eDrum training tool

[ghostman]

I am trying to build a game / training aid. Basically, everyone here has probably heard of RockBand or GuitarHero. There is a free Windows based program called DTX Mania (which is actually somewhat supported by Yamaha). Anyway, aside from it being a game, I have been messing around with content creation and have built up a lot of simple exercises / rudiments. They are all pretty basic at this point, but I'd like to see:
1) if anyone would like to see this implemented
2) If there were ideas to expand, suggestions for content
3) Comments or suggestions on stuff I've written out

Basically, the program is similar to rockband / GH but it has more lanes and capability.
It can do open and closed hi-hat, 3 toms, bass, 2 crashes and a ride, although, the 'right' crash and ride share a lane.. it is kind of odd.

If you think "Yes, I'd like to see this". Please read on. Otherwise, ditch out now and save your time to read a post you are more interested in!

What you need:
Electronic drum module / drums with MIDI-to-USB capability (some of the newer modules have a built-in USB connection - My Trigger IO does)
Windows OS based computer - XP SP2 or Vista**
DTXMania - http://www.donburi.to/~from/dtxmania/download.html (http://www.donburi.to/%7Efrom/dtxmania/download.html)
my rudiment files - https://dl.getdropbox.com/u/43816/DTXFiles.zip
Patience and a sense of humor.

a lot of it is in Japanese, so it's kinda dodgy setting it up, but future posts will have basic setup and if it gets popular, this might make it to sticky status!

Basically, the install consists of unzipping it and putting it in your system. I would recommend:
c:\Program Files\DTXMania
put my files (unzipped) in the DTXMania folder. My zip should have a folder called "DTXFiles.rudiments" and inside that, a bunch of folders that represent a bunch of stuff I have been working on.
c:\Program Files\DTXMania\DTXFiles.rudiments

Once you get that all set up, click on the DTXMaina.exe file, and it should run. If it doesn't, you'll get a message on why. I found I had to update to the newest version of DirectX. And even I can't get the latest to run.. I'm currently running the second to latest version.
If it runs, yay! you have completed the toughest part. The next thing to do is to explore the game / software. I'll post some setup tomorrow, but this should get you started.

Good luck, and don't be afraid to PM me with any questions if you want to get this working.

**(I actually have a mac, and I am running it out of a boot camp windows partition, but for all intents and purposes, it IS a windows OS).

[TAKnipe]

Ghostman, Thanks for the review and the help. I want to try this during my vacation on Christmas. I will let you know how it goes. Thanks again, Tom

[ghostman]

Ghostman, Thanks for the review and the help. I want to try this during my vacation on Christmas. I will let you know how it goes. Thanks again, Tom

Nice. I hope you will have some great comments. I am sure I can provide better quality, quantity and I am looking for suggestions for what to add, etc.
I am looking for some constructive criticism.

[fignewton]

Awesome Idea.
Amazing how people are turning to drums because of RockBand.
I am going to get this setup when i get back from vacation; I am trying to get my kids actually start "playing" the drums instead of banging on the kit they have now.

[ghostman]

Here's a list of what I've done so far:
1 to 6 Warmup
simple rock beat with fills as a warm up

Basic Rock
A few basic rock beats

Bo Diddly Hats
A pattern by Bo diddly, using the hi hats

Bo Diddly Tom
Same pattern by Bo diddly, using the floor tom

Boogaloo
Simple Rock beat, referred to by some as a boogaloo

Calypso
Interesting odd beat and rhythym

Double Bass Ex1
Some beats to learn double bass patterns and endurance

Double Bass Ex2
Some more beats to learn double bass patterns and endurance

DoubleParadiddle
Rudiment; R-L-R-L-R-R-L-R-L-R-L-L

Flat Tire Shuffle
A shuffle that sounds like a flat tire

Paradiddle
Basic Rudiment; L-R-L-L-R-L-R-R

ParaDiddleDiddle; L-R-L-L-R-R R-L-R-R-L-L

Purdie Shuffle
Let Purdie 'splain this one to you.

Rhumba
a Rhumba beat! (as per my drum teacher's notation..)

Shuffle
Simple shuffle

Shuffle B
Simple different shuffle

Shuffle Rock
A rock feeling shuffle

Single Stroke Roll
simple rudiment

Slow Blues Stroll
could be a rock shuffle, too

Society Shuffle
I've heard this pattern called a society shuffle

Swuffle
It's a swing, no, it's a shuffle.. no it's both. kinda.

Texas Shuffle
They play this in Texas?

Triplets
exercise to get the triplet feeling

Two Beat
a 2/4 beat.. I am not sure about this, but it was on my sheet, and I programmed it.

[kevincool87]

Nice... Although I only just played 3 songs and with the keyboard instead of my drums(I worry if the program will pick up the midi notes or not if I hit the pads?), it was real fun :)

Lots of songs you made there Ghostman, thanks for putting up the work for us :) So lots to choose from and I won't get bored soon... but obviously it'd be great if users create and share more songs to keep their interests in this. Thanks for the installation tips as well!

For me... the best this thing's going to be is a game. I now want to play on it more and hence challenge my skills. I guess it could act as a training game to help build up more rudiments for beginners but it's a game before that. Contrary to how drummers learn looking at drum sheets, this game challenges you by making you more alert and think nothing but stare at the monitor and be ready to hit what shows up. You don't remain thinking about your grip or position of your body. Atleast for me.. For those with high IQ's, maybe? lol

Kinda kool that you get points and combos for succesful and perfect hits, and you fail if you hit and miss or accumulate points below the threshold etc...(how I know that is not of anyone's business!.. sob).

So I guess all in all... it's a great game and there's room for us to learn stuff as well, but obviously not when depended on it solely. Drummers will have to practice offsite and go through the basics the usual hard way.. But this game can prove to make one be more enthusiastic about learning drums especially in their initial drumming.

I got word of this program months ago but knowing what I knew about rockband and those other drumming arcade games in the arcade bars... I was very sceptical of it and didn't bother giving it any attention. It's merely a game, certainly a challenge but not helpful to my drumming skills whatsoever. But now, I can see it can be used for more than just a game. I look at it as something that can help me be interested in my drum kit more.

I'm afraid it doesn't act as any training aid to me. But then I only spent 10 minutes on it. I hope I'm wrong about this, that if it indeed was something that can vastly improve a drummer in his/her initial stage or even help intermediary and pro in their chops, DTXMania could prove to be a major hit and will help entertain drummers and stay that way. Anyway - it's a must have for all drummers out there for said reasons!

[Axe_Grinder]

This is very kind of you Ghost :) Thank you.

[ghostman]

Nice... Although I only just played 3 songs and with the keyboard instead of my drums(I worry if the program will pick up the midi notes or not if I hit the pads?), it was real fun :)


is this a question? I used the keyboard when I was looking at it too.. now, I only use it on my ekit.


Lots of songs you made there Ghostman, thanks for putting up the work for us :) So lots to choose from and I won't get bored soon... but obviously it'd be great if users create and share more songs to keep their interests in this. Thanks for the installation tips as well!


the harder the level, the faster they get! Try Paradiddles at the highest level. hit your hi-hat to change difficulty.


For me... the best this thing's going to be is a game. I now want to play on it more and hence challenge my skills. I guess it could act as a training game to help build up more rudiments for beginners but it's a game before that. Contrary to how drummers learn looking at drum sheets, this game challenges you by making you more alert and think nothing but stare at the monitor and be ready to hit what shows up. You don't remain thinking about your grip or position of your body. Atleast for me.. For those with high IQ's, maybe? lol


I want accompanying drum sheets with them, that way, you can see in notation what you are trying to do.


Kinda kool that you get points and combos for succesful and perfect hits, and you fail if you hit and miss or accumulate points below the threshold etc...(how I know that is not of anyone's business!.. sob).


you can adjust the thresholds too, for 'tighter' windows.


So I guess all in all... it's a great game and there's room for us to learn stuff as well, but obviously not when depended on it solely. Drummers will have to practice offsite and go through the basics the usual hard way.. But this game can prove to make one be more enthusiastic about learning drums especially in their initial drumming.


No, just like Rudiments are one part of your learning, this is a tool in your box, not the end-all-be-all


I got word of this program months ago but knowing what I knew about rockband and those other drumming arcade games in the arcade bars... I was very sceptical of it and didn't bother giving it any attention. It's merely a game, certainly a challenge but not helpful to my drumming skills whatsoever. But now, I can see it can be used for more than just a game. I look at it as something that can help me be interested in my drum kit more.


These are my thoughts exactly! But, I do like the games, it is fun to play with your friends. Especially non-musician friends. Most people like listening to music, and this gives you a great time to spend with your friends.


I'm afraid it doesn't act as any training aid to me. But then I only spent 10 minutes on it. I hope I'm wrong about this, that if it indeed was something that can vastly improve a drummer in his/her initial stage or even help intermediary and pro in their chops, DTXMania could prove to be a major hit and will help entertain drummers and stay that way. Anyway - it's a must have for all drummers out there for said reasons!


If nothing else, play it for endurance. The double bass exercises are tough!!

Thanks for your review. Now, tell me what I did wrong, what I need to fix, or requests you might have.

[Axe_Grinder]

Holy quotes batman - :D

[ghostman]

Holy quotes batman - :D
Yeah? what of it? You wanna fight? :)

[Axe_Grinder]

I can't think of the cartoon characters name...... But, in the words of who ever he is....


Put'm up, put'm up, com'n you wanna fight, put'm up :D

[ghostman]

I believe that was the chicken hawk.. not to be confused with foghorn leghorn.

I think we derailed this thread enough. now go play DTXMania and give me comments. I want comments!

[ghostman]

I went through all my exercises and did a little QA (Quality Assurance).

I found some inconsistencies and whatnot. I also renamed all the 'easy, hard' to the BPM's.
I think this makes more sense, and this tells you what you are in for a bit.

If I missed something, or you notice anything not quite right, please let me know.

please download the NEW version:
https://dl.getdropbox.com/u/43816/DTXFiles.zip

And if you care, it WILL reset your scores.

Thanks, and have fun!

[ghostman]

Bug Report (and fixes)!
okay, I got some buggie reports on some little annoying bits in my files. Download a NEW copy - hopefully next update will have NEW stuff.

For those interested, here's what I fixed:
- Metronome cuts out on Basic Rock 1/2 way through
- Boogaloo needs to be changed to 80.dtx, 100.dtx, etc. instead of easy.dtx, normal.dtx, etc.
- Random Tom in Rhumba
- Toms in Shuffle Rock should be bass drums
- Single Stroke Roll has a missing Bass drum and an extra part.
- Renamed everything to group well. (suggestion)

Please download the NEW version:
https://dl.getdropbox.com/u/43816/DTXFiles.zip

And again, if you care, it WILL reset your scores.

[ghostman]

One of my 'users' did a you tube of the exercises, so you can see them if you haven't gotten it working, or haven't even tried. :D

YouTube - Drum Rudiments - Exercises for DTXMania

[Bobo88]

I just D/L'd this to try it out. I had problems getting DTXMania to run (DX error), but I did manage to get the thing to run. May I suggest this link for those having trouble making DTXMania work:

http://www2s.biglobe.ne.jp/~yyagi/dtxmania/qa/index_e.html

This is the ENGLISH troubleshooting page. The version I D/L'd is:

DTXMania070DNStyle080928

Aparently, I needed the latest "directX Runtime" installed AND I needed the "VC++ 2008 Runtime" installed.

After installing these two, I managed to make DTXMania run properly. Now I have to install "Ghostman's" files and find my Midi/USB cable to try it out.

Looks like a lot of fun. I also D/L'd the DTXCreator files too. Might be worth a try if I can figure it out!

Thanks, Ghostman!!

Bob

[ghostman]

New update!
https://dl.getdropbox.com/u/43816/DTXFiles.zip

I took the double bass exercises and split them into individual files.

That's it. have fun!

[dogblue]

Thanks for making this ghostman, I appreciate it!