Triggering AR sounds via Midi with SPD-SX. How to set up?

Hi elektronauts!

As a midi beginner and untalented technician I have a question for you.

I want to use a midi connection to play AR sounds on my Roland SPD-SX with the sticks (play AR like a real drum). For example I want to play the AR-Snare-Drum on Pad 1 of the SPD-SX, the AR-Hi-Hat on Pad 2, etc. Later I might want to use an SPD pad to start and stop an AR beat.

I know that this works and there are already many forum entries to this topic. But I don’t really get along with the manuals, the forum entries. I think I lack the basic knowledge and despair slowly but surely :sweat:.

Is there somewhere on the internet a complete step-by-step guide for dummies like me somewhere that tells me what I have to set on both devices to make this work (midi channels, midi notes, settings where in the systems etc.)? I’ve read through the manuals, browsed the Internet and tried the devices. But somehow I don’t manage to set the settings correctly.

Or what do I have to do to understand how this works?:unamused:

I am really sorry for this stupid request!

Maybe here you can find some answers…

2 Likes

Thanks a lot, there must have been a strang bug in the AR or the SPD. Today it worked without changeing anything.

But one more question: Does anyone know, if it is possible to start and stop the AR with an SPD-SX pad?

only if it can be configured to send a transport message - some midi controllers allow this flexibility, most omit flexible transport options

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How do you like using the SPD-SX to make beats? I want an external drum controller, but I wish they just made nice MIDI ones…don’t need all the sampling features

Meanwhile I play sometimes AR sounds on the SPD-SX via Midi from time to time. It works.
But I prefer to work with the AR and when I’m sitting on the drums, I play with the SPD-SX samples (no midi triggering).

If you only want to control sounds via Midi, you can do that with the SPD-SX. The pads are good to play and well arranged.

I’m not sure if there ist another midi controller, only made for midi controlling.
But attention: If you want to program beats (sequencer like) or to send clock, the SPD-SX can’t do that! Then you’d need for example the SPD-30 (but the SPD-30 can’t play samples).