Creating your own drum and bass guitar MIDI file

BeatBuddy Help, Questions and Bugs
1

Hello,

So I’ve been doing some testing today. I created a simple MIDI drum pattern in ProTools and added some MIDI bass guitar. I exported the MIDI file as a 0 type, I then downloaded the Rock_V2_Bass_4_33. And then I added it to the kits in the BBM.

It took several tries at exporting the file, with the parts in the correct place on the MIDI keyboard before I finally could hear both tracks when flown into the BBM. I discovered that if I put my kick on C1 above 0, and the bass guitar on -1 below 0, that everything played correctly. Are these hard fast rules I can use every time I do this?

What I do not understand is what to do about reaching a nice balance between the drum and bass volumes, that I have created or downloaded from the forum. I am guessing that the only way to adjust the volume of both at this point, is to click on the drum set and to adjust the MIDI volumes up or down using the arrow. Correct?

What I’d like to know is how are users perfecting their volumes of MIDI drums and MIDI bass guitar? I wish there was some simpler independent control of each other than within the BBM. Since I am creating these file in PT first and those drums sound different, I cannot hear the end product on the BeatBuddy until after I have flown my MIDI file into the BBM. The volume balance of the drums with the bass seemed ok in PT, but now the drums are too loud in BBM. Question: is the volume control on the BB global controlling both MIDI drum and MIDI bass guitar? I am guessing it is global on all MIDI output. Is the only other way is to go back and adjust the volume in PT export it again and keep trying? I wish there was a more streamlined way of doing this. How to match my created drum volumes with the prerecorded drum beats already in the BB. I wish that all of the creation and editing of drum parts, could all take place within the BBM instead of having to fly the MIDI parts into my DAW and then fly them back into the BBM.

I can almost see that I could to do without the Aeros looper if I did the bass and drums and put the files on the BB sd card. But I can also see where having the looper with prerecorded bass etc would give me easier access to volumes on the Aeros and BB keeping the parts separate into two devices. That way I wouldn’t have to mess with the velocities/volumes within the drum kit in the BBM.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks
Clint

2

Since midi volume is not available as a control in a midi file for BB, you are limited to adjusting volume with individual instrument volume in the BB drum kit, and, with midi velocity. I generally use midi velocity, and then check volume output with meters in my interface software. However, since Focusrite simplified their software, i now just check the volume with DAW output meters, and then, if its too loud, I’ll go into the kit and start making adjustments. Then, i may save the kit with a new name to keep that kit. Please search my tutorial on renaming drumkits, as its not as simple as just giving the file a new name.

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