Midi Recording from TD15 (or any other model) to a Digital Recording Console

[Moose92009]

Hello,

I am new to the forum, and I am looking into buying a digital recording console that has Midi input/output. I am not very familiar with how Midi works, but I was told that Midi can read each individual drum, and after recording, can fix any parts I messed up by placing whichever drum sound that was misplaced, into the correct timing structure. I read the Tascam owners manual, and it does elaborate a bit on Midi, but most of it I don't understand. Hoping to gain some good knowledge on how Midi works with a digital recording console by some experienced folks here. Recording to a computer is not an option for me. Thanks in advance!

[mbejackson]

Google is your friend. LOL.
Not sure why you'd go the digital recording console route over recording to a mac or pc. I think you'll find, after some research and/or actual usage, that any digital recording console is going to soon show it's limitations as far as compatibility, recording times, data storage, features you might want in the future? Been there. My suggestions, after about 30 years of doing this sort of thing, would be a PC or Mac based solution that you can always upgrade, get new software/hardware components, swap out devices, unlimited storage, cheaper! etc. Maybe you have other reasons that are not apparent to me by your post but that's what I think?
Cheers,

[hairmetal-81]

Welcome to the forum, Moose92009!


Yes, MIDI can tread every drum individually, and you can move/copy/edit MIDI-events, quantize drum-parts, change sounds afterwards etc etc... BUT, by the scenario you described, what you really should look into is a '(hardware-) sequencer' - a 'digital harddisk recorder' merely records audio, like you would with a tape-machine.

You mentioned Tascam, I assume you're talking about their newest generation audio-recorders, the DP-24 and DP-32 models...? As far as I know, they indeed have MIDI connections, HOWEVER they don't record MIDI-data ...just basic, simple audio-material! Listen to mbejackson - look into software!


HTH

[kurth83]

MIDI records events, like "snare was hit with a certain volume at a certain time".
Playback has to send those events back to the drum module (or tone generator) to generate the actual sound.
This scenario requires a module with both MIDI-in and MIDI-out to work.

TD-15 has only MIDI out, unless connected to a computer, then it simulates MIDI in and out
over the USB cable. So your only option if you want to record/playback MIDI on a TD-15 is a computer.

Other drum modules have both MIDI in and out, but in Roland's current lineup only the flagship TD-30 module does.

The common software used for this is Digial Audio Workstation (DAW) software, although simpler MIDI sequencers might also be had.

Having used a DAW I wouldn't go back to just a sequencer. VST's are often just plugins to DAWs, they are just a software tone generator after all.

MIDI isn't just for drums, it can be used to sequence an entire song with multiple intruments if you have tone generators for the sounds you need.

DAWs can record both MIDI and audio and are intended to be used for music production. Record your MIDI, fix it up, then do a final run and digitally record the audio result. They can spit out an MP3 when they are done too. And your MIDI is preserved, so you can tweak a note, or the mix, and rerecord the audio as much as you want. The ability to seamlessly mix audio, VST's, and MIDI tracks in a DAW is what gives them their power.

DAW territory is for the advanced though, but if you understand the concepts they can be used effectively for small projects, with nothing more than a laptop and a MIDI/audio interface.

The DAWs I know about are Steinberg's Cubase (AI version free with any Yamaha synth, cuz Yamaha owns Steinberg), and Pro Tools.

Was this TMI?

[remohead]

hi there,

By far your best option is a half decent audio interface plugged into a decent computer such as a macbook. Your're correct in saying midi will capture each kit element but you'll need something to capture that on, such as a laptop running software like addictive drums, bfd or slate 4.0. My own personal setup is a TD15kv into a focusrite liquid 56 interface into my mac for most things or my intel laptop for portable sessions.

http://www.chris-drums.com

http://www.thedenstudios.com

[remohead]

hi there,

By far your best option is a half decent audio interface plugged into a decent computer such as a macbook. Your're correct in saying midi will capture each kit element but you'll need something to capture that on, such as a laptop running software like addictive drums, bfd or slate 4.0. My own personal setup is a TD15kv into a focusrite liquid 56 interface into my mac for most things or my intel laptop for portable sessions.

http://www.chris-drums.com

http://www.thedenstudios.com