Topics

HOW TO CREATE A SONG

1. Choose a project to use as a template from the project selection, or start with a blank canvas by hitting the "NEW" button underneath the project selection.

2. Choose a kit from the bundle selection (You can also make your own kit - those will be saved under "USER" in the bundle selection).

3. Record your song using one or both of the input methods:
a) Live Recording - Hit the red "REC" button on the lower left. The metronome will count off one measure, and then you can hit the pads to start recording. When you're done recording, hit "STOP." To use live recording again over what you just recorded, make sure to select the "DUB" button, just above the MiniDrum PRO logo. *TIP* Check where the metronome is set before you start live recording - so you have an idea how fast or slow it will be.
b) Matrix Input - Select a box in the grid. The columns represent notes (or beats), and each row is a different sound in the kit. With the default settings, the measure is broken out to 16 notes. Select "START" to play your creation. While it's playing, you can make changes live to the grid.

4. Save your song as a project by hitting the "SAVE" button below the project selection. Now your project will appear in the project selection menu under "USER."

5. Now you can explore effects! Check out the "FX" button to access the effects screen. Also use the "SCN" button below the pattern matrix to edit such note parameters as panning, pitch, velocity and lag individually.

 

HOW TO CREATE YOUR OWN BUNDLE (KIT)

1. Select the folder icon button located above the MiniDrum PRO logo. Select "Bundle Editor."

2. Use the "SOURCE BUNDLES" menu on the left to select a bundle.

3. Select pads from the "CURRENT SOURCE" set above and use your finger to drag them to the "DESTINATION" set below. When you select a pad, it will light up gold.

4. When you are finished editing, hit the "SAVE" button on the lower right. Give your new bundle a cool name. After saving, hit the "DONE" button on the lower right. Your new bundle will now be loaded on the main screen. All user created bundles are saved in the "USER" section of the bundle selection list.

 

HOW TO EDIT MEASURES (BARS OF BEATS)

MEASURE (or BAR) DEFINITION - one segment of time, depending on what time signature you are using. The default time signature is 4/4, so the default measure has four beats.

1. When you start a new project, the project begins with one measure. If you use live recording, measures will automatically be added when you record.

2. INSERTING A NEW MEASURE - Select the measure you want to be before your new measure and then hit the "NEW" button. For example, let's say you have three measures, and you want to add a new one between measure 2 and measure 3. Select measure 2 and hit the "NEW" button. A new blank measure will appear after measure 2. Measure 3 will now be measure 4.

3. DELETING A MEASURE - Simple select the measure you want to delete and hit the "DEL" button.

4. COPY AND PASTE - Select the measure you want to copy. Hit the "COPY" button. Now select the measure you want your copied measure to appear after (much like inserting a new measure), and then hit the "PASTE" button. For example, let's say you have three measures. You want to copy measure 2 and put it after measure 3. Select measure 2. Hit the "COPY" button. Now select measure 3. Hit the "PASTE" button. Your new measure is measure 4.

5. LOOP - Use this feature to have one measure repeat infinitely. Select the measure you want to repeat, and hit the "LOOP" button.

6. REPEATS - Use this feature to have one measure repeat a set number of times. Select the measure you want to repeat and use the "+" button to increase repeats and the "-" to decrease repeats. An exponential number will appear in the measure's icon to show how many times that measure will play. For example, let's say you have three measures. You want your song to play measure one and measure two once and then play measure 3 eight times. Select measure 3. Use the "+" button until the exponential number in the measure 3 icon says "8."

 

HOW TO EDIT INDIVIDUAL NOTES (BEATS)

Each note can be edited individually by using the "SCN" button just below the pattern matrix. In all the different screens, you can switch to different measures by selecting the measure icons below. You can also edit different instruments by highlighting a different instrument in the far left column of the matrix. Hit the "SCN" button to use these different editing tools:

1. NOTES - This is the default screen. Here is where you select the boxes to add or delete a note (or beat or hit).

2. VELOCITY - Velocity determines how loud the note sounds. To increase or decrease velocity, hold the top of the note and then drag it up (to make it louder) or down (to make it quieter).

3. PANNING - Panning determines if the note is heard more in the left output or the right output. To make the sound of the note move left or right, hold the top of the note and then drag it up (to move left) or down (to move right).

4. PITCH - To increase or decrease the pitch of the note, hold the top of the note and then drag it up (to increase the pitch, or make the sound of the note higher) or down (to decrease the pitch, or make the sound of the note lower).

5. LAG - Lag is used to have a note occur slightly before or slightly after the actual programmed hit. This effect can give a slightly more "human" touch to your song. Hold the top of the note and then drag it up (to have the note sound after the actual hit) or down (to have the note sound before the actual hit).