Request for Alesis SR16-style switching grooves/variations/patterns A>Afill>B>Bfill

[Wim]

I used to work with my lovely Alesis SR16, perfect for easily getting nice drum patterns to accompany my guitar playing. And the most perfect thing in it has the foot control allowing for super-easy switching between drum patterns (A, fill, B, B fill). Very VERY handy. Very intensively used for live jamming!!!!

And now I am very surprised to learn that the brilliant drum software EZDrummer does NOT have such facility. I then had put my hopes on Solo and Player, but despite their suggestive names, No such functionality is included.
Actually after checking the internet it appears to me that there are NO drum software available that provides for such easy one-click pattern switching!! Only Ableton Live seems to provide something that come close to this…. Completely amazing.

Why does Toontrack not provide a simple facility (like in the hardware SR16, check it out!!!) that allows for 4 pattern “baskets”/”pads” that can be filled with any of EZ’s great drum patterns (grooves/variations) and which pads/baskets can be selected through midi (incl. pedal) or at least through a key on the computer keyboard (e.g. spacebar).

Dear designers, this easy switching between grooves/variations MUST be an easy design thing for you and would immensely increase EZDrummer’s functionality in providing the drums to a live jam session!!! Of course one should also be allowed to save these choices of 4 patterns for the 4 pads so one can recall next time, and one should be able to record the grooves/variations/drum patterns automatically on the fly….

So for you to start: design a simple programme (like Solo and Player, or within these) with 4 “pads”/”baskets” that the user can fill with any of the grooves and variations in EZdrummer (drag&drop) and let the user assign a midi key (e.g. keyboard sustain pedal) to switching between pads (A > A fill > B > B fill > A etc). Remember that (like in SR16) the fill needs to come in ( read: replace the A or B pattern) immediately at the press of the assigned midi key and for the remainder of that pattern/variation! Also if the midi key remains pressed until after the end of the fill, the next pattern is again the previous pattern, so instead of A > A fill > B, one would get A > A fill > A… simple isn’t it. If you’re not sure, read the SR16 Reference Manual downloadable on the internet.

You would do a huge favour to many of us musicians!!!!

Wim Nairobi musician W7, Cubase 5, EZdrummer

Topic

[tvc1598]

Dear Wimus,

I do agree with you. I figured since most Hardware drum machines had this sort of functionality, Toontrack products (even solo or EZplayer would have it) but not really to this extent.

I am bummed, I have utilized Ableton Live for this as well but it doesn’t quite work like I want it to.

It does seem that this would be an easy addition and would make Toontrack software much more user friendly.

Don’t get me wrong Toontrack, I love the sounds but find myself limited in time and would love a simple function like this.. I hesitate buying more kits because it just takes me so long to even program in what I need into Ableton.

What is the possibility of Toontrack building functioning into Solo or Ezplayer like this?

Sincerely,
Andrew Flint

[Rogue]

while (maybe) this is not as accessible or intuitive as you are used to, EZplayer pro can certainly randomize or step through a sequence of patterns or fills using the Arranger layers and tracks (the later can be controlled via MIDI). Again, I’m not saying this goes as far or is as direct as it can be, but those functionality do exist (in EZplayer pro) to an extend.

Rogue Marechal - Toontrack
Configuration Manager

[tvc1598]

This is interesting.. Can you point me to some documentation that shows how this works? I always revisit this very issue and rarely do I find a solution to this very simple request and need. It is almost as if this functionality is avoided or maybe passe’. I have tried other software for this type of solution but again, I always run into a problem trying to interface two programs together or compatibility issues. If I could just pull up Toontrack Solo, throw in a couple of Midi Patterns to a player (and spaces for fills) and program Midi CC or Note values to trigger them, I would be so freaking happy that I would probably buy the entire Toontrack library.. As well, I am sure I could sell Toontrack solutions to several peer musicians who are looking for flexible rhythm control for live performance. I could just buy an SR16 but I would prefer to utilize Toontrack Midi patterns and Fills and I cannot import patterns via USB.

[John]

I think this should be covered in Chapter 4 in the Operation Manual. BR, John

John Rammelt - Toontrack
Technical Advisor

[Joel Katz]

just put up a post and then I saw yours in a search. Any solution?  here’s my post:

Greetings from Maui. I’m playing live gigs here and I would like to use superior drummer patterns, and the great sound, of course. I’d like to be somewhat spontaneous. I am looking for something like the old Alesis drum machines that had A and B pattern variations and a stop start pedal and fill pedal. I’d appreciate any suggestions. Anyone doing this successfully?

• This post was modified 5 years, 8 months ago by Joel Katz.

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