Image line software DRUMAXX User Manual

INSTRUMENTS / GENERATORS

Drumaxx - Percussion Modeling Instrument

The Drumaxx percussion modeling instrument gives you total control over 16 physically modeled drums
that can be routed to independent outputs for external effects processing. Great, but why should you care
when the internet is awash with drum samples? In two words, expressive control.

Once a drum
sound is recorded,
the performance
and modulation
options are limited
to filtering,
volume, or similar
1-dimensional
effects. When a
single drum
sample is triggered
in a roll, you get
the familiar
'machine-gun'
effect and it just
sounds
mechanical. Multi­sampled, multi­layered drums can
overcome this
limitation but need
multi-megabyte or
even Gigabyte!
drum libraries.
Even then, you are
still limited to the
sounds originally
recorded.
Drumaxx is not

based on samples or even commonly used 'synthesis' techniques, where oscillators are mixed and the
result is always 'electronic'. Drumaxx uses modeling algorithms to create bass drums, hi-hats, snares,
realistic and electronic sounds too. But what about the traditional 'Achilles' heel' of synthesis, cymbals?
Drumaxx creates cymbals and metallic 'ethnic' percussion sounds too.

At the core of Drumaxx is a model where the vibrating membrane is represented as a mesh of
interconnected points. Each point is given physical properties including mass, inertia, stiffness, damping,
and all that good physics stuff. For the musician, this means Drumaxx gives you control over multiple
parameters such as material, thickness, tension and shape. More importantly, the parameters can be
modulated in real-time as a function of velocity or external controls. The drum body is also under user
control too, including body material, size, vibration damping, and shape. All this gives you multi­dimensional performance options, a Matrix of variables providing nearly infinite possibilities.

Main Controls

Logo - Click on the Drumaxx logo to see version and registration information.
Preset selector - The left/right arrows step through the presets in the bank. Click on the middle

name field to open the preset browser and downloader for online content.
Save/Load - Save/Load the complete set of 16 Drum Pads. Kits are saved as .dmkit files. To

Save/Load an individual Drum Pad use the Pad Name button.
Options - Options include...

Copy/Paste Seq. Bar - Copy/Paste the currently selected sequence Bar for the selected Drum Pad.
Copy/Paste Seq. Track - Copy/Paste all 4 bars in the 'track' for the selected Drum Pad.
Copy/Paste Seq. Pattern - Copy/Paste all sequence data in the selected pattern (16 patterns are

possible).

Save/Load Seq. Pattern - Save/Load all sequence data in the pattern.
Reset Seq. Pattern - Reset all sequence data in the selected pattern.

Master volume - Controls the volume of the Master and any individual outputs.Master volume - Controls the volume of the Master and any individual outputs.

Drum Pad Controls

From left to right, top to bottom the controls for each of the 16 Drum Pads are:

Volume - Pad volume level.
Name button - Save, Load, Copy, Paste, Cut, Link & Route a Drum Pad.

Rename - Click to rename the Drum Pad. NOTE: Pad names will show in the Piano roll for the FL

Studio version.
Load/Save individual Pads - Click the name menu and save the Pad with a new name. This is also

a great way to create custom drum-kits, loading and saving individual Pads.
Copy/Paste - Select the source Drum Pad, select Copy, select the destination Drum Pad and select

Paste. Easier, use the COPY/PASTE panel and click on the source Drum Pad, select the Copy button
(double rectangle), click the destination Drum Pad and click the Paste button (arrow into rectangle).

Learn - MIDI learn. Select the 'Learn' option and play the the key/pad on the controller you want to
link to the Pad. The menu will close and the Pad name show 'Waiting for input' between selecting
'Learn' and playing the controller.

Cut Group - Select a Cut Group for the Pad. Drum Pads in the same Cut Group will cut each other's
sound. The most recent Pad in the Group will cut previously triggered Pads. Useful for transitions
between open and closed Hi-hats for example.

Set Pad Mixer track offset - Selecting an offset will route the Drum Pad to the indicated Mixer
track. See: Multiple outputs. NOTE: The maximum number of outputs for the VST version is 11track. See: Multiple outputs. NOTE: The maximum number of outputs for the VST version is 11
(Master plus 10) and 99 for the FL Studio version (Master plus 98).

Pad Trigger key - Click to select the MIDI trigger note for the Pad.
Pad - Left-click to play the Drum Pad and select its Modeling controls. The selected Pad's number will

be lit. Right-click to select the Pad's modeling controls without playing the Pad. Vertical play
position on the Drum Pad is linked to velocity. NOTE: Velocity must be linked to 'Mallet amplitude' or

other targets for the vertical play position to change the Pad's sound.

M - Mute the Drum Pad.
S - Solo the Drum Pad.
Panning - Left/right stereo panning.Panning - Left/right stereo panning.

Modeling Controls

The Drum Pad controls change to reflect the selected Drum Pad as shown in the screenshot above. Click on
the Drum Pad to be edited.

Mallet

Modeling Controls for the mallet (stick) used to hit the drum.

Amplitude - Striking force.
Decay - Decay time for the strike. Simulate quick, sharp hits or slower, deep hits.
Noise Level - Noise to simulate brushes and softer mallets. As the noise level is increased the

fundamental (lower) frequencies are reduced. To compensate you can increase the amplitude.
Noise Phase - To be used in conjunction with Noise Retriggering. The Phase will influence the tonal

character of the mallet.
Retrig - Noise retriggering. When selected the tonal character of the noise remains constant (the

same each time as the noise is 'retriggered'). When deselected the noise will continue to randomize so
that each hit will have a slightly different character.

Membrane

The drum membrane (skin) has a significant impact on the tonal character of the final sound. There are 4
key parameters - Tension, Phase, Material and Shape. When the right balance between these four
controls is achieved, the sound will be most natural. We recommend adjusting Tension and Phase first,
so that the pitch is close to what you need. Then adjust Material and Shape to fine-tune the tonal
qualities. If the balance is right, the Drum Pad will sound like a drum, and if not, the Drum Pad can sound
'blurry' and 'loose'.

Decay - Decay time for the membrane response and reflections.
Tension - Membrane tension (how tightly stretched the drum is).