MDrummer 16.11 : Proper way to modify an instrument ?

[mevla]

Having a very simple test pattern :

mdrummerEditInst01.jpg

I would like to explore other sounds for the Hi-Hat, any kind of sounds. I can do that in the Drumset Editor and when sound is found the instrument still remains with the 'Hi-Hat' name. The name can be changed to say, Djembe. But then, back to the Rhythm Editor the name of the instrument remains 'Hi-Hat'. Right-clicking to change Type does not offer a 'Djembe' type. I could also have renamed the instrument something like 'NewSound01' of which there are no types anyways.

Also I could have several 'Hi-Hat' tracks with each one of them edited to a hi-hat variation, eg. Side 2, Top 3, Bell 4, etc.. The Rhythm Editor should be showing then for each track a modified name, making it easy to spot now and 3 months later when updating the session.

I would like to be able to explore new sounds for a track and when done, have the Rhythm Editor show whichever name was given so that, when having several of these modified instruments it's possible to quickly see what track has which instrument. This is surely possible - how is it done properly ?

[MeldaProduction]

I'm completely confused - why don't you just right click the track in the loop editor and choose a different drum?

[mevla]

I'm completely confused - why don't you just right click the track in the loop editor and choose a different drum?

My turn to be confused.

Current drumset - Acoustic - Studio 2018 / Artistics Fly

Track right click -> Change Track Type ?

I do not see any Djembe in there :

mdrummerTrackIntsrumentChoice.jpg

Does it mean that to have the choice for a Djembe I should first load a drumset that offers a Djembe ?

What if I want a Djembe in a heavy metal drumset ? Does the heavy metal drumset have to be edited first to add a Djembe ?

In a real band practice room :

Keyboard player to drummer :

- Hey, can you keep that same pattern with the cymbal bell but use instead this nifty bell I bought last weekend at a garage sale ?

Drummer :

- Sure. First let me pack this drum kit, bring it home, and come back with a drum kit that's appropriate for this bell you got.

- Aw, forget it, I'll sample it.

[mevla]

As far as spontaneous creativity is concerned, it's possible to start with a hihat then keep the programmed notes and explore spontaneously with any kind of instrument sounds. That works well as it is.

The problem is that it's impossible to thereafter change the name 'Hi-hat' in the pattern editor because changing it is a _big thing_ eg. it's an instrument type, no just an editable name representing the actual sound.

Load the default drumset.
Go to first pattern on the C note.
Click on the 'Hi-hat' name.
Go to drumset editor
The name is not 'Hi-hat'.

Actually, if you have two 'Hi-hat' tracks, it's impossible to modify them individually. The default drumset has Adrastea.wav for the 'Hi-hat'. With two 'Hi-hat' tracks, if this is changed to Atlas.wav then all 'Hi-hat' tracks will change. Creating patterns with slightly different (not going 'closed hi-hat' or 'open hi-hat' or 'pedal hi-hat' type) 'Hi-hat' sounds seems impossible. Like this seems impossible :

hihattracks.jpg

It's software, but it sticks (no pun intended) to the hardware metaphor. A drummer has only one hi-hat and that's it. It can be closed, opened, pedal, but it's always the same hi-hat for the drumset he has. As far as I can see.

[mevla]

(cynicism mode on) I get it. That's where MNotepad is useful. You can have all allowed instrument types (around 50 in above screenshot) on all track of patterns and absolutely none of them type names will represent the actual instrument that's playing. So for a simple example if one really likes to have two different hi-hat sounds, first a Hi-hat track is created, then modified to so some other Hi-hat sound chosen amongst the numerous wav files offered by MDrummer, then add a 'Bass drum 2' that will actually be the other hi-hat sound featuring another hi-hat wav sound offered by MDrummer.

Then have MNotepad to keep track of the correspondence between the instrument type name which cannot be modified and the actual sound that was spontaneously creatively chosen in MDrummer's wide choice of wav files.

[_al_]

I've owned MDrummer for a couple years now I think, and I still don't know wtf is going on in there.

I just wanted a simple drumpad layout. Couple of lines of kicks up top, and other drums below.

Around 4 hours later, I am still trying to knock up a nice layout that I'm happy with and works as expected.
Even when I tried to do something simple, like switching off all the overhead mics etc (pointless for dance music)... I found that certain cymbal sounds disappeared, because they are hard-routed to certain overhead mics, and not the main output.

Sorry, but wtf is that all about. That's the point I just gave up lol.

I'm sure MDrummer does the job for normal drum kit setups, but it certainly isn't for me.
I remember asking Vojtech for a MDrummer "EDM Edition", but I don't think he understood the problem.

[mevla]

There is/was something with the cymbals 'leaking' (which wasn't a bug after all). I started a topic on that matter last year or so. I'll have to see at it again, as I'm not doing anything that requires that kind of mix now. Search for 'leak' in here, you'll find it.

For what I do, MDrummer is really the best I found. I wouldn't spend time on that instrument renaming flexibility problem if I wouldn't care. It still baffles me that Vojtech does not see what it's about. Then on the other hand doing that kind of modification in MDrummer's code might not be something that's easily contemplated I guess.