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Topics - kenjwright

#1
Greetings all! ddrum4edit 1.02.00 is now available!

With this version comes some bug fixes, code refactoring, and enhanced support for native ddrum3 and 2Box DrumIt dsnd files.

Previous ddrum3 support was limited to only reading the sample data and assigning each sample to a separate ddrum4 layer and variation. Now most of the layer parameters are translated from the ddrum3 format directly to the ddrum4, including sound types, velocities, positional sensing, amplitude envelope (gain, attack, decay) and pitch. Many ddrum3 parameters do not have a direct translation to the ddrum4 so currently are simply read, but ignored. Also the DVA parameters, although present do not yet have a known mapping to the ddrum4.

Previous DrumIt dsnd support was limited to a single zone with some experimental velocity mapping from ddrum4 to dsnd. Support now includes multiple zones and improved velocity mapping (thanks Deve!) and as before, all layers have the ddrum4 layer parameters applied so the sounds are as close to an actual ddrum4 module as possible. This is still very much a work in progress and uses the existing ddrum4edit configuration format so is subject to change as more discovery is done. However, this provides an alternative to the existing DrumIt GUI apps for users that may prefer a text based, parametric approach to sound file creation, which can dramatically speed up the iterative process when making lots of small changes like modifying wave file content or swapping out different versions of a wave file.

Download Link for User Guide and ddrum4edit executables.

Cheers and Enjoy!

Ken
#2
Greetings ddrummers!

Wishing a Happy New year to you all!

With the new year comes a new release of ddrum4edit (1.01.00)! This version provides some new features (including a little sugar for 2Box cross-overs), enhancements, and bug squashing.

Highlights for this release (since 1.00.29);

  • Force a resample to 44100Hz if source wave file sample frequency is > 44100.
  • Added --layer toggle to apply layer parameters to extract and listen functions. This feature applies the embedded gain, pitch, and decay values in the sound file to the output to match how the ddrum4 module plays the sounds (excluding the realtime dynamic filters).
  • Added --aiff and --riff toggles to explicitly define the extract file format when only one or the other is desired (the default is both).
  • Reading/writing of the System & Pallet settings is now supported. Like Kits, the System & Pallet settings can now be dumped and exported to, and maintained in text based configuration files.
  • Smarter file recognition to automatically determine the various file types now used as input for printing, exports, configurations, etc.
  • The listen feature (--listen) now also includes support for playing AIFF, RIFF, and DSND (2Box) files.
  • ddrum4edit can now convert a ddrum4 sound file directly to a single zone 2Box dsnd file (--dsnd).

Cheers! and Enjoy!

Ken

Download Link for User Guide and ddrum4edit executables.

More Information on the ddrum forum.
#3
The DDrum Legacy / New ddrum module in 2023?
July 01, 2022, 11:33:09 PM
Interesting article in the July issue of digitalDrummer about a new ddrum module. They refer to it as the successor to the ddrum4SE so seems they are finally going away from the import rebrands and actually getting serious! Will be interesting to see what might materialize.

https://digitaldrummermag.com/2022/06/14/ddrum-promises-big-things/

Cheers!

Ken
#4
DrumIt 5 Hardware / DrumIt Five button issue
February 26, 2022, 05:59:27 AM
Greetings All!

Thought I would share this odd little adventure that I have not seen described before!

I recently acquired a DrumIt Five, second (at least) hand to start toying with. Really nice shape and seemingly all original and fully function (so far) except for one rather important issue; the Save button did not work at all, including PREF-SAVE. It also felt a bit mushy compared to all of the other buttons that have a crisp snap when pressed so I suspected the button would need replacement. I carefully disassembled the unit and removed the cap from the "bad" button and also a good button to compare to, and they were both identical. An Ohm test on the pins revealed that indeed the button was actually fully functional. Puzzling!! Then I noticed it... the underside of the logic board had some scars on two traces. Sure enough, one was connected to a pin on the non-functioning button (see photo) and clearly the trace was broken. The second was still intact despite the scaring. I thought, weird! How could this have occurred from normal use!? And then the light bulb comes on.... The scar is directly above one of the module's two threaded mounting holes in the bottom plate! A previous owner has used a mounting screw that was too long and it jammed into the logic board, tearing into the traces! I wonder how many times this module may have changed hands, with an undisclosed issue, getting passed on to the next frustrated owner who could not save any settings!?

So I carefully scraped at the scaring to reveal the broken trace and then, using a magnifying glass, reconnect with a little bit of solder, using my smallest soldering tip (see second photo). An Ohm check was successful from button pin to trace endpoint so I connected power and checked that the button operation was as expected (although still a bit spongy) and then reassembled the module and now all is well. WhooHoo!! Sometimes an unexpected resolution to an unexpected problem.  :)

Cheers!

Ken



#5
Stumbled on this bit of trivia from an archived interview with Hans Nordelius from Clavia (translated from German, no date). If you've ever wondered; "why was ddrum sold off?", this seems to  explain it...

https://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=de&u=https://www.keyboards.de/stories/interview-mit-clavia-nord-gruender-und-inhaber-hans-nordelius/&prev=search&pto=aue

"Yes, the ddrums were actually just a transitional phase for me. To be honest, I don't particularly like electronic drum sounds, and I did that even with our own. Somehow something like that always sounds synthetic despite good samples. I started to focus on the keyboard business, the ddrums started to get bored of me and gradually disappeared completely from my head. It was good to slowly let this project fade out."

Cheers!

Ken
#6
The DDrum Legacy / ddrum4edit sound file editing tool
September 08, 2020, 05:53:15 AM
Greetings all! When the forum last went down it seems the most recent backup available to restore was a few weeks old and consequently many posts were lost including this one, so recreating now for those that may have missed it.

For ddrummers still using the ddrum4 module and wishing to modify and/or create your own native sound files, late last year I picked up on some work previously done by a few members of https://unofficially-ddrum.proboards.com and created ddrum4edit, a multi-platform sound file editing tool for the ddrum4 module. You can read about progress at https://unofficially-ddrum.proboards.com/post/1775/thread.

Cheers!

Ken