Johan DoveliusI am thinking about expanding my kit, a Roland TD17KV. Before I go too far in my thinking, I just want to double check: Can I connect two drum modules to SD3 at the same time?
The ideal would a kit consisting of:
– Roland TD17KV
– Roland SPD SX (or similar) for extra pads
– Extra cymbals connected via trigger jacks on the SPD SX
– All connected to one big set in SD3.
Would it work?
I understand that I can not expect it to work instantly and seamlessly, but would I be able to connect without a degree in engineering?
Note that I am interesting in using the sounds in SD3, not the samples in Roland SPD SX. (I know it is crazy expensive to buy this tool without using the sounds, and I have not thought that through entirely, I am just thinking of different options at the moment).
drumjack52It can work depending on how the two modules are connected to the computer. I’ve never used USB MIDI but old school 5 pin MIDI (the round connector). Traditionally MIDI has three connectors – in/out/through. MIDI in is for receiving MIDI from somewheres, out for sending MIDI to somewheres and through is a passthrough that takes MIDI in and burps it right out to MIDI out with no interaction from the module in the middle. You would need to go from one module via it’s MIDI out to the MIDI through connector of module two and go from the MIDI out of module two to your computer. At least that’s how MIDI used to work. MIDI with multiple modules and daisy chaining isn’t always easy to grok and can drive one to drink. Thankfully you’re dealing with one manufacturer’s boxes – put multiple makes in the mix and oh boy…
Jack
aka musicman691 on other forums
Superior Drummer 3.4.1
Area 33 1.0.0
Death and Darkness 1.0.1
PT 2021.6
OSX 10.13.6
3.46 GHz hex core 2012 MacPro 48 gig ram
MuellercraftGetting the signal from the SPD to your computer shouldn’t be a problem. You could try the MIDI through approach Jack mentioned, or you could connect the SPD directly to your computer using another USB or Thunderbolt port. I’m pretty sure you could also bring up two iterations of SD3 in your DAW and assign the SPD to a second iteration. Getting one iteration of SD3 to recognize input from both the TD17 and an SPD as signals to control one large kit — I would think it can be done, but probably means a lot of manual programming of MIDI to get each pad matched to the instrument you want.
Muellercraft
Composer, performer, producer
Black & Whyte Studio
Muellercraft.com
SD3, Rooms of Hansa, Indiependent, Roland TD-17 KVX, Mac Studio M1 Ultra, UA Apollo Twin X, HEDD Type 20 monitors
Johan DoveliusThanks for your reply! I didn’t think of that, but it makes sense. I just thought of connecting the both modules directly to the computer via USB, but maybe it would be better to connect them in series.
But still scary to invest if I am not sure it will work…
JohnHi,
if you have two or more MIDI interfaces connected to the same computer and to the same instance of SD3, you just make sure to have them “ticked” in the check boxes in the MIDI Devices list in the Audio/MIDI Setup in SD3.
You will have to manually edit MIDI notes sent from the added module (in the module, not SD3), which in your case would be the SPD-X, so they do not overlap with what is sent from your TD-17 module.
I.e. both modules cannot have their standard note values set, since the one instance of SD3 cannot split incoming MIDI notes per device/port; a note #60 sent from both devices will trigger the same articulation in SD3. This applies whether you connect several modules separately via USB or in series via traditional MIDI/DIN to one instance of SD3.
If you use some kind of host/DAW, you can have several instances of SD3 and then they could be triggered by the different devices on different ports.
I hope this clarifies.
BR,
John
John Rammelt - Toontrack
Technical Advisor
1
Thanked by: MuellercraftJohan DoveliusThanks!
I am pretty sure now that it would work, given I invest some time to learn how to manually edit the MIDI notes. My impression from reading other threads is that it might give me some grey hair, but not impossible.
Mark KingIt should be fairly easy to edit the send notes in the spdx. I know it was on my old spd8 years ago.
SD3 with older sdx,s plus Rooms of Hansa and Death & Darkness. Cubase and wavelab current versions. Roland TD50x using all trigger inputs for triggering SD3 only. Windows 11 computer. Various keyboards and outboard gear as well as VST instruments. Acoustic drums: Yamaha 9000 natural wood and Pearl masters. Various snare drums. RME BabyFace Pro FS and Adam A7X monitors
Graham_5I did this just a few days ago with my TD50 and old TD15. TD50 is my main kit, and TD15 has 5 extra pads for percussion etc. The TD50 is connected to the laptop via USB, and the TD15 via the Roland um-one mk2 (because they dont make new drivers for the discontinued td15). Both connected to a usb hub, into 1 usb port on my laptop. Works fine.
I just had to go in to the TD15 midi settings on the module and change which midi notes are being sent from the extra pads connected to the the TD15, otherwise 2 pads were triggering the same sound in SD3.
Is there any advice on which midi notes to use for extra pads on an edrum kit? Like 126/127 (snare forward/backward brushes) – that sounds like an articulation I’ll never use playing on my kit. Can I change the midi notes being sent from the pads connected to the TD15 to 126/127 and maybe the cymbal mute hits (95/106/…)? Or which notes/articulations are least used when playing on an electronic drum set?
I also wanted to make sure: once I’ve changed the notes being sent and used midi learn to assign the right instrument to the extra pads on the TD15, I have to save that as a project, not a preset, otherwise the mapping will be lost?
drumjack52Graham: Be careful as the MIDI notes trigger different articulations depending on whether you’re using the core library or an SDX. For example notes 126 is snare rim shot and 127 are indeed the two articulations you mention in the core library but in Death and Darkness they’re snare rim shot and sidestick and in Area 33 126 is snare rim fx and 127 is snare only. Not all the SDX’s follow the same MIDI note number/articulation scheme (nor are they all according to the MIDI spec either).
Jack
aka musicman691 on other forums
Superior Drummer 3.4.1
Area 33 1.0.0
Death and Darkness 1.0.1
PT 2021.6
OSX 10.13.6
3.46 GHz hex core 2012 MacPro 48 gig ram
Graham_5Ah ok thanks! I didnt realise that. In that case, will I have to save each kit I set up with added pads as a project rather than a preset? And that leads to another question: when saving kits, is there a smart naming convention that people use? I just save presets and projects as whatever comes to mind, but I can imagine once I have saved a few after a few months that it will be hard to go back and find the exact kit I’m looking for.
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