Which apps allow importing drum samples from DropBox? (EasyBeats 3 Discussion)

StormJH1

Kind of a general question here - I came across some pretty extensive collections of drum samples (in WAV format, so each kick, snare, etc. is a separate WAV file). My question is: which iOS apps allow you to import those samples and create a new drum kit without significant workarounds?

For example, in DM-1 for iPad, I grabbed poster Derek B's WAV files and was able to make a great custom kit in DM-1. But DM-1 for iPhone doesn't seem to have the same import feature, or at least I can't find it. Am I wrong?

I know Jam Maestro's new update has a great custom kits feature, but I don't know if it allows DropBox importing of additional wav files outside the app's library.

Any other way to import these? Copy/paste from AudioShare?

boone51

BM2. It will allow you to import kits and samples directly from dropbox. It's a great drum sequencer and still the one I use the most today for core beats. It's got a massive footprint and the UI is confusing to some folks, but it's got a lot of raw power. Comes packed with IAA and AB support of course. But I mainly use it outside of that environment these days for setting up my core tracks. Then I import that into Auria, use a little drumagog to get it sounding just right (BM2 also supports separate track export) and then a little DrumJam over the top for some fills and you've got a pretty nice sounding drum track. Werks for me anyway.

StormJH1

@boone51 - I've heard that people do that with BeatMaker2. I have little doubt that's a good program, but it's also a behemoth file that starts about 500MB and I've heard can grow to multiple gigs in size without any great way to manage the bloat. But, otherwise, valid suggestion.

EasyBeats 3 is actually a cool looking little app with AudioCopy and AB support, but as far as I can tell, they expected you to use iTunes File Transfer as of its July 2013, much to the dismay of commenters here:
http://discchord.com/blog/2013/7/11/easybeats-3-pro-drum-machine.html

Amen to every comment there. I guess what I'm looking for is a standalone app that just offers that 16-pad touch display (and ideally, a grid sequencer of some kind) and allows me to import my own kits into it. On iPad, DM-1 does that. Still looking on iPhone...

yowza

Easybeats will allow import of kits, you can zip up a folder but it auto-assigns the samples to pads and doesn't let you move which pad the samples are assigned to at least I haven't figure that out yet. You can also copy and paste samples into EB which allows you to paste to whichever pad you want. None of this is well documented though.
I haven't imported anything into it in a while so details are fuzzy, I'll try to look at it this evening and give an update.

I really like the way the pads feel when you play them in Easybeats probably one of the best I've come across on iOS. YMMV

StormJH1

@yowza said:

Easybeats will allow import of kits, you can zip up a folder but it auto-assigns the samples to pads and doesn't let you move which pad the samples are assigned to at least I haven't figure that out yet. You can also copy and paste samples into EB which allows you to paste to whichever pad you want. None of this is well documented though.
I haven't imported anything into it in a while so details are fuzzy, I'll try to look at it this evening and give an update.

I really like the way the pads feel when you play them in Easybeats probably one of the best I've come across on iOS. YMMV

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/easybeats-3-drum-mpc-program/id643525506?mt=8

Thanks! It's also universal and at least starts out as a small file size. I downloaded the free version, which is like an 808 but no AudioBus/export features and thought it felt and sounded great. Even has really accessible velocity and pitch controls. The piano roll grid was a little tight on my iPhone 5s, but they got all 16 instruments on there at once and it was easy to access. Defaults at 16 steps for one 4/4 measure, but I think you can change time signatures and expand up to 64 steps, if I read the description right.

There hasn't been much discussion of it on this forum, just this thread started by Morris (shocking!) when the new app came out:

http://forum.audiob.us/discussion/1515/easybeats-3-update/p1

If you can AudioPaste .wav files into specific pads, I assume you can then save that as a kit within the app, right? That may be slow, but if it only has to be done once, it should be totally possible using AudioShare as the DropBox intermediary.

yowza

Yes you can save the imported samples as a kit and you can change time signatures too. I programmed a really cool Samba rhythm in 7/4.

There is a video on importing your own sounds at http://easybeats.net/eb3support.html# . I can't really remember what's on the video but I'm at work right now and the filter won't let the video play so... I think you can "Open in" and send a zipped folder of samples to EB from Dropbox but you'd have to use to Audioshare to copy and paste since DB won't let you do that.

fjcblanco

To me, importing wav files (into folders) via iTunes into EB3 (as a kits) is just a lottery. I'll make some patience and I'll create some user kits via ACP.
BTW, I like the app.

StormJH1

Yes, I did see that video. Screen cap attached for how they explain it. This is the iTunes File Sharing method. I don't need to go into all the reasons I hate hooking up my phone to iTunes, but they include my PC trying to install apps I don't want automatically!

Paste-to-pad may be the way to go. The user community samples could be pretty cool too.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

boone51

BM2 is universal, btw

yowza

Forgot I had my phone with me and have a bunch of drum samples in Audioshare so I just tried it to make sure.

Copy a sample in AS to pasteboard, switch to EB3, press and hold the pad where you want the sample to be. A window pops up to Paste Audio and you can rename the pad too. Rinse and repeat 15 times to fill all pads, save as a kit.

fjcblanco

Good to know that. Thanks.

StormJH1

@yowza - Bingo! Yes, that is exactly right. With your help, I bought the app and started snooping around. They actually have a YouTube video that shows that visually, which I found:

I got a quick scare when I did a test on loading the pads for an Alesis HR-16B - went to save it and it said "Overwrite". I thought "Crap, do you have to replace one of the 8 or so kits that are there to save one?" Not the case, it adds the new one to the list. Whether there is a limit on how many you can save...don't know that yet.

Actually, now that I know you can pick where you want the pads, it's really not any harder than DM-1 to import the WAV files. You just have to switch apps, but the copy/paste works fast. I'm liking this app so far! (Thanks @yowza!)

Coloobar

From my experience programming Battery for PC, one other question that you might want to be asking is whether or not the app can assign different wav files for different velocities on the same drum or cymbal. It's a bit more difficult to program but you get a much more natural sounding drum kit in the end.

StormJH1

@Coloobar - that's a great question! Turns out that EasyBeats3 can do that, as well as pitch adjustment (see pic)

In that example,I loaded samples of an Oberheim DMX and was able to modify pitch and velocity. And you can do it step by step, whereas I think DM-1 requires you to change the pitch for all notes it plays.

gjcyrus

• 1 for BM2! I dont have experience with Easybeats but the reason i prefer bm2 over dm-1 is I can create multiple banks with say 40 kick drum samples and can audition them while composing a beat where from what i remember with dm-1, there's only the one kick track or it wasnt as simple(for me at least) to get my own samples in there. If you have a "collection" of drum samples, im imagining you're in a similar situation like me where you need to be able to audition samples quickly and efficiently when in the groove instead of messing around with workflow processes just to get a sample in. The limitation that sucks with all these apps is you're limited to 16 bit samples or rather the apps will convert them to 16 bit. If u dont care then its a non-issue but if you've got wave files, you might care about that.

Lastly, sharing ahem is caring. If you happen to have some nice kicks

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

JamMaestro

@StormJH1 said:

I know Jam Maestro's new update has a great custom kits feature, but I don't know if it allows DropBox importing of additional wav files outside the app's library.

Yes it does.

StormJH1

@gjcyrus - I'll just direct you to the same places I found for myself

http://warbeats.com/community/forums/aft/57 (214 vintage drum machines)

For acoustic drums, go find Derek Buddemeyer's kit he shared from this forum, or for some other rock kits, I think these are the links:

http://rhythminmind.net/STN/?page_id=14 (Pearl kit)

http://smithultd.com/drum-pack-volume-1/ (haven't tried this one yet)

http://soundsoutsidethelines.com/projects/basement-drums (raw basement sound)

Also look for the G & S free kit. I don't remember where I got it from.

StormJH1

@JamMaestro said:

@StormJH1 said:

I know Jam Maestro's new update has a great custom kits feature, but I don't know if it allows DropBox importing of additional wav files outside the app's library.

Yes it does.

Niiiiiice.

[Deleted User]

I've just had a listen to the Pearl kit mentioned above. It's a very nicely recorded sample set with 6 dynamic variants per instrument and should make a fantastic Drum Perfect kit.

fjcblanco

Thanks for sharing that info, guys.