MDrummer - Quick Setup page feature requests and suggestions

[AtomOfScent]

I really like the depth of features in MDrummer, but a side effect is needing to switch between tabs quite often.

The drum pads have a lot of open space that could be utilized to streamline the workflow and add functionality.

A few simple requests:
1) Solo and mute buttons would save needing to go to the mixer page so much.

2) Lock button to keep specific drums when changing kits or randomizing. This would make creating new kits really fast from the Quick Setup page. Random kits usually have a few nice elements and some that aren't very good. Just lock the good sounds and browse/randomize kits until everything is good, or easily create variations of existing kits by keeping the main sounds and replacing others by selecting a different kit.

3) Random button to randomize a specific sound for the same uses as above. Perhaps a modifier key to choose whether it's a totally random sample (of the same type), or a random sample in the same library/folder.

4) A volume control/fader built into the VU for basic level control.

Forgive the dodgy copy/paste mockup (the buttons could be better arranged):


Other ideas:
-Latch for the sample preview button in the browser so that sounds auto-play when clicked on (like FL Studio, Battery etc.).
-Global settings for realisticity and super-realisticity (maybe exclude kicks since they can get a bit wonky with this setting).
-Option to retain global/aux effects when changing kits.

[MeldaProduction]

Thank you.

Now:
1) Makes sense.
2) Sorry, already available in Drumset designer. And big note: components are NOT single drums.
3) Drumset designer / Alt + Random generates random component. But it does NOT choose random sample and this will NOT be done - it's more complex than just choosing samples, due to all the normalization etc. But there are so many components, plus you can analyze a sample library and create components from that.
4) Not sure, will think about it.

Other ideas:
1) Sorry, no, technical reasons.
2) Sorry, but no again, this heavily depends on the actual sound.
3) Seems logical.

[AtomOfScent]

2) Sorry, already available in Drumset designer. And big note: components are NOT single drums.
3) Drumset designer / Alt + Random generates random component. But it does NOT choose random sample and this will NOT be done - it's more complex than just choosing samples, due to all the normalization etc. But there are so many components, plus you can analyze a sample library and create components from that.

Thanks for the reply!

2)Silly me, I totally forgot about the drumset designer and even after you mentioned it kept looking in the drumset editor. Glad to know it's there.

3) 99% of the time I'm using my own imported sounds, in that case are components not just single samples (I don't use the option to create multisamples)? The drawback of random in the designer is it uses components from anywhere. If I'm editing a kit from an imported library, I really just want a random componet from that same library (if the kit is all electionic drums, I probably don't want an acoustic brush snare). But I guess thats what the prefer/exclude settings are for..

As for the normalization, I don't see this being a major issue, if anything a minor inconvenience and the user can manually adjust the level if needed. Most sample libraries have fairly consistent levels for the same drum type, and when manually choosing new samples from the browser I've rarely needed to change the volume. Adding a random button in the browser would be useful as there could be 100 snares in a folder and random is always more fun than sequential browsing.

As for super-realistically, I know its not great for everything, but on things like hi-hats etc. I almost always use it, but each time I change a kit it needs to be manually changed. I was just hoping for some way around this. Maybe if the settings are changed by the user they could remain when changing kits, but if not changed the value saved with the kit would be used.

[AtomOfScent]

One thing I just noticed about the Drumset Designer is not all components are listed. I can understand toms being grouped since they are usually pitch shifted versions of the same sample, but I wanted to lock an open hi-hat and it wasn't listed. No bongos or congas either.

The main issue is the lock button only works within the drumset designer. The reason I wanted it on the drum pad was to lock the drum when changing kits. This currently isn't possible because if I lock a drum and change the kit the designer component stays locked, but the sound itself has changed.

Also, when browsing components in the designer (... button) the sound doesn't change with the selection. This means we have to open the dialog, select a component we can't even hear, press ok and repeat countless times. The selection should change the component, ok close the dialog, and if we cancel the original component is restored. The current way doesn't make any sense.

(favorites for components would be helpful too, with thousands of random generated ones it's hard to separate the wheat from the chaff).

[goldglob]

Atom...You prob know a lot of this already...but hope this helps. When Vojtech says "components are NOT single drums" I think he means that a component is always more than just a single sample... because it includes the settings (vol, realisticity, FX, layers etc). A component can be just one drum (with settings), or it could actually be a whole drumkit. A component is whatever you choose to save as a component in the factory component folder. In the drum editor Drum list you can select one drum or CTRL select more than one and save that as a component. Once filed it is used in the generating process. The component main folders appear in the designer list. If you want a particular HH in designer (to then lock), just save it as a component...you could put it in the factory HH folder or make your own folder. I have my own folder in the components directory with a few subfolders containing some favourite components that I have created then saved...and they do appear in the designer and they do crop up in MD's generating thing. Think of MD's factory folders as just a start..it's Vojtech's framework..you can add to it...even your own bongos folder, or own 'favourites' folder ..and my understanding is that anything you add will be intact even after a major update or re-install.

And in Designer you can zip through the files with the arrows rather than opening the dialogue..pretty quick?

[AtomOfScent]

Atom...You prob know a lot of this already...but hope this helps. When Vojtech says "components are NOT single drums" I think he means that a component is always more than just a single sample... because it includes the settings (vol, realisticity, FX, layers etc). A component can be just one drum (with settings), or it could actually be a whole drumkit. A component is whatever you choose to save as a component in the factory component folder. In the drum editor Drum list you can select one drum or CTRL select more than one and save that as a component.

Thanks for the explanation.

I readily admit I don't know all the advanced features and terminology, but I think the goals I'm trying to achieve are relatively simple and the creative uses obvious.

Keep certain samples while changing kits, and replace a sample with a random one of the same type from the same sample library.

Most of the time imported sample libraries are already sorted in folders (or have been categorized with the keyword analysis), so if it's a snare drum, randomly pick one of the other 200 snare drum samples in the same folder. I don't care about the rest of the settings that make up a component, if I need to want to change them I will.

Also, I get that I can sequentially browse wth arrows, but the component dialog should still be the same as other Melda plugins. Add random selection, and don't require closing the dialog to hear the change.

MDrummer browsers lack the functionality that's in every other plugin but I think it's just an oversight since it's the only one not in the bundle.

MDrummer browser on top of a different plugin's browser (all the good stuff is missing)

[MeldaProduction]

The browsers are different, because the one "below" is NOT a file browser! It's a preset browser, presets are NOT files .

[AtomOfScent]

(dupe post)

[AtomOfScent]

(dupe post)

[AtomOfScent]

The browsers are different, because the one "below" is NOT a file browser! It's a preset browser, presets are NOT files .

My mistake. Favorites and random selection for useful for both though, no?

I know browsing IR's in the convolution and MPhatik have a type of favorites but it's much more frustrating than the nice and elegant <3 and favorites method in the other plugins.

Many of the best drum sample libraries can have thousands of drum samples each so marking favorites, being able to only show favorites, have them all in one spot regardless of the file path, and random selection would really enhance usability and make trawling through countless samples fun instead of a drag.

I think that's one of the best things about your plugin line and development philosophy, when you make an improvement or cool feature it propagates to other parts of the plugin line. Less re-coding, better functionality and consistency. I just think parts of MDrummer have lagged behind the rest a bit.

[AtomOfScent]

(sorry for double posting)

I'm using the designer section of the Quick Setup page a lot more, but I'm wondering why many components are missing? If I want to browse through kicks or snares etc, I get do it from the designer, but when I want to change an open hi hat etc I need to go the drumset editor.

If all the drums were listed and there was a modifier for the random button to stay within the current path I could do most of my kit editing/creating in the designer.

Ideally left-clicking on random would choose a random component from anywhere (current behavior) , and right-clicking would stay in the current path. Right/left click is better than a modifier key because it doesn't need two hands. I often work away from home so a lot of components will come up missing using randomize in it's current state.

On a related note, there should be a "no to all" option when asking to search for missing samples. When I accidentally load a kit that'scurrently unavailable I need to click no a dozen times for every sample. In the context of the designer, if I just want a random sound, I'd never bother to search or manually locate a missing sample so it would be better if it continued randomizing until it finds one that's available.

Also, to get around this issue of missing samples when not working at home I'd love the option to save drum samples with the kit (similar to how convolution impulses can be saved with the preset). That way any custom kits I make will always load. The disk space requirements would be neglible.



(P.S. Bug re-report, when saving presets with MDrummer, the name field is highlighted, but doesn't have keyboard focus and must be clicked on, in every other plugin the preset name is highlighted and has focus.)

[MeldaProduction]

Favorites: It's simply different with files, that would be a longer conversation. I'm afraid no favourites there, sorry.

Components: Missing? There is no hihat component? Could you post a screenshot?

Samples: That along with the previous thing looks like you don't have everything installed. Seems like missing components, samples...

PS bug: What exactly are you talking about? What presets??

[goldglob]

.............

Also, to get around this issue of missing samples when not working at home I'd love the option to save drum samples with the kit (similar to how convolution impulses can be saved with the preset). That way any custom kits I make will always load. The disk space requirements would be neglible.......

Drumset Editor/ Advanced/ Save archive

[AtomOfScent]

Favorites: It's simply different with files, that would be a longer conversation. I'm afraid no favourites there, sorry.

Components: Missing? There is no hihat component? Could you post a screenshot?

Samples: That along with the previous thing looks like you don't have everything installed. Seems like missing components, samples...

PS bug: What exactly are you talking about? What presets??

Thanks for the response.

I have limited space on my laptop so some sample libraries are stored on a network drive but use symbolic links to appear in my main sample library (to keep the path references consistent between computers). When I'm working mobile (often) some samples are unavailable and bring up the "not found" dialog when chosen randomly. I'm just suggesting that randomize ignore anything missing and randomize again until it finds one that loads.

The bug I'm referring to is with saving kits. Load a kit, press "save as", the kit name is highlighted in white but doesn't respond to keyboard input until the name field is clicked on (i.e. it's not given focus"). The rest of the plugins the preset name is highlighted but respond to keyboard input immediately.

As for the Drum Designer, here's a screenshot. I have the Techno 1 kit loaded. There are pads for open and pedal hi-hats, and multiple pads for toms/floor toms, but the designer only has a single listed for "hats" and "toms". Toms 1,2,3 are pitch-shifted versions of the same sound so one listing could be fine, but floor toms are different and open/pedal-hat are totally different than hihat. Unless I'm misunderstanding something, I would assume the designer would have the same entries as the pads and Drumset editor.

[goldglob]

Atom, you said "Load a kit, press "save as", the kit name is highlighted in white but doesn't respond to keyboard input until the name field is clicked on (i.e. it's not given focus")."....I'm not experiencing that...I don't have to click to get focus..I just start typing...I don't know why it's different to what you are seeing?

Re Designer vs Drumpads. It took me a while to get this, but they are different things.
Drumpads relate to 'drumtypes'. Think pads, midi notes, tracks in the rhythm arrange, a written drum score with it's indication of Bassdrum, Snaredrum etc.
Now the drummer must choose which particular snare he will use today. He can start from scratch in the drumset editor associating a drumtype with a particular sample, then tweak the settings (tune the drum), then save that (drum plus settings) as a component to be used again.
Designer lists the main 'component' folders which contain the individual component files that have been saved (by the factory or yourself).
The reason open HH is not in the designer list is simply that it hasn't been created there (yet). You can sculpt your own great open HH's + settings and save them as components in your own created Open HH folder if you wish...your Open HH folder will then appear in the designer list.
Hope that helps a bit...I know it's puzzling.. until it suddenly clicks.