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Old 05-04-2019, 05:25 PM   #1
privatesalt
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Join Date: Jan 2014
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Default Alesis Nitro, EzDrummer - stuck crash cymbal choke/grab fix

Greetings,

First post here. I've been reading the Reaper forums for years. Thanks for all the great info! I ran across a fix today and hope this may help someone. I searched all over the web for months and never could find and answer. I finally gave up and bought Addictive Drums (which cymbal chokes work fine in it).


UPDATE 2: Skip this and go to next 2 post. (The solution in this post didn't work out).


Problem was when I did a crash cymbal choke (grab) on the Alesis Nitro drum kit, the choke would get stuck in EzDrummer. I would have to restart Reaper to get it unstuck. I was playing around with it again today using VSTi MIDI Converter 3, JS MIDI Examiner, and JS MIDI Logger, and happened onto this fix. I don't know exactly what Program Change it's using in the MIDI Converter, but it works great.

I found the Nitro module choke/grab sends poly aftertouch (a9 31 7F). This is on note C#2 crash on the Nitro and in EZDrummer. See in attached examiner and logger image. (This is after it is converted from a9 31 7F to c9 00 00).

The fix is to add MIDI Converter 3 on the Input FX (before EZDrummer) and set the sliders like in the attached image. It converts the Poly aftertouch to a Program Change.

I was thrilled to see it working and thought I would share it here. I think it's great REAPER has all these great tools for problems like this. I did notice in the recorded MIDI item there is a 'PC' where I grabbed the cymbal (attached). I assume this is the Program Change. It doesn't seem to cause any problems on my setup, but not sure if if it would cause problems on another system/setup if I share the MIDI or REAPER projects. I went into the MIDI editor and removed it and the cymbal stopped choking..It just rang out like no grab. So it seems to be required in the final MIDI.

If anyone knows a better solution I'd like to hear it. Using a Program Change seems a bit odd. I just know EZDrummer doesn't like 'a9 31 7F' poly aftertouch MIDI code for cymbal chokes (at least on my setup) and converting to 'ProgChg Inc' works.

Cheers!

UPDATE: I've found a problem with this solution. The Program Change will switch the drum kit back to the Basic kit when the recorded MIDI is played back. For example if you are using "Modern Vintage" kit in EZDrummer, it will switch back to "Basic" kit when it plays across the Program Change. I'm still looking for a good work around. Please post ideas if you have any knowledge on it. This will work only for the Basic kit that comes with EZDrummer (or any add on Basic kits). It also switches back to the Basic kit in the add-ons.
Attached Images
File Type: jpg VSTi.midiConverter3.JPG (62.1 KB, 618 views)
File Type: jpg JS.MIDI Logger.JPG (35.7 KB, 502 views)
File Type: jpg JS.MIDI Examiner.JPG (43.5 KB, 485 views)
File Type: jpg EZDrummer MIDI channel.JPG (27.0 KB, 514 views)

Last edited by privatesalt; 05-14-2019 at 06:53 PM. Reason: Corrected image description. Found problem in solution.
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