Yamaha DTXpress/DTXplorer/DTXtreme

Hi Ed,

Thanks so much for that, very much aprreciated.  I think I understand 
the basic MIDI concepts now, its about signals not sounds etc.  I'm 
going to go to my local music store on saturday and get a MIDI 
cable.  I have to produce something independently, but I'm working 
closely with two guitarists and a classical musician.  It just really 
annoys me that when I asked 'should I do music I only play drums?' I 
was promised I could work on drums, and now I can't.  Anyway, thats a 
bit irrelevant.  

I understand that you can only use the 128 midi sounds provided? Is 
that right? I know how to access them on my DTXpress, and they all 
sound a bit cheesy.  Is there anyway of using/downloading other MIDI 
voices?  It has to be a 'rock' song.  Could my guitarist record say, 
a C chord into the computer that i could transfer to my DTXpress?  I 
have a scaled down version of Pro Tools and E-magic (Logic Audio) to 
work with.  I just need a suggestion of the best way of doing it 
really.  Thanks again, really appreciated,

Joel

--- In DTXpress@yahoogroups.com, "liberatusvirus 
<liberatusvirus@y...>" <liberatusvirus@y...> wrote:
> Hi Joel,
> 
> I feel for you, but you should have time to put something melodic 
> together using the voices on the DTXpress and/or those on a 
computer 
> soundcard or sequencing software. But you'll need to learn MIDI 
> basics first. The DTXpress isn't really a melodic device per se, 
> though you can trigger melodic material by hitting pads. Here's a 
> link to information that will get you started. It will give you 
> enough background to ask musicians and digital mavens closer to 
your 
> orbit for specific help and to get the feel of using equipment by 
> yourself without freaking out. Go to 
> http://www.tweakheadz.com/how_to%20articles.html. In the sidebar to 
> the left on the home page, you'll notice that the top link is to an 
> article for MIDI newbies. Read it, get the equipment that it 
> recommends for your computer (don't worry, it can be cheap), and 
> make sounds. What you should be able to do in crash-course time is 
> compose a melody of some sort(as simple or as complex as you need) 
> on the computer software (sequencer), record it as a user song on 
> the DTXPU on one track, and then figure out a drum part for it. 
That 
> drum part could include up to three other short melodic phrases, 
> triggered by your pads, also composed on the sequencer. You can 
even 
> record yourself playing it on your song's second track. That should 
> impress the examiner.
> 
> After or during the learning process, I'm sure that members of this 
> group will be able to give you tips and answer particular 
questions. 
> But making, and understanding, the MIDI connection to your computer 
> is essential. And it wouldn't hurt to have a friend for moral, if 
> not technical, support, whether musically inclined or not. Do you 
> think that you could team up with someone else in the class and do 
> the project together?
> 
> I hope this helps a little bit. You can use your pads and module to 
> make music, but you'll need a little external musical information 
to 
> finish the job.
> 
> Ed
> 
> 
> --- In DTXpress@yahoogroups.com, "mrjoelroberts <joelsdrums@h...>" 
> <joelsdrums@h...> wrote:
> > hi,
> > 
> > i am doing GCSE music (dont know the american equivelant, its 
> > important though, im 15, do the exam when i'm 16).  anyway, i 
took 
> > this after being told that I could do basically all the work on 
> > drums, it was a very open ocurse etc.  8 weeks into it, it has 
> been 
> > all melody work.  Now, I have to compose a melodic piece, and I 
> have 
> > 2 weeks.  I only play drums, and I was talking to this guy that 
> works 
> > with 6 of us musicians that don't play classical like the rest of 
> the 
> > class, and we think that i can put chords and a bassline on my 
> kit.  
> > Am I right? can i put a bassline on my bass drum that changes 
> every 
> > time I hit it? can i put a chord on, say, my snare? how do I do 
> this? 
> > can I change the voices? Can I record guitar voices from the 
> computer 
> > onto my kit? where could I get these? Can I change the length of 
> each 
> > note etc? Does MIDI help? If so, explain it like your talking to 
a 
> > dummy because I dont have a clue about MIDI.  Sorry for all the 
> > questions but its a vital piece of work.  PLEASE HELP!
> > 
> > Joel