Noob question - Different types of MIDI? (Resolved)

[btrain]

Apologies for a truly noob question, but I'm very new to the whole business of recording music and I haven't been able to find an answer here or elsewhere. For logistical reasons, the computer I use to record (an ancient MacBook) is not the computer I use to mix (a slightly younger iMac).

In an attempt not to choke the MacBook, I set up MT PowerDrums on it. (I'm using Yamaha e-drums.) PowerDrums is pretty lightweight, and seems to work OK. However, I can't get any of the SampleTank instruments to output any audio on that track. It works fine with MODO bass, which is an interesting bit of audio, but none of the instruments in ST3 or ST4 will output any audio.

Is there a qualitative difference in the MIDI audio recorded via PowerDrums and what SampleTank expects? I will try to see if the MacBook can handle running SampleTank, but am hoping that I can at least learn why my naive assumption that MIDI is MIDI is apparently wrong.

Thanks.

[DarkStar]

Hello btrain and welcome to the forum

For info:
The MT Power Drum Kit Sampler is a VST / AU plug=in. It differs from other, expensive drum samplers in that we have already pre-processed the sounds with compressors and EQs to make them a perfect fit for any mix.

Its drum note map seems to be based on the General MIDI standard for drums, with some differences.

There is no essential difference between the MIDI expected by MT PowerDrums and by SampleTank, other than the actual MIDI notes sent to each plug-in.

Please record some MIDI from the Yamaha in your DAW and have a look at what MIDI channel the notes are on. I am going to guess that it is10 (the General MIDI standard). My second guess is that MT Power Drums ignores the MIDI channel or accepts MIDI on channel 10.

In SampleTank make sure that you load the drum kit instrument into the slot for that MIDI channel (10) or drag the Channel number up on the slot where the drum kit it loaded to change it.



I do not know the drum note map for SampleTank kits so you may need to experiment to find out how to program the e-drums to trigger the correct sounds / articulations. I do not think that it will be the same as for MT PD.

[btrain]

Every day is indeed a school day. I've been a garage-band musician for decades, but only recently started to record one-man-band videos to keep myself occupied. With every new thing I learn, the pile of things I don't know seems to get larger.

Thanks for your response, as changing the MIDI channel to 10 was exactly the right thing. Next up: remap some of the MIDI output to the ones that correspond to what will work in SampleTank.

Thanks for your patience and for your help.

[DarkStar]

Good oh

In the old days (SampleTank 2) the drum kits used either General MIDI mapping or Sonic Reality's iMap. I reckon that that is stil the case.