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Conference napalm::commusic_v1

Title:	* * Computer Music, MIDI, and Related Topics * *
Notice:	Conference has been write-locked. Use new version.
Moderator:	DYPSS1::SCHAFER

Created:	Thu Feb 20 1986
Last Modified:	Mon Aug 29 1994
Last Successful Update:	Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:	2852
Total number of notes:	33157

153.0. "JLC MIDI Drumslave" by SIVA::FEHSKENS () Mon Sep 23 1985 20:15

Just got a neat interface product, the JLCooper MIDI drumslave.  This is
a 19" rack mount unit (single height) with no front panel controls.  The back
has inputs for a dozen or so Simmons (or equivalent) pads, labeled with
drum sound names (e.g., bass, snare, lo tom, mid tom, hi tom, ride, cowbell,
etc.)., and a MIDI port.  It converts an incoming trigger pulse from the pad
(s) into a MIDI note on WITH VELOCITY information (i.e., it's dynamic).
Plug it into your TR707 and you can play the 707 from your Simmons pads.
And by gosh, it really works.  There are a few wierdnesses (you are limited to
4 pad to note assignment schemes, only one of which is compatible with the
707, but you can reprogram the 707 (and 727) note assignments - can't do same
for a TR909, so the drumslave is of limited use interfacing to a 909;  you
have to open up the box and twiddle some trimmers to set pad sensitivity,
etc.)., but overall it's pretty neat.


len.

T.R	Title	User	Date	Lines
153.1		EDISON::SPEED	`Tue Oct 01 1985 19:34`	4
	Is there a way to record (via MIDI) a performance generated using the Simmons pads as real time inputs? Sounds easier than tapping buttons... Derek
153.2		SIVA::FEHSKENS	`Wed Oct 02 1985 10:54`	3
	re .1: yes, just plug the MIDI output of the Drumslave into a sequencer; the sequencer will record the emitted note-ons. This allows for subsequent reasignment of voices, time correction, overdubbing, etc.
153.3		EDISON::SPEED	`Wed Oct 02 1985 12:58`	4
	Neat!! Have you tried it yet with your MSQ100? If so, how well does it work? Derek
153.4		SIVA::FEHSKENS	`Thu Oct 03 1985 18:44`	5
	Nope, haven't tried it yet, but I have no reason to believe it won't work. I will try it tonight though, just to be sure. I usually just program the drum machines in step mode, as I've gotten pretty good at it. len.
153.5		SIVA::FEHSKENS	`Thu Oct 10 1985 17:09`	29
	I actually tried this a while ago, but only just now remembered I promised to report on how it worked. Yes, if you plug the Drumslave MIDI out into an MSQ-100, the MSQ-100 faithfully records whatever you play on the pads plugged into the Drumslave. As fast as I could play (e.g., 16th note triplets at 140 BPM). It faithfully records all uncleanness too! The only problem I've had is a tendency for the Drumslave to multiply trigger on the bass drum pad input (i.e., send a flurry of "note on"s for nominally one beater stroke). I think this a consequence of a poorly controlled foot combined with too high a senstivity on that channel, although turning down the sensitivity seems to only lower the volume, not eliminate the multitriggering. I wonder about it being my foot's problem as my SDS-8 "brain" doesn't exhibit the same behaviour. It seems to work OK when I hit it with a stick, so maybe there's something about my pedal/ beater (I'm using a hard felt beater) combination. The TR707 responds arbitrarily fast, and it just truncates the sound on repeated notes, so you get a bass drum with a very prominent attack (like a loud click) because all the attacks except the last one "stack up" after one another. I wish I had a 'scope to look at some of the waveforms here so I could confirm this theorizing. Maybe the SDS-8 is doing the same thing (if it's the pad/beater/pedal/foot's problem) but I just don't hear it beacuse the -8's bass (as I configure it) has much less of an attack transient than the -707 (whose bass drum sounds have a pretty substantial "slap"). Any other theories? len.
153.6	$$$$$$$$$	FRSBEE::ROLLA	`Tue Feb 10 1987 15:13`	0
153.7	????????????	FRSBEE::ROLLA	`Tue Feb 10 1987 15:16`	7
	Len How much for this Drum Slave ? and have you ever plugged it into a midi keyboard. I wonder if you could program a keyboard to play with this thing. Sounds interesting... Mike
153.8	Land of confusion	BARNUM::RHODES	`Tue Feb 10 1987 16:17`	19
	Yea, I have had my eye on Len's drumslave for awhile, but haven't had the cash. Casio just came out with a pad-to-MIDI converter listing for $299, so I called them up and ordered a catalog to get more info. They have also come out with pads. I am specifically interested in driving my TR505, DX100, and even MIDIverb with my Simmons pads, but would also like to drive the Simmons brain via MIDI though I'm not sure that that's worth the additional cost (I'd have to buy the Simmons MIDI interface at about $400). To further complicate things, I keep thinking of uses for an Roland Octapad and like the idea of being able to save pad/midi configurations to memory. So, I here I stand rather confused. Maybe I'll just spend some money to build myself the acoustic set that I've always wanted using rototoms... Todd. PS: to answer your question, you can drive your MIDI synth with the Drumslave, however you must supply your own Simmons compatible pads.
153.9	DrumSlave For Sale	DRUMS::FEHSKENS	`Tue Feb 17 1987 12:55`	13
	I no longer have any use for my Drumslave, as my Octapad does everything it does, and more, better. It's been sitting unused for about a year. I'll let it go for $200 to the first person to ask for it. Incidentally, the bass drum problem is a consequence of just too strong a pulse from the bass drum pad when hit by a beater driven by my foot. I solved that problem by putting a volume control on the bass drum pad output. The DrumSlave works by scanning its inputs at some rate, and when you sock the bass drum pad the output stays high enough long enough to get picked up by multiple drumslave scans. len.