Using Pedal 2 to play a bass drum

[bwood301]

Is there a way to set up pedal 2 to trigger a bass drum?  I'm looking to keep the bass drum beat of a song using pedal 2.

 

The only thing I have come up with is to record a non-looping phrase and have the pedal start the phrase.  The problem is that I can't retrigger it fast enough for up-tempo songs even using a one measure 2/2 phrase (first note bass drum, second note rest) with the tempo set to max.

 

If the pedal could send a midi note-on when pressed and a note-off when released that would be great.  I don't see any way to do that.

 

I can work around it by making a 4 note (1 measure of 4/4) looping phrase that sounds the bass drum on every 1/4 note.  I would have to adjust the tempo on every song.

 

Any suggestions?

 

[Choppin]

Hello,

 

I'm reading your post as you stomping your foot on the pedal in time as if it is a kick drum.

 

Off the top of my head, you'd need some kind of midi router or controller.  Using Windows and Midi-Ox as an option, you would receive data from pedal 2 then remap it to channel 10 note C2 (maybe it's C3), then send that back to the px-5s.  You decide on the data/code to transmit on pedal 2.  It could be CC 11 for example sending 127 .  When midi-ox receives CC 11 with a value of 127, it gets remapped to the bass drum on channel 10.  This way you don't have to set a stage setting with drums as the tone.  Channel 10 by default is the drum track.  You can change the particular kit through Sys Settings and the mixer.

[bwood301]

Yes.  You read it correctly.  Thanks for the suggestion.  I'll look into Midi-OX. 

 

I was hoping there might be a solution within the PX-5S itself.

[Choppin]

I think you were on the right track with your idea about the phrase.  I think it would have to be tied to an arpeggio, zone 1 set to drums, and pedal 2 set so that a single tap activate then deactivates the arpeggio.  You don't want it running while the pedal is down.  You want a single engagement.  The phrase would be a 1 beat 1 measure phrase.  You might have to do that by creating a midi file then converting that to a phrase using the editor.

[bwood301]

I tried creating a midi file with 1 beat.  The phrase converter converts it to one measure of 4/4 with the beat on the first note.

 

The shortest phrase I could make (entered manually on the keyboard) is one measure of 2/4.  With the tempo set on 255 it still isn't fast enough.

 

I haven't tried Midi-OX yet.

 

Is there a way to trigger an arpeggio other than by pressing a key on the keyboard?

[Hugh O Kelly]

I don't know if this is any good for you but here goes;

I sometimes on the last two low notes on say the piano have two drum sounds to play manually.

 

or

 

if I wanted to have a bass drum play with the song I would "tap tempo" the tempo and have four or eight to the bar and write it as a drum loop.

If you can't get the first one in every time,I have a tip!

 

"Is there a way to trigger an arpeggio(and phrase) other than by pressing a key on the keyboard?"

Yes,with the pedal

[Choppin]

bwood301,

 

When I got home yesterday, I tried the arpeg/phrase thing.  Worked as you describe.  Can't make a 1 beat measure.   I've used the midi-ox method for other things like playing all 16 tracks at once in unison; but haven't tried it mapped to pedal 2 yet.  I'll try that later today.

 

Hugh,

 

is what you suggest an automatic looping of the bass drum? 

[Display Name]

Something like the Behringer FCB-1010 pedal board could do this - it has 10 switches that can be programmed to send various MIDI events, including note trigger. You may also be able to use a MIDI Solutions box with a sustain pedal and program it to send the right now. Unfortunately, either of these methods will set you back at least $100. 

[bwood301]

Hugh,

 

I believe I know how to use a pedal to start a phrase. 

 

I'm interested in knowing how to use a pedal to start an arpeggio.  The only pedal setting I see related to arpeggios is "Arp Hold On/Off".  I believe that setting determines if the arpeggio will continue to play after you release the key that started it.

 

Thanks in advance - Barry

[Hugh O Kelly]

Yes,you have that right Barry,

You can use the pedal (in common edit) to switch on the arpeggio 'on"but you must hit a note to start it

 

One thing I find interesting is the fact that many switches have a double function meaning two functions at once

 

I must check if the pedal can do two

and also one can go from say 1 to 127 while the other can go from 127 to 1 so you can two voices on the same switch but each doing the opposite.

 

{10 minutes later}

Yes....... the pedal can do two functions at once e.g. phrase on/off and arp. on/off

To get the 2nd function press the +button(usually to change channel )

 

I hope that is of some help for it is difficult not being there.

Since I've joined this forum I'm getting better but some are very very good at saying just what it is.

Some are too good and go into to oooo much  detail but there is someone for everyone.

[Choppin]

bwood301,

 

Tried it with Midi-Ox - it totally works.  This is how you set up the Px:

 

Edit > Stage Settings > Common > Pedal 2 target CC: 63

 

I'm setting pedal 2 to control 63 because it isn't assigned to anything.  This could be anything, but we'll use 63.  This is what we'll be looking for in Midi-Ox.  For the zones, turn the midi out off for any zones you want to play.  You'll want one of the zones midi out set to on.  This will be the zone that will carry the pedal 2 control over to midi ox.  You could have all the zones set for midi out, but because we'll be receiving midi info back from midi ox, you'll get a double play effect for those zones that are transmitting unless you want to get way deep into the midi setup and routing.

 

Leave that for another day.  For now, turn the midi off for those zones you want to play on the keyboard, and turn the midi out on for one of the zones.  Also, for that zone with the midi out on, change the high and low key range to -c2 for both.  This will prevent your keyboard playing from going over to midi ox but still allow for cc 63 on pedal 2.

 

For midi-ox, make sure the routing is in from the px and out to the px.  For the data mapping I'll include a screen shot of what it should be.  If you set everything up correctly, when you step on the pedal, it will play the bass drum on channel 10.  Make sure you hit OK after setting up the mapping and check the Turn on Map after OK check box so that the mapping is on.

 

[bwood301]

Thanks so much Hugh and Choppin.  I will definitely try out the Midi-Ox solution today!

 

Barry

[bwood301]

I tried Midi-Ox and everything worked as you said. Thanks Choppin.

Barry

[Choppin]

Hi,

 

Just a note:  Not in front of the PX at the moment but I think if you go into Sys Settings > Sound Generator > Mixer > Use the Zone + - keys to bring up part 10 (should be channel 10  Drum part) you should be able to change the drum kit.

[pax-eterna]

So I assume this works in a home situation, but how about live with no PC to carry around?

[Choppin]

You'd need either a pedal that can transmit a note on/off message to a specific channel, a computer, or physical midi router that can remap midi messages.

[pax-eterna]

Yeah, I thought that would be the case. I think I will just stick with a stomp pedal

[jaspeter]

I've used a MidiSolutions Midi Event Processor to do just that, assign a pedal to a kick drum.  I wish there was an internal solution in the PX-5S, but I had tried some of these solutions and hadn't found anything, either.  Good luck!

[johnnypinaz]

This is a cool idea and I have a use for it also...  What about something like this? I think this is for M-Audio stuff but does it relate to the Casio?

 

[johnnypinaz]

I play both acoustic guitar and switch to keyboard as a solo... I would love to have a midi bass drum kicker for some of my guitar tunes. 

[johnnypinaz]

Hope it was OK to post that  

[tosh]

jonnypinaz - I found that same clip - obviously from the lack of response you got that won't work on the PX-5S - pity......