Recommended Electronic drum kits as midi controller for komplete drums?

Chronastro

I'm a fond Komplete user. I mainly play keyboards on my old S88 controller. My DAW is Cubase pro.

I'd like to play drums like Abbey Road series using an electronic drums set as a controller. Are there any models or brands that are recommended for this use?

Fil

Am looming for the same info... can somebody tell us what exactly is compatible with complete control... i got the music mashine but its different feeling on drum kits... why ni dont produce one

PK The DJ

I would suggest it's not so much about compatibility (MIDI is MIDI) and more about budget.

How much money are you prepared to spend?

https://www.musicradar.com/news/best-electronic-drum-sets

JesterMgee

Basically any drum kit with MIDI out will work. Most have MIDI via USB but it will basically send a note and velocity setting when you hit the pads, same as a keyboard does when you hit the keys. Comes down to what you personally want from a kit and your budget really.

What is the consideration tho is the actual MIDI ordering of the kit pieces. Some offer the ability to set exactly what note you sent the pads on, others have common MIDI configurations like GM Midi etc. Some drum plugins (Like XLN Audio Addictive Drums) has the ability to change the mapping for many common drum kit mappings. Basically you will need a way to change what actual element in the plugin is triggered when you hit a pad on your drum kit so you can make sure a snare is a snare or make sure you know what kind of MIDI mapping it has and if that is supported by the plugin of choice. If you use a DAW like Ableton then you can add a MIDI matrix input effect to remap midi signals on the fly to adjust for any plugin you like

Also, you will have cases on better kits where things like a cymbal or snare have more than 1 note signal, there will be one for the ride sensor, one for the crash sensor, maybe even one for the bell so it can take some time to configure the kit for use with a plugin.

I have a Yamaha DTX522K kit with a DTX502 controller and that supports GM midi mapping, so works directly with most drum kits that offer a GM mapping. The full reference guide usually shows you the full mapping of MIDI notes for each of the pads/hit zones. Example:

https://au.yamaha.com/files/download/other_assets/9/329779/dtx502_en_rm_a0.pdf

However, I don't connect to my PC much at all (it's in another room). I just use it for practice and for the kids then program beats from memory via Push instead since my playing is rather rudimentary and prob requires more work to fix anyway.

mykejb

I've just bought an Alesis Nitro Max. Not tried it with NI software yet as it only arrived this morning, but it's on my list to try. First impressions of the kit is that it's pretty good, and gets good reviews all over YouTube.

mykejb

The Alesis Mesh Nitro Max seems OK with Abbey Road, the only slight hiccup is going to the partially open hi-hat position makes a snare sound. Pretty sure that's easily fixable in the MIDI mapping though.