Simmons SD7k, Garage Band and MIDI input on Channel 10

Question

Simmons SD7k, Garage Band and MIDI input on Channel 10

Hi all,
I have a set of Simmons SD7k electronic drums and I'm having trouble creating a MIDI track with GarageBand. I've checked them using Audio MIDI Setup, and everything on the MIDI side is fine, so I'm pretty sure this is a GarageBand issue.

The drums are pinned to send MIDI information on Channel 10 (the Drums and Percussion channel). I can't change this setting. From what I can tell based on tons of googling, GarageBand will only record MIDI information on Channel 1.

So my two questions:
Is this correct? Will GarageBand only pick up MIDI information on Channel 1
and
If so, is there anything I can use to get my Channel 10 drum information into GarageBand?

BTW, I've tried a program called MIDI PatchBay, but it didn't seem to solve the problem (or I was using it incorrectly).

Thanks everyone!

Don

MacBook & MacBook Pro, Mac OS X (10.5.6)

Posted on Feb 12, 2009 12:00 PM

Reply

Answer 1

HangTime

Level 9

53,853 points

Feb 12, 2009 12:56 PM in response to dbrowningverisign

you might try MIDIPipe

Reply

Answer 2

Feb 12, 2009 1:51 PM in response to HangTime

My bad for the cross-post.

I tried MIDIPipe, but I seem to get the same results I got with MIDI Patchbay. I told it to remap channel 10 to channel 1, but still no go. The MIDI information is making its way to GB, but it's not mapping to sound for the drumkits.

Its odd. I crank up MIDIPipe, set up the channel mapping and GB sees 1 MIDI input. Then I plug in the drumset, and GB sees two MIDI inputs. From what I can tell there is no way to choose one MIDI input over another, and it seems like GB is choosing to use the drums directly rather than MIDIPipe.

Thanks for the suggestion.. any others? :S

Reply

Answer 3

poflynn

Level 4

1,303 points

Feb 12, 2009 2:06 PM in response to dbrowningverisign

Couldn't you just record the SD7k sounds by connecting it as a Real Instrument? (Of course then you couldn't edit the MIDI data as it would be an audio track).

Reply

Answer 4

Feb 12, 2009 2:47 PM in response to dbrowningverisign

So the correct notes are getting to GB, but not playing the correct sounds?

This means that you need to change the note mapping, not the channel mapping.

Can you change the note the Simmons sends? Heck, even my Roland TR-505 can do that!

Reply

Answer 5

Feb 12, 2009 3:04 PM in response to dbrowningverisign

poflynn: yep, that's what I'm doing right now. It works, but I really want to take advantage of having the MIDI data.

Keith:
That's a good idea, I'll check. Honestly, I was looking for ways to change the note mappings on the kits in GB and not the other way around. I'll give your idea a shot. I'm not sure if the Simmons can do it but I'll find out.

Thanks all.

Reply

Answer 6

Feb 12, 2009 4:09 PM in response to dbrowningverisign

I believe that you can change the mapping of the GB drum kit, but then you would have to change it for *every single GB kit.* Since GB cannot send Midi-out, it is probably easier to do it on the input side, not the GB side.

Reply

Answer 7

billjv

Level 1

8 points

Mar 1, 2009 6:41 AM in response to Keith Barkley

Hi,

Keith is right, it's easier to map the SD7K drums than to try to map all of the different receiving programs (in your case, Garage Band). I created a mapping list that may be helpful - this shows the SD7K voice number that corresponds to the MIDI note number. With this you can map the MIDI note number to the individual drum you want to play the sound from. Remember that you can only store the mappings on the SD7K to kit 21 or above - (the user kits).

For example, I stored a kit to program 21 that maps all of the drums and cymbals to corresponding General MIDI note numbers, so now I can play General MIDI drums (like you are SUPPOSED to do out of the box, supposedly!) with the kit. I also created another user kit to program 22 that uses the drum pads for open and closed hi-hat (because the hi-hat cannot be programmed/mapped correctly with the right open/closed sounds with the SD7K - apparently the way they do it with their sounds is propriatary, because I tried everything and couldn't map it correctly).

Anyway, here's my key:

SD7K drum note | MIDI note
1 = a-1
2 = a#-1
3 = b-1
4 = c0
5 = c#0
6 = d0
7 = d#0
8 = e0
9 = f0
1.0 – f#0
1.1 = g0
1.2= g#0
1.3 = a0
1.4 = a#0
1.5 = b0
1.6 = c1
1.7 = c#1
1.8 = d1
1.9 = d#1
2.0 = e1
2.1 = f1
2.2 = f#1
2.3 = g1
2.4 = g#1
2.5 = a1
2.6 = a#1
2.7 = b1
2.8 = c2
2.9 = c#2
3.0 = d2
3.1 = d#2
3.2 = e2
3.3 = f2
3.4 = f#2
3.5 = g2
3.6 = g#2
3.7 = a2
3.8 = a#2
3.9 = b2
4.0 = c3
4.1 = c#3
4.2 = d3
4.3 = d#3
4.4 = e3
4.5 = f3
4.6 = f#3
4.7 = g3
4.8 = g#3
4.9 = a3
5.0 = a#3
5.1 = b3
5.2 = c4
5.3 = c#4
5.4 = d4
5.5 = d#4
5.6 = e4
5.7 = f4
5.8 = f#4
5.9 = g4
6.0 = g#4
6.1 = a4
6.2 = a#4
6.3 = b4
6.4 = c5
6.5 = c#5
6.6 = d5
6.7 = d#5
6.8 = e5
6.9 = f5
7.0 = f#5
7.1 = g5
7.2 = g#5
7.3 = a5
7.4 = a#5
7.5 = b5
7.6 = b6

Good luck!

Reply