session drummer 2 need help

I have been trying to make sense out of how to use sd2 and creating my own patterns. And in a nutshell I am lost. I have created a drum map, loaded each drum into its own track, changed the drums from 1 to 8.. and each drum sounds on each track, when I preview it. I go into piano roll, and a list of all the drum sounds comes up. And that is where I am stumped. I can't get the drums to sound when I put a mark in the what I am assuming is the correct place. I am seeing multiple kick drums, and I have selected kick steady 1 for the setting... but nothing is heard. Also, in the book it says to load gm (full kit), the only kit I am seeing is alexis full kit.. does anybody have a tutorial that is very very easy to understand to get the grasp of this?

Thanx nick for the reply... I hope I can explain fully .. What I am trying to do, is make a pattern by single hits. I saw a video of "step sequencer'.. but for the life of me, I can not find it. The video says it is in the "view' toolbar, but for some reason, it don't show up on mine. I think the step sequencer is what I am needing, I can do velocity and program what drum plays at what beat. Much easier I think than the piano roll, which since posting this, I have found somewhat how to use more, but those are patterns already.. at least what I can do. I am using Sonar PE 7.

hi nick.. let me first apologize.. I am using version 6.. forgot they came out with new one right after I bought it of course.. And I see the "step sequence' is not in 6.. For what I am doing, I follow the tutorial in the book on page 110. when I do that, and go into drum map mgr, I only have the one alexis drum kit. In that tutorial it is I am assuming explaining how to insert the patterns, but that is not what I want.. I want to be able to input when the bass drum sounds and the snare.. and so forth. I tried using the pencil tool, and it makes a mark, but no sound. If I use the brush, I get the pattern... so, still lost.. sure do wish I had that sequencer, it looks easier that way...

ok... found the drum maps.. but they do not load up in drum mgr.. my path is C:\Documents and Settings\User\Application Data\Cakewalk\SONAR 6 Producer Edition\Drum Maps

I don't see any way of making the drum mgr go to that folder. One thing I noticed when viewing my C:/ drive, I don't see "application Data" listed under "user". To actually see the drum maps I had to copy and paste the path to see them... that may be the trouble as to why the drum maps don't come up.. not sure.


I have made the folder "application data' viewable, but sonar is still not finding it, when I bring up drum mgr.

Ok, I thought of moving it but was not sure. Once I moved it, the different kits or maps showed up after I changed the path in options/folders. But still have problems of course..lol

I inserted a midi track, loaded up session drummer2 for that track. Went to output, and loaded up drum kit "dmi gs drums(complete kit)" Now the output I changed was from track view, on the left underneath the fader control, not in the actual track. If I do the output in the actual track, only choices I get are none, in usb 1x1 and manage presets, which brings up a wide window to set channels... Also, by selecting the output I did, above the fader, I have three drop downs the first drop down when opened up all has "default' for choices, the second one is banks, which is empty, and the third one gives me the different instruments that tts1 shows when you load that, but .. tts1 is not loaded in the synth rack or anywhere. I left all three drop downs saying "drum map" Went to view, piano roll, and there are all the percussion instruments. I tried two different things, and neither give me any sounds. .. the first was to click the arrow by the paintbrush, and went to kick and snare, then over to stacy7... chose polyphonic, then paintbrush and ran the brush over the grid. Played it back and nothing. I then cleared all the paintbrush markings out, and took the pencil tool, and tried different drums, along the grid, and got no sound either. Now I just noticed, that normally when I load up either session drummer2, or any of the other synths, I get a folder in the track view that says what it is... I do not have that now, session drummer did pop up when I selected it, and it is in the synth rack.... not sure why that is like that....
I hope this is clear enough for you and others to understand... if any questions, feel free to ask, and of course.. any solutions.. send them my way... Thanx for taking the time to straighten me out.... I do appreciate it.

well .... I wouldn't really call it a drum beat.. but that did the trick... confusing.. but I think if I do it a few times it will be second nature. Now for part two of help..lol.. First of all thanx for your help... greatly appreciated... now... this is a two parter I guess.. first part... after loading a drum map... and I think one has to load a drum up in session drummer too.. one of the presets.. right?... oh oh.. three part question.. sorry... if what I just said is true... when one goes to the piano roll.. and the drum grid, how does one know what drums will sound and what ones won't?.. I am assuming there is an easy way besides trying them out... Also, since my sd2 only has the presets that came with it, can I use percussive drums?.. such as congas, timpani... so forth.. or do I need to route those to tts1... (more headache)....

Ok.. just loaded the sd drum map... and see it has fewer choices than I had before. Don't have SFZ, but will search for it on internet. I realize sd2 has limits, most virtual instruments do, but if it can give me the big drum sound like I want, then I will be content. By loading each drum on its own track, I am able to eq the big sound so to speak. And for the percussion instruments, will try out tts1.. for them... thank you again for all your help... it is a shame that cakewalk, does not have a better "how to" than what they do have...

you were right I do have the sfz.dll... imagine that.. lol... got your pm also.. thanx for the tip