TD-6 as sound module

[OldSchool]

Good morning!
I'm probably a little unusual for this forum, since I'm not a drummer, nor will I ever be. I've done a lot of music composing using MIDI, writing by manuscript software on my PC and running the results through an external MIDI patch panel into synth modules. I've just added a TD-6 to my stash, but I'm not using the trigger inputs at all - it's just a stand-alone sound module playing MIDI data from my PC. It replaces the integrated drum kits in two general synths - a Roland JV and a Yamaha keyboard. The TD-6 sounds pretty good, but I'm having a hard time integrating it into my rack.

1) Are there only as many sounds in each kit as there are trigger inputs? Although the manual shows 10 preset percussion sets with full voice assignments, my existing sequences, when played through the TD-6, show a lot of holes which previously had sounds. Is there any way to edit the kits to add more sounds? The on-board kit editing tools seems to only give access to trigger assignments. Using GM solves the problem somewhat, but seems to wipe out access to calling specific kits.

2) I've had zero luck accessing and utilizing more than one MIDI channel at the same time from my PC. The TD-6 is supposedly multi-timbral, but I have yet to discover how my PC can assign different kits to any other channel besides 10 for simultaneous play. "Program change" commands seem to only work on channel 10.

I suspect my question reveals a lot of ignorance with respect to the differences between general sound modules and drum trigger modules - enlighten me! I've been waiting a long time for a dedicated drum module, and now that I have one, it's currently less flexible than my previous set-up. Surely I'm missing something!

Thanks.

[dr. kildrum]

The things you are asking about are (mostly) possible with a TD-10. Although I have both a TD-10 and a TD-6, I have never tried to do any of that on the TD-6. I'll have a look tonight if I get a chance. In the meantime, check and see if the TD-6 allows you to choose instruments in a percussion group. If so, you should be able to put as many of your favorites there as it will hold, and trigger anything in a percussion group (via the respective midi notes) as well as the selected drum kit sounds (which always have the same default midi notes for each drum. If the TD-6 happens to have more than one percussion group, make changes to something other than #1, as changes to #1 will mess with your preset grooves most likely.

If the TD-6 has only one percussion group, altering it may alter your preset patterns, so that is a decision you will have to make. If it has more than one, alter any you choose, but leave #1 alone if you use the patterns, if the TD-6 doesn't have this (I think it does) someone else may offer a solution.

As for the midi channel, while I think it can be changed, I don't know for sure that more than one can be selected.

[OldSchool]

Dear dr.:
Thanks for your response. The TD-6 does have percussion "sets," (perhaps this is your "group"), but they are fixed - you can't rearrange their contents to suit. There are 10 of them, and they are only accessible as parts of "songs" (groups of settings). Songs allow only one such percussion set selection - four other MIDI channels are available for pitched accompaniment instruments.

I'm getting the impression that this module doesn't have what I need . . .