correspond to a drum map used to create drum loops you will be using.
For example: snare is MIDI ID# 38, kick #36, closed hi-hat #42. If a drum loop was created using this
same mapping, then it will play back as expected. Some drum software makers utilize slightly different
drum maps. If they were to create a loop with snare notes corresponding to MIDI ID #37, then those
notes will not be played back by the BeatBuddy unless we assign the snare drum instrument to MIDI
ID #37.
Default BeatBuddy content (loops and drumsets) were created using GM drum map for the most part
and wherever possible. Latin set supplied with the default content far exceeds the number of midi id's
used by GM drum map and it is therefore BeatBuddy specific.
To assign an instrument to a MIDI ID #, simply select it from the drop down list of available numbers. If
a number has already being assigned to another instrument, it will not be available in the drop down
list. No two instruments can have the same MIDI ID#.
Choke Group: it enables one instrument to “choke” or stop playback of another instrument placed in
the same group. For example: closed hi-hat and open hi-hat can not be played at the same time in real
life. By placing closed hi-hat instrument in the same “choke group” as the open hi-hat instrument, it
will ensure that whenever a closed hi-hat is played while open hi-hat is still sounding, the open hi-hat
sound will cease as soon as the closed hi-hat starts sounding.
Another use for this would on a crash cymbal if you have a sample of a crash cymbal being physically
choked by hand. You could replicate the same effect with this feature by placing crash cymbal
instrument and choked cymbal instrument in the same “choke group”.
There are 15 available choke groups. 0 means that instrument is not being assigned to a choke group.
Fill Choke Group: not to be confused with “choke group” explained above, this feature has 2 uses. It
helps avoid accidental flams at beginnings and endings of drum fills AND creates more natural
transitions between fills and main beats.
Avoiding flams- For example, if a drum fill loop contains a kick drum at the end and
superseding beat starts with a kick that is not quantized (perfectly “on the beat”), then it would result
in unnatural-sounding two kick drums being played closed to each other, aka flamming. By placing a
kick drum in a “fill choke group”, whenever there is a kick drum note at beginning or end of a drum fill
in close proximity to kick drum note from main loop, only a single kick drum note will sound.
Natural transitions- in real life when a drummer plays a drum fill it usually ends with a crash
and kick drum played together to accent the beginning of a groove. He/she will likely not play hi-hat or
a ride cymbal at the same time as this accented kick/crash on beat 1. Crash cymbal practically replaces
this first hi-hat or ride cymbal note. In order to achieve the same result when transitioning from fills to
main beats, we need to strategically place crash cymbals in the same “fill choke group” as hi-hats and
ride cymbal. Resulting transitions sound more natural.
You can set how close notes have to happen in order for superseding one to be ignored. Available
options are 1/4, 1/8 and 1/16.