Programming the BeatBuddy

BeatBuddy Help, Questions and Bugs
#1

So… I think I unterstand the basics of the BB manager software.

The thing I struggle with is the process of how to create beats for a song.
I can copy files back and forth between the SD card and my DAW, but since the DAW doesn’t use the same drum samples as the Beat Buddy, what you create is not really what you get once you play things back on the BB.

While it’s doable to edit an existing beat and sort of get an idea what the result could be, I haven’t found an easy way to create songs from scratch.

I have a pad controller and a DAW that would allow easy beat creation. If the BB could be hooked up via MIDI in a way that I could use it as an external instrument, I could program some patterns that way. If I understand things correctly, with the current firmware MIDI is only used to sync, it can’t read note infos.

Has anybody been successful with song creation beyond just doing basic editing to the existing material? If so, could you please elaborate - either here or even better - with a youtube video?

#2

Hmm… I think this is a really basic question. Could somebody from the BB team comment here?

#3

Yes, I have; the process took a while with lots of experimentation. I’m not sure what info you require though as every DAW is different, Basically you need to:

1.Create a midi file that will loop successfully using the general midi standard. This is more difficult than it sounds unless you will be quantising the beats.
For the bass drum not to be triggered twice you need to ensure that you remove the the last one or that it triggers after the beat.
2. Then you create fills and any other parts required and then export them as a midi file.
3. Create a new song and load those midi files into their respective parts e.g Intro or fill. You can then export the song as an “sng” file to save it in a “library of songs” or synchronise to the BB to have it appear on the device.

Below is the GM standard used in the Beatbuddy

BB Standard Kit
33 A0 Metronome
36 C1 Kick Drum
37 C#1 Cross Stick
38 D1 Snare
39 D#1 Handclaps
42 F#1 Hi-Hats Closed
43 G1 Tom 4 (Floor)
44 G#1 Foot Hi-hat
45 A1 Tom 3 (Low)
46 A#1 Hi-Hat Open
48 C2 Tom 2 (Hi-Mid)
49 C#2 Crash Cymbal 1
50 D2 Tom 1 (High)
51 D#2 Ride Cymbal
53 F2 Ride C. Bell
55 G2 Splash 1
57 A2 Crash Cymbal 2
59 B2 Splash 1

#4

Psalm40’s post is really good. Could we please make it a “sticky” on the forum? :smiley:

#5

Maybe it is not the case for everyone who are struggling with the inconsistent note# of drums.

The default tick of my MIDI editor is 960.
Once I change the default to 480, everything goes OK.
The successful combination of the parameters of MIDI in my case is as follows.

MIDI tick 480
MIDI0
Merge every truck to track1

If you screwed up with note#, try it !
Good luck !

Tasuku
A Big Fan of BeatBuddy in Japan.

1 Like
#6

Hi Psalm40, could you post a list like the one you posted (down here) but for the other BB kits?
As an example: I’ve tried to play a MIDI file latin included in the BB and it sounds a bit weird.

Thanks for the list!

Regards,
Diego.

Below is the GM standard used in the Beatbuddy

BB Standard Kit
33 A0 Metronome
36 C1 Kick Drum
37 C#1 Cross Stick
38 D1 Snare
39 D#1 Handclaps
42 F#1 Hi-Hats Closed
43 G1 Tom 4 (Floor)
44 G#1 Foot Hi-hat
45 A1 Tom 3 (Low)
46 A#1 Hi-Hat Open
48 C2 Tom 2 (Hi-Mid)
49 C#2 Crash Cymbal 1
50 D2 Tom 1 (High)
51 D#2 Ride Cymbal
53 F2 Ride C. Bell
55 G2 Splash 1
57 A2 Crash Cymbal 2
59 B2 Splash 1
[/QUOTE]

#7

By the way, did you know you can easily find out such list of notes yourself by using BBManager?
Here goes my picture I’ve linked a dozen times:

Open Drum Sets tab in Project Explorer in BBManager.
Choose the drumset you wish to find by double-clicking it.
Scroll the main area, read the headers.

38 - Snare means MIDI note 38 (called Snare in BBManager) is bound.

#8

Hi Psalm40, would it be possible to post a sample MIDI file you’ve created?

I’m interested in creating my own MIDI files and it’d be helpful to see an example, if you don’t mind?

thanks,
Mike

#9

I should have said "could you post a MIDI file for use within BB that uses it’s proprietary GM standard mapping for looping, please?

#10

Psalm40 is on a vacation now. There are a lot of MIDI files in the content. You can use them as a sample.
By the way, you used two contradicting terms “standard” and “proprietary” in conjunction towards GM mapping - so what did you really mean to say?

BeatBuddy uses a completely GM standard compliant mapping scheme, simply not all the MIDI notes are supported (or covered with sample WAV files). Latin kit is the only exception to this rule.

#11

Thanks. I’ve just wandered over to some of the other forum areas and spotted the .sng files.
I’m still discovering whats on the forum as I want to make beats in odd time signatures.
Writing something now in 6/4 for example.

I guess it’s time to explore the “BEATS” section of the forum?

Sorry about my contradictory jargon, I had just picked up in earlier threads about using the correct channel number (36) for kick drums and the limitied Drum map available. That’s all.

M.

#12

When you gonna release complete version of BB manager software
Gm Standard work very well
but elecktro kit don’t work
percussion kit don’t work
hippot kit work
in groove agent one in cubase 5 GR
please answer me please

#13

I am not sure what you are talking about, as BeatBuddy doesn’t currently have a ‘hippo’ kit. I know nothing about either groove agent one or cubase 5, and as far as I know these things are not supported at the moment.

Do you really mean that you have problems with some drumsets of the BBManager? Can you please be more specific if that is the case.

Regarding the complete version of BB manager software, current Windows version is pretty much “complete” in the sense it allows you to manipulate with the pedal content - create new beats, .
Manager software should be treated as a work in progress - there are always features that would be great to have (like internal MIDI editor), and I think eventually it will have them all.

By the way, what features do you feel would be the most necessary for you?

#14

Guitar Stu shared his midi’s …if this helps you .

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/8ftsey8giq181xg/AACMzNyvGkAVksYD2zW30TaXa?dl=0

#15

what about if I create a beat in another beat maker software the I exported as a midi file and then imported to the BB software? I’ve already try but even tho I’ve successfully insert the parts for the sing no sound can be listen when I play the BB son whit the virtual pedal…
can any some one please help? thanks very much

#16

You can use any MIDI creation software. Just make sure that the MIDI files are mapped to the standard MIDI drum map. If the MIDI files are mapped correctly, and there are still issues, upload the files you created, and we’ll try to figure out together what’s going wrong.

#17

oh ok that may be the reason why I am not getting any sound in the beat buddy software
I’ll make the changes to the correct midi notes let’s see how that goes between the pedal and the foot switch along with the software are amazing easy to control and very helpful when performing alone, best ever device out the market!!!