Frost* Forum Collab Song - the tech thread (TTT!)

[Pedro]

Well, I have midi outs on the drum kit and midi ins on my "sound card".

You'll need something that the laptop sees as a midi interface, which could be a usb thing. There are midi to usb cables (loads on eBay) but I have no experience of using such things.

[David]

Right I think I'm upto date with this thread now, may read it again tomorrow. So where can I get me some of the MIDI files/tabs/sheet music and which parts are in need of real bass?

Real bass, and real bassist!
Cool! 8-)

[RWA]

Totally agree with the idea of submitting the midi files for drums so that only one kit will be needed.

Just how do I do it though?

I have a Yamaha DTXpress IV and a laptop with reaper. Do I need some sort of MIDI to USB cable to allow me to record the midi notes?
 
Whats the best way to go about it?

Yes, a midi to usb device is what you need. They are really cheap. Or if your sound card has midi in you can use that. You can then record the midi information in a DAW. When you route it back to the DT module (most usb devices have midi in and out) the recorded midi notes will trigger the sounds. Make sure you use the drum editor in your program instead of the key editor/piano roll. That way you can see which note applies to what instrument (tom, snare etc.). What's also great is you can edit the recorded midi data to fix mistakes or sync problems.

[mikebass]

Right I think I'm upto date with this thread now, may read it again tomorrow. So where can I get me some of the MIDI files/tabs/sheet music and which parts are in need of real bass?

Real bass, and real bassist!
Cool! 8-)

We are a rare and elusive breed, we can often be found in the shadowy corners in local jazz clubs.

[El_Mayonnaise]

My midi to usb thing arrived in the post, can anyone take me (and any other) through a quick 101 to midi drums?

In reaper, I think I found the drum editor bit but no sounds are coming out when I hit play. Any ideas?

Sorry to be such a newb  :lol:

[Pedro]

I don't really know Reaper but, in general there should be a way for you to tell the program where it should get/send midi from/to.

Often in a menu like Options or Preferences, there'll be a midi item and this will allow you to choose which midi interface to use.

Once this is done, connecting midi out from the drums to the midi in on the interface should present midid data to the program.

Quite how you do the following in Reaper I don't know but you should be able to create a midi track , set its input to the midi interface either omni (all midi channels) or the specific channel the drums are sending on.

If your interface has lights on it might be worth checking that you see activity when you hit the drums.

If you hit record in Reaper (possibly have to "arm" the midi track first) then you might hear a metronome tick and see notes appearing as you hit the drums.

If you get this far you are doing well!

Then when you hit playback on Reaper, assuming you have midi out on the interface connected to midi in on the drums (and that you set the midi out of Reaper to be the interface) then you should hear the recording playing back.

Then, once you have that lot going, you can delve into the drum pattern editor or piano roll editor or whatever and get to work.

Now, I might be missing the point with Reaper, as I suggested, but hopefully some of that makes sense.

I've got to get back to work now but I'll check back in tonight to see how you are doing.  

[RWA]

My midi to usb thing arrived in the post, can anyone take me (and any other) through a quick 101 to midi drums?

In reaper, I think I found the drum editor bit but no sounds are coming out when I hit play. Any ideas?

Sorry to be such a newb  :lol:

Connect you drum module (midi out) to the PC using the midi- to-usb device (midi in).
Create a midi track in you DAW.
Make sure the device shows up in the track you are recording in as midi-in.
Hit record and hit your drums to see if any midi date is recorded.
Usually the default setting of a midi channel shows a key editor. If you want to alter the recorded (drum) midi notes it's best to switch the key editor to drum editor. Both work but the drum editor makes way more sense in this case.

Of course all of this doesn't make any sound because it's all midi. It has to trigger something. Usually when you play an e-kit you trigger the sounds from the drum module. I've you want to hear back those sounds you'll have to make sure the midi-out from the recorded midi track routes back to the drum module (midi out of your connecting device to midi in of your drum module)

If you want to attach it to a VSTi-drum plugin (like Superior Drummer, BFD, SampleTank, Kontakt, Infinite Player or something alike) to use those sounds then the midi-out should be routed to that. If your sound card has asio drivers and can run at a low latency (below 4 ms) you can use the software while playing our e-kit. So you immediately use the selected kit to play it "live". But low latency is crucial for that because having hearable (that's not a word is it?!) while you play drums is ^&$%@!

Good luck!  

[RWA]

Oh, Pedro beat me with his post! (Har! --> beat! Get it?! Beat! Har!)

So yeah......  :?

[E.S.]

Back!
Been a couple of crazy workweeks around here. Programming keyboards, recordings day and night, photo sessions..
Tonight I'm off, and I'm uploading my stuff as I'm writing this.
Haven't read this thread for ages, but will do now.

[E.S.]

Oh.. new length. I'll re-record the piano then, and add variations.

[E.S.]

Oh oh oh! I just listened to V.4, and wow, it sounds really cool! You guys have been productive as... as... well, someone productive.

And that inspired me, I just came up with this rockin riff. I uploaded it, along with the ending of what's been made so far just to keep it in context. Not sure about the transition there, but it's just an idea I got 15 minutes ago. Sorta like a Kansas/Dream Theater thing.

I've only been playing guitar for a week, so it might not be perfect. If you think it's hard, then yes.. I tune in D.  :mrgreen:

Does it work? Maybe a theme for some kind of verse, or some Malmsteen dude to shred his ass off.. you take it from here.

http://www.box.net/files#/files/0/f/487 ... _496516804

[Pedro]

That's a nifty riff ES and it does sound well suited to accompany vox.  

I know I said I was going to leave it alone but it's too much fun!  :roll:
I took Drarok's "cruddy" riffs and played around with trying to record real guitar over it. Going straight to heck for the lines I've used but it was only intended as a shakedown of the recording process.
I got as far as recording one of the guitar parts when I realised I'd cultivated a monster blister on one of my fretting fingers....gone soft, obviously (wuss)...so the other parts are all keys.

Not really a serious submission for inclusion in the piece but I thought I'd share it anyway.  

//http://www.box.net/shared/3jff19042j

[RWA]

Oh.. new length. I'll re-record the piano then, and add variations.

WAV format for this for all I care because it won't change much I reckon. It's all ready goooood!  8-)

That's a nifty riff ES and it does sound well suited to accompany vox.  
I know I said I was going to leave it alone but it's too much fun!  :roll:

Yes you did but it is, isn't it?!  

Not really a serious submission for inclusion in the piece but I thought I'd share it anyway.  
//http://www.box.net/shared/3jff19042j

I do like the Frost* references. So keep posting stuff. We'll see what gets used in the end.

*Sidetrack*
Did you talk to Roger yet about the "full vocal intro" idea?!

[Pedro]

No one picked up on my "ooh, lah, bum" idea so, no, no takers yet. I might fabricate something using various vocal patches. See if that inspires....

[rogerg]

sorry, hit a busy patch and haven't been able to give much time/thought to it.  I might see about getting all these files at work, when I might be able to give them more attention!  

Pedro, you want an octave or three on silly syllables?