This has bugged me as well. I finally figured one way out, but it’s a pain and you don’t have the flexibility to change drum kits on the fly. Here’s the “abridged” version of the steps involved (I’m assuming you have the manual, so the page numbers from the manual are listed below for all the buttons that need to be pushed):
First you need to copy the preset patterns to a user pattern so you’re able to edit it (Page 62 in the manual).
For example, copy preset patterns 1, 2, 3, and 4 to user patterns 401, 402, 403, and 404 respectively. So now
Pattern 1 and 401 = Original
Pattern 2 and 402 = Fill to Variation
Pattern 3 and 403 = Variation
Pattern 4 and 404 = Fill to Original
Then you need to change the drum kit for each user pattern (401-404) individually to the drum kit you want. (Page 59). For example, change it from drum kit 9 (BIG), which was the preset kit, to drum kit 3 (Power) (or whatever kit you want) which you will then save as the drum kit for user patterns 401-404.
Then you need to set up the Original/Fill/Variation patterns (Page 61). This is where you input which pattern is the original, variation and the 2 fills. When specifying the pattern (I used the numeric pad as opposed to the spinner knob because it’s quicker as the user presets don’t start until 401) don’t forget to hit “enter” after each selection or it won’t save it when you toggle to the next input. That isn’t in the manual as I learned. So in this example you would set 401 to original, 402 to fill to variation, etc. as listed above. Once this is done:
Set it to pattern 401 (The “O” thingy should appear by the pattern number, meaning you can do the fills, etc.), press start, and you can use the forward/rewind/play buttons etc. to select the patterns with the drum kit you selected above.
This is where the limitation comes in just like the preset patterns – even if you change the drum kit while it’s playing your new user patterns (401
-404), as soon as you hit the button to do a fill etc., it goes back to the kit you saved with the pattern. Not very flexible in this respect as you have to change each drum kit on all four patterns to hear what it sounds like for a single drum kit. This really cuts down on the spontaneity and doesn’t even let you preview the whole thing on the drum kit of your choice without going through all those steps. I would have thought there could be an easier way.
Piece of cake, right???!?!?!?!?!???? I don’t think so……..Oh well….It’s still a pretty cool box o’ sounds!!!!
Anyways, hope that all makes sense. Feel free to e-mail me with any questions, although I’m pretty new to this
DR770 as well. I’m slowly learning this MIDI thing and that will ultimately be the best way to get the most out of this box, for me at least.
So, that’s all I could figure out…. If anyone has a better way, please let us know!
Enjoy,
Wish
www.mp3.com/IWish
