I've been a long-time happy exs|24 user of the Big Mono Ludwig kit, and that's the reason why I purchased the excellent new BuckShot Gretsch drum set...

now I've just found these two kits couldn't use the same key-map:

• all hi-hat strokes have been shifted 1 semitone lower
• ride hits are now triggered by D#3 and E3 instead of A3 and A#3

which means that being able to easily switch from one kit to the other obviously requires I edit a copy of each and every midi-drum patterns I've collected so far!

also, according to the documentation for the extended layout, I expected an extra kick at B1:

• fortunately it's the 2nd floor tom that's there — even though the reference manual locates it at B2...
• so where is my alternate kick?

I need to know whether these are mere mistakes in the manual, in the software — or you've changed your key-map specifications for good: I mean, maintaining distinct pattern libraries for two similar instruments is going to be a lot of work; is this the new regular extended layout that will be used from now on for new sets?

in the latter case, it would probably be better to update the map files for all of the instruments that used the former midi layout: is this already in the works or planned?

oh, and there is another slight mistake on page 3: two different sample sets for a single key, F1...

Hey RoughMix, thanks for the feedback. I'll get onto fixing those errors. As for the mappings I'll check out why Buckshot kit isn't consistent, it was supposed to be. I can supply a mapping that will line up with any sequencing based on Big Mono.

nice to know this is where the buck stops because I intended to purchase the remaining kits but was worried about those interface glitches: can we be sure your drum sets all share the very same layout regardless of the kit pieces provided?

I mean, if the BuckShot kit decides to map an extra tight-closed hat, this shouldn't disrupt the standard mapping and confuse users: for the sake of my own convenience I have integrated an AD translation table as a resource of Toontrack's EZplayer, however its internal format isn't suitable for idiosyncratic per-instrument mappings...

That's useful to hear.

Yes I think we've made it hard for ourselves by improving what we do every time we hit the studio - for example we're now tracking more hihat articulations than we first imagined, and they all have to go somewhere.

To confirm - yes there are actually are some variations in the extended mapping between kits. However I see this is obviously not ideal, and I'll work on a consolidated layout as you say, and put that up as a free update. I won't be able to do that overnight but will get to work on it.

okay, right... but in that case, shifting the existing hats one semitone down is probably not enough anyway: I mean if Native Instruments were the one who set the standards, then the assortment of articulations they collected is certainly impressive in terms of key mapping...

http://express.native-instruments.de/fileadmin/ni_media/downloads/manuals/Studio_Drummer_Manual_English.zip

1. closed tight tip right/left alternating*
2. closed tight tip right hand
3. closed tight tip left hand
4. closed tip right/left alternating*
5. closed tip right hand
6. closed tip left hand
7. closed shank right/left alternating*
8. closed shank right hand
9. closed shank left hand
10. closed pedal
11. open CC4 controller
12. open pedal
13. open 1/4
14. open 1/2
15. open 3/4
16. open loose
17. open full

* those are scripted so they trigger automatically whenever the strokes are busy enough both hands are needed

well, if you do, please consider remapping the tom-toms GM-wise, I mean, so that they will show in chromatic order in a midi editor — with the lowest tom on the lowest key-range, as is generally done for tuned percussions... for song-writers, any other order is definitely counter-intuitive!