Recording on TD 20KVs - PROBLEMS

[jayaytch]

Hi All

Am I the only one that finds it impossible to record their VDrums and is also bemused by the fact that there are SO many people having SO many issues...?

1. I find the instructions in the manuals are complicated. Why isn't there an option simply to press record, then stop...?
2. I tried to use a Flash Card and a Flash Card reader for my MacBook Pro but nothing recorded. Well I say that - there were some files recorded but certainly no audio files.
3. I then tried YouTube... I've tried recording to GarageBand, Audacity using a combination of 3.5mm jacks to Headphones and even bought iConnect http://iconnectivity.com/iConnectMIDI1 but nothing, nothing works...

Am I missing something...? or I am one of the 1000's that am just experiencing Roland missing a trick here. Surely in this digital era, it should be SO much easier...?

Anyway, has anyone got any fool proof methods...? My equipment list is:

- Roland TD 20KV Kit.
- 4 x Alesis Crash cymbals added using the 4 x extra Auxillary jacks.
- MacBook Pro, iPad 2 with GarageBand, Audacity.
- The usual jacks and Midi cables...

Can anyone help before I pull out the last remaining bits of hair I have left...?

Thanks in advance
j.

By the way, I'm an interaction designer so if anyone fro, Roland is reading this, I can help you change the UX to make this a lot easier for your customers who LOVE your products but many of whom seem to be frustrated by the recording minefield.

[makoki]

I assume you're trying to get audio recording. MIDI does not provide any kind of recording facility.

Connect your Master L+R outputs to your Audio/USB interface (Lexicon, Alesis, Edirol, Focusfire or whatsoever you've got for A/D recroding)
Connect your interface USB out to the PC/Mac USB input.
Be sure you've installed the appropiated driver for your interface.
Open your favorurite DAW or recording system.
Press the REC button
Start playing.

I haven't seen any comment on audio interface on your post. Are you using one? That should be the problem.

Hope it helps

[campster]

The TD-20 doesn't have a USB Audio option (like the newer models) so as indicated above, you'll need to get an Audio Interface to take the audio from the module's outputs and convert it to digital for your macbook's software (eg garage band / another DAW).

On the topic of Roland helping people to record, they do! Bare with me...

VDrums are an instrument, not a fully fledged audio recording device, so we can't really blame Roland for not including "how to record audio" in VDrums manuals. Sure the e-kits have built in sequencers to record data (midi) but that is there to serve a different purpose (eg percussion loops to play while you play the kit etc). VDrums manuals provide ample information of what goes to the various outputs and how to route different drums to different outputs on the back of the modules etc.

After the sound has left the module (instrument), there are multiple options, but based on the mention of software/computer based recording, an audio interface is usually used. You plug the instrument into the audio interface, plug the interface into the computer, set a few settings (eg. levels) and off you go. Roland is one company that make computer audio interfaces (eg Octo Capture, Studio Capture) and it's in these product manuals that you'll find much more information about recording and how to get the output from your instrument through the interface and then onto the computer.

[Kenster]

If you're trying to record MIDI (so that you can completely change the drum sounds in the DAW later) then all you need is a good MIDI interface on your computer and decent DAW software. There are some latency issues but there are workarounds that actually work.

Otherwise, unless you need to edit the sounds later, it's easier and in a lot of cases, less hassle, to just record the audio tracks. Again, you will need a good sound card/Box (I don't know why they call those nifty USB boxes sound "cards" since they don't go inside a laptop or PC anymore) to cut out any latency issues.

K ;-)

[mbejackson]

Hi All

Am I the only one that finds it impossible to record their VDrums and is also bemused by the fact that there are SO many people having SO many issues...?

1. I find the instructions in the manuals are complicated. Why isn't there an option simply to press record, then stop...?
2. I tried to use a Flash Card and a Flash Card reader for my MacBook Pro but nothing recorded. Well I say that - there were some files recorded but certainly no audio files.
3. I then tried YouTube... I've tried recording to GarageBand, Audacity using a combination of 3.5mm jacks to Headphones and even bought iConnect http://iconnectivity.com/iConnectMIDI1 but nothing, nothing works...

Am I missing something...? or I am one of the 1000's that am just experiencing Roland missing a trick here. Surely in this digital era, it should be SO much easier...?

Anyway, has anyone got any fool proof methods...? My equipment list is:

- Roland TD 20KV Kit.
- 4 x Alesis Crash cymbals added using the 4 x extra Auxillary jacks.
- MacBook Pro, iPad 2 with GarageBand, Audacity.
- The usual jacks and Midi cables...

Can anyone help before I pull out the last remaining bits of hair I have left...?

Thanks in advance
j.

By the way, I'm an interaction designer so if anyone fro, Roland is reading this, I can help you change the UX to make this a lot easier for your customers who LOVE your products but many of whom seem to be frustrated by the recording minefield.

Not really clear what you're trying to do. Sounds, to me, like you're just bouncing around with a bunch of stuff expecting it to work without any real background on any of the technologies you are attempting to use?

1. I've been recording/playing since the early '70's so I'm probably fairly biased but, yes, on the front of the Roland TD-20 there is a button called "REC." By pressing that button the module will record whatever you play. If you press "Stop" it will stop...... I have one and the user interface really couldn't be simpler in that regard. I won't get into the details of what the module is doing here.

2. If you're recording MIDI, then you need to google "MIDI recording" to get a handle on what those files are that you recorded because yes there is certainly no audio in those files. Then you will need to research how to trigger audio samples from those MIDI files...it works the same whether you are playing drums, keyboards or any other system capable of generating MIDI data.

...isn't Google wonderful, you can be an expert on anything in a matter of minutes. Sorry, that was uncalled for. ; )

Roland isn't missing any "Tricks" any more than any other manufacturer of software, hardware or the interfaces and interactions between any of these devices. I know this because I currently work in the hardware/software integration field 40 hours a week. I was a live and studio engineer for 15 years and built and operated a recording studio. So, what may appear simple and intuitive to one person, let's say a software engineer, can appear quite convoluted to another person, lets say the field technician that has to put it together and program it to function correctly, and different again to the end user who would, optimally, have an entirely different interface when it comes to interacting with the same systems?

You need to study up on MIDI, audio signals and formats, digital and analog audio transmission and storage, DAW's........it goes on and on. You need to study these things so you start to understand how different manufacturers approach the exact same things in different ways. If you don't understand the terminology I don't see how you even know if the information you are getting is correct, or how it relates to what you are trying to do? (the internet is crammed full of know-it-alls that are simply cutting and pasting bad science that they read somewhere else on the internet).

I agree 100% that there are 1000's of people out there on the interweb that figure a few thousand dollars should make them a music producer and they get mad when the manual skips over things that should be "intuitive" because they don't really understand, with much depth, what they are trying to accomplish.

GarageBand is one of the easiest DAW's on the planet to operate so, if it is causing you grief you need to back off for a bit, look at what you're trying to accomplish because their are no secret Roland tricks, it just takes some time to understand all the concepts.

I probably sound like an A**, oh well, I'm actually a pretty nice, easy going guy.


There are probably a ton of threads on this site but the search engine is not that good. Try googling your search words followed by site:www.vdrums.com if you didn't know that trick yet. Lots of great info over the years.


Cheers,

[Greg The Groove]

It really baffles me when I read stuff like this. Its not the job of the manufacturer of an instrument to provide instructions on how to record it. We all start the same way, with knowing little or close to nothing about recording. You should probably learn how to use a DAW program like Pro Tools or Audacity or something like that first before you try to record. It doesnt seem like the Roland module is your problem. Its quite simple really. LEFT AND RIGHT MASTER OUTS TO YOUR AUDIO CARD on your computer or to an audio interface like Pro Tools MBOX.

[sycle1]

I think we found the problem!!!!!
"By the way, I'm an interaction designer so if anyone fro, Roland is reading this, I can help you change the UX to make this a lot easier "

This is pretty funny!!! LOL!!!

[Kenster]

Ummm..been over a month since the OP has posted....does he even care anymore or is he all sorted out?

K