Music Lesson: MIDI Mapping and Effects for Drummers

Right, so here we are back inside Live. We've got our drummers on the rack that we've set up.

Overview of Setup

• It's a little bit more refined now.
• We have our separate sounds assigned to different cells.
• We can control them better and add effects to the individual sounds.

I've just plugged in the Novation Control XL, which gives me a whole bunch of extra controls. It sticks to the common eight-track format across MIDI controllers.

Focus on Eight Sounds

We're going to restrict our control to the eight sounds that we want to manage. As a quick reflection, the Drummer's On does have 11 different sounds that it could output. If you want to add more pages or controllers for those sounds, that is possible.

This lesson focuses on those primary eight sounds.

Using Returns: Reverb and Delay

As you remember, we inserted a reverb and a delay on returns. We can send any of the sounds within the drum rack to a reverb or a delay.

Controller Configuration

Now I'm also looking at this and realizing that we have:

• Three knobs
• One fader
• A couple of buttons for each track

We could get really creative, but I'm going to keep it simple.

• I will use the top two rows here as the sends:
  • A for reverb
  • B for delay
• The third knob could be the pan, fitting the intended use for this controller.

Note: The knobs are labeled as Send A, Send B, Pan, and Device on the third row.

Generic MIDI Mapping

We're not using the control script. Instead, we'll use generic MIDI mapping to specify which parameter is assigned to which knob. This way, the mapping won't change if we move around the screen, avoiding the complications of control scripts.

MIDI Mapping Process

Let's get into mapping in the Live window.

1. Open MIDI Mapping Mode.
2. Go straight for these sends:
   • Kick Drum: Send A
   • Hand Clap
   • Low Tom
   • Closed Hat
   • Open Hat
   • Ride Cymbal

After mapping, I'll confirm that the mappings are correctly assigned by moving the parameters.

Adjusting Mapped Parameters

Let's turn all of these down to zero to begin with. We now have access to an extra row. I could assign those to pan, which I might do.

However, kick drums typically don't need much panning. Instead, I'll assign the kick drum to the threshold level of the compressor that I inserted onto that drum cell.

Mapping Additional Parameters

1. Go to MIDI mapping, select the threshold for that compressor, and assign it to the kick drum.
2. This allows access to one of the main controls for the kick drum compressor, a useful effect to manipulate.

Mapping the Snare Drum

For the snare drum, there's a knob called "snappy." This is important, so I'm going to map that as well.

1. Hit the configure button in the Drummer's On instance.
2. Touch the snappy, bringing the parameter down into the configuration panel.
3. MIDI map it to this knob.

Now, going back out of MIDI map mode, I'll check the other sounds.

Finalizing Parameters

I'll map the remaining rows to the pan settings:

• Rim Shot: Pan
• Snare Drum: Assigned to snappy
• Hand Clap: Pan
• Low Tom: Pan
• Closed Hat: Pan
• Open Hat: Pan
• Ride: Pan

This enables positioning of the drum sounds in the stereo field.

Verification and Adjustments

Let's confirm all mappings by checking the threshold and snappy parameters.

It's beneficial to check after mapping in batches. This avoids mistakenly mapping multiple parameters by just glancing at them.

Setting Defaults

Now, with all mapped accordingly:

• The snappy will remain centered.
• The threshold will be set at around -20 dB.

Using Filters

With an extra control row left, I'll assign the faders to a filter instead of volumes. Filters are more evident and allow for creative control over sounds.

1. Drop an auto filter instance onto each track.
2. Map the cutoff frequency to the eight faders for:
   • Kick Drum
   • Rim Shot
   • Snare Drum
   • Clap
   • Low Tom
   • Closed Hat
   • Open Hat
   • Ride

Benefits of Using Filters

• At full, filters don't add coloration and allow volumes to be set accurately.
• When filters are set to the bottom, only the lowest frequencies come through.
• This allows for the effective fading in and out of sounds without adjusting the volume settings.

Demonstrating the Setup

Let me demonstrate how this all works with a quick play on this setup.

Enjoy your drumming!