Recording midi data using Battery on an Instrument Track

[jallen]

I'm trying to record midi data on an instrument track within Pro Tools 7.4 using Battery Drums as an insert, and its just not working.

Here's what I got..

I created a new instrument track.
Midi Input Selector is set to 'All'.
Midi Output Selector is set to 'Battery 3 1-1' , Midi Channel-1
The first and only insert on the instrument track is Battery 3.
I've loaded a drum kit into Battery 3.
Audio Input Path Selector is set to 'no input'
Audio Output Path Selector is set to Anlg1-S/PDIF
I've record enabled the instrument track.
I click on the record button in the transport window.
I press play on the transport window.

While Pro Tools is recording I tap on the various cells within Battery, and I can hear the drums fine, but here's the thing.. no midi data is getting recorded within the Instrument Track! And I can't for the life of me figure out why???

I can use the pencil tool, and write in individual midi notes on the Instrument track, and that plays back fine, but thats not what I'm looking to do here. I want to get a real feel on the drum track.

Note.. I'm not trying to record audio here, I'm just interested in recording the Midi data.

Any help at all would be greatly appreciated.

[jallen]

Here's an update to my own post..

When I use an external keyboard as a midi controller, with the exact same setup as I mentioned in my original post, with no changes whatsoever, then Pro Tools records the midi fine without any problems.

But if I use the laptop to tap on the cells within Battery with no external keyboard controller to try to record midi, no midi data is recorded.

Any ideas why this would be???

[spkguitar]

Because battery is not a MIDI controller.

Clicking the cells works to audition the instruments in the cells, but the cells themselves do not output MIDI data at all.

[jallen]

Thanks for your reply.

I suppose that makes perfect sense.

Is there a way within Pro Tools with just software and the laptop to create some drum beats without an external midi controller???

Here's the scenario, I spent hours on a train and in hotel rooms the last few days, and I was traveling, and its impractical to bring a midi controller keyboard, but I wanted to record some drum beats as midi using Pro Tools LE 7.4 and Battery 3, so then I could later change the drum beats around or use different instruments etc.

Thanks again.

[Rail Jon Rogut]

You can enter MIDI notes using the Pencil Tool and a lot of patience.

Rail

[Steve MacMillan]

Is there a way within Pro Tools with just software and the laptop to create some drum beats without an external midi controller???

Check out FXpansion's Guru. It has a cool drum grid editor, with lots of urban hits and beats. Great for mousing drum parts.

Even simpler is iZotopes iDrum, also very cool and fun.

STeve

[Rail Jon Rogut]

BFD2 will have a similar Groove Editor.

http://www.fxpansion.com/index.php?page=53&tab=149

Rail