www.megadrum.info

I have been looking at your website at length since I stumbled onto all this DIY drum business a few days back. Being new to the business, I have a few questions I was hoping some of you might be able to clear up.

1. My goal is to be able to use Megadrum as above with Logic Studio 8 on a mac, leopard. From their website: "MainStage instantly recognizes all connected audio I/O and hardware controllers. For many popular devices, MainStage intelligently assigns plug-in and performance functions to knobs and faders." Does Megadrum fall into this easy mode category or would a driver be required still?

2. I've seen most people making a conversion with mesh pads/foam cones and old/used acoustic shells. I had intended to do conversions of remo practice pads, if only for the space saving (my room is 9'x11.5'). Is there some consensus on the quality/ease of construction/overall functionality between these two and other conversions? (I've seen the guy with the baking pan electronic pads, which would seem to imply the difference is neglible)

3. I don't believe I could gain anything, given what I want to do, from building an edrum instead. Can anyone comment to that effect?

4. I think Megadrum is the coolest thing on the web. Do you agree? Just how awesome are Dmitri and Synthex?

Thanks!

boobavon wrote:1. My goal is to be able to use Megadrum as above with Logic Studio 8 on a mac, leopard. From their website: "MainStage instantly recognizes all connected audio I/O and hardware controllers. For many popular devices, MainStage intelligently assigns plug-in and performance functions to knobs and faders." Does Megadrum fall into this easy mode category or would a driver be required still?

I'm pretty sure it will work with MegaDrum without any additional drivers since MegaDrum uses a standard USB MIDI driver but to guarantee it somebody has to try.

boobavon wrote:3. I don't believe I could gain anything, given what I want to do, from building an edrum instead. Can anyone comment to that effect?

My comment, although true, would be biased May be somebody on the e-drum forum could make you to choose edrum?

boobavon wrote:I have been looking at your website at length since I stumbled onto all this DIY drum business a few days back. Being new to the business, I have a few questions I was hoping some of you might be able to clear up.

Hi. I'm glad you found the way into this forum!

boobavon wrote:1. My goal is to be able to use Megadrum as above with Logic Studio 8 on a mac, leopard. From their website: "MainStage instantly recognizes all connected audio I/O and hardware controllers. For many popular devices, MainStage intelligently assigns plug-in and performance functions to knobs and faders." Does Megadrum fall into this easy mode category or would a driver be required still?

Not sure what you mean here..What knobs and faders do you think of when talking about Megadrum? MD will just send midi notes which can be processed by your sequencer software 'as is' and needs not to be assigned somehow...just passed to your favourite sampler! Drivers won't be needed.

boobavon wrote:2. [...]Is there some consensus on the quality/ease of construction/overall functionality between these two and other conversions?

I think how accurate and careful your work will be is going to make a bigger difference than what kind of construction you are going for....BUT: I personally think that using 'real' toms as trigger bodies will give you the best flexibility regarding quick changes on your setup (e.g. changing the distance piezo<->drumhead). My setup is made of real toms cut in half, and it doesn't take up much space - btw.. i use a roland td-3 rack (photo here : http://www.megadrum.info/forums/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=216).

boobavon wrote:4. I think Megadrum is the coolest thing on the web. Do you agree?

Yeah, by far! I'm happy there's always new people becoming thrilled about this great project.

boobavon wrote: Just how awesome are Dmitri and Synthex?

Definately! Dmitri and Synthex just rock!

Beamtreetaker wrote:

boobavon wrote:1. My goal is to be able to use Megadrum as above with Logic Studio 8 on a mac, leopard. From their website: "MainStage instantly recognizes all connected audio I/O and hardware controllers. For many popular devices, MainStage intelligently assigns plug-in and performance functions to knobs and faders." Does Megadrum fall into this easy mode category or would a driver be required still?

Not sure what you mean here..What knobs and faders do you think of when talking about Megadrum? MD will just send midi notes which can be processed by your sequencer software 'as is' and needs not to be assigned somehow...just passed to your favourite sampler! Drivers won't be needed.

I see how that's misleading now. I'll edit the original question for simplicity. My concern isnt about fancy knob functionality, just that I can plug it in and Logic will recognize it. If no one uses Logic I'll end up testing it myself but it would be nice to know beforehand

For moving the piezos around, would you be doing that primarily to get the appropriate input to the trigger, or for some other reason?

boobavon wrote:I see how that's misleading now. I'll edit the original question for simplicity. My concern isnt about fancy knob functionality, just that I can plug it in and Logic will recognize it. If no one uses Logic I'll end up testing it myself but it would be nice to know beforehand

Ok, to make this one clear: Megadrum is not a 'hardware controller' in the sense of word that is used in your citation. A hardware controller would be something like this http://www.behringer.com/bcr2000/. MD is just a midi device (a note generator, like a keyboard or midi-guitar) that will be recognized by any software that interacts with midi devices. If you connect MD via USB it will be recognized as Midi device by your OS instantly, if you connect it via MIDI IN of your soundcard/interface, then the latter will recognize it.

boobavon wrote:For moving the piezos around, would you be doing that primarily to get the appropriate input to the trigger, or for some other reason?

Yeah just for tuning the response/functionality of the trigger. No other "creative" reasons or whatsoever =).. I just wanted to say that using a tom, constrionwise, would allow easier adjustment of several things. Anybody correct me if I'm wrong.

Knowing that OSes will recognize the Megadrum is all I wanted to know. I'll probably end up making one Remo and one shell. If I don't like one or the other for whatever reason, it's still a working pad In a few weeks I'll post my finished setup, or more likely a plea for troubleshooting help. Keep up the good work!