M-Audio iDrum [9/12] Loading idrum files

10 » Quick Start Guide

Loading iDrum Files

Unlike manufacturers of hardware drum machines, we had no constraints on the number of

samples and patterns we could include with iDrum. There are approximately 200 iDrum ﬁ les

installed by default—each with several patterns—and over 500 drum samples!

Here’s how to get started with the included ﬁ les. Remember that unlike standard audio loops

iDrum ﬁ les are completely ﬂ exible—you can change sounds, parts, tempo, effects, anything!

Start experimenting with some of the included patterns and you’ll be creating your own beats

in no time.

To load an iDrum ﬁ le:

1. Bring up the iDrum menu by control-clicking (or right-clicking) anywhere in iDrum’s

window, or by clicking on the menu button in the upper left-hand corner of iDrum’s

window.

NOTE: The factory iDrum ﬁ les are located in /Library/Application Support/iDrum/Kits.

2. Select ‘Open...’ from iDrum’s menu.

3. A standard Mac OS X “Load File” dialog appears. Find the iDrum ﬁ le you want to load

and press the “Open” button. iDrum will load the speciﬁ ed ﬁ le. Please be aware that

this will erase any currently loaded pattern and song data, so be sure to save your work

before loading a new ﬁ le.

Exploring the Step Programmer

If you’re new to step-oriented drum machines, you might be wondering what the row of sixteen

buttons to the right of each channel is. By default, each of these buttons represents a 16th note

in a single bar of 4/4 time. So a ‘four-on-the-ﬂ oor’ kick pattern would look like this:

In iDrum jargon, this is called a “Part.” You edit a part by clicking on a step to toggle it on or

off. When a step is active, it appears lit up. An inactive step appears grayed out. When a step

is inactive, that step will not sound regardless of any other settings for the part. When a step is

active, you can change the volume of the step by clicking on the step, holding down the mouse

button, and dragging up or down. A step with its volume at zero has the same effect as an

inactive step: no sample is triggered for that step.