USER MANUAL
Special Thanks DIRECTION Frédéric Brun Nicolas Dubois Philippe Vivancos Vivien Henry Yannick Bellance Luc Walrawens Valentin Lepetit Nadine Lantheaume Germain Marzin Randy Lee Florian Marin Sebastien Rochard Morgan Perrier Germain Marzin Romain Wohlgroth Valentin Lepetit DesignBox Gustavo Bravetti Florent Ricci Alex Theakston Gustavo Bravetti Jean-Baptiste Merendet Terry Marsden Zach Alderson Mathew Critchell Marco Correia Ken Flux Pierce Florent Ricci Jean-Gabriel Schoenhenz EN
Thank you for purchasing DrumBrute Impact! This manual covers the features and operation of Arturia’s DrumBrute Impact, a fullfeatured analog drum synthesizer, pattern sequencer and live performance device. In this package you will find: • One DrumBrute Impact analog drum synthesizer, with a serial number and an unlock code on the bottom. You will need this information in order to register your Impact online. • One DC power supply. Use only the included supply or else the unit could be damaged.
Special Message Section Specifications Subject to Change: The information contained in this manual is believed to be correct at the time of printing. However, Arturia reserves the right to change or modify any of the specifications without notice or obligation to update the hardware that has been purchased. IMPORTANT: The product and its software, when used in combination with an amplifier, headphones or speakers, may be able to produce sound levels that could cause permanent hearing loss.
Introduction Congratulations on your purchase of Arturia's DrumBrute Impact! The DrumBrute Impact analog drum synthesizer is the younger sibling of the Arturia DrumBrute, and though it is smaller in stature its features are equally formidable. It has all of the same groove-making capabilities, with a unique sound that packs a punch all its own.
Table Of Contents 1. Overview ............................................................................................................................................................................ 4 1.1. Making the connections ..................................................................................................................................................... 4 1.1.1. …with a computer ......................................................................................................
3.2.2. Snare 1 ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 30 3.2.3. Snare 2........................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 30 3.2.4. Tom Hi / Low ................
7.1.2. Copy and append...................................................................................................................................................................................................... 62 7.2. Shorten a pattern ............................................................................................................................................................... 63 7.3. Polyrhythm mode ................................................................................
1. OVERVIEW 1.1. Making the connections The DrumBrute Impact provides many ways to connect with other types of equipment, from vintage to modern. Below are examples of potential setups: 1.1.1. …with a computer The DrumBrute Impact is more than a classic drum machine: it’s also a USB class-compliant device. So at its most basic level it can be connected to any computer with a USB port, and its pads can used as input devices for various applications. The free, downloadable MIDI Control Center [p.
1.1.2. …with external devices As you can see, the DrumBrute Impact can be at the heart of some amazing systems. 1.1.2.1. MIDI devices There are lots of great devices that only have MIDI ports (no clock sync, no USB). The DrumBrute Impact will fit right in with these systems: it will sync with MIDI sequencers, arpeggiators, and other drum machines, and its own drum sounds may be played from a MIDI keyboard. And of course it can send and receive MIDI data using the USB port of your computer. 1.1.2.2.
1.2. Transport, Patterns, Effects 1. Tempo/Value display 2. Rate/Fine/Tap Tempo 3. Transport buttons 4. DrumBrute Impact modes 5. Synchronization 6. Step buttons/Step values 7. Erase/Copy/Save buttons 8. Pattern effects 9. Pattern length/Last step 10. 11. Output: Distortion, Master Level Roller/Looper/Step Repeat 1.2.1.
1.2.3. Transport buttons The Transport buttons control the DrumBrute Impact sequencer as well as external MIDI devices using standard MIDI messages or MIDI Machine Control (MMC). Use the MIDI Control Center [p.70] software to make any necessary changes. The Record button is used to create songs and patterns, and is used with the Shift button to toggle between quantized and unquantized recording. The Stop button will cancel recording or playback, and can be used to send an All Notes Off [p.
1.2.5. Synchronization Options There are four Sync options which are accessed by pressing the Sync button repeatedly. These determine whether the DrumBrute Impact will be the master or the slave in a multidevice setup. Whether it is the master or the slave in a system, the DrumBrute Impact can be set to transmit and respond to one of four different clock rates (1P, 2P, 24P, or 48P). This choice may be made very easily from the front panel by holding the Sync button and turning the Rate/Fine knob.
1.2.7. Erase and Copy These two buttons are used in every mode to copy or erase large amounts of pattern data at the same time. For example, you can copy a pattern to a new location or erase it completely. You can also copy sequence data from one instrument to another within the same pattern, or erase all of the data for one instrument within a pattern. The Copy/Erase functions are covered in greater detail here [p.59]. 1.2.7.1.
1.2.8. Pattern effects Swing introduces a “shuffle” feel to the patterns. It can affect the entire pattern (all instruments at once) or only the current instrument track, leaving the others untouched. Using the Swing encoder while holding the Shift button allows you to shift the timing of an entire instrument track forward or backward. You can also shift the timing of an individual event on a track by holding the corresponding Step button and turning the Swing encoder.
1.2.10. Output Circuit 1.2.10.1. Distortion This knob controls the level of distortion being applied to the overall mix. The distortion circuit is at the end of the signal path, so when it is used all instruments will sound distorted. The button to the right of the Distortion knob will toggle the Distortion effect on and off. ♪: The Distortion does not affect the individual outputs of the Kick, Snares, Hi Hats, or the FM Sound.
1.2.11. Roller/Looper/Step Repeat The Touch strip is used both for recording and playback, and adds an exciting level of spontaneity to music creation and live performance. It can be configured to generate drum rolls, loop sections of a song or pattern, and enter rhythmic subdivisions for an event in Step edit mode. The Touch strip There's a Step button that will toggle the Touch strip between Roller and Looper functionality. To switch between these modes, hold the Shift button and press Step button 9.
1.3. Utility functions 1.3.1. Metronome To enable the metronome, press the On button. This will provide a timing reference while the DrumBrute Impact is running. Various timing values are available for the click from the front panel and in the MIDI Control Center [p.70]. See this section [p.21] for more information. The click level is controlled by the Metro Volume knob. For a description of the output options for the Metronome, click here [p.18].
1.3.2. Mute/Solo buttons These buttons allow you to silence one or more instruments or isolate specific instruments while recording a pattern or playing it back. For more information about using the Mute and Solo buttons, see this section [p.40]. 1.3.3. Shift button The Shift button is used in conjunction with other controls to perform secondary functions such as Fine Tempo adjustment or clearing the Mute group.
1.4. Instruments, Pads, Color 1. Instrument controls 2. Instrument select buttons 3. Pads 4. Color ♪: The Shift button is grouped with the Color button in this graphic because the two are used together to activate Color Hold mode. But the Shift button has many other functions that are listed here [p.67]. 1.4.1. Instrument controls Each instrument has its own set of sound-sculpting parameters. The lines between the instruments indicate which knobs belong to which instrument.
1.4.3. Pads The 8 velocity-sensitive pads are used to input note data into a pattern. But they will always trigger their instruments whether the DrumBrute Impact is running or not (except if Local Control option is Off). Remember that some pads provide access to more than one instrument, each of which has its own track in the pattern sequencer. Counting all of the shared channels, there are actually 10 separate instruments available from the 8 pads.
1.5. Rear panel, part 1 1. Clock input/output 2. MIDI input/output 3. USB 4. Power 1.5.1. Clock input/output The Clock input allows the DrumBrute Impact to interface with pre-MIDI devices that used these connectors for synchronization, such as early drum machines by Korg and Roland. Other vintage devices may use different types of connectors which should be readily available. 1.5.2.
1.6. Rear panel, part 2 1. Headphones 2. Mix Output 3. Individual Outs 1.6.1. Headphones The Headphones output carries the same signal as the Mix Output and operates the same way, with one exception: When the headphone jack is connected, the metronome will be removed from the Mix Output but will remain in the headphones until the Metronome On button is toggled off.
1.6.3. Individual Outs There are dedicated 3.5mm output jacks for several of the instruments on the rear panel: • Kick • Snares (shared by Snare 1 and Snare 2) • Hi Hats (shared by the Closed and Open Hats) • FM Drum When a cable is connected to one of the individual outputs, that instrument will be removed from the Mix Output and the Headphones.
2. BASIC OPERATIONS 2.1. Working with Patterns The DrumBrute Impact holds 64 patterns, arranged in four banks of 16 patterns each. 2.1.1. Select a bank In addition to the numbers 1-4, the first four Step buttons are silkscreened with the letters A, B, C, and D. Each one represents a bank of 16 patterns. To switch between banks, press the Bank button and then select one of the first four Step buttons.
2.1.3. Set the tempo When Sync is set to Internal, the tempo range of DrumBrute Impact is 30-300 beats per minute (bpm). There are three ways to set the tempo for your pattern: • Turn the Rate/Fine encoder. • Use the Tap Tempo button. • For fine tempo adjustment, hold Shift and then turn the Rate/Fine encoder. Each pattern can have its own tempo, but you can make DrumBrute Impact use the same tempo for all patterns and songs. To do this, hold the Shift button and press Step button 15 (Global BPM).
2.1.5. Record a pattern If you’ve gone through all the steps in this section then let’s make a quick drum pattern. For a more detailed explanation of Record mode, see Recording a Pattern [p.39] in the Pattern Mode chapter [p.38]. • Select an empty pattern, press the Record button and press the Play button. The Tap Tempo button will begin flashing (according to the metronome timing value), and the Step buttons will turn purple one at a time to indicate the current position in the pattern.
2.2. Shift Functions There are lots of great options available for each mode when the Shift button is used to access the secondary features. 2.2.1. Time Division options The first five Step buttons select the Time Division for the current pattern. Options range from 1/8 to 1/32 and include triplet options. Hold Shift and press one of the buttons to choose a different Time Division value.
2.2.2. Configuration options 1. Shift+9: Roller/Looper 2. Shift+14: At End 3. Shift+15: Global BPM 4. Shift+16: Polyrhythm 2.2.2.1. Roller/Looper The various behaviors of the Roller/Looper strip are described here [p.26]. Hold the Shift button and press Step button 9 to toggle between Roller mode and Looper mode. If Step button 9 is lit when you press the Shift button, Roller mode is active. This selection be made in the MIDI Control Center [p.70] also. 2.2.2.2.
2.3. Creative Playback Options Once you have captured the basic pattern idea you want, there are many ways to experiment with it during playback. All of the following options may be used at the same time, so have fun! 2.3.1. Swing feature The Swing feature can take a straight, mechanical-sounding beat and make it more interesting by adding increasing amounts of shuffle to the feel. The default Swing setting is 50% and the maximum value is 75%. This section [p.42] covers everything about the Swing feature.
2.3.3. Looper/Roller The Touch strip has two options for real-time performance or recording: Looper and Roller modes. You can switch between these modes using Shift + Step button 9. If Shift is held and Step 9 is lit, Roller Mode is selected. This option is also available in the Roller/Looper section of the MIDI Control Center [p.70]. ♪: The Touch strip is also used in Step mode to enter Step Repeat data.
2.3.3.2. While Recording: Roller When the DrumBrute Impact is recording a pattern the Touch strip can be used as Roller to generate drum rolls. Place your finger somewhere within the strip while recording, press a pad, and that instrument will be repeated (“rolled”) into the pattern. The rate of the repeat is determined by where you press your finger (1/4, 1/8, etc.). ♪: The smallest drum roll the pattern can record is set by the timing division you have selected for the pattern.
3. THE INSTRUMENTS 3.1. General concepts 3.1.1. Shared pads, independent tracks The DrumBrute Impact has 10 analog instruments that share the 8 pads. On each of the shared instrument channels there is a button that selects which instrument will be played by the pad they share. But each of those instruments has its own track in a pattern. For example, the Tom Hi and Tom Low instruments share an instrument channel.
3.1.5. Each instrument has four sounds Each instrument actually has four different sounds: Normal, Normal with accent, Color without accent, and Color with accent. The Normal and Color versions of each sound have independent MIDI note numbers [p.99] that can be changed using the MIDI Control Center [p.70]. The Accent versions of each sound occur at different MIDI velocity values on their respective MIDI note numbers.
3.2. Instrument parameters 3.2.1. Kick Parameter Description Decay Controls the length of the Kick drum sound Pitch Changes the tuning of the Kick drum Level Adjusts the volume of the Kick drum Color Enable/disable Drive effect for the Kick drum 3.2.2.
3.2.5. Cymbal Parameter Description Type Toggles the pad between the Cymbal and Cowbell instruments Cym Decay Controls the length of the Cymbal sound Level Adjusts the volume of the Cymbal instrument Color Enable/disable Cym Tone effect for the Cymbal instrument 3.2.6. Cowbell Parameter Description Type button Toggles the pad between the Cowbell and Cymbal instruments Level Adjusts the volume of the Cowbell instrument (no Color) not applicable 3.2.7.
3.2.8. FM Drum instrument For a brief description of FM synthesis, see below.
3.2.9. What is FM? FM stands for Frequency Modulation. It's similar to the process of adding vibrato to a violin note: the straight tone of the violin is changed (i.e., modulated) by the vibrato when the player moves a finger up and down slightly on the string. The motion of the finger is not heard directly; what is heard is the way the motion of that finger affects the overall sound.
3.3. The Color mode We've touched briefly on certain aspects of the Color effects in other sections.
3.5. Color mode: Instrument level It is possible for Color mode always to be active for one or more instruments, if you prefer the colored sound. This is also a quick way to audition the Color effect for each instrument. Don't worry; this is a non-destructive experiment! We can disable the Color effect as easily as it was enabled without affecting the pattern data for that instrument track. Here's how: • Let's use the Kick drum for the first experiment.
3.7. One instrument, four sounds We're going to construct a very simple pattern: it will only have four Kick drum events. Find an empty pattern, slow the tempo down to 60 bpm, and we'll begin. 1. Select the Kick drum instrument (hold Shift and tap the Kick drum pad) 2. Press the Step mode button. All of the Step buttons should go dark 3. Enter Kick drum events on steps 1, 5, 9, and 13 4. Press Play. You should hear four Kick drums, evenly spaced 5. Press the Accent mode button 6.
You may also want to refer to the MIDI Control Center chapter, specifically the Add/remove Color events section [p.85]. It may provide additional insight into Color mode through visual aids.
4. PATTERN MODE The Patterns are the groove-making heart of the DrumBrute Impact. The Songs point to them, the Banks hold them, but the Patterns contain the music. 4.1. Pattern Creation 4.1.1. Control the tempo The Rate/Fine encoder controls the Tempo value, which is stored per pattern. It’s also possible to override the per-pattern settings with a Global tempo by holding the Shift button and pressing Step button 15.
4.1.3. Recording a Pattern To record a pattern, press the Record button and press the Play button. If the pattern is already playing, use the Record button to drop in and out of Record mode. If Impact isn’t running, check the Sync settings (see section [p.68]). Now play one or more pads. Whatever you play will be captured as a part of the pattern. You can toggle individual events on and off in Step mode using the Step buttons. Step mode is covered in the Pattern Editing section [p.44].
4.1.4. Mute/Solo features The Mute/Solo buttons are great for live performances and creative sessions. They can help you focus on the interactions of any combination of drums at a time, or you can use them to work on one of the drum tracks without hearing the other instruments. The status of the Mute/Solo buttons is Global, so they affect all patterns and songs. Their settings are not preserved during a power-cycle. There is only one Solo group and one Mute group available.
4.1.5. Using the Roller while recording The Roller strip is a quick way to input drum rolls into a pattern. ♪: The Looper is not available while recording. 4.1.5.1. How it works Using the Roller is simple. Just start recording, place your finger on the Roller strip, and touch a drum pad to create a roll. The Roller repeats the note at a rate determined by a combination of factors: the clock source, the time division and the position of your finger on the Roller strip.
4.1.7. Swing The Swing setting can change the rhythmic relationship between the first note of a pair and the second note. To experiment with this, start a pattern and turn the Swing encoder to a value between 50 and 75. Assuming the time division is set to 1/8, here’s what will happen: • With Swing set to 50% each note gets ‘equal time’, resulting in a ‘straight 1/8th note’ feel. • As the Swing value exceeds 50% the first 1/8th note is not affected and the second note is played later.
• The maximum possible swing value is 75, so an instrument’s Current Track swing value amount will never rise above that. • The minimum swing value for an individual instrument track cannot be a lower value than the overall Swing value for the pattern. The MIDI Control Center can be used to set Swing % values for all instruments and the pattern as well. See section [p.90] for information about these parameters.
4.2. Pattern Editing The Mode buttons There are three ways to make precision edits to a pattern: Step mode, Accent mode, and Color mode. Each method allows you to make specific edits inside the pattern, and they also can be used to build a pattern from the ground up if you like. You can make edits to a pattern in all three modes whether the pattern is recording or paused. 4.2.1. Step Mode To enter Step mode, press the Step mode button.
4.2.4. Red state, Blue state Step buttons will display one of three states whether you are in Step mode or Accent mode. They can be dark (no event), lit blue (event present), or lit red (accented event). The behavior in each mode may be confusing at first.
4.2.6. Step Repeat feature This feature lets you use the Roller/Looper strip to enter quick, glitchy events into your patterns without having to switch to a different time division and tempo. It works by adding triggers between existing steps. You may have noticed the LEDs and numbers outside of the area of the Roller/Looper strip where you place your finger: When you touch the strip one of the LEDs will light, and as you move your finger different LEDs will activate.
• Create a pattern with a simple Kick pattern on each beat. Let it loop. • Enter Step mode and select the kick drum (press Shift + Kick). • Press and hold one of the lit Step buttons. A white LED will light beneath the Roller/Looper strip at the default value of 1. • While holding the Step button, slide your finger along the strip to select a value of 2. The next time the pattern reaches that point you will hear the kick drum play twice in the space of a single step.
4.2.8. Copy a Drum Track Once you have the timing and dynamics exactly right for a certain instrument you might want to use that track in another pattern, or maybe even double that track on another instrument within the same pattern. The following procedures will save you the time it would take to recreate the part somewhere else. ♪: If the time division of the target pattern is different from the source pattern they will not sound the same at first.
4.2.8.3. Between patterns The process of copying an instrument track between patterns in the same bank is almost identical to the one described above. We’ll only copy tracks between single-channel instruments this time. !: The following procedure will overwrite the Closed Hat track in the target pattern. Select a pattern with an interesting Closed Hat part and then follow these steps: • Press and release the Copy button. The Copy, Bank and Ptrn buttons and all of the pads will flash.
4.2.9. Erasing a Drum Track If you’ve decided you don’t want a certain instrument track to be part of the pattern any more, the process couldn’t be simpler: !: Be sure you’ve selected the correct pattern. This process cannot be undone. • Press and release the Erase button. The Erase, Bank and Ptrn buttons and all of the pads will flash.
4.2.10. Pattern Length The default length is 16 steps, but a pattern can be up to 64 steps long. If you’d like your pattern to be less than 16 steps long, simply hold the Last Step button and then press the Step button that corresponds to the desired setting. 4.2.10.1. Pattern Follow mode When working with patterns longer than 16 steps there is an important feature to know. When the double arrow buttons (« ») are pressed at the same time, their LEDs will toggle off and on.
4.2.10.2. Lengths > 16 steps To make your pattern longer than 16 steps will involve the Last Step button, the « » buttons, the Step Group LEDs, and the Step buttons. For example, let’s lengthen a 16-step pattern to 32 steps. Here’s what to do: • Select a 16-step pattern. • Hold the Last Step button. • Press the >> button once. A white blinking LED will appear above the number 32. • Press Step button 16 (technically it’s button 32 now). It will turn blue. • Release the Last Step button.
4.3. To Revert a Pattern or Bank It is possible to restore a pattern or a bank of patterns to the last version that was saved to the Flash memory. But this must be done before you have Saved, Copied or Erased a pattern or a bank; each of those processes writes the current memory to Flash and overwrites the previously stored items. The processes are slightly different to revert a pattern or to revert a bank. 4.3.1.
4.5. Copy a Pattern There may be times when you would like to have a pattern become the basis for another section within a song, only with a few modifications. Copying the pattern into a different location can be a quick way to accomplish this. !: The following procedure will erase pattern #8 in the current bank. Be sure that pattern location is available before proceeding. Let’s say you’d like to copy pattern #1 to pattern location #8 within the current bank.
5. SONG MODE The internal memory of the DrumBrute Impact holds 16 songs, each of which can be up to 16 patterns in length. 5.1. What’s a Song? A song allows you to set up a sequence of patterns that will play back in a specific order. The patterns can be chosen from any one of the four pattern banks. When a song is selected, the Step buttons will light to indicate how many patterns are in the song.
5.3. Creating a Song The process of creating a song is very straightforward. Here is how to do it: • Press the Song button to enter Song mode. • Choose which song you want to create by pressing one of the Step buttons. • Press the Record button to enter Song writing mode. The Song, Ptrn and Record buttons will blink. • Press the Step buttons one after the other to choose their playback order. You can press the same step button multiple times to repeat that pattern.
5.7. Live performance features Many of the same playback options are available for Song mode that are found in Pattern mode. There are some differences, so we’ll point those out when we get to them. Some of the performance features are what we call “song-level” features, and others are “pattern-level”. Here’s a description of each: • Song-level features are not affected when the song loops or when patterns shift banks within the song.
5.7.2. Pattern-level features 5.7.2.1. Tempo Each pattern can be saved with its own tempo setting, and as a result it is possible for a song to contain a different tempo every time a different pattern is used. But there is a front panel parameter that allows you to override these individual tempo values: Global BPM. To activate this feature is simple: just hold the Shift button and press Step button 15.
6. COPY/ERASE FUNCTIONS 6.1. Copy Bank to Bank !: The following procedure will overwrite all 16 patterns in the target bank. This cannot be reverted or undone. Be sure this is what you want to do before you proceed. It is possible to copy all 16 patterns from one bank to another bank. Let’s say you want to copy the patterns from bank C into bank D. Here’s how: • Press the Bank button. • Select bank C by pressing Step button 3. • Press the Copy button. Lots of buttons and pads will flash.
6.2. Copy Pattern to Pattern !: Copying a pattern to another location cannot be reverted or undone; it will overwrite the target location. Be sure this is what you want to do before you proceed. 6.2.1. Within a Bank This procedure was covered more extensively in this section [p.54], but here are the basics. To copy a pattern to a new location within the current bank: • Be sure this is what you want to do, because it cannot be undone or reverted. • Select the source pattern.
6.3. Copy Drum to Drum The following procedures were covered extensively here [p.48]: • To copy an instrument track to another instrument within the same pattern, see this section [p.48]. • To copy an instrument track into a different pattern in the same bank, follow these instructions [p.49]. • To copy an instrument track into a pattern in a different bank, read this section [p.49]. 6.4. Erasing a Bank To erase all 16 patterns in a bank: • Be sure you know which bank you want to erase.
7. ADVANCED FEATURES 7.1. Extend a pattern A pattern can be lengthened in two different ways: by adding blank steps, or by taking the data from the beginning of the pattern and copying it to the end of the pattern. 7.1.1. Adding blank steps The process of adding blank steps involves using the >> button and the Last Step button. This was covered in the Pattern Length section [p.51]. 7.1.2.
7.2. Shorten a pattern To make a 64-step pattern shorter involves a slightly different procedure. Let’s say you want the pattern to be 48 steps long instead: • Hold the Last Step button until the example is complete. • Press the << button to select Step Group 3. The “48” LED will light. • Still holding the Last Step button, press Step button 16. It will turn blue, which means the pattern is now 48 steps long.
7.3. Polyrhythm mode This feature is as interesting as it is unusual. And it has the potential to unleash creative explorations you might never have considered otherwise. 7.3.1. What is Polyrhythm mode? Usually a drum machine pattern will operate within a single time signature, such as 4/4 or 12/8. For example, with a single measure of 4/4 there are sixteen 16th notes, and if a drum only plays on the downbeat it must wait another 15 steps before it plays again.
7.3.2. What it does Here’s an example: What if you wanted a pattern with this mixture of time signatures: Instrument Kick Snare 1 Snare 2 Tom Hi Tom Low Time signature 3/16 1/4 5/16 3/8 4/4 The Tom Low track is the longest, so we’ll use that as the timing reference for our discussion.
7.3.3. Make a polyrhythm Here’s how to start building the example from the previous section. 1. Select an empty pattern. 2. Hold Shift and press Step button 16. It will turn blue to show that the pattern is in Polyrhythm mode. 3. Tap the Kick pad to select it. 4. Press Step to enter Step mode. 5. Hold the Last Step button and press Step button 3. The Kick now has a 3-step loop. 6. Release the Last Step button. 7. Press Step button 1 to add an event to the first step of the Kick loop. 8.
7.4. Shift button chart The Shift button allows you to access important features.
8. SYNCHRONIZATION DrumBrute Impact can be the master clock for an entire MIDI rig, or it can just as happily serve as a slave to any one of several sources. See section [p.4] for connection diagrams. You can cycle through the various Sync options using the Sync button. A white LED will let you know which mode you’ve selected. ♪: The Sync setting cannot be changed while DrumBrute Impact is playing a pattern or a song. 8.1. As Master DrumBrute Impact is the master clock when the INT button is lit.
8.3. Clock In/Out rates To change the clock in/out rate, first be sure the DrumBrute Impact is not playing a song or a pattern. Next, hold the Sync button and turn the Rate/Fine encoder to select one of the available clock formats for the DrumBrute Impact Clock In and Out connectors to send and receive: • 1P (one pulse per step, or pps) • 2P (Korg Volca standard) • 24P (standard DIN sync) • 48P The clock type can be changed whether the DrumBrute Impact is the master or slave in your system.
9. MIDI CONTROL CENTER The MIDI Control Center is an application that will help you configure the Global and MIDI settings of your DrumBrute Impact. The software works with most Arturia devices, so if you have an earlier version of the software you’ll want to download the DrumBrute Impact version. It will work with those products as well. 9.1. Basics The built-in MIDI Control Center manual has general descriptions of the features that are common to all Arturia products.
9.1.3. Connection Connect the DrumBrute Impact to your computer using a USB cable. It’ll be ready to go after its LEDs go through the startup cycle. Now launch the MIDI Control Center. The DrumBrute Impact will be in the list of connected devices: !: The use of a high-quality hub and cables will help prevent "Failed to open the device" popup messages.
9.1.4. Back up your sequences If you want to make a quick backup of your DrumBrute Impact memory, click the "Recall From" button: This will grab whatever has been saved to the flash memory and pull it into your computer. MIDI Control Center will give this file the current date/time stamp for a name, but you can name it something else if you like. 9.2. MCC Basic Operations In the MIDI Control Center there are plenty of features available.
9.3. Device Templates 9.3.1. The Working Memory The Working Memory functions as a sort of ‘target’ onto which Templates or patterns can be dragged and then transmitted to the DrumBrute Impact memory. ♪: When you make a change in the Seq Editor window an asterisk (*) will appear next to the name of the selected Template. These changes are not automatically saved, so you will need to use the Save or Save As… buttons to preserve your new pattern data.
9.4. Project Browser The Template Browser shows a list of all the Templates that have been archived using the MIDI Control Center. These are divided into two main groups: Factory and User. The User Templates are the ones you have recalled from the DrumBrute Impact using the MIDI Control Center. See the Store To / Recall From section [p.78] to learn how to do this.
User Templates: click +/- to expand or collapse Template view 9.4.1. Building a library You can build a limitless library of patterns in the User Templates area. Make as many patterns as you like, wherever you are. Then the next time you use the MIDI Control Center, simply press the Recall From button. This will transfer the DrumBrute Impact pattern memory into the Working Memory of the MCC. At the same time the MCC will also create a new Template in the User Templates area.
9.4.2. Revise a Template You can edit the patterns of an archived Template. Simply select that Template and its patterns will appear in the MCC Pattern Editor window, ready for editing. If you would like to confirm the results by having the patterns played on the DrumBrute Impact, there are two ways. !: The following process will overwrite the Working Memory and the pattern memory of the DrumBrute Impact.
9.4.3. Send one pattern to DrumBrute Impact !: The following process will send a single pattern to the DrumBrute Impact and will overwrite the pattern in that memory location. If you’d like to transfer only one pattern from a Template to the DrumBrute Impact, find that pattern in the Local Templates window and drop it onto the Working Memory. This will send the selected pattern directly into the DrumBrute Impact at that same pattern location.
9.5. Store To/Recall From 9.5.1. The ‘Store To’ button The upper left-hand section of the MIDI Control Center has a button called “Store To”. It is used to transmit a Template from the Local Templates window to the DrumBrute Impact. !: The following process will overwrite the internal memory of the DrumBrute Impact. If you are not sure those patterns have been backed up, be sure to archive them to your computer using the Recall From button.
9.5.3. Save, Delete, Import/Export, etc. These important features have been documented in the MIDI Control Center manual, which you will find in the software Help menu. Look in this section [p.62] of the Help file for information about Save, Save As…, New, Delete, Import and Export. ♪: The Import / Export buttons pictured above perform a different function from those at the top of the Device Settings window (see the next section [p.80]). These files will have the extension .drumbruteimpact.
9.6. Import/Export Device Settings When the Device Settings tab is selected in the MIDI Control Center window you will see two buttons on the upper right labeled Import and Export. The function of these buttons is to manage files containing only the Device Settings. They are different from the buttons described here [p.79], which are used to generate a file containing both the Device Settings and the patterns. The Device Settings files carry the extension .drumbruteimpact_ds.
9.7. Editing basics 9.7.1. Data entry There are two main ways to enter new parameter values in the MIDI Control Center: click something and move it, or type a number into a field. To edit Swing %, for example, click and drag the knob graphic or double-click in the value field and enter a new value: Editing a knob value To edit a parameter such as Pause Mode, click its pull-down menu and make a selection: Selecting a pull-down menu option 9.7.2.
9.7.3. Bank tabs Each Bank tab contains sixteen numbered pattern tabs: The Bank A tab These tabs allow you to select each of the patterns and fine-tune their event data. You can even create brand new patterns here. In the graphic above pattern #1 is selected. From here you can view and edit the Time Division, Swing % and other settings for this pattern. It is also possible to edit the velocity, timing shift and Step Repeat of individual notes. You can also add and delete notes, and more.
9.8. Pattern window 9.8.1. Navigation 9.8.1.1. Scroll If you have a scroll wheel you can move the pattern view horizontally. Place the cursor in the pattern field (not over the instrument names), then hold the Shift key on your computer keyboard and use the scroll wheel. The pattern view will move sideways. You can also click/drag the scroll bar at the bottom of the window to reposition the pattern view. Scroll bar location 9.8.1.2.
9.8.3. Set the Pattern length Here’s how a pattern window looks when the length is set to 12 steps: Some steps are darkened because they are outside the pattern length area. These steps can contain data but they will not play unless the pattern length is changed to include them. The steps are numbered along the bottom of the window: The pattern length may be changed by dragging the white line to the left or to the right: Changing the pattern length Patterns can be up to 64 steps long.
9.8.4. Pattern events 9.8.4.1. Enter/delete events Double-click on a square inside the pattern view to enter an event. To delete events, select one event with a single click or drag a box around several events. Then press the Delete key on your computer keyboard. A right-click can also be used to delete a single event. 9.8.4.2. Add/remove Color events To add a Color event to a step, click the smaller rectangle under that step.
9.8.4.3. Move events To move an existing event to a different instrument, click and hold the middle of that event. The cursor will become a hand icon. Then drag the event up or down to place it in the instrument track you want. You can also drag the event to the left or right to place it anywhere within the pattern. If an event already exists at the new location, it will be replaced by the event you are moving. It’s also possible to move several events at the same time.
9.8.4.5. Event velocity If you hover over the top of an event you will see the cursor become a vertical arrow icon. Drag the cursor up and down to change the velocity of that event to a value between 1 and 127. The internal color of the selected event will change to indicate the velocity value: white is the lowest velocity value and red is the highest velocity value. When the velocities of multiple events are edited at the same time they will all change to the same value.
9.8.4.6. Shift Timing The shift timing feature was described more fully in the Pattern mode chapter (click here [p.47] for the details). In this section we will show how to use this feature inside the MCC Pattern window. To shift the timing of an event, hold the Shift key on your computer keyboard and then click on an event. Drag the cursor left and right to change the time shift value of that event. The range is from -/+50%. A small window will appear and show the current time shift value.
9.8.4.7. Step Repeat entry/edit The Step Repeat feature was covered extensively in the Step Repeat [p.46] section of the Pattern Mode [p.38] chapter. The focus in this section will be on the unique uses of this feature available within the MIDI Control Center. If you hover over the right edge of an event you will see the cursor become a horizontal arrow icon. Drag the cursor left and right to change the Step Repeat value of that event to a value between 1 and 4.
9.8.5. Track-level settings Each instrument track in the MIDI Control Center has independent settings for Swing and Random. They are the Current Track values described on this page [p.43]. ♪: Edits to track-level settings are not transmitted from the MCC to the DrumBrute Impact. In order for these changes to reside in the physical unit you can use the Store To function or drag the current Template to the Working Memory area of the MCC. 9.8.5.1.
9.8.5.3. Current Track button settings Three buttons exist inside each track window that allow you to toggle certain features on and off for that track. • Color cur track: This button performs the same function as holding the frontpanel Color button and tapping a pad. It will apply the Color setting to the entire track, which causes all events within that track to play back as if they had been individually colored.
9.9. Polyrhythm The Polyrhythm feature was explained here [p.64]. In this section we will focus on how to utilize that feature from the Pattern window of the MCC. To toggle the Polyrhythm feature on and off, use the pull-down menu in the Pattern tab window: When the Polyrhythm feature is active, you can click on the white line at the end of the pattern length boundary and drag it left or right for any track independently.
9.10. Device Settings The Device Settings tab on the upper right side of the MIDI Control Center window contains essential parameters that enable you to optimize DrumBrute Impact for your setup and your working style. Here are some important things to remember about the interaction between the MIDI Control Center and the hardware device: • Each time the DrumBrute Impact is connected, the Device Settings are automatically sent from the unit to the MIDI Control Center.
9.10.2. Global settings We’ll go through the Global settings left to right and top to bottom. 9.10.2.1. Clock In/Out Settings This is where you determine which clocking signal will be transmitted and recognized by the Clock input and output connectors. There are four settings: 1pulse, 2pulse (Korg), 24 PPQ, and 48 PPQ. 9.10.2.2. Auto-Sync This parameter tells the DrumBrute Impact what to do if it is not running and it receives a clock signal from an external source.
9.10.2.5. Wait to Load Pattern With this parameter you can specify whether a new pattern will be loaded as soon as you select it or not. If not, DrumBrute Impact will wait until the end of the current pattern before switching to the next one. ♪: This parameter can also be toggled from the front panel of the DrumBrute Impact by holding the Shift button and pressing Step button 14 (At End). 9.10.2.6.
9.10.2.12. Vegas mode When this setting is active the DrumBrute Impact front panel will begin to flash its buttons and pads if no activity has occurred for 10 minutes. 9.10.2.13. Pause mode This parameter dictates the function of the Play/Pause button. There are two settings: • From current: when playback resumes it will do so from the place in the pattern where the Pause button was pressed. • From beginning: the pattern will start from the beginning when playback resumes. 9.10.2.14.
9.10.3. Roller/Looper settings 9.10.3.1. Roller/Looper Mode When the DrumBrute Impact is playing (and not recording) the Touch strip can have two different (but exclusive) behaviors: Roller or Looper. This option allows you to change this behavior. See the Looper/Roller section [p.26] for more details. 9.10.3.2. Roller/Looper MIDI When activated, the Touch strip will send a MIDI CC (Control Change) value each time you touch it, except when setting a Step Repeat value.
9.10.4. Transport settings You can define the MIDI channel and CC number for each of the three main Transport commands independently. All three must transmit the same type of MIDI information, though: MMC, MIDI CC or both. ♪: The DrumBrute Impact will always send MIDI Clock type messages (MIDI Real Time messages) while playing, thus, it will always remotely start a device (or a DAW) which is in Slave mode and listening to MIDI Real Time messages.
9.10.5. Drum Map The settings shown below are the default MIDI note number values for each instrument. Each instrument can be set to any note number between 0-127. To edit a value, turn the appropriate knob or double-click a field and type in the desired number. The drum map settings ♪: The Cowbell does not have a Color effect, so the MCC does not display a Colored Cowbell value field. For information about the Color effects for each instrument, click here [p.34].
10. SOFTWARE LICENSE AGREEMENT In consideration of payment of the Licensee fee, which is a portion of the price you paid, Arturia, as Licensor, grants to you (hereinafter termed “Licensee”) a nonexclusive right to use this copy of the SOFTWARE. All intellectual property rights in the software belong to Arturia SA (hereinafter: “Arturia”). Arturia permits you only to copy, download, install and use the software in accordance with the terms and conditions of this Agreement.
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11. DECLARATION OF CONFORMITY USA Important notice: DO NOT MODIFY THE UNIT! This product, when installed as indicate in the instructions contained in this manual, meets FCC requirement. Modifications not expressly approved by Arturia may avoid your authority, granted by the FCC, to use the product. IMPORTANT: When connecting this product to accessories and/or another product, use only high quality shielded cables. Cable (s) supplied with this product MUST be used. Follow all installation instructions.
