Recording Electronic Drums

[Tangled Wires]

I have previously recorded a song with Electronic Drums on the Micro BR but was unable to get a stereo sound with the cables that I had (I only had one 3.5mm stereo cable, which would probably explain it!)

The kit in question is the Yamaha DTXplorer and has a midi output as well as L and R stereo outputs.

I was thinking of buying a Midi to 3.5mm jack plug in order that I can connect this into the Midi output on the drums and into the line in on the BR, however the other alternative would possibly to connect with two 3.5mm jacks into the L and R stereo outputs and then put them into a splitter and into the BR?

Not sure if either of these methods would be better than the other in terms of the quality of sound etc, so any advise would be gratefully received.

[cuthbert]

MIDI doesn't pass any audio signal, just MIDI data - so don't use that to get audio to your MBR.

Does the DTXplorer have quarter inch L & R output jacks? If so, then you'd want a cable with 1/4 inch L/R plugs on on side, to 3.5 mm stereo plug on the other side.

[64Guitars]

I have previously recorded a song with Electronic Drums on the Micro BR but was unable to get a stereo sound with the cables that I had (I only had one 3.5mm stereo cable, which would probably explain it!)

The kit in question is the Yamaha DTXplorer and has a midi output as well as L and R stereo outputs.

The audio output of the Yamaha DTXplorer drum module is in the form of two mono 1/4" jacks. The Line In of the Micro BR is a single stereo miniature phone jack (3.5 mm, I assume). Therefore, what you need is a Y adapter cable with two 1/4" phone plugs on one end and a single stereo miniature phone jack on the other. You'd plug the two 1/4" phone plugs into the DTXplorer drum module and connect your 3.5 mm stereo cable from the Y adapter's 3.5 mm jack to the Micro BR's 3.5 mm jack.



Note that the two 1/4" phone plugs on the Y adapter have only one black band, which means they're mono or single channel. But the 3.5 mm plugs on the longer cable have two black bands. That means they're stereo or two channel. Therefore the 3.5 mm jack on the Y adapter must also be stereo. The purpose of a Y adapter is to adapt two mono connectors to a single stereo connector. In other words, it splits the stereo signal into two mono signals; one for the left channel and one for the right.

I was thinking of buying a Midi to 3.5mm jack plug in order that I can connect this into the Midi output on the drums and into the line in on the BR

Midi isn't audio. Midi is instructions. These instructions tell another midi device which notes to play, when to play them and for how long, which instrument voice to use for each note, and so on. The Midi Out jack on the DTXplorer allows you to send midi data from the drum module to a sequencer or another midi sound module. A sequencer is somewhat like a recorder but instead of recording audio, it records midi instructions. Hardware sequencers exist but nowadays most sequencing is done in software. Many DAWs have a midi sequencer built-in. So, if you connect a standard midi cable from your DTXplorer to your computer via a USB Midi adapter, you can record your drum performance in the DAW as a midi track rather than an audio track. The advantage is that you can then edit your performance in the sequencer to correct timing mistakes, wrong notes, etc. and play that sequence back through the DTXplorer drum module for a flawless performance.

Here's an example of a USB Midi adapter:

[Blooby]

I have previously recorded a song with Electronic Drums on the Micro BR but was unable to get a stereo sound with the cables that I had (I only had one 3.5mm stereo cable, which would probably explain it!)

The kit in question is the Yamaha DTXplorer and has a midi output as well as L and R stereo outputs.

The audio output of the Yamaha DTXplorer drum module is in the form of two mono 1/4" jacks. The Line In of the Micro BR is a single stereo miniature phone jack (3.5 mm, I assume). Therefore, what you need is a Y adapter cable with two 1/4" phone plugs on one end and a single stereo miniature phone jack on the other. You'd plug the two 1/4" phone plugs into the DTXplorer drum module and connect your 3.5 mm stereo cable from the Y adapter's 3.5 mm jack to the Micro BR's 3.5 mm jack.



Note that the two 1/4" phone plugs on the Y adapter have only one black band, which means they're mono or single channel. But the 3.5 mm plugs on the longer cable have two black bands. That means they're stereo or two channel. Therefore the 3.5 mm jack on the Y adapter must also be stereo. The purpose of a Y adapter is to adapt two mono connectors to a single stereo connector. In other words, it splits the stereo signal into two mono signals; one for the left channel and one for the right.

I was thinking of buying a Midi to 3.5mm jack plug in order that I can connect this into the Midi output on the drums and into the line in on the BR

Midi isn't audio. Midi is instructions. These instructions tell another midi device which notes to play, when to play them and for how long, which instrument voice to use for each note, and so on. The Midi Out jack on the DTXplorer allows you to send midi data from the drum module to a sequencer or another midi sound module. A sequencer is somewhat like a recorder but instead of recording audio, it records midi instructions. Hardware sequencers exist but nowadays most sequencing is done in software. Many DAWs have a midi sequencer built-in. So, if you connect a standard midi cable from your DTXplorer to your computer via a USB Midi adapter, you can record your drum performance in the DAW as a midi track rather than an audio track. The advantage is that you can then edit your performance in the sequencer to correct timing mistakes, wrong notes, etc. and play that sequence back through the DTXplorer drum module for a flawless performance.

Here's an example of a USB Midi adapter:

64, you are too much. Loved the visual aide.

As always, your efforts are appreciated.

Blooby

[Tangled Wires]

Thanks Guys for explaining to a complete technophobe what MIDI is!

64, I can't thank you enough for your concise and clear explanation on this, and I will be purchasing the necessary cables as described above. Thanks again!

[na_th_an]

I have several of those. Come handy for many applications :-) Same setup as explained, but you only need one cable:

http://www.thomann.de/es/the_sssnake_ypk2030.htm

[Tangled Wires]

I have several of those. Come handy for many applications :-) Same setup as explained, but you only need one cable:

http://www.thomann.de/es/the_sssnake_ypk2030.htm

Cheers na_th_an, that looks like the baby I need.

Huge thanks again guys