Drum synth 2.90 the good and the bad

simon harris wrote:Drum synths sounds can not be layered with samples.
Drum synths should be called up WITHIN a layer
You can't mix drum synths and samples within the same kit AT ALL?
EDIT DRUM MAP doesn't work
Why have another mixer which is now not accessible with a button like before,
Can't access the new drum FX for use with your samples, really not good.
You can't flatten pads, oh no..

All these issues are due to drumsynth effectively being a 'bolt on' to the existing system, it's just a port of the AIR Music drum synth 500. The MPC architecture is not designed to mix different program types within the same program (i.e. adding a plugin to a pad, etc), the drumsynth effectively works independently of everything else. This is why you can't share the FX and mixer.

I completely agree with your observations, it would definitely be worth sending your thoughts to Akai, but what you are talking about is probably going to require some serious re-structuring of the entire firmware, ATM Akai seem to prefer the 'bolt on' option. But the original drumsynth 500 does appear to have note map editing and an integrated sampler channel so it seems some stuff has just be stripped out.

No choke groups

I agree, odd oversight, I wonder if they are present in the original drumsynth from Air? workaround is to turn off 'one shot' on the open hat, but you do have to ensure the open hat is held 'note on' style for the desired duration.

CharlesRandolph wrote:Has anyone actually made music with the DRUM SYNTH?

I made a cheesy little house beat the other night with it. It wasn't much fun. Having to switch tracks to jump to different drum sounds just does not work with on the fly techno jamming. Its too bad its another crappy AIR port, if they would've done it right, it would've worked like a drum program and would have all been one one track.

Monotremata wrote:I made a cheesy little house beat the other night with it. It wasn't much fun. Having to switch tracks to jump to different drum sounds just does not work with on the fly techno jamming. Its too bad its another crappy AIR port, if they would've done it right, it would've worked like a drum program and would have all been one one track.

You have to use the MULTI DRUM SYNTH to achieve that.

[quote="CharlesRandolph] You have to use the MULTI DRUM SYNTH to achieve that.[/quote]

Is there a way to explode or export each drum from a multi, does it works the same as a drum program? I like being able to take the audio files and work with them further in Ableton, or would you have to load each drum on it’s own track in your project sequence(s) in order to do that?

asteralesmusic wrote:[quote="CharlesRandolph] You have to use the MULTI DRUM SYNTH to achieve that.[/quote]

Is there a way to explode or export each drum from a multi, does it works the same as a drum program? I like being able to take the audio files and work with them further in Ableton, or would you have to load each drum on it’s own track in your project sequence(s) in order to do that?[/quote]

Answer is yes, works the same. Sounds like it gets the individual fx on each synth but I didn't use any sends or try to export anything complicated fx-wise yet. I'm just happy there's not a big change to my current workflow, and it's relieved a little of the hurt I still feel from selling my Rytm well over a year ago (even though it's not analog.. or Elektron). Don't know if it would be possible but being able to layer samples would make it even better. Either way it's made the Live even better using it the way I've envisioned when I bought it - primarily to program drums, and sequencing hardware/making music without having to open a DAW or use a computer.

CharlesRandolph wrote:

Monotremata wrote:I made a cheesy little house beat the other night with it. It wasn't much fun. Having to switch tracks to jump to different drum sounds just does not work with on the fly techno jamming. Its too bad its another crappy AIR port, if they would've done it right, it would've worked like a drum program and would have all been one one track.

You have to use the MULTI DRUM SYNTH to achieve that.

Yep, and just make seperate tracks where you record the midi notes of the multi! I thought it was a lot of fun