Best way to record v-drums with a laptop

  • Thread starter Thread starter Rickson Gracie
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Rickson Gracie

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Ok, i have the v-drums TD-6 model. I have a P-4 laptop with a USB2 card. I originally tried MIDIing the V-drums brain to the laptop with USB1 and the latency was ridiculously bad. At that time i was using fruityloops but now i have m-box (w/pro tools le) and a USB2 card that I needed for my external drive. Are there USB2 MIDI adapters? Will the latency be better? How exactly do I make this all work for me?

Will it be easier to just record my drum parts with the brain and then just play that part into the m-box as audio(this is what i have been doing with pretty decent success but it does sound a little fake sometimes)? is there a better way?????

should i just scrap the whole thing and get some real drums and mic then through a small mixer to 2 channels? (expensive and loud)

i know a lot of questions but i really need your help...thanks!
 
ill tell you up front as i'm a puter engr. i dont like usb.
also too many folks have problems with it. its ok for low volume
needs like say a mouse but for a daw the demands are stricter.
if the usb protocol goes thru another iteration say usb 3 if it were to come out which realised faster data throughput rates i might change my mind.
i think you have two possible solutions. either record the vdrums as proper audio tracks being played in real time OR midi input in real time.
im no midi expert, and i dont know your particular laptop but i'm sure you can use another port on your laptop that connects with midi ports. i would talk via email with some of the on line retailers like zzounds and sweetwater
and many others as the whole midi adaptor field changes, and i dont keep up every week with the new stuff. you might also try pro tools tech support people or maudio and see what they suggest. what you want ideally
i guess is a couple of midi in ports on the laptop and a few midi outs to allow for future expansion maybe ?
being a drummer you might also find this interesting.
the free hotstepper for pc that will let you sequence any samples
you have. ie: you could sample v drum sounds on the pc then use hotstepper to sequence the sounds. then export as a stereo mix into pro tools LE. if you need a superb midi sequencer (that i use - 48 tracks)
try the demo of powertracks at pgmusic.com. this is a bery extensive midi sequencer with a lot of interesting features like midi event editing, notation, recording etc etc.
 
thanks manning1, i would like to play into the laptop the drum part through midi and then edit and quantize the parts in the computer. does hotstepper do that? i keep hearing good stuff about "drum kit from hell." i would like to maybe use those sounds too and then import the whole piece into pro tools. is that do-able??
 
rickson. powertracks will let you record your midi vdrum tracks IF YOU HAVE A MIDI ADAPTOR ON YOUR LAPTOP which you will have to get. ask pg music if they have one. i seem to remember they used to sell one. . just try the
free demo on your pc. i think youll be impressed.
hotstepper does not do that. it only sequences AUDIO WAVE SAMPLES you import into it on your pc. you dont play into it in REAL TIME> check it out though - very addictive.
by the way i try my level best to help people on this bbs.
i get thanks but rarely does anyone click the scales thingy - boo hoo !! - on the upper rhs of my post. time challenged i guess.
if drum kit from hells sound samples are in standard wave format you could import them into any of pro tools, hotstepper or powertracks.
i build drum tracks all the time in powertracks. heres how i do it.
i'll get a beat (in wave format) - say two bars worth - import into powertracks then slice it around the way i want or copy and paste it X - ie as many times as i want.
peace.
 
rickson i did some google searches and i suggest you do the same.
specifically i looked for midi interfaces for laptop not using usb.
as this has changed over the years.
for example there are interfaces for midi that will use other ports on a computer. but i would need to know what other ports you have on that laptop of yours. for example if your not using the printer.
if you ARE this might be an inconvenience to you in plugging/unplugging.
it DOES seem that all these midi devices have gone over to the usb
solution. but youve already had probs with that, BUT all is not lost it seems midi in/out solutions are still available for other ports on a pc.
frankly i'm no midi interface expert (more a play it live and record guy), and i would advise you ask pg tech support and the users on the powertracks forum at pg.
i'm sure they will have a good solution as these people are way way more experienced in the latest midi gadgets that are available than i am.
i did see however searching google that there did seem to be non usb solutions available by vendors such as portman and opcode.
or you could take a gamble on a return it if your not happy basis and try a
usb to midi ports convertor solution.
there are hundreds of sites dealing with usb and midi it seems.
but seriously - my first email request for info would be pg tech support.
ive found them extremely knowledgeable.
peace.
 
cool thanks....i have another usb and a new usb2 so ill have to look into it. maybe on the midi board i guess. thanks again.
 
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