Assigning MPD18 pads to EZDrummer2 sounds/notes

[Stu Kilgour]

I have EZDrummer2 that I trigger with an AKAI MPD18 pad controller – I run it thru Pro Tools 11 on a Mac – OSX 10.9.5 – using the EZDrummer2 as a plug-in on an instrument track in PT11. My question is: How do I assign notes/numbers to the pads – i.e., I want to make pad 1 on the MPD18 trigger the snare on EZDrummer2, and make pad4 trigger the kick drum, etc. I want to customize which pads on the MPD18 trigger certain sounds in EZDrummer2. I know it CAN be done – I’ve found threads that say it can be done, but no one has said HOW it’s done, so far. I need to know how. If I missed an FAQ on this – my apologies – I really tried to drain the FAQ – Thanks

Topic

[Scott]

I believe there is editing software for the Akai controllers.

http://www.akaipro.com/product/mpd18

See the Documents and Download sections.

Scott Sibley - Toontrack
Technical Advisor

[Stu Kilgour]

You rule!!! That was the ticket – or close enough – couldn’t find how to reassign them, but I found a preset config that will do. Thanks a million, Scott – for the fast, helpful and freeing reply One last thing – now NR CONFIG button on the MPD18 is blinking continually – I finished the config thing – saved and uploaded, but it still blinks – even if I shut off the MPD editor 21- any thoughts?

[Scott]

The NR Config has a flashing light by default. This is the tempo that Note Repeat is set to work at. It stands for Note Repeat Config.

Hold the NR Config button down and tap the tempo on PAD 16/Tap Tempo to assign the tempo that you want Note Repeat to sync with.

Hold the Presets button and hit the pad that has the Swing and/or the timing (1/8, 1/16T) value that you want.

Scott Sibley - Toontrack
Technical Advisor

[Stu Kilgour]

Thanks, Scott – I really appreciate the helpful info – I was really stuck on how to make all this happen and you really opened the door. Thanks a million – I hope I can help you in some way sometime

[Scott]

No problem. Let me know if you run into any other trouble.

Scott Sibley - Toontrack
Technical Advisor

[Stu Kilgour]

Hey Scott (or anyone in the know) – I need a good Metal Drums Pak for good, solid, huge rock sound – I’ve listened to all of the metal drums videos from Toontrack but still can’t figure out which one is best. There’s 5 or more of them. Looking for Alex Van Halen, Bonham, Motorhead huge rock sounding kits – not machine-like death metal sound. Any input on which Metal pak sounds like that would be appreciated

[Scott]

I would take a look at the Rock Solid EZX.

Scott Sibley - Toontrack
Technical Advisor

[Matt MacDermaid]

Skilgour, I really am not very good at this whole set up with the manuals. I too am trying to set up to ezdrummer 2 any chance you would be willing to help me?

[Stu Kilgour]

O man – I’m still a neanderthal at this – took me months to get any kind of answers to even be halfway functional. I can tell you that I bought my EZDrummer2 and Akai MPD 18 from Sweetwater, so their support dude got in my computer and set everything up really fast without explaining anything – ha! If you have some kind of support from where you bought EZDrummer and/or your pad controller then check with them. Sorry. I’m using Pro Tools 11 on a Mac – if you are too, lmk where you are in the process (ie, have you been able to install EZDrummer – what pad controller are you using) and I’ll see if I can shed some light. Toontracks support has been helpful, too – and Akai support, but only to a point

[Stu Kilgour]

Woooops – after weeks of successful drumming on my AKAI MPD 18 in Pro Tools 11 on EZDrummer2, suddenly the pad triggers signal is really delayed to the plug-in, i.e., I push the pad and 7 seconds later it finally sounds. It was all fine a couple days ago, but now the huge delay. I’ve tried Track/Low Latency on and off – same with Delay Compensation. Any insights? Here’s my system info

*2013 iMac 27” – Quad Core – 3.2 GHz Intel Core i5
*OS 10.9.5 (Mavericks)
*8 GB RAM installed
*Pro Tools 11
*PT Hardware: Mbox Pro High res 8×8 PT Studio bundle
*Recording to external drive – WD “My Passport” for Mac (1 TB) – playback from same
*Firewire from Mbox Pro thru Thunderbolt adapter to Thunderbolt port on iMac (no other firewire or thunderbolt drives installed or in use on iMac

[Stu Kilgour]

…related to the above post – since the last time I recorded in ProTools I used EZX stand alone mode – would that have messed up the signal to Pro Tools when using it as a plug in? Just wondering

[Stu Kilgour]

[John]

Hi,

if you start a new Pro Tools Session with nothing but a Stereo Instrument Track with EZdrummer 2 inserted, make sure that your hardware buffer size in the Playback Engine is set to 64-128 samples – do you still have a huge delay?

John Rammelt - Toontrack
Technical Advisor

[Stu Kilgour]

Hey John, thanks for the reply 🙂 It may have been a corruption in the Pro Tools file – or I may have set some kind of record option that messed with the way PT recorded, I’m not sure which – but I opened a new file and imported the tracks from the “corrupted” file and it’s fine now. The buffer size hasn’t been an issue, and still isn’t – everything recorded fine except the EZX – but now it’s all good without adjusting the buffering size. I’d never experienced that before, and it’s hasn’t happened in the last several days. So I’m good, thanks for the input 🙂

[John]

Great!

John Rammelt - Toontrack
Technical Advisor

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