The drummer in my band is wondering what others are using to MIDI his electronic kit into his Mac (and hence into Jamulus). Thanks in advance for your help.
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We are looking for a MIDI-USB converter. My drummer friend has an electronic drum set with a MIDI out and a quarter-inch out. We've tried using the quarter inch out into a FocusRite and then into Jamulus but had trouble balancing the levels. We want to see if it will be easier using the MIDI outs into some other interface and then into Jamulus. The Focusrite (Scarlett 2i2) does not have a MIDI in.
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I read your message, Luuk. Please understand that we are analog musicians who suddenly need to learn a lot about equipment and technologies we've never needed before in 45 years of makng music. What I understand from your message below is that he will need to either 1) find a way to balance the quarter-inch outputs or, 2) if he goes the MIDI route, he will need to buy additional software to convert the MIDI input to computer back into audio information. Is that a fair encapsulation of what you're saying?
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Yes, I'm a drummer, an ICT'r and a soundguy :-) .
I'm using a Behringer XR-18air as my mixer, the master outs of my drummodule going straight into channel 1 and 2 of the mixer. The Berhinger XR-18 is a mixer and audio-interface in one, assigning the Master-Outs (ch17-18) to Jamulus did the job.
The problem is, every 'environment' is different, if your dutch, maybe I can help you(r drummer) out using Jamulus. Let me know if interested.
👍
1
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When you say "had trouble balancing the levels" I take it you mean the mix from the audio output from the drumkit's "brain" to the stereo (or mono) input to the FocusRite wasn't right, am I right?
I am a drummer, and put the outputs from my drumkit's brain into a mixing desk first, because it's easier to twiddle knobs on that than it is to do it in software in the brain (which is also possible). The stereo mix then goes into another mixing desk, which has mics and sometimes other instruments plugged into it, the final stereo mix from which then goes into my audio interface for Jamulus.
So I assume your drummer is wondering whether they can put the midi triggers from their drumkit's brain into a drum sound generator of some kind (maybe via a DAW?) and from there to Jamulus? Sounds like an interesting, certainly possible, but wonderfully complex project!
Before I had all my mixing desks, I just did my drum mix on the brain though.
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"the audio output from the drumkit's "brain" to the stereo (or mono) input to the FocusRite wasn't right".
If you mean by "audio" the "master out" of the drummodule, it should have worked out.
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Yes, but I believe they had trouble with "levels" which I took to mean that some drum sounds were louder or had other characteristics that were hard to control using the drummodule (I know mine is difficult to use, so I got a mixer instead as a luxury).
The idea of using MIDI signals is an interesting one though, and of course is used quite commonly in recording studios where getting a good acousitc sound for some drums is just too time consuming (bass drum in particular). The main issue I would predict would be how to handle the samples for each instument. For example, I have a 2Box Drumit5, which I think uses up to five samples per instrument - each at different velocities to get a "natural" distinction between hitting it hard, soft, rimshot, etc.
Mapping all those MIDI velocities to those of an external sound module would be the "interesting" part :-)
👍
1
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I'm sure that's not what TS meant.
And studio's don't work the way you describe. Yes, they use MIDI, but believe me, not to trigger a 2box, but to trigger VST-drums like Superior Drummer 3 or Addicted drums.
Last edit: Luuk 2020-05-23
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Sorry for not being clear. I didn't mean triggering an electronic drum kit's "brain" (eg a 2Box) using MIDI. I meant triggering a sound or sample on a computer or other generator from an acoustic kit using MIDI. In this case, we're talking about the possibility of triggering the sounds from the electonic drum kit's "brain" instead. I'm sure it's possible, and it's what the initial question implied by "MIDI his electronic kit into his Mac".
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The cymbals were not loud enough relative to the other elements of the kit. It's not an expensive rig and it only has two quarter inch outs. We'll work with it as we are able. Thank you both for your creative input on this problem.
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I have a Behringer UMC404HD with MIDI, both the 404 and 204 have it. You could then use something like EZDrummer, and trigger it from your drummers edrum kit: https://www.toontrack.com/product/ezdrummer-2/
It has a 10-day free demo, so you can try before your buy.
Also a Jamulus user named Philip made a great video on Jamulus and Reaper, and in it he triggers a virtual drum set using MIDI, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hRWIJqgRUXc&t=6s, he is using Serious Drummer, the big brother of EZ Drummer.
All that said, if your drummer's cymbals are a little too quiet, he may be able to use his drum module to adjust the volume of each drum/cymbal in his kit. That would be the cheapest solution to adjusting his output mix.
Good luck!
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Midi?? That doesn't make sense. The midi-protocol doesn't transport audio, only midi-information!!
He has to lead the stereo outputs of his drummodule right into his mac or making use of an audio interface.
Popular audio interfaces are a Behringer UMC202HD or a Focusrite Scarlett 2I2.
Last edit: Luuk 2020-05-21
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I use a Focusrite 8i6 to both provide the MIDI interface to my PC, and act as the mixer betweeen Reaper, the virtual instruments that the MIDI devices are used with, some acoustic inputs, monitor output, and jamulus. Keeps it all simple - just two bits of software (Reaper, jamulus) and one bit of hardware - Focusrite - and no messing about with the Windows sound settings needed.
Incidentally, I did start with one of those really cheap USB MIDI interfaces you can get - but there are (documented) bugs/limitations with how they handle control codes. In my case that meant the sustain peddle had somewhat bizzare results.
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I'm using a digital drum kit with a Mac. I use an iConnectivity AUDIO4+ audio interface to bring 1/4-inch analog sound from the drum kit to the Mac and then on to Jamulus. I could (but don't) use the same audio interface to bring MIDI from the drum kit to the Mac, where digital sound would be generated by a DAW (GarageBand, Logic, MainStage, etc.) and then on to Jamulus. I also have the iConnectivity Mio4 to bring MIDI from 3 keyboards to MainStage, so I could plug the drum kit into it as well.
If you want to use a DAW to generate digital sound for the drum kit, you don't need a sophisticated MIDI interface - something like the iConnectivity Mio (single device connection) would work. I have it and use it when I want to connect a travel keyboard to my Mac with no other gear.
The drummer in my band is wondering what others are using to MIDI his electronic kit into his Mac (and hence into Jamulus). Thanks in advance for your help.
Are you asking about a MIDI-USB converter or a trigger-to-MIDI module?
We are looking for a MIDI-USB converter. My drummer friend has an electronic drum set with a MIDI out and a quarter-inch out. We've tried using the quarter inch out into a FocusRite and then into Jamulus but had trouble balancing the levels. We want to see if it will be easier using the MIDI outs into some other interface and then into Jamulus. The Focusrite (Scarlett 2i2) does not have a MIDI in.
Again,what doeshe want to do with midi??? Trigger VST drums?????
Please read my message below. Connecting to Jamulus through midi is useless.
Last edit: Luuk 2020-05-21
I read your message, Luuk. Please understand that we are analog musicians who suddenly need to learn a lot about equipment and technologies we've never needed before in 45 years of makng music. What I understand from your message below is that he will need to either 1) find a way to balance the quarter-inch outputs or, 2) if he goes the MIDI route, he will need to buy additional software to convert the MIDI input to computer back into audio information. Is that a fair encapsulation of what you're saying?
Are you a drummer, Luuk? How do you connect your drums to Jamulus?
Yes, I'm a drummer, an ICT'r and a soundguy :-) .
I'm using a Behringer XR-18air as my mixer, the master outs of my drummodule going straight into channel 1 and 2 of the mixer. The Berhinger XR-18 is a mixer and audio-interface in one, assigning the Master-Outs (ch17-18) to Jamulus did the job.
The problem is, every 'environment' is different, if your dutch, maybe I can help you(r drummer) out using Jamulus. Let me know if interested.
When you say "had trouble balancing the levels" I take it you mean the mix from the audio output from the drumkit's "brain" to the stereo (or mono) input to the FocusRite wasn't right, am I right?
I am a drummer, and put the outputs from my drumkit's brain into a mixing desk first, because it's easier to twiddle knobs on that than it is to do it in software in the brain (which is also possible). The stereo mix then goes into another mixing desk, which has mics and sometimes other instruments plugged into it, the final stereo mix from which then goes into my audio interface for Jamulus.
So I assume your drummer is wondering whether they can put the midi triggers from their drumkit's brain into a drum sound generator of some kind (maybe via a DAW?) and from there to Jamulus? Sounds like an interesting, certainly possible, but wonderfully complex project!
Before I had all my mixing desks, I just did my drum mix on the brain though.
You are correct in your first supposition: the audio output from the drumkit's "brain" to the stereo (or mono) input to the FocusRite wasn't right.
I assume on your rig that you're feeding the mixing desks using quarter inch outs. Correct?
May I ask what kind of mixing desk you are using? Something like a small PA mixing console?
Yes.
I'm using a Behringer RX1602 Eurorack Pro rack-mounting mixer.
"the audio output from the drumkit's "brain" to the stereo (or mono) input to the FocusRite wasn't right".
If you mean by "audio" the "master out" of the drummodule, it should have worked out.
Yes, but I believe they had trouble with "levels" which I took to mean that some drum sounds were louder or had other characteristics that were hard to control using the drummodule (I know mine is difficult to use, so I got a mixer instead as a luxury).
The idea of using MIDI signals is an interesting one though, and of course is used quite commonly in recording studios where getting a good acousitc sound for some drums is just too time consuming (bass drum in particular). The main issue I would predict would be how to handle the samples for each instument. For example, I have a 2Box Drumit5, which I think uses up to five samples per instrument - each at different velocities to get a "natural" distinction between hitting it hard, soft, rimshot, etc.
Mapping all those MIDI velocities to those of an external sound module would be the "interesting" part :-)
I'm sure that's not what TS meant.
And studio's don't work the way you describe. Yes, they use MIDI, but believe me, not to trigger a 2box, but to trigger VST-drums like Superior Drummer 3 or Addicted drums.
Last edit: Luuk 2020-05-23
He can of course correct us :-)
Sorry for not being clear. I didn't mean triggering an electronic drum kit's "brain" (eg a 2Box) using MIDI. I meant triggering a sound or sample on a computer or other generator from an acoustic kit using MIDI. In this case, we're talking about the possibility of triggering the sounds from the electonic drum kit's "brain" instead. I'm sure it's possible, and it's what the initial question implied by "MIDI his electronic kit into his Mac".
The cymbals were not loud enough relative to the other elements of the kit. It's not an expensive rig and it only has two quarter inch outs. We'll work with it as we are able. Thank you both for your creative input on this problem.
Which type / brand is it??
Hello Thomas,
I have a Behringer UMC404HD with MIDI, both the 404 and 204 have it. You could then use something like EZDrummer, and trigger it from your drummers edrum kit: https://www.toontrack.com/product/ezdrummer-2/
It has a 10-day free demo, so you can try before your buy.
Also a Jamulus user named Philip made a great video on Jamulus and Reaper, and in it he triggers a virtual drum set using MIDI, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hRWIJqgRUXc&t=6s, he is using Serious Drummer, the big brother of EZ Drummer.
All that said, if your drummer's cymbals are a little too quiet, he may be able to use his drum module to adjust the volume of each drum/cymbal in his kit. That would be the cheapest solution to adjusting his output mix.
Good luck!
Midi?? That doesn't make sense. The midi-protocol doesn't transport audio, only midi-information!!
He has to lead the stereo outputs of his drummodule right into his mac or making use of an audio interface.
Popular audio interfaces are a Behringer UMC202HD or a Focusrite Scarlett 2I2.
Last edit: Luuk 2020-05-21
I use a Focusrite 8i6 to both provide the MIDI interface to my PC, and act as the mixer betweeen Reaper, the virtual instruments that the MIDI devices are used with, some acoustic inputs, monitor output, and jamulus. Keeps it all simple - just two bits of software (Reaper, jamulus) and one bit of hardware - Focusrite - and no messing about with the Windows sound settings needed.
Incidentally, I did start with one of those really cheap USB MIDI interfaces you can get - but there are (documented) bugs/limitations with how they handle control codes. In my case that meant the sustain peddle had somewhat bizzare results.
I'm using a digital drum kit with a Mac. I use an iConnectivity AUDIO4+ audio interface to bring 1/4-inch analog sound from the drum kit to the Mac and then on to Jamulus. I could (but don't) use the same audio interface to bring MIDI from the drum kit to the Mac, where digital sound would be generated by a DAW (GarageBand, Logic, MainStage, etc.) and then on to Jamulus. I also have the iConnectivity Mio4 to bring MIDI from 3 keyboards to MainStage, so I could plug the drum kit into it as well.
If you want to use a DAW to generate digital sound for the drum kit, you don't need a sophisticated MIDI interface - something like the iConnectivity Mio (single device connection) would work. I have it and use it when I want to connect a travel keyboard to my Mac with no other gear.
https://www.iconnectivity.com/products/midi/mio