Working with Drums.html

Using SmartScore 3

Chapter 8 Working with Drums

SmartScore has some really nice drum features including MIDI support for the percussion clef, automatic drum patterns and a "drum kit" which records a drum track by tapping keys on your computer keyboard.

8.1 Percussion clef (Clefs Palette)

When the Percussion Clef is entered on a staffline, the MIDI channel assignment for that staff and part switches to 10; the default drum channel. Notes can be entered, deleted and pitch-shifted normally, and will playback as MIDI drums. The percussion clef works in den tic ally as all other clefs, including Unify Clefs (See Unify Clefs).

8.1.1 Playback > Drumset

Drum sounds are associated with every line and space of the drum clef staff. Accidentals are ignored regardless of the key of the score,

To change default pitch-to-MIDI drum mapping

a. Select Playback > Drum Set.

FIGURE 7 - 1: Linking stafflines to MIDI drums in Drumset map

b. Using the mouse, drag links from staff and ledger lines and spaces in the window and reconnect to list of General MIDI drums on left-hand and right-hand sides of window. Press OK to finalize changes.

8.1.2 Creating a drum pattern in ENF

a. From the Navigator palette, select "Score". In the System Type in Score pull-down menu, select Solo/Part. Click OK.

b. Right-click (Ctrl + click for Mac) on any open palette and select Clefs. Click on the rectangular "percussion clef".
c. Toggle the "C" key to get to the Change mode and click on the treble clef in the first staff line. All clefs should then update.
d. Select eighth note from "Notes" palette and using beam direction tools, create the following pattern. Hit Spacebar to play back.

FIGURE 7 - 2: Creating a drum pattern

NOTE: Simultaneous drum sounds must be contained in the same voice. Therefore, you will need to use the Cluster tool to add additional drum "note heads" to an existing note stem. Holding down Shift and dragging a notehead up or down will allow you to hear each drum sound associated with each space and line.

8.2 Automatic Drum Patterns

It's more fun if it's got a beat! Simply select a drum accompaniment or you can add customized patterns to the drum library yourself.

8.2.1 Play back with automatic drum pattern

To select an instant drum pattern for ENF playback,

a. With any ENF file open, click on the Drum Pattern button in the SmartScore toolbar.

b. Sort each column by clicking on its name in the column header.

FIGURE 7 - 3: Automatic Drum Pattern Library

c. Click on a pattern that matches the time signature and style of your ENF file. Press OK to accept the selection.
d. Press the spacebar to hear your file playback with drum accompaniment.

To Remove a drum pattern from the library,

Locate the Styles folder inside the SmartScore application folder and delete the .ssd file you wish to remove.

8.2.2 Adding custom drum patterns from ENF

The drum pattern library is expandable. You can add new patterns that you have either created yourself or imported from a MIDI file which contains a drum track on MIDI Channel 10.

To add an ENF drum pattern to the automatic drum pattern library,

a. Open an ENF file which contains a percussion part (written with a percussion clef) or,

b. Open an ENF file in which you have created your own drum pattern. Refer to "Creating a drum pattern in ENF" for more information on how to create drum patterns.
c. Click the MIDI button in the Navigator to open the MIDI Overview.

NOTE: See MIDI Views for more information.

d. Select Edit > Create Automatic Drum Pattern.

FIGURE 7 - 4: Creating a drum pattern from a MIDI file

e. Locate the track in which the drum is played and select it in the Track field. Note that MIDI drums will sound only if they are assigned to MIDI Channel 10.

NOTE: To check the channel number of a track, right-click (Ctrl + click for Mac) next to the track number in MIDI Overview then select Piano Roll. The channel number (and its color) will appear in the upper left corner of the Piano Roll View. Close the Piano Roll window to return to Overview window. Another option is to simply open the Playback Console (Ctrl + 9). Next to each track number listing is a colored box containing the MIDI channel number assigned.

f. Enter the name you wish to give the pattern in the Name field.
g. Select a musical style to classify the new pattern and enter it in the Style pull-down menu.
h. Locate the first measure where you wish the pattern to begin and enter it into the Beginning Measure field.
i. Decide how many measures you wish the pattern to contain and enter it in the Length (in Measures) field. This is a very important decision if you want to have proper-sounding patterns.
j. Click Generate to add the pattern to the library. It's name will then appear in the Automatic Drum Pattern window.

TIP: Add "fills" to longer patterns (8 or 12 measures). Repeated fills in patterns having 1 or 2 measures usually sound dumb.

Importing MIDI drum patterns

a. Push the Open button in the Navigator (File > Open) and click to select MIDI from the "Files of Type" pull-down menu. Browse to a MIDI file containing a drum track and double-click.

b. Push the Play button to hear the MIDI file play back. Push Close.
c. The imported MIDI file will appear in the MIDI Overview window.
d. Repeat the process from Step d) above.

8.3 Virtual Drum Kit

This option allows you to create a drum track to accompany any ENF playback without requiring a drum machine or any other external MIDI device. It maps selected MIDI drum sounds to the keys of your computer keyboard. MIDI quantization to sixteenth notes is applied by default. For more information about quantization, see "Snap to".

8.3.1 Recording a virtual drum track

To create a virtual MIDI drum track in ENF,

a. Select Options > Virtual Drum Kit.

b. In the New MIDI View window, New Track is selected. Press OK.
c. A MIDI Record view will open. Test drum sounds by hitting the center keys on the two front rows of your computer keyboard.
d. When ready, hit the Record button. You will hear a metronome sound for one measure. Playback and drum recording begins.
e. Hit Stop when finished. Close the MIDI window to return to ENF.

8.3.2 Defining Virtual Drum Kit

To change a MIDI drum and link to your computer keyboard,

a. Select Options > Virtual Drum Kit Definition

FIGURE 7 - 5: Virtual Drum Kit Definition

b. Click on an instrument / key in Instrument list.
c. To reassign a MIDI drum instrument, push Change Instrument and make another MIDI drum selection in the pull-down menu.
d. To reassign a keyboard key for that instrument, push Change Key and press any keyboard key to be linked to that instrument.
e. When finished, press OK.

To add a MIDI drum and link it to your computer keyboard,

a. Push Add.

b. Press a key to become associated with the sound.
c. Select a new drum sound from the pull-down menu.
d. When finished, press OK.