Drum tracks on Instrument Definition confusing me. Any guru please advice me

# Instrument definition file goes here
VERSION 1 # Currently, this should only be 1.

# Supports all alphanumeric ASCII, and ' ', '_', '-', '+' - can also be NULL
TRACKNAME TR-909

# Can be POLY, DRUM, MPE, or NULL
TYPE DRUM

# Can be A, B, C, D, USBD, USBH, CVGx (x between 1&4), CVx, Gx, or NULL
OUTPORT A

# Can be x (between 1-16), or NULL -- this is ignored if output port is not MIDI
OUTCHAN 7

# Can be NONE, ALLACTIVE, A, B, USBH, USBD, CVG, or NULL
INPORT NULL

# Can be x (between 1-16), ALL, or NULL. This definition will be ignored if INPORT is NONE, ALLACTIVE or CVG
INCHAN NULL

# This defines the default 'MAX RATE' for automation lanes.
# Can be NULL, 192, 96, 64, 48, 32, 24, 16, 12, 8, 6, 4, 3, 2, 1
MAXRATE NULL

# DRUMLANES
# Syntax: ROW:TRIG:CHAN:NOTENUMBER NAME
# ROW must be between 1 and 8
# TRIG can be between 0 and 127, or NULL
# CHAN can be a number between 1 and 16, Gx, CVx, CVGx (x between 1 and 4), or NULL
# NOTENUMBER can be between 0 and 127, or NULL
# NAME supports all alphanumeric ASCII, and ' ', '_', '-', '+' - can also be NULL
# Please note this section will be discarded for tracks which are not DRUM tracks

[DRUMLANES]
ROW 1
TRIG NULL
CHAN 7
NOTENUMBER 12
NAME Bass

ROW 2
TRIG NULL
CHAN 7
NOTENUMBER 14
NAME Snare

ROW 3
TRIG NULL
CHAN 7
NOTENUMBER 15
NAME Clap

ROW 4
TRIG NULL
CHAN 7
NOTENUMBER 13
NAME Rim

ROW 5
TRIG NULL
CHAN 7
NOTENUMBER 18
NAME Chat

ROW 6
TRIG NULL
CHAN 7
NOTENUMBER 22
NAME Ohat

ROW 7
TRIG NULL
CHAN 7
NOTENUMBER 27
NAME Ride

ROW 8
TRIG NULL
CHAN 7
NOTENUMBER 
NAME Crash 25
[/DRUMLANES]


# PC
# Syntax: NUMBER NAME
# number must be either:
#   - A number (for simple PC)
#   - Three numbers, delimited by ':', which represent PC:MSB:LSB. You can put 'NULL' to not set the MSB/LSB.
# PC must be between 1...128
# MSB/LSB must be between 0...127
[PC]
[/PC]


# CC
# Syntax: CC_NUMBER NAME or CC_NUMBER:DEFAULT=xx NAME
# DEFAULT_VALUE must be a valid number between 0 and 127
[CC]
[/CC]


# NRPN
# Syntax: "MSB:LSB:DEPTH NAME" or "MSB:LSB:DEPTH:DEFAULT=xx NAME"
# Lsb & msb should be between 0 and 127
  # Note: LSB can be over 127 ONLY if MSB is 0 or omitted
  # e.g. '0:1026:7 FOO', or ':2000:7 BAR' 
  # the examples above would be equivalent to '8:2:7 FOO' and '15:80:7 BAR' respectively
# DEPTH can be 7 or 14
# For NRPN: DEFAULT_VALUE must be a valid number, either between 0 and 127 (for 7 bit NRPNs) or between 0 and 16383 (for 14bit NRPNs)
[NRPN]
[/NRPN]


# ASSIGN
# Syntax: POT_NUMBER TYPE:VALUE or POT_NUMBER TYPE:VALUE DEFAULT=DEFAULT_VALUE
# POT_NUMBER must be between 1 and 8
# TYPE can be "CC", "PB" (pitchbend), "AT" (aftertouch), "CV", "NRPN", or "NULL" (this won't assign the pot).
# Non explicitly-defined pots will be considered "NULL"
# VALUE VALIDATION
#### For CC: Value must be a valid number between 0 and 119
#### For PB and AT, any text after the TYPE will be ignored
#### For CV, value must be between 1 and 4
#### For NRPN, value must be MSB:LSB:DEPTH, with both lsb & msb bebtween 0 and 127, and DEPTH being either 7 or 14
# DEFAULT VALUE
#### For CC: DEFAULT_VALUE must be a valid number between 0 and 127
#### For PB: DEFAULT_VALUE must be a valid number between 0 and 16383
#### For NRPN: DEFAULT_VALUE must be a valid number, either between 0 and 127 (for 7 bit NRPNs) or between 0 and 16383 (for 14bit NRPNs)
#### For CV: DEFAULT_VALUE must be either a valid number between 0 and 65535, or a voltage between -5V and 5V, e.g. "-4.25V" or "1.7V"
#### Please note default value will be ignored for PB and AT messages.
[ASSIGN]
[/ASSIGN]


# AUTOMATION
# Syntax: TYPE:VALUE
# TYPE can be "CC", "PB" (pitchbend), "AT" (aftertouch), "CV", or "NRPN"
# VALUE VALIDATION
#### For CC: Value must be a valid number between 0 and 119
#### For PB and AT, any text after the TYPE will be ignored
#### For CV, value must be between 1 and 4
#### For NRPN, value must be MSB:LSB:DEPTH, with both lsb & msb bebtween 0 and 127, and DEPTH being either 7 or 14
# NOTE: You are limited to 64 automation lanes
[AUTOMATION]
[/AUTOMATION]


# This section will be readable from Hapax.
[COMMENT]
[/COMMENT]



Hi, trying to make a definition for my drum machine. I keep getting syntax error on line 35 what is the first definition for the bass drum. I it as ROW 1

pfft failed at the first hurdle.

Anyone got a solution. I get all you yungans who were brought up with this at school will think my question stupid. But I was brought up in a school with NO computer. Gasp!!! So please do be patient. And no, im not 100 yet!

This should be all on one line with a : to delineate between the data. the only thing you want a space in is the track name… So…
1:NULL:1:36 Kick

Or something along those lines… each lane on a separate line. you can take a look at my definition for the Drumlogue as an example to this.

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Thanks Yung’an!! :upside_down_face:

Seriously, appreciated. I’d never have worked that out in a million years!

Yeah I can amend mine from your template

Thank you, all the best :ok_hand:

EDIT - -Separate Q but why does it ask for the MIDI channel (CHAN) again in the Drum area when you already specified that in the first general section (OUTCHAN) ?

Because you can have multiple channels/tracks devoted to a drum machine to take up all the drum lanes where you have a machine with more than 8 sounds…

or something like that…

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Wouldn’t I just use two Drum definitions both on the same channel though set up in OUTCHAN?

Dunno… have you tried that?

Not on a Hapax but on an MPC or even Ableton. In any sequencer you can set any channel to any number. So if you set both to say channel 7 you can overlap.

I often use say channel 10 on my MPC (IE the MPCs physical channel number 10) to MIDI channel 10 in the software for Note on off info
Then I set say Channel 11 to MIDI channel 10 and do all my CCs on that.

Im just getting into the Hapax but I think it handles MIDI CCs and automation much better. So it may not be a thing with the Hapax. MPC has 99 MIDI channels or something so its not as big a deal on there. Its great to be able to mute your CCs from the MPC pads though.

I guess my point is yeah sure, you should be able to put two drum machines and say a sampler with a load of one shots on the same MIDI channel as long as the notes are set correctly not to overlap. It becomes problematic fast with melodic patches you dont want to layer.

i regularly split off automations to another track to have separate control over them.

I havent used this in the Hapax yet but does it not allow thins in the automation lanes?

yes it all works

Im looking forward to getting to know my Hapax inside out. I thought it was expensive at first but now I think its cheap as chips for what it offers.

Ive used nearly all the sequencers you can think of starting out on the Atari ST in the late 80s. Creator, Cubase, Octamed, VST, SX, Ableton ---- in hardware, MPC 60, 2000XL, 2500 JJOS, Cirklon (Overrated pap!!), even the Novation SL mk 3 and nothing seems to touch the Hapax. Second for me but a different sort of thing all together would be the MPC with JJOS (Sorry Im talking a proper MPC not a DAW in a box. Why not just use a DAW??) I also really like the Novation SL but whats the point without a song mode?? Ive never ever in my life come across with a sequencer without a song mode. Its been standard since the TR606 came out and no doubt before.

Cirklon is overrated ?
Can you elaborate please.
I reached the end of the waiting Line and was wondering.
(I love my hapax but 16 tracks IS somewhat limiting, even with project b).

Just wasent for me at all. I found it great for people who wanted to make blippy fart noises on a modual synth that took them 18 hours to do and sound not better than a 45 year old cheap SH-101 but anyone wanting to write finished compositions like me because their lively hood depended on it was kinda ok.

Great riff machine. On its release nothing like it but since hardware seuqencers far too many to mention now. Hapax murders it for me.

I think the issue is people alwas look at the glass is half emtpy. ohhh Hapax only has 16 MIDI channels and such, No offence. But in the right hands 16 channels can blow someone hopless with 128 MIDI channels out the water. This is whyb I choose hardware. Because it is limited. I have to come up with work arounds and such. My own methods. If you tell a human they cant do something they rebel. So tell me I can t do a good track with 16 channels I will make it my life work to proove the world wrong. Thats limitations in action.

As I said much earlier in this thread im nearly 50. Im form a time where we didnt have infinite everything. Yet I would argue music was much better.

These are of course my views. Im certain someone talented could right a superb track with the Cirklon. But then were back to someone talented. These are all just tools. I feel I dont want to wait a year or two for a tool and pay over the odds.

I have all the old Roland’s that make people ejaculate. 101, 303, 808, 909, 60, 106, MKS50 blah blah blah. Had them since the 90s. My mate keeps telling me to put them on youtube and everyone would watch. I dont get that at all. I want my music to be liked for the musical content,. Not the kit I own. I cant think of anything worse than people likeing my music cos it was made on a Juno>??? No the wonder music shite now by comparisons. No one cared what any of the classics were made on.

Ah man. Ive gone on a right rant now haha. Get your cirklon and rock the place with a great tune and I will applaud you. But if you cant do that with a Hapax I dount its gonna happen with anything else is my message. I would rather listen to a great tune made on Behringer gear, than a tw@t like me with all the OGs.

Ok Rant over. Scuse me. Im near 50. Diffrent generation. Get my grandpa pants on.

1 Like

I’m 44 :slightly_smiling_face:
No plan to sell my hapax. AT ALL.
Just wondering why the cirklon was overrated to you.

Like I say mate I think all these choices are personal.

To me I explored Cirklon and it came up short. And this was around 5+ years ago when there just wasnt the choice there is now. Im shocked its still going given its high price and lack of availability. I could have wrote an album whilst I waited for the thing to be delivered.

Anyhow. Dont let me put you off. Im just opinionated and vocal with it. To a fault sometimes.

When you get it PM me and tell me how it goes for you. One great thing about the Cirklon is the fact if it doesn’t work out you ca sell it for a bit more than you got it for as someone wont want to wait. So you cant loose really.

Gotta be honest Im using a Novation SL mk3 fed into my Hapax. Best combo ever. Alot of overlap and Hapax by far the best of the two. But I do love the SL for its scrathcpad ability.

Ha you think Hapax is bad with 16 tracks. SL got 8 gasp.

Never made sense to me the SL. Seems to be very nearly there but at the last mile they abandoned it. Baffled as to why. Give it 8 more tracks, a song mode (duh!) and other bits and bobs like MIDI file compatibility and it would have been a solid second place to the much more expensive Hapax in my world. However as it stands its not a Sequencer, its a scratchpad. A very expensive one.

Keep in touch mate

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You can do both… There is really a dearth of good channels with the hapax making actual music.

also… I’m 47… so not quite the youngin… perhaps not as old as you but still as bereft of computers in school…

47? Gasp – Really? On your photo you look about 12!.

Got all my drum machines in to instrument definitions. Thanks so much for your help appreciate the assistance.

That’s kind of a weird thing to say… I’m like in my 20s in that picture… please don’t comment on peoples appearance.

1 Like

Sorry, just having a laugh. You didn’t look anywhere near 47 in your photo.

OK, won’t mention it ever again.

There was supposed to be a smiley after my comment on your age but it doesnt seem to have made the final cut. It was meant in fun.

1 Like

i have said the same and more severe things about cirklon. it was a fetish piece of kit when it was leaked that rdj and dan bell and all the known greats used it so after 18 months of waiting and paying through the nose it was very underwhelming. its cold and procedural, not musical at all. more like algorithmic and calculated, not pretty or easy or fun. hapax is somehow its contemporary and its also fun and pretty. ive used a ton of sequencers and hapax is my favorite of them all. i wasnt too big of a fan of pyramid either but theres something special about this one. oh im gonna be 55 in september even though i feel about 28 honestly. nobody believes me when i tell them. i got a late start on life however. its been a journey to say the least. ill probably be 80 and still trying to make something worth a release. btw the dirtywave m8 headless ($50) is a superb sound source which i feed midi to (dont use its sequencer) that has a sound that fits in todays sonic space. i had almost all those rolands as well and i dont necessarily miss them. ive learned to love digital fm tho and thats all i really need, apart from some great distortions! m8 headless has fm too. im also a big fan of preenfm2 and 3. and im making jump up as well as i can lol!