57 gregy, thanks for the reply, I tried your suggestion and ran into probs:-

1) Opened a new project with normal template, inserted midi track and selected it, selected output from list of drum maps, opened piano view and nothing was listed.

2) opened new project using medium tempo template and used the 'drums track', selected output from list etc and got list of drum pieces in prv, click on them and the graphic eq. goes up and down when i select each one but get no sound! (tried loads of kits as you said some may not work)

3) did the same with a midi template and same results, ive selected a number of output drum maps but they are all greyed out in prv and no sound as above.

4) how do you set the draw tool(not that its any use at this stage), tried all tabs in prv and cant find draw option!

I really appreciate your help and others, basically I play drums (not great but an ok standard) and my friend writes songs and plays guitar. He wrote a song recently and sent it to me as mp3. I bought this software hoping to import the mp3 add my OWN CREATED drum track using MC6, give it a little tweek, burn it off, me and friend drink beer with smile on faces! (while listening to the track!) lol! Am I being too optimistic or is this a nice simple rewarding task once you know how?  

Ps. Is it me or is this just the most awkward way to create simple drum patterns! Why can you not just insert synth, select si drums, and then open a nice tab that says 'create drum loop' Then select 1 bar or 2 bar etc and select each drum piece to fit where you want it in a bar! save the loop and just drag it into a track! Too easy I guess!!

Cheers, frustrated Phill.

OK.... I'm running short on time here.... gotta head to the airport soon to pick up someone.... 

But there is more to it than that. in 1 for example.... open new project, insert 2 tracks.... one audio and one midi..... drag midi into midi track.... insert synth for drums in audio track, direct midi track output to drum synth from available synth list..... now.... you can get sound. No need for DRUM MAPS.... Doing it the way you mentioned....of course you get nothing in the PRV... nothing was ever put in the midi track to show up in PRV or STAFF view. You could click in it to add some notes though. 

Or drag audio drum clips into an audio track and you have sound. 

Second.... importing an mp3 and throwing in a drum track is doing it backwards. Unless the track was recorded to a midi click track, the chances of successfully syncing the two are slim to none. I always start with the drum track.

Work the videos slowly and deliberately, one step at a time....pause them while you do the steps.

This thing works perfectly and it's all there.... nothing is missing that should be there..... 

There is a learning curve...... patience grasshopper. Soon you will "get it" and it will be working. 

actually, IMO, there's an easier way to do it than this:

But there is more to it than that. in 1 for example.... open new project, insert 2 tracks.... one audio and one midi..... drag midi into midi track.... insert synth for drums in audio track, direct midi track output to drum synth from available synth list..... now.... you can get sound. No need for DRUM MAPS.... Doing it the way you mentioned....of course you get nothing in the PRV... nothing was ever put in the midi track to show up in PRV or STAFF view. You could click in it to add some notes though.

in MC6, click on the plugins tab on the browser, find the SI Drums, double click on it. a dialog box pops up.  if you want BOTH MIDI and OUTPUT tracks, then select MIDI SOURCE and FIRST OUTPUT SYNTH TRACK.  select FOLDER if you want them to both be in a folder in the project.


in the PRV to select the draw tool, click on the MIDDLE MOUSE BUTTON (the scroll wheel but click it down) and the HUD will appear.  then choose the PENCIL TOOL.

Forget drum maps, they have no use here, I think.
Insert synth. Direct MIDI track output to synth. Select kit. Open PRV and click in notes. Easy.
Not so easy matching it to an existing audio track, though.
For that I suggest an inexpensive MIDI keyboard, MIDI controller or MIDI drum machine, like the Alesis SR-16.
That way you can play the device along with the song, in time to the song, while recording the MIDI input.
If your friend recorded the song to a MIDI click track or metronome, ask him what tempo he recorded to then set MC 6's tempo to that value and you can click in the notes and they'll be in time to the song.

Thanks guys, am going to give it another try today with a little more patience! Thanks for all your time, im not overly impressed with MC6 so far but the forum help makes up for it!

Once you get past the learning curve.... you'll prolly like MC6 more. 

Hey Phill.... read this thread if you haven't yet done so.....

http://forum.cakewalk.com/tm.aspx?m=2446799&mpage=1#msgNum28

 post #28 is the one you really want to read. 

Forget drum maps, they have no use here, I think. Insert synth. Direct MIDI track output to synth. Select kit. Open PRV and click in notes. Easy.

57 gregy, I think you are the closest to getting me to achieve my goal but as a new user I get a little lost with short instructions. When you say insert synth, direct midi out to synth etc I get lost! Ive read all the help sections and watched all the videos as guitarhacker sugested and im feeling more comfortable with whole programme and seem to get around the thing alot quicker, so im looking forward to getting to grips with this software once and for all. However there are no videos or help sections on creating your own drum patterns and this is a pretty fundamental part of creating a song! I know I must be testing your patience by now but please can you help by giving me five year old instructions on how to get drums and create them in prv! ie open new project - with which template - once open do I click insert and then click midi track - then do i click the plus sign in the browser and add synth - then.... etc etc.. I know your probably thinking I'm a complete idiot but I thought I was a relatively intelligent person before buying this software lol! Please help!! 


ps. I downloaded pcdrummer free trial earlier and had complex drum tabs created within 7 mins or so, but Im not going to pay $50 for a full trial drum beat maker that exports in midi just to import into MC6 that should do this with ease! 


I await your reply with fingers crossed! lol, Thanks for your time, Phill. 

Hey Phill, 

My website has a tutorial on how to make a drum track. Have a look at it. Here> change staff view to PRV

How to enter a drum track in MC4/5

open MC4/5 choose new project...call it midi drums. choose a normal project... this gives you an audio & midi track. MC5 only shows one track when you insert a synth.

click on the midi track & select VIEW >STAFF to get the staff view. click on the draw tool and insert a few notes in a few measures...it doesn't matterwhat notes...we just want something to be triggering the midi.


NOW.. highlight the audio track by clicking on it. Right click in the FX bin select soft synths and select Cakewalk-TTS..minimize the synth window.

SO FAR>>>SO GOOD>

Just one more step and you should have sound!!!!!

Now...double click in the midi track control area....and the track properties window will open.

Select INPUT=none..... OUTPUT= Cakewalk-TTS.....CHANNEL =10


Hit Play...you should now hear sound.

If you don't hear anything at this point...double check to be sure the rig is working properly



I used to use this method a lot when I was getting started. The trick is to do 2 measures.... then cop and paste it to 4 total..... make a few edits in the last measure....copy and paste it double and edit again.... by doing that you end up with a relatively cool and usable track in short order.

THe real breakthrough for me was when I found Jamstix. it did all the heavy lifting for me when building a drum track.   www.rayzoon.com   have a look and DL the demo. 

Thanks guitarhacker, 

I gave this ago and it worked to a degree! I get sound but it plays piano sounds, i'm guessing this is because im not on channel 10 which is the standard drum kit? When I select the in/out it only gives me option to select in and out but not to select a channel, how do i do this?

I also tried selecting si drums as the synth and the notes light up, and eq. goes up and down but get no sound!

More help appreciated, thanks, Phill.