Hey, the Bandstand tutorial page has MP3 demos... pretty cool. Interesting that there is a feature in BS that lets you hear a demo of each instrument.

Frank: just for the record, can you give us the specs again of the computer you are currently using Bandstand on?

Thanks,
Esh

BTW:

Hi Frank,
under Settings, Device Type, set to GM.

I do my edits via
Window_ Stylemaker_Track_Convert
Up pops a conversion Table. That's where you convert the xgdrums to compatible GM drums. Not all the drums need to be converted, only certain ones.
Handy to have both your Bandstand Drum Maps?? and the xg maps.
This conversion table can also correct velocities for your Bandstand drums ie if bass drums are playing too loud or too soft. You can correct it.

Also you can save your conversion table.
If you would like me to go into a bit more detail, I can, but unfortunately I'm just about to pack up for the day.

Jos I think has a GM conversion map on his site, but I prefer to do my own, his is a bit more general, or I'm way too fussy. haahaa

best wishes
Rikki

Do you have a Bandstand GM Drum Map that you could send me.

rikkisbears@hotmail.com

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Frank L. Rosenthal:
[B]

[This message has been edited by rikkisbears (edited 11-25-2005).]

Esh, here are my general specs:

Pentium 4, 3.0 GHz, 2GB RAM, ASUS Video
2HDs (80 GB, 7200 rpm, 8mb Cache)
Audigy 2 Platium Soundcard for Midi only
Steinberg's VSL 2020 soundcard for all Audio


Rikki, if you get a chance could you provide me a copy of your drum conversion tables. My email is:

flr@mts.net

Thank you

Hi Frank,
sorry, mine won't work. My drum conversion tables are xg. The only thing I've been using them for is to change the velocities in the drum tracks, not the instruments.
To date , I haven't had the need to change to gm.

Do you have a list of how the drums are mapped in Bandstand, or do you know if I can get a copy somewhere and download it?
I'd be happy to do the drum conversion tables for you ( can't do velocities), but I'd want to make sure that I'm mapping them correctly.
best wishes
Rikki

Rikki thanks for your offer.

I did some more testing and found when I do the conversion in OMB and use OMB to play the styles things sound reasonably ok. However, when I take that converted file over to Live - Styler things fall apart.

I would like to keep using Live - Styler and will try to do the conversions using Sonar and CASMEdit. With this setup I can go in and get rid of this 16256 & Bank 127 and load the correct drumkit from Bank 128.

I will let you know how well this works. This is much slower than your approach. I will take another look at M. Bedesem's programs (Midi Player, Midi Fix, etc.). One of the problems could be that OMB takes the additional step within to combine all the drum tracks to channel 10 for playing but saves them separately as 3 channel 10 tracks. If this is the case then Live - Styler may suffer a severe illness in the interpretation of it all. Oh well!!! I remember doing something like this many months ago with good success. I just need to find my information on this.

Just for your information M. Bedesem provides translation table from XG to GM within his help file for the Midi Player. I don't know how well this does the job. In some GM Wavetables there is only one standard drumkit. In Bandstand you get the usual 9 drumkits, I think. So there may be more than one conversion table needed.

Esh, to get my Bandstand setup working I will take a look at reducing the buffer sizes and getting rid of the convolution reverb (very hard on a computer as you noted). It may be possible to load up all your acoustic instruments (once) and from then on things would respond instantly. This would would work if you did not need any of the pads, synth stuff, birds, gunshots and so on. The answer could be staring in my face but I just can't see!!!

On those styles that I can get things to work, e.g., KN5000 converted to PSR, etc. Bandstand sounds pretty good!!!

[This message has been edited by Frank L. Rosenthal (edited 11-26-2005).]

I have done some more testing and find that I still am getting hanging notes between my new version of Live - Styler and Bandstand. OMB, Windows Media Player and Sonar have no problem with Bandstand and my equipment.

This could lead to overloading of my CPU, distortion and of course output which is not to kind to one's ears. I will work on this to see if I or the producer of Live - Styler can find the solution. I like the appearance and GUI of Live - Styler and would like to stay with it. Plus I know how to use it.

I will let you know of anything else I discover concerning Bandstand. As I indicated before, on those styles where everything works, Bandstand sounds very good indeed....for auto accompaniment.

Hi Frank,
are you sure it's OMB conversion that's causing your problems, and not Live Styler program not being able to cope with Bandstand.??

Unfortunately you probably would require more than 1 conversion table.
You'd need one to cope with the standard kits & the brush kit.

The really big difference between the xg mapping and gm mapping is that xg has brushes available in nearly all, if not all of their drum kits. Some of the psr styles I use, utilize brush sounds & snare drums in the same drum track.

Note GM Brush kit doesn't have snares. http://www.voidaudio.net/percussion.html#set2

One of the reasons I decided to try and put together a suitable xg mapped drum soundfont instead. Still working on it haa ha

You may not have the same problem. Really depends on the psr styles you're using.

best wishes
Rikki
[QUOTE]Originally posted by Frank L. Rosenthal:
[B]
One of the problems could be that OMB takes the additional step within to combine all the drum tracks to channel 10 for playing but saves them separately as 3 channel 10 tracks. If this is the case then Live - Styler may suffer a severe illness in the interpretation of it all.
In Bandstand you get the usual 9 drumkits, I think. So there may be more than one conversion table needed.

Rikki, I am fairly certain it is Live - Styler which is having a problem with Bandstand. As noted above OMB, Media Player, and Sonar work ok with Bandstand. The main problem currently is the hanging notes or midi loops. I just received an email from the developer of Live-Styler indicating that he cannot test all VSTs. This means I am out of luck with respect to using LS with Bandstand....such is life!!!

[This message has been edited by Frank L. Rosenthal (edited 11-26-2005).]

Rikki, just in case you need to spend some money you could buy the VSL full library for only $11,000.00. I think it measures around 500 GB or so. You would need some 200 or more computers to load it all up at the same time. Plus you might need a local area network....And possibly even a tech support department. And then you could acquire a contract to do a Hollywood movie script!!! Once you are in this league you will need to acquire a new set of friends.

Hi Frank,
you're a character. Actually i suppose if I disappear again for another 5 years making my teddy bears ( that's what happened last time I couldn't afford what I wanted), I can come back, the library will cost one tenth of the price & I'll only need one computer to run it all. WOW.

best wishes
Rikki
p.s. I like the set of friends I've already got here haahaa