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[godprobe]

Right.  I’m pretty sure only Avatar (the kit included with SD2) and the Custom & Vintage SDX have rods available.

WinXP | Fireface 800 | Variax | Axe-Fx | Toontrack | Komplete | Reaper http://www.godprobe.com/projects/notemaps/

[godprobe]

Hmm… I’m not sure what the limitations are between Lite and regular EZdrummer, but from reading through the Details on its product page…
http://www.toontrack.com/product/product/ezdrummer-2/
…it does look like the additional kit piece selection isn’t available in EZD lite.

I don’t know if the files are technically there, but it may very well be that they aren’t, and the ones that are there are simply all of the velocity layers for all of the mic channels for all of the kit pieces between the two kits.

In any case, hope that helps!

WinXP | Fireface 800 | Variax | Axe-Fx | Toontrack | Komplete | Reaper http://www.godprobe.com/projects/notemaps/

[godprobe]

Hi Jeffsco, I tried the demo of the software you mention and… well… it’s confusing, to say the least.  After doing a number of things and not really getting anywhere (and oh my god, where are the scrollbars?! 😛 :D)… my best advice (assuming you’re going to continue using that DAW) is… have you already tried the common tick res’s of 960, 480, etc.?

I don’t know if I can help you much further.  The DAW I use seems to automatically convert any MIDI data into whatever ticks are specified in the DAW’s preferences.

WinXP | Fireface 800 | Variax | Axe-Fx | Toontrack | Komplete | Reaper http://www.godprobe.com/projects/notemaps/

[godprobe]

Well, there’s definitely a learning curve on each part of that.
The pad/keys performance and learning MIDI part, the recording software part, and looping.  EZdrummer’s actually fairly self-describingly “EZ” compared to those other things. 🙂

imho, don’t give up on that Akai keyboard.  Akai’s supposed to have some of the better feeling pads, and for me, finding good pads was more than half the battle when I was trying to do the same thing as you are now.

Also, I apparently glossed over the point about “pads” in your first post.  Yeah, those probably won’t be quite as plug-and-play with EZdrummer as the keyboard keys themselves.  If triggering EZ is working with the keys, I’d recommend using those until you work out all these other things that are new to you.

With MIDI, there are many different kinds of messages.  Three of the most important are “Note”, “Program Change” (PC), and “Continuous Controller” (CC).  Keyboard keys are pretty straightforward — they send MIDI Note messages.  And that’s the kind of messages you need to trigger the different kit pieces in EZdrummer.  By default, I would guess that the Akai, on the pads (and the knobs), sends out CC messages.  I don’t know if you can change that or not.  If not, there are other workarounds to get those translated to Note messages, but that gets into way too many variables and detail for me to try to do on a forum, let alone in one post unless I have very specific info on the other software/tools you are and will be using.  In short — that’s probably why the pads aren’t working out for triggering the drums right now.

So, again… give the keys themselves a try.  And there, it just takes practice, and lots of patience.  Just like learning to play drums or a keyboard, you can’t just instantly be good at it, so expect to invest the time.

On to the software…
Again, there’s a bit of a Mac/Windows disconnect between yourself and me, so what you have already, especially if you have Logic, might be good enough.  Otherwise, I like Reaper a lot (there’s a demo, and there’s a Mac version).  And Ableton Live may be even more suited to you, since the looping faculties are built into it more intuitively than trying to set up decent looping phrases in Reaper.  All of these (Logic, Reaper Ableton) can host EZdrummer and record MIDI.  So, with any of them, you can record your ideas and play them back and I’d bet that you can do that just fine using the Akai.  Again, with practice and patience, and a few things to learn.

I know I had very similar goals to yours when I was starting out with this stuff (~4 years ago now).  [ack… disregard this… it’s Windows only… preserved it anyway for Windows folks that might be reading. ] Some people suggested Jamstix since that will automatically compose MIDI grooves on the fly.  I never really got along with it, but other people love it so it might be worth checking out.  What I do now, generally, is use or adapt (edit) the included grooves that come with EZdrummer/Superior and the expansions for those and jam along with that MIDI.  And if I do need custom drum parts, I’ll usually use a keyboard, a metronome, and multiple takes to compose them, and then I’ll edit them some more afterward to clean them up.

The keys still don’t feel ideal to me, but I’ve almost entirely given up on using pads — haven’t thought about it in a long time anyway.  I would definitely like to have an e-kit one of these days, but it’s not in my budget.  The urge to get one is stronger now though, since I hooked up my Wii’s Rock Band 2 drum kit to my computer — it’s not bad, but I only get five kit pieces at once, no extra articulations (hat openness, snare rim shots, ride cymbal bell shots, etc.), and — most importantly — no velocity input.  Still, not too bad for a video game accessory! 😀

So, in short, no, I can’t give advice on a setup that’s easy to use.  There’s learning involved and no way around it! 😀
Hopefully though, you have a clearer idea of the available paths ahead.

…and the looping aspect will drive you particularly nuts.  I’m still fighting with that one.

WinXP | Fireface 800 | Variax | Axe-Fx | Toontrack | Komplete | Reaper http://www.godprobe.com/projects/notemaps/

[godprobe]

yep, again, not having a Mac, I’m not sure about Garage Band, but I’m pretty certain Logic can host/run/use plugins

WinXP | Fireface 800 | Variax | Axe-Fx | Toontrack | Komplete | Reaper http://www.godprobe.com/projects/notemaps/

[godprobe]

Essentially, yes, EZdrummer and Toontrack solo are separate programs.
Toontrack solo serves as a “host” for EZdrummer, similar to how Reaper, Cubase, ProTools, etc. can also host the EZdrummer plugin.
solo only hosts Toontrack programs though (i.e. Superior Drummer 2, EZdrummer, or Beatstation) and any sequencing is done via EZplayer Pro.

Just curious — is your Akai an LPK25?  If so, I have one and can follow along, but I’m also on Windows, so there may be some differences.
Shortest route for me to get it triggering drums in EZdrummer in solo is to plug it in, start up solo, go to Options > MIDI Devices in solo, and select, in my case, “USB Audio Device”.  Then, I press the down octave button on the LPK once, since that gets me the most easily-accessible range of http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_MIDI#Percussion … and play, with the kick being on the lowest note (the C).  No need to open the Akai editor in this case.

WinXP | Fireface 800 | Variax | Axe-Fx | Toontrack | Komplete | Reaper http://www.godprobe.com/projects/notemaps/

[godprobe]

EZdrummer does include some 3/4 grooves.  6/8 too, which will fit into 3/4 time… they’ll just feel a little fast.
7/8 is a bit unusual.  I know http://www.oddgrooves.com/, for one, does have grooves in 7/8 time… there’s a few in their free demo anyway.

I’m not entirely clear if you found the time signature adjustment in Reaper.  If not, it’s right next to the tempo indicator.  Adjust it to match the time signature of the grooves you’re dropping in, and they should fit.

But yes, dropping a 4/4 groove into a 3/4 time signature isn’t really going to “work.”  It’d be like dropping the proverbial pegs into holes.  With a round peg through a square hole, assuming the round peg’s diameter is small enough, it’ll fit… but it’s just not the right thing to do.

You can edit the grooves within Reaper and cut them down a quarter beat (for 4/4 to 3/4), but in doing so, you may notice the “feel” of the groove is off when played along with the other trimmed pieces.  Or it might work just fine.

Some other expansions that include 7/8 grooves would be…
– Vintage Rock EZX
– New York Vol. 2 SDX
– Custom & Vintage SDX
– and of course the Odd Meters Monster Midi Packs

Additionally, in Reaper, if you want to mix time signatures, you can right-click on the track and “Insert Time Signature Marker…” (Shift-C).  Using that, you can start a song in 4/4, move to 3/4, back to 4/4, go crazy with 7/8, and then go off the deep end with 17/8 or something weird like that.

WinXP | Fireface 800 | Variax | Axe-Fx | Toontrack | Komplete | Reaper http://www.godprobe.com/projects/notemaps/

[godprobe]

Ack! lost my post!
In short… gave C&V, TMF, Vintage Rock, and Jazz a try and C&V easily came out on top, despite Whitten’s modesty about his own SDX.
My picks for that kit with a Beatlesesque sound via matching it against “With a Little Help From My Friends” are…
Kick: 14×24″ Ludwig Keystone – 1960s
Snare: 8×12″ Tamburo Stave Shell Piccolo
Toms 1/2/Floor: Camco Oaklawns
Hat: 16″ Zildjian A – 1960s
Didn’t try out too many of the cymbals, but the McCartney Tour Rides in there are certainly pretty sweet.

And I have no idea what The Beatles actually used, so those picks are all just based on sound and the fallibility of my own ears (and I hadn’t read Scott’s post before doing my picks either ).

WinXP | Fireface 800 | Variax | Axe-Fx | Toontrack | Komplete | Reaper http://www.godprobe.com/projects/notemaps/

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