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Topic: Drum Kits (Read 4124 times) previous topic - next topic

Drum Kits

Is there a way to specify a different drum kit? Or is there only one drum kit in standard midi. I know there's a power drum kit...electric...jazz...and more, but I have no clue where to edit it. The list of instrument patches on my soundcard doesn't have any drum kits on it, it's just labeled <none>. Or is this another stupid thing I can't do because of my crap soundcard.

Re: Drum Kits

Reply #1 –
What is your highly regarded sound card?
Some one else may have it and be able to get specific.
It is probably reasonable to say that neither the GM nor the GS midi spec support "drum kits". However you can roll your own.
If you open Drumref.nwc you will see what GM percussion instruments are available on channel 10(16)and which note choice produces which sound.
Staff \ Playback Instruments and scan the list toward the bottom for other thumps and rattles available.

Re: Drum Kits

Reply #2 –
I'm well aware of this. However, the only drum kit I can get to play back is Standard Drum Kit 1. I'm just asking whether there are mulitple drum kits in General MIDI, or if it's a soundcard specific thing...or somethng else.

Re: Drum Kits

Reply #3 –
The answer to your questions:

First, I'd say that drumkits are soundcard dependant. For example, I have both an Awe64 and a Yamaha XG PSR-530. The Yamaha comes with 12 drum kits. As for the AWE64.. It certainly does support multiple drum kits, I have used it many times. It depends on the soundfont bank currently loaded into it.

Second, Noteworthy does support multiple drum kits via a nice little option when selecting your instruments. The check box that says "select a different patch bank" allows you to use multiple drum kits and instruments that come with your equipment. Underneath the check box is two little boxes marked MSB and LSB.
Now I have a chart that came with my Yamaha XG manual that shows the MSB and LSB values for the different drum kits.. just type them in, and away you go!!
This lets me select techno kits, electric, jazz, all kinds of neat stuff.

Out of curisity, what kind of soundcard do you have?

Re: Drum Kits

Reply #4 –
An ESS1887 (crap sound card)

Re: Drum Kits

Reply #5 –
You could try Wingroove - it uses your existing sound card to reproduce it's wavetable sound in software.
It has a number of drum sets.
It's shareware and costs about $20 to register - from memory.

Re: Drum Kits

Reply #6 –
Either that or try the Yamaha SXG50 softsynth... it runs 90 days no crippleware nagware or anything before requiring you to purchase it, so you have a good chance to try before you buy.

Re: Drum Kits

Reply #7 –
I have WinGroove, and that's what I use. But I still can't define a song I'm making to use different drum kits.

Re: Drum Kits

Reply #8 –
Try this - it just worked for me using Wingroove with an ESS card - (yuk!)

Make sure that Wingroove driver is your output device in the Tools/Options/Midi dialogue.

Select the drum staff - go to Staff Properties.
Open the MIDI tab.
Check that you are using Channel 10 - OK.
And that the output device is Wingroove (using the Wingroove as a driver option).

Select Instrument for Playback.
Change the Patch Type to numeric (so you can count through the Wingroove kits to find the position of the one you want).
I think 1 based is what I used - this put the Power Kit at program 16. ( I have tried this one and the brush kit at 41)
Now select the Playback Instrument as a number that corresponds with the Kit you want.

Having said all this it seems you can change them but changing them back is another matter.

Try it!