PXDrum v1.2 Manual
Contents
    Overview

    XDrum User Interface

        Controls

        Volume / BMP Panel

        Info Panel

        Pattern List

        Sequence List

        Track Info Panel

        Pattern Grid

    Loading / Saving Songs

    Example Patterns/Songs

    Record Song to WAV

    

Overview
XDrum is a simple pattern-based drum sequencer. It can be used as:

    
A drum pattern "sketchpad", for quickly composing drum patterns
 
    
A drum sequencer (playing back a drum song)
 
    
An emulator for sample-based drum machines
 
    
A reference tool for real drummers for learning or referencing drum patterns
 
    
A beat/timing aid for those learning/practising guitar / keyboard
 
    
A "Live" drum machine for realtime performances
 



XDrum User Interface
Although XDrum is fairly simple and intuitive, to use it properly you will 
have to know what the various parts of the XDrum screen are for, and which 
keys/buttons to press.

The XDrum screen is split up into the folowing "panels":

	
	
	
	

		
Top Left
		
Vol/BPM Panel
		
Used to set main volume and playback speed	
	
	

		
Top Centre	
		
Info Panel 	
		
Displays song name, drumkit name, playback mode and current pattern name
	
	

		
Top Right	
		
Pattern list	
		
List of named patterns	
	
	

		
Top Right (2)
		
Sequence
		
Song sequence list (sequence of patterns in the song)	
	
	

		
Left
		
Track Info	
		
Track names and info 
	
	

		
Middle/Right	
		
Pattern grid	
		
Displays the current drum pattern	
	




1. Right-clicking the mouse on the different panels of the XDrum screen will 
   pop up a "Context Menu" with actions you can perform on the objects in that 
   panel. 

2. On PSP, press the X button to do a left-click, and CIRCLE button to do a 
   right-click.


Controls:
When you are viewing the XDrum screen, the keys are (PC version):


	
	
	

		
Esc 
		
Bring up the Main Menu
	
	

		
SPACE
		
Start or stop playback
	
	

		
M
		
Change playback mode (Pattern / Song / Live)
	
	

		
R
		
Rewind (Pattern / Song)
	
	

		
X
		
Add a drum note at the current pattern grid cursor position	
	
	

		
C
		
Cut the drum note at the current pattern grid cursor position	
	
	

		
PGUP
		
Previous pattern
	
	

		
PGDOWN
		
Next pattern
	
	

		
ARROWS	
		
Move the pattern grid cursor
	


Menus:

    Main Menu:
        File Menu
        Pattern Menu
        Sequence Menu
        Options Menu
        Help Menu
        Quit
        

    File Menu:
        Load Song
        Save Song
        Load Drumkit
        Record to WAV


    Pattern Menu:
        Insert Pattern into Song
        Copy Pattern
        Paste Pattern
        Rename Pattern


    Sequence Menu:
        Insert Pattern into Song
        Remove Pattern from Song


    Track Menu:
        Track Vol %
        Copy Track
        Paste Track
        Clear Track


    Options Menu:
        Shuffle
        Jitter
        VolRand
        Flash on Beat


    Note Menu:
        Volume %
        ???
        ???


Vol/BPM Panel:
This panel is used to set the main volume and playback speed (BPM).

	
Left-click in the volume bar to set the volume.
	
Left-click just above the volume bar to increment the volume.
	
Left-click just below the volume bar to decrement the volume.
	
Left-click in the BPM bar to set the BPM.
	
Left-click just above the BPM bar to increment the BPM.
	
Left-click just below the BPM bar to decrement the BPM.

Right-click for the Vol/BPM Menu.



Info Panel:
This panel displays the Song name, Drumkit name, playback mode and current 
pattern name. It also displays the Shuffle and VolRand (note randomisation) values.

	
Right-click on the song name for the File Menu.
	
Right-click on the drumkit name for the File Menu.
	
Left-click on the playback mode to cycle between Pattern/Song/Live modes.
	
Right-click on the pattern name display to display the Pattern Menu

    

Pattern List Panel:
The pattern list panel displays a list of the patterns in the current song.

	
Left-click on a pattern name in the list to make it the current pattern.
	
Right-click to bring up the Pattern Menu



Sequence List Panel:
The sequence list panel shows the playback order (sequence) of the patterns 
in the song, when in "Song" playback mode.

	
Left-click on a pattern name in the list to make it the current pattern.
	
Right-click to bring up the Sequence Menu



Track Info Panel:
The track info panel displays the name, mix vol and mute/solo status of all 
8 tracks.

	
Left-click on the 'M' (mute) button in the track info panel to mute that track.
	
Left-click on the 'S' (solo) button in the track info panel to solo that track.
	
Left-click in the volume bar in the track info panel to adjust the mix volume for that track.
	
Right-click on a track in the track info panel to bring up the Track Menu for that track.



Pattern grid:
The pattern grid displays the notes in the current pattern.
The "note edit cursor" is displayed on the pattern grid. You can move it using 
the arrow keys.

PC version:

	
Left-click on a note in the grid to mark it as a "note on" (or "drum hit")
	
Left-clicking on notes will cycle them between "note on", "accent", "note cut" and "off".
	
Right-click on a note in the pattern grid to bring up the <Note Menu> for that note.


PSP version:

	
Press X to mark the note under the "note edit cursor" a "note on" (or "drum hit").
	
Pressing X button again will cycle the note between "note on", "accent", "note cut" and "off".
	
Pressing CIRCLE button will bring up the <Note Menu> for the note UNDER the "mouse" cursor.



Loading and Saving Songs
A PXDrum song is a collection of patterns, and the sequence (order) in which the patterns are played back.

To load a song: Right-click on the current song name in the Info Panel, or press Esc key 
(TRIANGLE on PSP) to bring up the Main Menu, and select File Menu.
The File Menu will be displayed. Select "Load Song", then select the song you want to load 
from the list of files displayed.

To save a song: Right-click on the current song name in the Info Panel, or press Esc key 
(TRIANGLE on PSP) to bring up the Main Menu, and select File Menu.
The File Menu will be displayed. Select "Save Song". You will be prompted to edit the name 
of the song to be saved. !!! NB: If you enter the name of an existing song file, PXDrum will overwrite it without 
warning you !!!


Example drum patterns/songs:
    - Groove pattern
    - Disco patterns
    - Reggae patterns
    - Rock patterns
    - Funk patterns
    - Latin patterns
    - my sharona
    - funky cold medina


Record Song to WAV
PXDrum can record your song (or part of your song) to a WAV file.

The WAV file will be saved to the "wav" folder of PXDrum. The WAV format is stereo 16-bit PCM.

To record a song to WAV:
    1. Open the File Menu
    2. Select "Record to WAV"
    3. You will be prompted to enter a filename for the WAV file.
    4. Playback will be stopped
    5. Set playback mode to "Song" 
    6. Rewind the song
    7. Play the song
    8. The mouse cursor will change to say "REC"
    9. The song output will be written to a WAV file as it is played back
    10. The recording will stop when you stop playback

Notes:
    1. You can record in any playback mode (Song / Pattern / Live)
    2. If you make changes to the current pattern while recording (eg: Mute a track),
       then the effect of those changes will be recorded. ("What you hear is what you get").