PAssigning drum sounds to pad in BSP Drum Controller

[rod24945]

Hello there

I'm relatively new to the world of Midi CC assignment and having a problem putting new drum sounds on to BSP Drum Pads.  At the moment, I'm using the Midi Control center and selecting a pad on the Drum Controller (e.g. pad 9) and change the value currently in the box to a CC number or a 'Chromatic note' - for example, C#1 and hit the pad.  No change.

I've been told that any changes made in the MCC are automatically synced across to the BSP and so I rather naively expected my new drum sound to immediately appear at Pad 9.  I've tried using the chromatic note value for a known drum sound on my synth keyboard, and a CC value for the same sound.  I should add that all other sequencers in the BSP run fine for musical sequences and the Drum sequencer works fine with the currently assigned drum sounds.  All I hoped to do was to replace some of the currently assigned drum sounds with new ones already sounding on the synth keyboard.

See attached Screenshot.

Clearly I'm missing something obvious and any help would be appreciated.

Best wishes

Rod

[dog01]

you have to click store to and either working memory or an project for example project 3

then the changes from the MCC will be saved in BSP

Regards Dog01   

[rod24945]

Hello there

Many thanks for the prompt reply.  I've just tried your suggestion and as yet, there's no drum sound on Pad 9, so  . . . . here's a summary of all I've tried:

Hooked BSP up with 5 pin midi lead to an old Yamaha CS1x to use it's drum tracks and all drum sounds are OK, when using the synth keyboard
Opened a Blank Project on the BSP and chose pattern 1 on the drum Controller and made sure it was in fact empty
Went into MCC and opened up the section headed with the Tab - 'Controller Map'
Checked BSP Pads for sound and all except 1 & 9 produce drum sounds and they're marked in MCC as G#1 and C#1 respectively.  Both are silent when pressed.
By way of a test, I checked the sounded note on pad 4, it's a hi-hat and labelled as B1in the MCC
I then changed values of Pads 1 & 9 (both) to B1
Clicked on Project 1 in the top panel of MCC (Device Projects) and clicked on Store To
In the panel at the bottom of the MCC, I can see the Midi values being scrolled trough during transfer and also see the blue bar inching across until the transfer is complete.
Try Pads 1 & 9 and still no sound.
I've also tried sending to both Working Project and Project 1 in BSP (See attachment).

From the above, perhaps you can see where I'm going wrong.

Thanks for your time and help, but I'm really stuck - so any ideas would be appreciated.

Best wishes

Rod

[Terrym]

Hi , Just a quick reply before i go out but first the mcc does not change cc on the fly and any change must be saved to a template of your choice or a new template . once this is done you can highlight if not already your template then store to working template if you wish this will send your new setting to the bsp.
try this


regards

terrym

[rod24945]

Hello Terry

Many thanks for your reply and the info.

I'll give it a try tomorrow and let you know how I get on

Many thanks

Best wishes

Rod

[rod24945]

Hello again

Just an afterthought.  Is a Template another name for a Project?

Best wishes

Rod

[rod24945]

Hello Terry

I've just had a quick run through as per your suggestions for getting the 'replacement drum sounds' onto Pads 1 & 9 of the drum controller.

I created a new 'Project / Template' in the MCC called Drum Template and dated it as per today.
I then changed the values of both Pads 1 & 9 to B1 and clicked the Save button in the MCC
I then dragged The Drum Template up to the Working Project and saw the Midi data being transferred as the blue progress bar progressed.
Tried Pads, tried Pads 1 & 9, but still no sounds from them.
I then used the Store To button in the MCC, watched transfer and then tried pads 1 & 9 but still no sounds.

As a final test, I pressed Pad 1  and then hit the patch buttons 1, 5, 9, 15 to see if there was any sound from pad 1 in a sequence, but alas still nothing, however - all of the other pads sound out fine in a sequence.

I've attached screenshots of the MCC as it stands after the above steps and I wonder if you can spot anything I've missed?

I realise that I can use one of the Step sequencers as Drum Controllers but it worries me that I can't get the Drum Controller to use all pads and thus gain two extra sounds on the pads.  I have (as a test) used B1 in Sequencer 2 and it sounds out the correct drum sounds in the pattern.

Many thanks for your kind help and patience in helping a newbie.

Best wishes

Rod

[Terrym]

Hi Rod You need to check to see if midi transmits .best way is to use a daw with midi monitor to see what the problem is as it may be to do with your synth. In the mcc there is a midi console but you can no longer see the transmitted notes . i guess the pads work if you play any of the sequencers pads?

have you tried another synth module do the pads work there .

regards

Terrym

[rod24945]

Hello Terry

As ever, thanks for the prompt response and suggestions. 

I've just hooked up an old Roland SH-201 and whilst it doesn't have drum tracks, I can hear notes sounding on all the pads - even Pads 1 & 9. 

As for the midi monitor, I do have some software on the Mac called Midi Monitor by Snoize.com and so I can see the data flowing out out from the MCC to the BSP, although it doesn't mean much to my untutored eye (See attached Screen shot).

As an experiment:

I created yet another drum template.
Then I shifted the 'notes' up from current values by two octaves (e.g. C1 to C3) in the block of pads 1, 2, 9 and 10 
I saved that change in the MCC and then hit Store to and sent the drum project to the Working Project in Device Projects.  I also watched the data go from MCC to BSP
However, when I tried the pads (1 & 9 still work) but none of the 4 notes sound out their new values when I tap the pads.
At least pads 1 & 9 now sound out notes, albeit not the ones I hope for. 

Tomorrow, I hope to have an Alesis SR-16 drum machine delivered and the whole point of this exercise has been by way of preparation for changing notes in the BSP to use in the Alesis.

To avoid wasting any more of your time than I need to - I suggest that I wait to get the BSP hooked up to the Alesis and see how I get on with changing the drum sounds on that.

Finally, when I looked at the section in the MCC where I have currently been changing the actual 'Drum Notes' (C1, C3 etc.) I can't see anywhere I could type in the Midi Values for the various drum sounds.  Hoewever, when clicked on the tab in the MCC marked DEVICE SETTINGS . . .  there's a drum map where I can see slots to hold what I take to be midi values (see attachment).  It can't be that easy?

There is also a drop down menu (shown in my attached drum screen shot) giving options of - Custom, Spark, General Midi and Chromatic.  Would I be right in choosing 'General Midi'?

I'll close on that point for now and give you a break.

You can't know how helpful this has been and like many others, I've struggled with the info. in the Arturia manual for the MCC.

I really appreciate your time and your patience.

Best wishes

Rod

[rod24945]

Hello Terry

Please don't panic - there are no more questions!

The Alesis SR-16 arrived yesterday, I set it up ready to accept input from the BSP Drum Controller and to my amazement - all went well.  I even assigned new sounds to the drum pads, saved the template and everything seems to work fine.

I really appreciate your time and the help you offered.  Thanks fro great support.

All the best

Rod Corston

[Terrym]

No problem Rod anytime you have an issue I'm happy to help if i can


Terrym

[rod24945]

Hello again

You're a star

All the best

Rod