Real hihat audio to midi

[zydeceltico]

Hey everybody - -

I just want to start by saying that I have been using SD2 for 2 years (and Reaper - - oh I love Reaper) and love it - -- BUT - - I am constantly in dire need of hihat rhythms that I can't find - - and can't seem to program. I am thinking of playing a real hi hat and attempting to convert it to midi and *marry* that track with the rest of the *kit* in SD2.

Has anyone tried this and can I get some *lessons learned* early on?

Thanks,

Tim

[moliere]

Try a JS plugin included with reaper called SStillwell/drumtrigger.

It should do the trick. Pretty self explanatory once you load it up.
1. Record your hats on an audio track.
2. Add the plugin to the track. Once you've got all the thresholds set, create a midi send from the audio track to a new track that will record your midi.
3. Just right click the record arm button on the track, set to "Record Output : Midi", click record on the transport button and play your recorded audio file. You should come out with a midi file of your hat playing.

You can then use that midi file as the basis for your hats in SD2 (now someone else will have to tell you how to do this if you don't know, as I don't have SD2).

*edit*

You'll have to manually put your open hats in, or record them on a separate pass, but that shouldn't be too much hassle.

*edit* I updated the instructions, 'cause I had them wrong.

[Nip]

Get a pad instead that you can play with sticks - would give you midi right in.

Before I got eDrums I had a Yamaha DD-55. There are such units below $200, and even less second hand.

Don't be surprised if you start doing the full beats on it. More alive than programming.

EDIT: forgot to mention that you can use an ordinary expression pedal to adjust hihat openness more exact. Usually it's midi #CC11, but if you change that with a JS midi plugin midi_CC_mapper to #CC04, you will tell SD2 what grade of openness you want - just like playing physical hats.

[zydeceltico]

Thanks a ton guys for the direction! I'll give both ideas a go and see what I come up with.

I'm sure I'll have more questions later. :-)

Tim