EZ Drummer with tempo changes

Blong!hahaha

Hi Guys,

I purchased EZ Drummer recently, with the intention of using it simply to generate drum tracks from my midi files, recording them as .wav files. However, I cannot find a way to properly import midi files to include the tempo changes. I have Cubase 5 and Toontrack Solo, but neither of them do it.

Seems the tempo is fixed at one value for the whole track no matter what. Is there any way to have EZ Drummer play through my drum tracks with all the tempo changes intact?

TelePaul

Weird! Are you saying it just ignores the time-changes as you've mapped them in your sequencer's master Tempo Track?

Blong!hahaha

Yeah - I use Guitar Pro 5 and export the drum track as a midi file. I don't see any reason why it would not import the tempo changes.

Paolo_M

What DAW/sequencer are you using?

ProTools asks if you want to import tempo, key change and other in formation containing within the MIDI files when you drag it in.
You can just import MIDI "instrument hit" data itself, or you can import all of the data as you wish.
When I tick everything even markers are imported in the correct positions if they were present in the MIDI file.

I know BFD has a tick box to follow the sequencer time signatures. Have you checked the equivalent setting in EZ Drummer?
You sure that Guitar Pro actually exports all of the data of just the MIDI info? Does Guitar Pro include export settings where you can tick "export tempo changes"?

In the worst case you can program the tempo change within the DAW and EZ Drummer will play the MIDI data in synch with the hosts tempo markers.

It should work as a straight export though, and will be a helluva lot easier.

dasdog

Don't open a new/existing project when you launch Cubase. Open Cubase with no template (cancel when prompted). From the almost blank screen import your midi file which creates a new project for you. Then add your EZ VST and move the drum midi track up to it's instrument track. Appears to be a dumbed down method but I don't see the options (File/Preferences etc) that are being described in PT but I tried it and it works. Oh and thanks for reminding me I had GP4 - gonna have some fun with this myself :pac:

Blong!hahaha

Paolo_M wrote: »

What DAW/sequencer are you using?

ProTools asks if you want to import tempo, key change and other in formation containing within the MIDI files when you drag it in.
You can just import MIDI "instrument hit" data itself, or you can import all of the data as you wish.
When I tick everything even markers are imported in the correct positions if they were present in the MIDI file.

I know BFD has a tick box to follow the sequencer time signatures. Have you checked the equivalent setting in EZ Drummer?
You sure that Guitar Pro actually exports all of the data of just the MIDI info? Does Guitar Pro include export settings where you can tick "export tempo changes"?

In the worst case you can program the tempo change within the DAW and EZ Drummer will play the MIDI data in synch with the hosts tempo markers.

It should work as a straight export though, and will be a helluva lot easier.

Well, I use Cubase 5 but TBH I'm thinking of returning it - keeps hanging and crashing, especially when ez drummer is in use. There's no option on Guitar Pro to export different elements... just 'export midi...save..done', nor is there an option in Cubase to import tempo. But surely that wouldn't matter - tempo is 'built in' to the midi file, right?

Yeah, I really really don't want to have to feck around in Cubase putting all the tempo changes back in..ugh!

I'm really finding that EZ drummer's standalone program, 'Toontrack Solo' does exactly the job I want..if only I could get those tempo changes!

dasdog wrote:

Don't open a new/existing project when you launch Cubase. Open Cubase with no template (cancel when prompted). From the almost blank screen import your midi file which creates a new project for you. Then add your EZ VST and move the drum midi track up to it's instrument track. Appears to be a dumbed down method but I don't see the options (File/Preferences etc) that are being described in PT but I tried it and it works. Oh and thanks for reminding me I had GP4 - gonna have some fun with this myself

Thanks for your advice, but I've highlighted the part I'm not sure about. The drum tracks are already imported as their own instrument tracks. Doesn't seem to be much else I can do with them.

The only tempo settings I can find in Cubase are 'track' and 'fixed' - neither of which allow the tempo changes to come into play.

dasdog

So after you import the midi track you've got a guitar/drum etc track...a basic Cubase project and the channels are not mapped to anything yet. Then you add a VST instrument (EZ) and it should ask you if you want to create a midi track. You can create one or cancel. If you cancel, EZ is loaded and you can then map your midi drum track to this. That will work but look at the memory usage EZ takes up (it doubles).

A better method after you import your midi file is to add the EZ VST and click ok when it asks if you want to create a midi track. Then instead of re-mapping your existing drum track drag the note block down to the "ez drummer" midi track that's been created. This way, it only creates one running instance of EZ...lower mem usage/latency etc. Note when the track tempo is set to "Track" it reads the real time imported data. Fixed will just run at a fixed speed.

Blong!hahaha

Ok, I've tried a couple a things, but Cubase seems to want to crash regardless. I can't play through a track from start to finish without the sound getting stuck, and looping until I close the program. I know it has to be EZ Drummer causing the issue.

So, is there any other way I can use EZ Drummer to play my tracks (tempo changes intact)?

dasdog

That's a whole different ball game. I presume you came to that conclusion as the DAW is stable normally and only crashes with EZ running? If it was a general stability problem I'd recommend trying different drivers (www.ASIO4all.com) and changing settings in the DAW but if you're sure it's EZ then get on to toontrack support if it's isolated to their product.

TelePaul

dasdog wrote: »

That's a whole different ball game. I presume you came to that conclusion as the DAW is stable normally and only crashes with EZ running? If it was a general stability problem I'd recommend trying different drivers (www.ASIO4all.com) and changing settings in the DAW but if you're sure it's EZ then get on to toontrack support if it's isolated to their product.

Yeah I'm surprised EZ Drummer is crashing Cubase. I use it on SE3 without any problems at all.

5Tim6

Its not EZdrummer, i have EZdrummer, Superior Drummer, and Guitar Pro 6 and I use Cubase 5. EZDrummer is not the issue, try to export any Midi file from guitar pro with tempo changes on it and it will still be at a fixed tempo. EZdrummer is just what you add on later as a VST effect in cubase it has nothing to do with why your tempo isn't changing. I two have the same question why doesn't the tempo change. I mean it really makes me mad, so if any one does figure it out please let me know. But i do promise you EZdrummer isn't the issue.

5Tim6

As far as EZdrummer crashing it could be a number of things, I used to have it on my old laptop and it simply couldn't run it all at once it was slow and was skipping all the time. I'm not saying thats the problem but it could be and if so not so much EZdrummers fault but the computers. Also if you export the whole song from guitar pro instead of just the drums, you have multiple midi tracks all with standard effects on them and if your computer isn't that good well its going to run slow, again I don't no if this is your issue but its something you can look into. And the final thing I can think it might be, is an issue with Cubase, I have noticed that in cubase if you have it opened for a long time say you are recording and stuff and take a little break to eat or something and come back, the VST instruments sometimes get all messed up and even crash.
I hope I was some help to you.

dasdog

5Tim6 wrote: »

Its not EZdrummer, i have EZdrummer, Superior Drummer, and Guitar Pro 6 and I use Cubase 5. EZDrummer is not the issue, try to export any Midi file from guitar pro with tempo changes on it and it will still be at a fixed tempo.

Agree, I seriously doubt EZ would cause the crash. I was politely alluding that the OP may not be correct in saying they are sure it was EZ causing this.

As for the import question with tempo changes it does work but it depends on the GP/midi file you have exported (if it contains the relevant change data). Don't create a track and then import. Cubase won't see the data even if it's there. Create the track from an import as was said above. The first song I tried was changing tempo and signature. The next one didn't work. The third one was playing at the wrong tempo but it did read changes in the song. So it depends on the quailty of the GP file you are exporting and you have to follow the "cancel" method that was mentioned.

Doge

Blong i'm wondering if Guitar Pro is to blame here,
maybe it's exporting the midi files without tempo changes?

If you play back the midi file in a media player,
are the tempo changes audible?