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dd4 sounds on drumit.....

Started by paulf707, July 29, 2018, 07:39:03 AM

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paulf707

Hi all - I was a (very happy) ddrum4 owner for a number of years, and am now building a kit around drumit5....
I still have the ddrum4 sound tool and samples (and I have used some of my favorite sounds from there in software samplers over the last few years)

Has anyone tried taking some of the dd4 sounds and converting them to the drumit?
I know many of them only have a limited number of sample layers (8?) - is it worth the effort of converting these to drumit, or will the lack of sample levels make the end result disappointing?

I always loved the Mel Gaynor kits on my dd4, and would love to be able to play them again  :)

ANGR77

Hi!

There is a real old tool developed by Rik (Deve Loper) called ddrum4wav. This is a DOS based tool which can convert old ddrum files to wav.

To be able use them in 2box you need to use the DrumIt editor and dragon the wave files and convert them to dsdn files.

Link to the ddrum4wav tool: http://unofficially-ddrum.proboards.com/thread/478/dd4-wav-converter-link

Best regards

Anders / www.zourman.com / Roland hi-hat conversation modules for 2box & ddrum4se
Sonor Safari, Pearl Crystalbeat, Zourman Triggers, Roland & Triggera, 2box Cymbals & HH, RT-10, KT-10, BT-1, VH-11/12/13, ATV hh, KT-10, 14C/13R/15R, PCY-155, MD, 2Box 5 MK1&II & 3, DD4SE, Pearl ButtKicker Addictive Drums 2.1.14, all ADPaks moved to 2box, Zourman Conversion Gears www.zourman.com

paulf707

Thanks Anders - that's really useful (previously I used the original ddrum4 tool to preview the sounds and 'capture' those using a normal audio recording tool from the internal sound card - and then edit them into individual WAV files).
I've already started looking at the drumit tool (and the others from Lustark Software) so I'll see what I can produce - if I get anything good working I'll post back here.
Thanks again!

ANGR77

#3
Hi!
I had to try myself converting an old ddrum4SE sound to 2box dsdn format!

Using the ddrum4wav.exe tool will convert the ddrum4se.mid files to a bunch of wav files (mono 16 bit 44.1 kHz) in the same folder as the mid file.

The process is to drag any ddrum4 mid file and drop it on the exe file (Yes, strange hack...), and you get all wav files extracted. It will take more space than the original mid file since the ddrum4 format is compressed.

You can then use these files directly in the DrumIt Editor 1.06 by creating a new sound - select snare...and drag the snare and rim wave files to it's areas. Save! Done!

Test example
I have always admired Mel Gaynor - drummer in Simple Minds. There is a kit available on ddrum4SE which he has designed...

The ddrum4se sounds were recorded in the Galaxy studio in Belgium, during the autumn of 2000. All Signature sounds were played by each individual drummer. The drummers use their own typical setup with drums and cymbals. Rumors tells that Mel used a Premier Kit (model Resonators or Black Shadow drums) with Zildjian bronze for that recording. It's their tuning, their choice of drum heads etc. From each session Clavia carefully selected and processed the sounds and tailored them to fit the ddrum4 drum system.

You can download my converted Mel Gaynor Snare for 2box in DSND format(8 layers...+ 1 layer rimshot) at:


I hope these sounds are not copy protected - this was just a test to see if this works - only snare have been converted - not the whole complete kit.

Anders / www.zourman.com
Sonor Safari, Pearl Crystalbeat, Zourman Triggers, Roland & Triggera, 2box Cymbals & HH, RT-10, KT-10, BT-1, VH-11/12/13, ATV hh, KT-10, 14C/13R/15R, PCY-155, MD, 2Box 5 MK1&II & 3, DD4SE, Pearl ButtKicker Addictive Drums 2.1.14, all ADPaks moved to 2box, Zourman Conversion Gears www.zourman.com

paulf707

Thanks Anders, yes I have already done a similar process - I have the kick, snare (with rim) and toms in a drumit5 kit ready to test (as soon as I get my kit assembled). I haven't looked at any of his cymbal samples yet....
I uncovered a potential 'fault' with the Rim sound - the old ddrum4 tool plays 8 variations, but when extracted I only get 1 WAV.
http://unofficially-ddrum.proboards.com/thread/478/dd4-wav-converter-link
I think the metadata in the midi file is not 100% correct, and this is confusing the wav tool.
I did look at the documentation on how the midi files were decoded, but I was unable to use this to resolve the issue
http://unofficially-ddrum.proboards.com/thread/225/sound-editing-section

It would be good to know if we are 'allowed' to share these sounds..... As I remember it the signature sounds were freely available of the old ddrum4 website (as was the tool to audition them) - so I don't see that Clavia could claim any infringment for anyone using them?
https://1drv.ms/f/s!APEC4KT8mxCMp-kK

Now if only we could download a tool to allow me to play like Mel as well...…  :)

ANGR77

Yes...thats the real problem here...to play like Mel. >:(

Anyhow - I have posted someone who knows the ddrum4wav tool...extremely well. We will see what happens!

Keep you posted!

Best Regards

Anders
Sonor Safari, Pearl Crystalbeat, Zourman Triggers, Roland & Triggera, 2box Cymbals & HH, RT-10, KT-10, BT-1, VH-11/12/13, ATV hh, KT-10, 14C/13R/15R, PCY-155, MD, 2Box 5 MK1&II & 3, DD4SE, Pearl ButtKicker Addictive Drums 2.1.14, all ADPaks moved to 2box, Zourman Conversion Gears www.zourman.com

ANGR77

#6
Update! Got some good feedback!!

The ddrum4SE tool actually do as it is supposed to! Your assumptions were right paul707. We do see a problem in the rimshot file that all layers have been set to the same velocity. What will happen then is that the ddrum4se tool exports everything to the same file and overwrites the same filename. Only layer #1 is exported of 8 times...

I tried to find the right string in the mid file which handles the velocity for each layer´(based on the ddrum file info)...but I have problems to find it...but we will see if I am able to hack it.

Best Regards

Anders / www.zourman.com
Sonor Safari, Pearl Crystalbeat, Zourman Triggers, Roland & Triggera, 2box Cymbals & HH, RT-10, KT-10, BT-1, VH-11/12/13, ATV hh, KT-10, 14C/13R/15R, PCY-155, MD, 2Box 5 MK1&II & 3, DD4SE, Pearl ButtKicker Addictive Drums 2.1.14, all ADPaks moved to 2box, Zourman Conversion Gears www.zourman.com

paulf707

Thanks for the confirmation - that's what I assumed (guessed!) was happening....
I also looked at the midi file, and the documentation shared over on the ddrum forum, but failed to make any sense from it.

I've been trying to think of a way to try and interrupt the saving process and get the files moved/renamed before they are overwritten.... But without access to the sourcecode for the tool, I'm not sure we can resolve this.

ANGR77

Hi!

I was thinking in the same manner - but I think the same wave file data is exported.

I am trying to understand where to change the velocity layers in the file.

The mid file is a Sysex midi file...(Yes it is sent to the dd4SE over midi) and I was looking for a good midi editor to get some better visibility of the file.

Best regards

Anders / www.zourman.com
Sonor Safari, Pearl Crystalbeat, Zourman Triggers, Roland & Triggera, 2box Cymbals & HH, RT-10, KT-10, BT-1, VH-11/12/13, ATV hh, KT-10, 14C/13R/15R, PCY-155, MD, 2Box 5 MK1&II & 3, DD4SE, Pearl ButtKicker Addictive Drums 2.1.14, all ADPaks moved to 2box, Zourman Conversion Gears www.zourman.com