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Printed on 2019/10/22 16:44
3.3. Drum tracks
Drum tracks are suitable for playing up to 16 drum sounds simultaneously, with each drum
instrument having its own instrument layer (bass drum, snare drum, hihat, clap etc.). In addition to
the instrument layers, a drum track can have either 1 or 2 parameter layers, and 1 or 2 trigger layers.
Like with the other track types (see section 2.1.1.), here too it's a zero sum game between track
length, number of instruments and number of trigger/parameter layers.
Trigger layer length is always the same as track length. However, parameter layer length can be
shorter than track length. If, for example, track length is 256 steps, but parameter layer length is 64
steps, the parameter layer will get repeated four times (4 x 64 = 256) while the track plays its 256
steps.
The drum track type notation differs somewhat from the other tracks.
StepsP/T Drums
(64/2*64)
16
Track length is 64 steps, two trigger layers. One parameter layer (length 64
steps). 16 different drum sounds can be played.
(2*32/128) 16
Track length is 128 steps, one trigger layer. Two parameter layers that are 32
steps long, which means they will repeat four times while the track goes through
its length of 128 steps. 16 different drum sounds can be played.
(128/2*128) 8
Track length is 128 steps, two trigger layers. One parameter layer (length 128
steps). 8 different drum sounds can be played.
(2*64/256) 8
Track length is 256 steps, one trigger layer. Two parameter layers that are 64
steps long, i.e. they repeat four times while track goes through its length of 256.
8 different drum sounds can be played.
(64/64)
16
Track length is 64 steps, one trigger layer. One parameter layer that is 64 steps
long; 16 different drum sounds can be played.
(128/128)
8
Track length is 128 steps, one trigger layer. One parameter layer that is 128
steps long. 8 different drum sounds can be played.
(256/256)
4
Track length is 256 steps, one trigger layer. One parameter layer that is 256
steps long. 4 different drum sounds can be played.
3.3.1. Drum track instrument layers
Unlike other track types which can control only one instrument, a drum track can control up to 16
instruments, and this results in somewhat changed controls. Parameter selection button C has no
function, because for a drum track two parameter layers is the maximum, and trigger layer selection
button C is used to bring up a submenu of the available instrument layers, instead of trigger layers
(the maximum number of trigger layers also being two).
In order to set up a working drum track, you have to make sure that the note values for each of the
instruments match what your drum machine expects for each instrument. This is done on the EVENT
page (right LCD). Choose the drum instrument with GPK11 and the matching note with GPK12. For
example, by default MBSEQv4 assumes that a bass drum sound is equal to the note C-1, but this may
be different from what your drum machine thinks a base drum note is. You have to know the settings
of your drum machine to set up the equivalent values on the sequencer (or vice versa).
You can also rename the drum instruments, if you don't like the defaults. This too can be done on the
EVENT page by pressing GPB8 for 'Track Instrument'. There you can scroll through the available
