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Hey guys and gals,

I'm looking to get some triggers so I can play some beats or w/e and then on the computer assign some samples to each trigger or manipulate the sounds on the computer or use it with Reason or something.

Basically this is a way to stop programming drums and save money on getting an e-kit. Also I could have a lot more sound options then an e-kit if it works properly.

So I get triggers...they are connected to some kind of equipment that is connected to my computer. I record midi...so on the midi matrix or w.e its called there are bars drawn from w.e I played.

And then I can change the sounds.

Could I do this? How do I do this? Would any of you know? Does any of that make sense? Please help me.

Comments

pr0gr4m Sun, 03/30/2008 - 16:06

6APTAWEB wrote: Could I do this?

Absolutely

6APTAWEB wrote: Does any of that make sense?

Absolutely

6APTAWEB wrote: How do I do this? - Please help me.

Here goes...

Triggers are the first step. You can buy them or make them. I've picked up old electric drum pads over the years and also have a Roland Ocatpad. Making a trigger is super-simple. There are tons of tutorials on the net that explain how to do it with simple radio shack components.

With something like an Octapad or DrumKat you can set each pad to trigger a certain MIDI note. You can also set up velocity sensitivity for each pad. I would imagine that the newer stuff allows you to use different MIDI channels per pad per velocity and all sorts of MIDI wickedness. My stuff is old so it's one pad/one note.

If you just buy triggers you need a way to convert the trigger to MIDI data. Drum brains do that sort of thing. But there are some other alternatives. One of the most commonly used devices for this are the Alesis D4 and D5 drum machines. Basically they are rack mount drum modules that have trigger inputs. They also have a MIDI in and out. You can use the triggers to play the internal drum sounds on them or you can configure the triggers to send a MIDI message via the MIDI out to whatever device your heart desires. With this, you are basically just getting MIDI note/velocity data. If you want to do more you may want to take a different route.

The alternative to all of this would be to get some sort of MIDI controller. It can be a keyboard controller or maybe just a pad controller. Several of the keyboard variety are more than just keyboards. They have knobs, sliders and drum pads to control all sorts of MIDI devices and data. Then there are the pad controllers like the Trigger Finger that have a grid of pads which are fully programmable and can control all sorts of different MIDI data.

Basically, what you want to do can be done in a few different ways and can be done on the cheap.

anonymous Sun, 03/30/2008 - 20:49

Thank you very much. The problem with the sound modules is that I'm paying for the internal sounds when I don't really need them.

Is there just something I could use to get the triggers to send a midi signal to whatever program I'd be using.

This seems like it might be the right thing...

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or this

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