Getting Started with Mdrummer

[tacman7]

So I bought Mdrummer and I'm able to use it and I'm liking what it comes up with.

Works better than telling a drummer what you want!


I'm not sure how the different methods of playing relate to each other...

So the song tab uses the beats you set up on the get started page? only?

Does the rhythm editor and generator tabs also change the song mode?

Does the midi command method play what's in the song tab or ?


I'm liking the song mode right now with a few quick clicks I've got some drums for my song writing.


Any help appreciated in understanding the workflow.

Also: Index, when you select a beat in song tab it has level and index. What does index do? Thanks

[MeldaProduction]

Thank you!

These modes you are asking for are completely independent. Simply put, "Song tab" is easy to use, what you see is what you get... But you need to sync it with the arrangement in the host and it is far less versatile than MIDI command method. For me, Song tab is mostly for jamming. I use MIDI commands only otherwise. And you can NOT use both at the same time, otherwise MDrummer will get quite confused.

Index controls which loop (break/intro...) will be selected if there is more than one available (which is almost always).

Please check these tutorials:

http://www.meldaproduction.com/audiotut ... p#MDrummer

[goldglob]

Each loopbox (keyboard key) can contain several loops which are indexed 1,2,3 etc in the index list box to right of keyboard. MDrummer's factory rhythms usually use just one loop in the 'beats' loopboxes but several loops in the intro/breaks loopboxes. The index slider in song tab relates to this. As you move the slider to the right, MDrummer will choose higher indexed loops (provided you have not chosen random loops in additional settings). If using midi command method, the loop index is triggered by note velocity in your DAW midi editor (not to be confused with the velocity settings in MDrummer of individual drum hits, or indeed the velocity slider setting below the tempo slider!).
Re the various tabs, the rhythms you generate show up in the rhythm editor, or you can skip the generate thing and just compose a rhythm in the editor, and then use either song tab or midi command method to structure/play your song using your generated/edited rhythms. Likewise, the quick start tab stuff will show up in the editor and be used by song tab or midi command.

[tacman7]

Great!

Thanks guys.

the rhythms you generate show up in the rhythm editor,
or you can skip the generate thing and just compose a rhythm in the editor,
and then use either song tab or midi command method to structure/play your song using your generated/edited rhythms. Likewise, the quick start tab stuff will show up in the editor and be used by song tab or midi command.

So it's like there's a current set of beats that you select or generate that can be accessed several ways...?

That's the way it seemed to me at times but then I'd get confused and then I wasn't sure.

I'm really liking that I can set it and forget it for songwriting. I just need a beat and it's nice to have breaks that change etc.
Then later when the song is in production I can put more work into the drums.

One thing I was wondering, if I generate something I like and wanted to save it...

I sav it on the host/preset level, is that the place to do that?

Or is there a better place to save a set of generated/edited beats?



Thanks for the help!

[goldglob]

What you call the 'current set of beats' is called a rhythm, which can contain intros, beats, breaks, long breaks and outros. There are 3 ways to play (access) the rhythm: song structure tab, midi command method, or, just manually from either the quick setup or editor tabs. With manual, see the options in the additional button. Use manual when editing your rhythm, then use song tab or midi command to play the whole arrangement.
Re saving, look around all the tabs and sub windows, you can save all sorts of things, individual loops, whole rhythms, individual drums, layers, drumsets.....etc. Look at the main menu button up on the right, here you can save the whole song and I think this is what you should do because I don't think the host preset thing works with MDrummer. EDIT: just noticed that the host preset thing does work but only if you close then open MD after selecting a preset...hey Vojtech, is this a bug?

[tacman7]

Thanks for your help.

I'm liking my new drummer!

[MeldaProduction]

Thanks for explanations goldglob!

About the host presets - hmm, no idea, I'll check. I think it should work, after all host uses the same methods to save the MDrummer settings, so I don't see a problem. But if you mean GUI updating, then I guess it is possible, we'll see.