A couple of basic questions....

[Milt]

if I select a rhythm pattern, and want to assign it to channel 1 in the song tab, do I click on generate or load? After placing the pattern in channel 1, and I edit it in the rhythm editor, what do I do to put the edited pattern back into channel 1 so as to replace the original? And lastly, can a pattern that I create in the rhythm generator be placed into a channel in the song tab, if so how? Thanks a lot for your help, I really like this drummer! Milton.

[MeldaProduction]

Hi Milton, I have a huge trouble understanding you. Please be specific in what exactly you do and what you want afterwards. I have no clue what a pattern means to you etc. Ideally use the vocabulary present in MDrummer, otherwise it's just too hard for me to understand.

[Milt]

I'm so sorry for the confusion. By pattern, I meant the 4 beat rhythm of a verse or a chorus etc. What I'm trying to understand is after I edit a rhythm in the rhythm editor, how do I get it into a channel in the song tab? Ans as for the second question, how do I place a rhythm that I created in the rhythm generator into a channel in the song tab. I guess I'm having trouble understanding the 'generate' button and the 'load' button. Thanks again for your help.

[goldglob]

MD calls your 'pattern' a loop. A 'Rhythm' in MD is a collection of loops categorized into intros, beats, breaks, long breaks and outros, but not yet structured into a song. You can have up to 9 rhythms defined, but to get started just think about Rhythm 1 (= Channel 1). Each category of the Rhythm can have up to 12 different 'levels' (think intensity/complexity of playing). When MD generates a Rhythm he puts these different levels into the different loopboxes = keys on the keyboard. And for even more variation he can put several different loops in any one loopbox, which can be chosen either randomly or using the index setting in Song structure or velocity setting with midi command method. Don't worry about that last sentence, the thing to get now is that with Song Structure you are telling MD what to play..you don't put individual loops or overall generated rhythms into song structure...the rhythm, with it's categories, levels, and indices has already been generated (or indeed loaded from previously saved stuff), and now Song Structure tells MD what (beat, break..etc) and how (level, index) to play.
I could go on, but have to split, and probably best for you to take it one step at a time.

[Milt]

Thanks for your reply, Goldglob. It helps a lot. I haven't explored the loopboxes and it looks like I will have to get their use down in order to make some real progress. Thanks again, Milton.

[goldglob]

Keep in mind that the transport controls (play, beat, break etc) in Rhythm editor are for auditioning your Rhythm , and not to do with your Song. Forget about Song structure for now (in fact, make sure it's disabled). Look in Rhythm editor/ Additional/ Advanced. Turn off sequencer mode (and Automatic breaks)..now hit play..he plays (and loops) whatever you click on (break, long break, etc). Turn on Sequencer mode (with auto breaks off)..hit play..hit break, he plays a break then goes back to Beat; you're auditioning the transitions. Turn on Sequencer mode and Auto breaks..hit play..he plays beats and breaks automatically..you're sitting back now listening to the transitions without clicking things. Hit verse or chorus..he'll play a break then back to beat at an appropriate verse or chorus level..we're still auditioning. Later on, when a Song Structure is defined and enabled, it controls all this same beat/break stuff..you can still see it all happening on the Rhythm edit tab but you now don't have to touch any of those auditioning controls. Although... you can get confused here because if Song structure is enabled, hitting play in the Rhythm edit tab will now play/pause the song, yet hitting say the break button on the edit tab (while the song is playing) will indeed audition a break (but without upsetting the overall Song). Yep, confusing, but if you do want to say go back and do more editing, to avoid confusion just make sure Song is disabled. Actually, I'm less confused if I think of Song mode as just the last step in edit mode (manual> Sequencer> Sequencer with Auto breaks> Song), and thus auditioning still works but Song now rules.
OK, that's enough for now.

[MeldaProduction]

Well, this is ok, right? (coming back from a little weekend vacation, so I'm not fully up to date )

[edkilp]

Well, this is ok, right? (coming back from a little weekend vacation, so I'm not fully up to date )

Oh, well just to get you caught up, we went ahead and released MDrummer 6 while you were away, and we're just ironing out a few wrinkles! Welcome back!

[MeldaProduction]

Damn! Great update guys, good job! Thanks

[goldglob]

I tried to slip in MLawnmower in your absence but can't get it quite loud enough.