EXS 24 Logic Sampler Users Group

Arvid Solvang wrote:
> The drum editor in Cubase lets you have all drumtracks inside one
> "matrix/hyperedit" window and alter all of them together inside one window
> while hearing all sounds when you click on them.
> You can also change midichannels program change etc... from that window.
> It's more like an arrangewindow for drums.

Ok, I agree that for a "one-size-fits-all" Cubases drum editor really isn't
bad. But you can have everything like that too in Logic, using a mapped
instrument.

> This basically works in Matrix editor for logic too, but if you use one
> EXS24 for kick drum and one EXS for snare etc... (and I do that all the
time
> since we doesn't have multiple outputs on them) you won't hear more than
one
> sampler when you click on a note. This is a major drawback inside Logic at
> the moment.

> I expect it to be fixed in the future, but as of now; working with
multiple
> samplers inside logic isn't good at all.

I agree, this is a drawback, but it doesn't have to do with a non-existing
drum editor in Logic but rather with the fact that you can't use multiple
instances of virtual instruments for realtime play right now.
Btw, this is also annoying when you try to do some quick layered sounds -
works a treat with "plain" MIDI instrument but is a defenite no-no with
virtual instruments.

Jer wrote:
> Right you are. For some reason, I had the impression that hyperedit was
able
> to handle multiple midi channels (don't know why I would think that)

I know why you would think that - because it indeed does so. In "drum mode"
there's a MIDI Cha. box for each individual note.

> I do all my drums with the EXS (except in rare
> instances), so I can appreciate the value of you suggestion. I've simply
> been used to living with out it, and it's always been ok with me to deal
> with kicks on one track, snares on another, etc. I'm sure I would make use
> of the feature, however, if it were there. Especially when banging out
> different ideas before laying the tracks down. Actually, I'm really
starting
> to see the light here... Damn, that would be nice!

I don't exactly think we'll see such a feature in the EXS too early (of
course that would be highly welcomed over here as well), but may I suggest
using one of the several dedicated drum samplers around? As soon as you do a
lot of drum programming you will never ever regret spending a bit of money
on one of them.
Actually, almost all of those are programmed to make drumset editing on the
fly a breeze - this very often is another showstopper with the EXS, just try
to exchange a single snaresound (doesn't even have to be a velo-layered one)
in the EXS, a true pain if you ask me because you allways have to resave the
patch under a new name.
Also, when being in the "banging out different ideas" state of composing,
dedicated drumsamplers defenitely offer better options. For example, N.I.s
Battery and FXpansions DR-008 have a kickass "play in context" feature,
meaning that you can let your sequence playback while scrolling through your
samples. As soon as you "touch" a sample it will be triggered by your
sequence. Unbeatable feature - I couldn't live without that anymore. Also,
all those drum samplers usually give you acess to the most important things
to alter a sample, such as pitch, panning, attack and so on in a very quick
and handy way, so one could forget about the limitation of not having
multiple outputs for a while.

Regards,
Sascha