Cabling – Novice Question

[Gary Z]

I have a TD-50 KV kit. It has USB and also midi.

I am considering buying Superior Drummer 3 and have looked everywhere regarding “cabling” (what gets plugged in where). I assume I plug my TD-50 KV kit into my mac laptop using a USB cable. That’s easy. BUT, how do the resulting audio sounds get “played” during a live show.

At a gig, will I need to plug my laptop into the mixing board (through my MacBook headphone jack) or do I simply continue to use the “master outs” on my TD-50.

Topic

[David Mackey]

Hi Gary. I have a TD50 and SD3 on a Mac. There are a number of ways to cable these systems in studio and at a gig. Here is what i’ve done in our home studio. seems quite solid, glitch-free, and stable..

1. On the Mac OS, configure the TD50 as Input and Output. System Preferences | Sound | Input = Roland TD50, Output Roland TD50.
2. In SD 3, do the same. SD 3 | Properties | Midi | input = Roland TD50, Output Roland TD50.
3. On the TD50 module, enable ‘USB Audio’ and balance the output of SD3 through your TD50 using Input Gain. (something like Setup | USB Audio | xx)
4. Route the TD50 outputs to a mixer or amp as needed.

There is no need to connect your macbook to the mixer because the TD50 can bridge the output of SD3. I assigned the Song volume fader to adjust the tD50 Input Gain so it’s easier to acheive the right balance between TD50 and amplifiers / headphones.

I’m super happy with the TD50 and SD3. they go great together!

[Gary Z]

Peertwelve,this is soooo very helpful.

Thanks very much.

[MarcL_1]

@Peertwelve said:
Hi Gary. I have a TD50 and SD3 on a Mac. There are a number of ways to cable these systems in studio and at a gig. Here is what i’ve done in our home studio. seems quite solid, glitch-free, and stable..

1. On the Mac OS, configure the TD50 as Input and Output. System Preferences | Sound | Input = Roland TD50, Output Roland TD50.
2. In SD 3, do the same. SD 3 | Properties | Midi | input = Roland TD50, Output Roland TD50.
3. On the TD50 module, enable ‘USB Audio’ and balance the output of SD3 through your TD50 using Input Gain. (something like Setup | USB Audio | xx)
4. Route the TD50 outputs to a mixer or amp as needed.

There is no need to connect your macbook to the mixer because the TD50 can bridge the output of SD3. I assigned the Song volume fader to adjust the tD50 Input Gain so it’s easier to acheive the right balance between TD50 and amplifiers / headphones.

I’m super happy with the TD50 and SD3. they go great together!  

Hi Peertwelve,
Are you playing this live? Hows the latency?
Also, say in your practice, do you play the track song from your Mac? Reason im asking is i noticed some popping when im playing with a song, but drums alone the sound is all fine.

[David Mackey]

@MarcL_1 said:

Hi Peertwelve,
Are you playing this live? Hows the latency?
Also, say in your practice, do you play the track song from your Mac? Reason im asking is i noticed some popping when im playing with a song, but drums alone the sound is all fine.  

Yes I’m playing ‘live’ n my practice studio. I haven’t noticed any latency issues or popping sounds. I play along to drum less tracks through iTunes on the Mac and it just works. I’m using a 21” iMac from 2014. All sounds from the Mac, sd3 and iTunes, are routed to TD50 using usb audio

[Author]

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