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Percussion Synthesizer/Machine Software

hakeem.ram - 1-1-2006 at 08:45 AM

Salam All!

I have been wondering if there is such a thing as a drum machine software or something to that effect for the midle eastern percussions.

Should any of you have any of such info, pls reply. Surely this would help and benefit us all.

Peace
Hakeem

mourad_X - 1-1-2006 at 09:15 AM

hi hakeem

i use the wizoo darbouka plug-in
http://m-audio.com/products/en_us/VirtualPercussionistDarbuka-main....
it souunds great

regards
mourad

Greg - 1-1-2006 at 04:12 PM

Hakeem,

I also have Wizoo Darbuka. It does sound great, but there are obviously considerations other then sound.
Please U2U me your email address and I will explain more about this product.

Regards,

Greg

dubai244 - 1-1-2006 at 10:18 PM

Hi Mourad,
Thank you very much, you did a big favour for me without you know!. About a year back, i was planning to buy What they call it "Rythem Box" Which is a small device Cost About 500 $ minimum and it can play Rythems and you can store Rythems you like in it and play it as long as you like!. and the good one cost about 3500$.
However, one of my friends gaves a software Called "SoundForge7.0" and it does same job as the Rythems Box and i got it for free.
With Sound Forge i can store any Rythems i like from "ANY SOURCE" such as CD, Songs........etc and it will store as "Pure Rythem without music, i can play it as LOOP and i can play my OUD with it,!!
So your Web Site is Very very very good source for me now!!!

hakeem.ram - 1-2-2006 at 10:47 AM

Thank you people for your ideas, though I must say that the software is a bit too expensive for a starter and also for someone who is still a student. (God!! I have been studying for a bit too long I guess!)

Anyway nice ideas and do tell me if you have other ideas.

dubai244 - 1-2-2006 at 11:09 AM

Hi Hakeem,
You can get free " Sound Forge 7.0" from net as trial for 30 days. Try "downloads.net or .com" you can try it or you can get it from " Kazaa or I-mesh" programes.
Good Luck :wavey:

hakeem.ram - 1-2-2006 at 03:21 PM

Hi Dubai244

I would rather recomend the software which was earlier recommended in this forum somewhere Audacity. it is a freeware and pretty powerful too. more or less like the kinda software that i was working with when i was a part time radio DJ before.

Cheers
Hakeem

stringmanca - 1-3-2006 at 12:28 PM

Here's the Audacity link:

http://audacity.sourceforge.net/

Happy New Year!

Nathan

Jonathan - 5-15-2006 at 08:54 AM

Sort of related, I guess.
I am in the process of switching over to Mac from PC. For those who don't have it, Mac has this cool recording software called GarageBand. It is basic compared to the other music recording/processing programs they have (Logic, etc), but it is more than I will ever need.
I am in the habit of pretty much ripping off rhythm tracks off pre-recorded music. I had been using just the Amazing Slow Downer for this, but the mac makes it a lot easier.
on to the question:
Are there pre-recorded middle eastern/near eastern rhythm loops that are available, without spending hundreds of dollars? I can always go on sampling material off of cds that I have--it is not like I am releasing anything, it is just for practice. But, if there is something else out there, please let me know.
There really isn't too much in the Garage Band loops as far as this. They list all sorts of rhythms, but, for example, I couldn't find any percussion/drums at all for 9/8. Even if there was, I have my doubts as to whether it would be "our" 9/8 (2 2 2 3).
Thanks, guys. I am a mac newbie, so don't get too technical on me.

Tablah23 - 5-15-2006 at 09:24 PM

how can u use this plugin, u need a program such as pro tools to run along with it? those programs are little too expensive for my blood, are there any prog, that i can use this wizoo plug in with, nothing seriouse, just too mess around with. thanx.-Romeo

mjamed - 5-15-2006 at 10:30 PM

Guys,

I have Yamaha PSR-A1000 keyboard just for this purpose. I use it as a drum machine !

It has most of the arabic rythems ! And they're pleanty of websites to download a lot other ones for free !

It has arabic, iraqi, khaliji and western rythems !

You can change the tempo, change the style, create your own as well.

it's great ! It has been used in many new songs in the market ! and it's not expensive !

I bought it from Dubai for 666 $ a year ago !

Bartolus - 5-16-2006 at 01:41 AM

Percussion Studio
http://henrykellner.com/PercussionStudio/í

Benjamin - 7-27-2006 at 10:37 AM

Does somebody simply has rythms he/she could post here to download as I didn't manage to use all of these free programs

Thanks, Benjamin

abdulo - 7-27-2006 at 04:06 PM

Hi,

How can I play Arabic scales with regular MIDI keyboard with no quarter tones keyboard connected to my PC , in other way What software can play quarter tons.

Thanks

Jason - 7-27-2006 at 04:15 PM

If your keyboard has a pitch wheel you can use it to approximate quarter tones

abdulo - 7-27-2006 at 04:39 PM

Yes but not practical, is there other way?

For example in arabic keyboard you can have option that when you play Do or Mi .....it will be as half sharp or half flat(quarter). so is there sofware that will give this option ??

Thanks

abdulo - 7-27-2006 at 04:59 PM

Yes but not practical, is there other way?

For example in arabic keyboard you can have option that when you play Do or Mi .....it will be as half sharp or half flat(quarter). so is there sofware that will give this option ??

Thanks

Benjamin - 7-28-2006 at 02:08 AM

As nobody answered my question, I simply repost it:

Does somebody simply has rythms he/she could post here to download as I didn't manage to use all of the free programs mentionned here :buttrock:

Thanks, Benjamin

Greg - 7-28-2006 at 02:51 AM

Abdulo,

If you go to the considerable expense of purchasing high-end notation software like "Finale" and then the further expense in the time to learn this type of difficult software, you can achieve what you are wanting to do. Finale has the capability of producing quarter tones, but it requires a lot of skill and hard work.

As far as I know, there is no easy, quick or inexpensive way to do it.

Benjamin,

If you search the net, you will find a few commercial CDs of middle-eastern drumming samples (loops). Once you have one or more of these, you can bring the samples into the types of software that have been recommended to you and build your own drum tracks.
The other option would be to team up with a real percussionist and work on your playing together. This, to my mind, is a far superior method.

Regards,

Greg

abdulo - 7-28-2006 at 04:32 AM

Thanks Greg,

I do have Siblelies V.3.0 it support quarter tone and I know how to use it.
But I have to play it first with no quarter tone from the keyboard and then convert it from the screen after finishing to quarter ton.

So does finale convert my normal keyboard to Arabic keyboard, when I play I can hear the quarter tone?

Greg - 7-28-2006 at 06:53 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by abdulo
So does finale convert my normal keyboard to Arabic keyboard, when I play I can hear the quarter tone?

I am not an expert on midi, but as far as I am aware any midi keyboard should be able to reproduce any pitch that is sent to it. I have a standard Roland synth module that does.

I have just reread your question and perhaps I am not understanding your requirments. My suggestion was based on the assumption that your computer software and midi interface will be the master and your keyboard the slave.
If you actually want to play the keyboard and hear the quarter tones in realtime I think you would need to buy an oriental keyboard or at least investigate if your keyboard's firmware can be tweaked.

Regards,

Greg

Benjamin - 7-28-2006 at 07:10 AM

Thanks Greg. Indeed it's better to play along with a real human, but I don't know any percussionist. I'll try to find some of theses cd's, but if somebody has some loops rythms audio files, I would be happy!

Regards, Benjamin

abdulo - 7-28-2006 at 09:57 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Greg

Quote:

Originally posted by abdulo
So does finale convert my normal keyboard to Arabic keyboard, when I play I can hear the quarter tone?

Ok let me try to make it clear.
I want to play from my midi keyboard connected to PC and hear the sound from the PC as quarter tone.

Thanks

Jason - 7-28-2006 at 11:20 AM

abdulo...try this

http://www.programurl.com/software-mazzika-downloadnow.html

abdulo - 7-28-2006 at 11:38 AM

Thanks Jason

David.B - 9-10-2009 at 08:49 AM

Quote: Originally posted by Benjamin

Thanks Greg. Indeed it's better to play along with a real human, but I don't know any percussionist. I'll try to find some of theses cd's, but if somebody has some loops rythms audio files, I would be happy!

Regards, Benjamin

Hello Benjamin,

I don't know if you still need these cd's...

http://br.taringa.net/posts/musica/5137/Megapost-de-musica-%C3%A1ra...

You can find many rhythms there

fernandraynaud - 9-10-2009 at 04:44 PM

Adbulo, most of the software VST plug ins by Native Instruments allow you to create your own tunings. These are professional software-only synthesizers and samplers you can play with your MIDI keyboard. If you can find Kontakt, or Absynth, these will do it. Kontakt uses a script that you load, Absynth has the feature built-in. You can assign any note to any key. So, let's say you may want to offset the Eb to make it E1/2b, and in cases where you need both, you can use a note that is not used, say C# to be E1/2b and leave Eb alone. You get the idea. It's not as specialized as Mazzika, but you can use more sophisticated sounds. The point is that you are actually retuning the instrument, not bending notes, which has its own problems. I use this 'trick" on my (physical) harpsichord too, just "steal" seldom-used notes to get the 1/4 tones I need, there aren't THAT many of them.

As to a program that can host Darbuka and other VST plug-ins, there's Reaper that can be downloaded and tried out for free, and is a very complete recording studio much like pro-tools.

arsene - 9-12-2009 at 12:47 PM

Quote: Originally posted by Benjamin

As nobody answered my question, I simply repost it:

Does somebody simply has rythms he/she could post here to download as I didn't manage to use all of the free programs mentionned here :buttrock:

Thanks, Benjamin

Benjamin, I posted a link in a previous thread that had a lot of Greek rhythms to play along with, but 'm sure there will be useful rhythms for most of you:

http://www.playbouzouki.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=v...

I think the Karsilamas, Syrto (Kasap, Malfuf/Saudi), Tsifteteli (çifteteli, balady), Hasapiko (longa?) and Zembekiko (Zeybek) are pretty universal...

Benjamin - 9-14-2009 at 02:49 AM

Thank you guys I went to the sites and there was some good stuff
Benjamin

Aymara - 10-17-2009 at 03:00 AM

Quote: Originally posted by fernandraynaud

As to a program that can host Darbuka and other VST plug-ins, there's Reaper that can be downloaded and tried out for free, and is a very complete recording studio much like pro-tools.

I'm currently trying out the newest version of Reaper on an old notebook only with onboard soundcard and I'm able to create my own rhythm CDs in HiFi quality even with free virtual instruments (VSTi).

Currentyl I'm experimenting with virtual tablas which you can download for free HERE besides several other high quality VSTi's.

Reaper is absolutely great for that low price ... nearly as powerful as Cubase from Steinberg.

fernandraynaud - 10-18-2009 at 06:24 AM

Very important is to get the ASIO4ALL driver (free) that shortens delay on MIDI-Sound, EVEN on the cheapest built-in sound. So for instance you can play with drum pads or a keyboard. Without such a driver the delay is too long to be able to play in time, say 200 mS. There are wonderful cheap desktop MIDI pads these days.

Aymara - 10-18-2009 at 08:42 AM

Quote: Originally posted by fernandraynaud

Very important is to get the ASIO4ALL driver (free) that shortens delay on MIDI-Sound, EVEN on the cheapest built-in sound.

This driver doesn't work with all soundcards, as in my case, though it was originally written for my soundchip (Realtek AC97).

But I got used to the latency ... it's only a problem when recording MIDI or playing many critical VSTIs ... some require a lot of ressources (processor and/or RAM).

But hey ... a good USB soundcard that has it's own ASIO drivers isn't that expensive nowadays.

And we should mention, that they have a great forum, where all this is discussed too.

Aymara - 10-19-2009 at 12:31 AM

Good Morning!

Quote: Originally posted by Gondar12

..., though I must say that the software is a bit too expensive for a starter ...

What? This is the cheapest DAW you can get! You must have missed the private license.

Reaper is shareware without any restrictions (full functionality) and if you are a honest user you will pay 60$ for private use after 30 days of testing. Only the license for commercial use will cost you 225$.

C.O.C.K.O.S seem to play a similar game as Microsoft, because they caunt in piracy to make the software more popular, because Reaper won't loose any functionality after the testing period.

So this software is perfect for starters, even students with a very small budget. Remember what you pay for a computer game and pay the small fee of 60$, when you're happy with this software.

You have nothing to loose, just download less then 5 MB ... yes MB, not GB ... and search for free virtual instruments and you have a virtual studio (including EQ, reverb, gate, etc.) at home for professional recording, if you have a good microphone, including a virtual band. You can even master your own CD. Only a CD burning software is missing.

And the best is ... it even runs smoothly under Linux in Wine

... if you don't like Windows or just prefer a powerful free OS like Ubuntu.

PS: Welcome to the forum!

fernandraynaud - 10-19-2009 at 02:05 AM

There are lots of ways to approach this but at the core you are playing the soundcard with MIDI notes, that have no provision for 1/4 tones, just standard ET. You can use a custom program, or one of two tricks. Trick one is bend the notes partway. The other is reprogram the sound generator to produce different notes than ET.

Trick 1 has a problem: you bend everything on that MIDI channel, if you are playing C and Eb and want to bend only Eb to E 1/2 b , you can only do it if they are being controlled on different channels.

Trick 2 requires a customized sound generator.

If you are using VST plugins as sound sources in Reaper, with a low delay driver like ASIO4ALL, you just need a VST that can respond on multiple MIDI channels at the same time, and then you can bend the desired note on a given channel with a pitch bend message, and leave the other channels untouched.

Or you can use a VST like Absynth or FM8 or Kontakt that have provisions for retuning individual notes (trick #2), and when you play an Eb it will sound an Eb sharped 50 cents.