Add Keyswitch Alternative (Percussion Map)

Dorico
1

How does one use the “Add Keyswitch Alternative” option when setting up a custom percussion map (like Addictive Drums)?

How does one indicate a rim shot on a drum with snares off?

2

Let’s assume that MIDI note 36 produces a different sound if you use MIDI note 12 as a keyswitch: so you would select the existing entry in Play > Percussion Maps for note 36, and click Add Keyswitch Alternative: this then adds a duplicate row, and allows you to specify MIDI note 12 in the ‘Keyswitches’ field. Of course you must also specify what instrument and/or playing technique will be produced when MIDI note 12 is held down, otherwise it’ll just be a duplicate of note 36 and Dorico won’t use it.

I’m afraid I don’t know what the convention would be for notating a rim shot on a drum with snares off.

3

I would use the regular X note head to indicate the rim shot, then place above the staff a note (playing technique, etc.) something that says “snares off”.

Robby

4

Robby,

Thanks; but I’m not asking how to notate a rim shot on an open drum. I’m asking how to indicate it in the Percussion map since one can one can either add an open technique or a rimshot technique, not both, in the Percussion Map.

I’m trying to make a Percussion Map for Addictive Drums 2, but I am not having much success. In part this is because I sense that some of the terms AD uses are different from the techniques listed in Dorico, and I am not savvy enough to know what they mean.

5

I see…

If I understand it correctly, you don’t have to use “rim shot” technique. You could make it a “sizzle” technique. And as long as the drum kit editor, has “sizzle” located under snare drum technique, the sound associated between snare drum (instrument) and sizzle (technique) is found in the percussion map, that sound will play.

In other words, Dorico isn’t looking for “Rim Shot” to make rim shot patch play, it is looking for (instrument)(technique) to make (what ever the patch is) sound. And if I understand it, if you move to a new library, as long as you have the snare drum set up with a sizzle technique to sound for a snare drum with snares off, that’s the sound that will be produced.

Robby

6

I think part of the situation is that Addictive Drums does not use the GM MIDI map for instrument ID. So I tried to match the MIDI numbers to what the AD2 chart shows as the sound associated with that number. I’m not having a lot of success so far. I had a passable solution in Finale, but I think I may need to know more about how the AD2 driver VST works to improve my success.
Addictive Drums 2 Keymap.zip (259 KB)

7

Have you tried creating your own percussion map?

In Play Mode, under the play menu, in the percussion map setting, you can create your own. I’ve done it for VDL, and have had decent success.

Robby

8

I have a few deadlines coming up. But outside of working on those deadlines, I’d be happy to help you get this up and running. All I would need is information about what MIDI note is
Mapped to what sounds.

Robby

9

That’s exactly what I’ve been trying to do, so far with minimal success. I’ve though perhaps I should re-read the AD2 manual to see if I am not better off addressing the slots that hold the instruments rather than trying to specify the sounds themselves.