Skip to main content ↑ ↓
Topic: How do I use Drumref in samples (Read 8285 times) previous topic - next topic

How do I use Drumref in samples

I'm trying to add a percussion staff to a song. I found the Drumref file in samples, but I can't figure out how to make this work in the song. If I copy and paste a measure from the sample file into a standard staff it does not come out as percussion.

I've examined the properties of each note in the sample file and can't see how it changes. Also, staff properties don't show anything. I thought it was in the instrument controls, but that doesn't show any instrument assigned to the staff.

What am I missing?

FYI, I am trying to add the rhythm to the song "Traces" by the Lettermen. I have written parody words for use with a senior citizen group.

Any help is appreciated.

If needed I will upload the "Traces of Age" NWC file.

Re: How do I use Drumref in samples

Reply #1 –
Make sure that you set the MIDI channel in your percussion staff to 10. Otherwise you won't get the correct sounds.

Re: How do I use Drumref in samples

Reply #2 –
I just found that.

Thanks for the quick answer.

I just did a simple snare and rim shot rhythm. I think it sounds pretty good.
 

Re: How do I use Drumref in samples

Reply #3 –
Many years ago, I think it was recommended Channel 10 be set to acoustic grand piano to get the right drum sounds.  It's been a long time so I may be misremembering.

Also, you may need a little trial and error so see which note gives which drum; for instance, middle C will sound like one drum, F below that may sound like something else, A in the staff like something else again.  There's a lot of variety here, including lots of percussion toy noises.

You may be wise to use two staffs - one for the actual drum music, hidden but not muted, and the other for the visual display of the rhythms where you show x-head notes and stems, flags, beams, etc.  This one you'd want to mute.

Re: How do I use Drumref in samples

Reply #4 –
Quote from: David Palmquist –
Many years ago, I think it was recommended Channel 10 be set to acoustic grand piano to get the right drum sounds.
The "right" drum sound? Maybe you mean the standard one!  ;)

Here is the selection that could be available changing the patch of channel 10 (as usual, all depends on the soundfont):
  • 00 = Standard Kit           
  • 01 = Standard Kit 2         
  • 04 = Hit Kit                
  • 07 = Room Kit { SC-88 }     
  • 08 = Room Kit { SC-55 }     
  • 16 = Rock (Power) Kit       
  • 24 = Electronic Kit         
  • 25 = Analog Kit { TR-909 }  
  • 26 = Dance Kit              
  • 32 = Jazz Kit               
  • 40 = Brush Kit              
  • 48 = Symphony (Orchestra) Kit
  • 49 = Ethnic Kit             
  • 50 = Kick & Snare Kit       
  • 56 = Sound Effects (SFX) Kit
  • 57 = Rhythm FX Kit          
  • 80 = Live! Standard Kit     
  • 81 = Live! Funk Kit         
  • 99 = Chaos Standard Drum Kit
  • 127 = MT-32 Drum Kit         

Re: How do I use Drumref in samples

Reply #5 –
Quote
The "right" drum sound? Maybe you mean the standard one! 

Probably.   

I've never played around with soundfonts or patches.  I'm probably not the only one, and of course new users might like to know too.

Are there instructions somewhere that are easy to locate and user-friendly?

Re: How do I use Drumref in samples

Reply #6 –
Quote from: David Palmquist –
I've never played around with soundfonts or patches.
Impossible! Are you saying that you always used only the piano sound (patch 0)?  :D

Every time you select an instrument you select a patch.
A drum kit is more elaborated: every note is a different instrument of a single drum kit (patch).

To use a drum kit of your choice, you have to select channel 10 and choose the patch number, exactly as you can do with the instrument in the other channels. The problem here is that you don't have an "instrument tree" to choose from using "predefined instruments".

Many kits (but not all) share the same instrument on the same key. For example, the bass drum key is a bass drum in standard kit, room kit, rock kit, etc. and the crash cymbal key is a crash cymbal in standard kit, room kit, rock kit, etc.
Of course, very often the same type of instrument has different sounds in the different kits (that's the reason why they exist).

About the soundfonts, there has been a lot of discussion in this newsgroup. In short we can say that a soundfont is a collection of patches.

Re: How do I use Drumref in samples

Reply #7 –
Quote
Are you saying that you always used only the piano sound (patch 0)
Yup! I use named instruments for the other channels, but in the 26 years I've been using the program, for drums I use channel 10 and have always selected Acoustic Grand.  I had no idea unnamed patches could be added instead, using Staff Properties, Instrument, Midi Patch Instructions Send Patch and Staff Properties, Midi, Channel 10.