The Drum Map Editor is not tied to the Step Sequencer because

• The Drum Map Editor was developed before the Step Sequencer
• Some prefer using the Piano Roll View with Drum Maps instead of the Step Sequencer for drums
• Drum Maps have applications other than drums which do not work well with a Step Sequencer.

Drum Maps is not the most descriptive name for the translation tables created by the Drum Map Editor.

Sorry if I used the wrong terminology. I meant to say that I'm not sure why the drum grid pane and the step sequencer are distinct.

I like editing in the drum grid pane of the prv. Mostly because there is more freedom. You can add quarter notes and then add a triplet fill by just changing the snap. I'm not aware of how to do that in the step sequencer. I also like how you can see the velocity for each note in the drum grid pane without expanding a row like you do in the step sequencer.

However, I do like some of the features of the step sequencer such as being able to add small delays and different swing amounts for each row. These things can allow a beat programmed to the grid to sound less mechanical.

I know that some people like to use drum maps to show articulation switch keys for orchestral libraries. Not sure how having the ability to group and expand/collapse items in a drum would impact that negatively. I do think it would be helpful for drum programming.

Regardless, my main suggestion was the ability to add groups to drum maps and expand/collapse those groups in the drum grid pane.

Splat
There are also two bugs.
http://forum.cakewalk.com/Drum-Map-Affecting-Track-Solo-m2926042.aspx
http://forum.cakewalk.com/Drum-map-note-name-still-cut-off-in-Piano-Roll-in-X3-m3057997.aspx
 
I think it's pretty likely this will be overhauled in X4 as it stands out like a sore thumb. The UI definitely needs a refresh...
 
Cheers...

Sadly this was not to be...

I'd like to see a few pre-built maps.  Like EZDrummer to AD2, or vice versa.  And, AD2 to Sonar Platinum for multi-piece individual audio outputs.  I think these should come included in a Sonar Platinum install.
 
 

lawajava
I'd like to see a few pre-built maps.  Like EZDrummer to AD2, or vice versa.

The 'vice-versa' is exactly what I need, now. With Sonar Platinum giving me some new AD2 MIDI packs, I want to be able to route them into my existing Toontrack drum setup, but the MIDI mappings are different in a few key areas. Maybe I'll make one up myself soon.

Another "feature" in Drum Map Mgr that needs fixing BAD!
1.) When I pull up the DM Mgr don't make me have to scroll thru all of the maps just to get back to the one I was just working on.  I mean, if the freakin' correct map is picked in Track View, why on earth can't the same map show up in the DM mgr.  
2.) When I want to see the DM in Piano Roll view, PLEASE keep the view the same instead of making me expand the window so I can see the entire name of the drum note name.
3.) PLEASE let me preview the sounds that I'm mapping to before I have to save them, only to have to change them again, if they're wrong; which more often than not, they are, because I can't preview them.

Mantofini
my main suggestion was the ability to add groups to drum maps and expand/collapse those groups in the drum grid pane.

Which is a super good idea!

Hey guys,
 
There's been talk previously about the lackluster state which the Drum Map manager interface has been stuck in for so long.
Others have made suggestions. Here are mine.
 
BeforeI start, I think the Drum Map Manager could drop the "Drum Map" reference and just be called the Midi Note Map Manager or something. Drum Maps are in fact Midi Note Maps and are not reserved to drums, right?
 
Ok now let's get down to business. The Manager tools to actually "manage" Maps and Map Templates ("presets", actually) has lots of room for improvement :
 
1- The saving operations are IMHO not intuitive at all in the current interface, as you need to select a preset first before hitting save; modifying/overwriting an existing Map is even clunkier.
I would like to be able to load and save Note Maps Templates and individual Note Maps from and to file, straight from the Manager. By "to file", I mean being able to browse to a directory of my choosing and save a file just like I can export a Track Tremplate.
 
2- How about managing Notes and Ports by groups, rather than by individual note? You would create Notes groups and Port groups though the manager GUI. That way one could manage which note goes to which VSTi, matrix style, very easily. I made little diagrams to explain what I mean, see below.
- you need at the minimum 1 Note group with 1 input Note in it, and 1 Port group with 1 Port "slot" in it.
- you can create as many groups of Notes and groups of Ports as you want.
- the GUI would group notes and ports under their respective groups by default; however the user would be abe to sort all entries at once by In Note, Out Note, note Name, etc. on demand when doing a mass edit or creating a map from scratch (for example when copying notes numbers from the midi implementation chart in a user manual).
 
3- I would like to save Note Map Templates that do not point to any specific output port. See the example below.
Hower, when I DO set specific ports in a Map file that I save, I would like the port "names" to STICK when I load that file into a project. That way if I load a previously saved map on a new project that has 2 instances of the same VSTi plugin, all I have to do is make sure I name the instances correctly in the Synth pane of the Browser and I'll be all set ! No more Sonar messing up the map by re-routing notes to a piano VSTi because it can't find the original drum VSTi the map once pointed to.
 
Example of a Note Map Template file:

 
Example of a Note Map file :

There are at least two other Feature Requests in this forum regarding enhancements to the "Drum Map" manager. Yours seem well thought-out, but you may be interested in what others have said in the previous requests.
 
As a first step, I'd be happy just being able to name the notes by right-clicking in the left-hand keyboard and saving the names to a file that I can reload with an instrument that isn't hardware.
 
Regards,
Dan

Yes, not sure how I missed the previous thread. I see mods have merged my new thread with the older one, so all is well now.