Anyone using Battery 3 and Pro Tools? please help

[GroovnD313]

I cant seem to grasp how to create drums grooves with Battery using Pro Tools as a sequencer. I've been inserting it as a RTAs on an instrument track. Then create a click track in Pro Tools and play along. Is this right or am I doing this all wrong? I cant find a way to do overdubs, without creating additional intrument tracks, so my drum groove is only what I can play live in 1 pass, how do other Pro Tools users program with Battery? I know I can sequence on the mpc but I'm trying to stay ITB.

[25ghosts]

i am not exactly sure of what you want. But:

Battery 3 uses one midi channel... Meaning you can work with ONE kit at a time per instance.

If you wanna overdub with the same kit again - then you need to instantiate anothe battery on a new instr. track then assign a new midi channel to this instance and play again.

If this is not what you meant then please state more specifically... I use Battery 1,2 & 3 and have no problems

[mhmh]

I have Battery3 inserted in a stereo aux channel. Then i use instrument tracks or aux channels for the seperate inputs.
You can use 16 MIDI Channels per Instance and overdubbing works fine just like in any other sequencer.
I´m not sure what exactly your problem is.

Martin

[GroovnD313]

I'm starting to see the light. I can use Midi merge and loop playback to build a layered drum pattern right? Can you take me through the process of sending each cell as individual outs to tracks. Thanks its starting to make sense now.

[jfredk]

Groovn313:

First of all you I suggest you go to the Native Instruments Forums for more extensive discussions regarding this topic. However, as there are a number of us out here dealing with this in PT then here goes....(More of your rig info would be helpful to anyone reading this).

You don't have to use MIDI merge. You can open another MIDI track (highly recommended) and assign it to B3 in the track output section, put her in record mode and then play away. This way if you want your 'loop' to change from one section to the other you're not locked into the part/parts already on your loop. Also be aware ProTools will not loop play in loop play mode while a MIDI track is in 'Record Ready'.

I've got B2 and B3 installed and the new B3 is still quite buggy. More on that later...

If you're new to soft synth/virtual drums plugins and if you're doing 'real drum' emulation, that is, you're not looping for work tapes, demos, dance/house music, etc., you need to think about different patterns for different passages in the material. Have a MIDI track for kick/snare/toms, then one for hats/cymbals, another for percussion, etc. They can all be assigned to the same B3 instantiation on one Stereo Aux Input track.

When you go to print to audio (highly recommended) you can route the audio output from B3 individual mono/stereo outputs (up to 24 from B3) to individual audio tracks, put the audio tracks in 'input' mode to monitor, make sure it's all going to where you need it to go and then record the parts. All the basic kits in Battery when first launched come up in a Stereo Mix labeled Output 1-2 in the Cell Section. If you're new to this it's best to work that way first. Ignore the basic mix from the kit while you put your parts together (especially if you're using the Multi-Mic kits) and just get your music right like you like it. You can tweak later when you get used to what you're doing and why.

What I have found best for work flow, especially if you're feelin' the need for speed is to Open a new session and for use with B2 B3, name the session folder Battery Setups. When the session opens make the following:

3 Stereo Aux channels
6 Stereo audio channels (if you don't need them Make Inactive or Delete)
6 Mono audio channels (Kick, Sn Top, Sn Bot, Stick, hat, Hi Tom, Mid tom, Lo Tom)
4 MIDI channels
Insert B3 into one of the Aux channels as an RTAS instrument
assign the MIDI channels to B3
Load a kit into B3
Put a MIDI track in to record ready
Title the Aux Input with the B3 plug in "B3"--that is your stereo 1-2 output of Battery 3

Once you get used to the B3 plugin interface, you'll be able to assign the outputs of B3 to the outputs the way you'd like them, reverbs and reverb routing, groups, etc. and use then use the "Save Session" command to save the kit/console/routing/bussing to reverb.etc as you want to name them.

Load new kits and repeat the process...except you'll use the "Save As" command instead of "Save" as that will erase your previously stored kits. You can also load the kits themselves with samples into individual folders in that session folder so Battery won't take so long to load.
Now do the same with all the other kits you think you'd use from Battery. PS: One of the Aux channels if for instantiation of Battery. The other two are up to you but I use one for a "Room" sound and I keep the other on standby to use as a group for the whole mess for quick mutes and slight fader rides during vocals or solos. But that's just me. Everybody out here is just trying to get the job done and doing this work as setup will greatly expedite that process. I also like to leave a little section of MIDI data in each session I save to audition the kit sounds with what I'm doing as there a lot of possibilities---no saved kit is the 'perfect kit' if you know what I mean.

You can also save Screen Views as Locations in the Locator Section. Consult the manual for that stuff but make sure they unique numbers to how you do all your sessions.

Then when you want to insert that particular drum configuration into a session you open a new session and use the "Import Session Data" command in PT to bring the kit into the session exactly as you left it the last time you worked on the sounds/routing/ groups/views/etc. and all will be right with the world....

If you're new to MIDI editing the PT MIDI works a lot like Digital Performer since version 5.x. But having your parts all in one MIDI track will be a pain if you want to redo a cymbal section, for instance, as you have to erase all the 'only cymbals' notes and automation/controller data and then....well, we don't want to even go there.....

I hope this helps and do make a trip to the NI forums as there are a lot issues with B3 still hanging out there. If I were you I would go get Battery 2 (more stable but not as 'cute') and install that as well.....

J Fred in Nashville