what usb/midi keyboard to use with ezdrummer?

[Incognito Man]

hello, i just puchased ezdrummer and i cant stand creating beats with just a mouse so i would like to get a usb/midi keyboard controller to help this process go a bit faster.

the problem is, i do not know anything about keyboards or midi so i do not know what i will need as a feature set in a keyboard to do this.

i need something very small, i would guess a 25 key model would be good like a m-audio oxygen 25.

does the unit need usb and midi in and out and through to work?

i see some of these only have a single usb connection.

can someone help or give some reccomendations as to what i would need for this.

looking to spend $100.

please help.

 

[Jind]

While I've used the pads on my Edirol PCR-500 to lay down the basis for various drum tracks, they always require further editing and composition within piano roll in my DAW.

As for small keyboards/pad controlers you may want to look into one of the smaller AKAI units like the http://www.akaipro.com/mpkmini,at at about $100 it has 25 keys as well as 8 pads you can configure as needed. The Edirol PCR line (discontinued but can be found used for pretty cheap) has a 32 key/18 pad model thats a little brother to the PCR-500 I use.

As for USB/MIDI ins/outs - you only need MIDI ins/outs if you are using external sound modules/synths. For hooking up to a PC as a USB MIDI controller the single USB connection is all you require.

If you are simply looking for a pad interface just buy one of the mini controllers like Korg NanoPAD2 http://www.korg.com/nanoseries2 list at about $60.

Overall I find it simpler to just use piano roll, but have used a controller to get the basics down.

 

[Incognito Man]

thanks for the reply, the small korg one looks like it will do the job.

once i plug it in will it work or do i have to set it up and/or install software in order for it to work?

anyone know if it is possable to just use your computers keyboard to create beats in ez drummer?

 

[Jind]

thanks for the reply, the small korg one looks like it will do the job.

once i plug it in will it work or do i have to set it up and/or install software in order for it to work?

anyone know if it is possable to just use your computers keyboard to create beats in ez drummer?

I don't have one, but a quick search found this post on the Korg support forums:

You have to use Korg Kontrol Editor and download the usb-midi driver (even if you use a mac). These are available from Korg's website.

I first wrote all the mapping assignments from EZ drummer in a textedit file.
i noted where cymbals were, kicks etc. For instance: kick-C2

After noting what drum is assigned to what keyboard note (there is a pdf file that shows the layout in your EZdrummer folder (same for most other plugins I assume), I just went ahead an mapped by clicking on the corresponding pad in the editor and changing the note down below.

Make sure you save your set and name it to whatever you want. Stay organized.

For some reason when I was mapping, my notes were off by one octave, exactly! It really confused me and I thought the editor wasn't working. Everything had to be entered into the editor +1 octave.

Save/write your scene data. Test your pads and you should be good to go.


You can also do this in Logic, but i went the Korg route instead, seemed to be easy enough.

I've also seen other resuts in the search that said it works right out of the box. I know they included EZDrummer Lite with the nanoPAD at one time so perhaps they have a downloadable template or scene as it's called in nano series terminology.

On my Edirol PCR-500 it was just a matter of working out what the note mapping required for the drum programs I use was and using the editor software to remap the MIDI note sent and then saving them as scenes/programming presets.

 

[Incognito Man]

thanks for your help!!

 

[Terminus]

I have a friend that owns the korg and I've tried it, works really well for such a tiny little device.

 

[mva801]

I've got the M-Audio mini 32. Love it. Small, does the job.

I think I got it over the Akais because it was cheaper...