Wondering if anyone had any advice on workflow with the Pyramid + Rample for emulating ethnic drums that have a variety of tones while trying to incorporate control over the category of tone (where tik!=tak), but sufficient randomisation over certain characteristics of each drum hit.
I use ethnic drums in my tracks and I’m still working on my workflow with dedicating the Rample to producing these sounds.
I use MIDI exclusively to drive my Rample, generated by the Pyramid and lovingly processed by MIDI Translator Pro on a BomeBox when necessary.
I would like to use as many native features of the Pyramid and the Rample before involving Translator scripts.
Let’s say my drum has a “Dum” sound and a “Ka” sound. A typical rhythm might be: Dum…kadum ka…dum…kadum ka.
I have a variety of samples of playing each sound, let’s say 2 of each for now with the option to increase this as necessary. (So, two each slightly differently coloured “dum” and “ka” sounds.)
I want control over whether it is a Dum or a Ka, but I want to generally give up control of which Dum or Ka is being played. (Extra points for controlling via MIDI when I can decide when I give up control, and when I want a specific hit - which means as much MIDI control as possible I think)
Currently I am putting all Dums and Kas as Layers, and so my brain doesn’t have to jump too many hoops, the Dums are lower numbered Layers.
So Layers:
- 1 Dum01
- 1 Dum02
- 1 Ka01
- 1 Ka02
I use a MIDI LFO on a S&H with a small variation (I think I have it set for +20) and then set up a MIDI CC of 19 (for Layer) in Step Mode to send 32 when I want Dums and 96 when I want Kas. The LFO varies between the two, because the Rample brilliantly divides the 128 CC value range across available Layers (instead of using absolute values CC>Layer#).
That is, when the MIDI CC 19 set up in the Step mode is 32, then the Rample randomises between Dum01 and Dum02. When the MIDI CC19 in Step Mode is 96, the Rample randomises between Ka01 and Ka02. Bingo.
This achieves the effect I’m looking for, but it’s terribly cumbersome to code a decent perc line. Totes possible - just cumbersome and takes me out of the bliss of creating a track.
I’m hoping to be able to make 1 drum = 1 Rample channel (so, one SP each for darbuka, douhoulla, riq, sagat, for example), but I’m thinking I may need to group Dums to 1 SP, Ka’s to another, teks to a third, and slaps to a fourth making one complex drum require one full Rample unless I go the loop route or vary via FX (Filter, etc) rather than sample.
The other option would be to code a Translator to make an octave of MIDI Notes map to 12 possible Layers and then modulate the Note Events using the Pyramid Randomiser. (That would mean 4 octaves of MIDI Notes would map each separate Layer of each SP to a different MIDI Note, where the octave would determine which SP is playing).
Does anyone else use ethnic drums, or drums that have a variety of tones in this way and what is your approach?
Should I just get over it and use one whole Rample for one drum or two drums only?
Any other suggestions that might let me use fewer SPs but allow me the effect I’m looking for while easing the workflow?