your V-Drums as normal, but the sounds are generated by (and emerge from) your computer. Does that make sense? Feel free to say it doesn't and I'll try and explain it better.

The upshot is that MIDI carries no audio information. It's just a way of sending a message indicating which note has been played and at what velocity from MIDI device A to MIDI device B. Device B can then use that information to trigger a note as if it had been played on device B. There's much more to MIDI than that as I'm sure you'll find out in due course (extra messages can be used to send all sorts of information between devices), but the principle is the same.

Hope this helps,

Joel.

[ppeach]

Thanks for clearing that up Joel... I think I get it. If I use dfh or the like, I need a computer close by, correct?? What port can I hook up to the computer...usb or ??? ? Is it a frustrating endeavor? How do you tell the modules to use the sounds of dfh? Can you use more that one module? (i think not, but what do I know And, finally, is it worth the hassle? Thanks again for the help

Peach

[tripp2k]

You need a computer with a MIDI-to-USB cable (I use an m-audio uno and it is about 5-6 feet). You need a sound card, preferrably with ASIO (I use a Line 6 UX2 because I also play guitar/bass and have people who can sing/play keys). I actually did this for the first time a couple of weeks ago and it was easy peasy. I read about it on this site since I already had EZDrummer and my TD-8 rig. I had an m-audio uno sitting around from my days of trying to make a Boss GT-8 work. I downloaded Solo from Toontracks. I plugged everything in and SHAZAM...it worked. It sounds marvelous as I am a big Black Beauty/Supraphonic/Zil K fan. I had all of this and gave it up for e-drums.

FWIW, I will record using this setup. I will not practice or play live with it since I just recently downloaded V Expressions to my TD-8. To Joel's point, you are not able to use this MIDI connection to alter the audio sounds that are hardwired into your module. V Expression takes those sounds and tweaks them to give some incredible load-and-go kits.

You won't hose your module up with EZDRummer. Thank of MIDI as control language not audio.

Ask more questions here or you can PM me. It isn't hard, it requires some minimal investment (as was my case) and it yields worthwhile results.

[ppeach]

Thanks for the help guys...I think I will go for it as soon as I can get my hands on the software. Cheers