Yamaha DTXpress/DTXplorer/DTXtreme

Hi Joel,

I'm glad that things are moving along. The GM MIDI sounds that you 
can tap in the DTXpress are standard issue.  You can't augment them 
or add your own samples. But what can you expect from a $500 
percussion module? The sequencing aspect of the DTXPU is a nice 
extra feature, not a substitute for a real working solution. You can 
only use it to obtain MIDI information from another MIDI source so 
that ultimately you can play along with and/or record to it. A synth 
or a soft synth, depending on which ones you use, may have a lot 
more MIDI sounds to offer. You can simply use your computer software 
to do the detailed recording work and generate the sounds that you 
want. Then you can add the percussion by playing your pads. For 
instance, your guitarist, keyboard player, etc., given the right 
equipment and the right software, could record a real-time part into 
your computer that could be mixed later with any MIDI information 
(including drums) that you lay down in the computer's sequencer, 
eventually to create a CD of your work. I'm not up on the 
best/cheapest software and hardware to accomplish all of this, but 
what I'd do at this point is to tell the people who sell you the 
midi cable exactly what your predicament is and ask them what the 
most cost-effective solution is. If you can buy it from them, they 
should be helpful. It's the rare musician or tweaker who doesn't 
like to talk shop. Then if you're working with three other 
musicians, you'll be able to brainstorm the actual song. Hey, what's 
rock n roll--three chords, two verses, a chorus, a break (drum 
preferably), another verse, and a fade?

Ed


--- In DTXpress@yahoogroups.com, "mrjoelroberts <joelsdrums@h...>" 
<joelsdrums@h...> wrote:
> 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