[SOLVED] MDrummer Generator : no beats

[mevla]

There's a drum set loaded. In the editor I do a rhythm processing -> Clear. In the generator I load Funk (Shuffle). No beat appears. I click 'Generate All'. In the editor intros, breaks and outros are present but no beats. What am I doing wrong ? If it matters, version is 14.08e although the Generator section is new to me. I'm basically following the new offcial video tutorial.

[edkilp]

You need a beat in there. Select a preset or click in kicks and snares.

[mevla]

OK, thanks. It seems that the video is skipping explaining that part.

[goldglob]

edkilp's answer above is perfectly succinct but just to elaborate for the benefit of anyone:

'Generate all' = 'Generate beats' plus 'Generate loops' ('Loops' here means everything but Beats I.E. Intros, Breaks, Long Breaks, and Outros).
Loops are generated from the already existing stash of loops in the loop directory...see RHYTHM GENERATOR> Settings...you tick the boxes to home in on what sort of loops you want to use.
Beats are generated from whatever is in the Essential Beat Editor (either write something with mouse or load a loop or record into a loop or import MIDI).
All of this works without even selecting (in the directory top left) a base rhythm.
Base rhythms are something extra.
After selecting a base rhythm you can PREVIEW it (in the GENERATOR tab). If you have defined an essential beat then PREVIEW will play the essential beat plus the base rhythm.
If you want the base rhythm to be included in the generating process (you normally would) you choose to merge it in RHYTHM GENERATOR> Settings. There, in General Settings> 'Merge base rhythm' is like a master switch, it allows merging overall (including for beats), but then you can further turn on/off merging for Intros, Breaks etc.

[mevla]

While on the subject, what is the relation between the level adjustment in the Generator and the generated beats and loops ?

Cheers.

[goldglob]

The Level setting has no bearing on what is generated. It simply adjusts the 'level' of what you hear when previewing. Increasing level usually means increasing complexity (but not necessarily).
Try this:
To keep it simple let's take base rhythms out of the picture (Root> Empty base rhythm).
In the Essential Beat Editor write 4 bass drums notes on beats 1,2,3,4.
Bottom left highlight 'Minimal level'.
Set Beat 1 minimal level 0%
Set Beat 2 minimal level 33% (approx)
Set Beat 3 minimal level 66% (approx)
Set Beat 4 minimal level 100%
Preview...as you step through the level adjustment.

Now add a base rhythm... you'll hear, with preview, the same sort of increase in complexity as the 'level' is adjusted, because the factory base rhythms have been created in essentially the same way as our simple experiment above.
Part of a loop's data across the board in MD is its 'level' settings (By 'loop' here I include 'beats'). For instance if I saved the above 4 bass drum loop, the minimal level settings are saved. And if that loop is used as part of the generating process those minimal level settings are taken into account. But the level setting itself in PREVIEW is just for preview and has no direct bearing on what is generated.

[mevla]

Thanks. I will be trying that later on this week. Meanwhile my very crude approach was to adjust the Generator level while recording the drums in order to bring in the ride cymbals in the latest piece "Promises" shown in the signature below