Low levels issue when connecting V-Drums as MIDI controller

Daft question perhaps but I'm just wondering why, when using the Caps Lock keyboard to trigger MIDI drums sounds in real time the trigger sounds are SO much louder than when I try to do the same thing using my V-Drums (connected via a standard UM-ONE cable with the MIDI out from the drum brain into one of the USB ports on my Mac).

 

For example: I have my mix up and I'm wanting to play drums along in real time. Before jumping on the kit I do a test with the small Caps Lock keyboard and everything's fine level-wise. I then move over to the kit to try and do my definitive 'live' take but the same sounds are considerably lower in volume to the triggering I was doing with the Caps Lock keyboard (to the extent where I'm really struggling to hear the stuff I'm triggering with the V-Drums on fuller passages!) I've checked the levels on the V-Drums brain and they're at 0dB and the level coming in is -6dB. Can anyone shed some light on what I might be doing wrong here??

 

I've also connected a small Korg synth via a MIDI cable and, just like the Caps Lock, this sounds absolutely fine level wise too so I'm guessing it's something I'm doing wrong where the V-Drums are concerned (my kit is a TD-6V).

 

Any thoughts on this would be much appreciated!

The Caps Lock keyboard has a static velocity which you can change.

Your drums are velocity sensitive so you have to hit them harder if you feel they sound to soft.

You can probably change the sensitivity of the v-drums somewhere on unit but you can also add a value to the velocity parameter in the instrument parameters.

Thanks Eric, I'm obviously not hitting those pads hard enough! I'll go try looking behind the scenes but, before I do, when you say 'you can add a value to the velocity parameter in instrument parameters' is that in Logic itself?

Thanks Eric, I'm obviously not hitting those pads hard enough! I'll go try looking behind the scenes but, before I do, when you say 'you can add a value to the velocity parameter in instrument parameters' is that in Logic itself?

 

You're welcome.

 

In the inspector you see the region parameters at the top.

Under them you see the track/instrument parameters. You may have to click on the disclosure triangle.

Progress of sorts Eric so thanks very much for your insight here. That said, I'm not out out of the woods yet. At least I'm hearing myself now (I couldn't hear the kick at all trying to monitor my last tracking pass and I really need to hear the kick to play in time correctly). I've just been back my set up but didn't do anything in Logic. I did however find and change the sensitivity parameters in the kit's brain. I put everything to max. I'm currently trying to record a straight pass in stereo but I'm open to suggestions as I'm not exactly clued up in matters such as this! One of the reasons I'm trying to record in stereo is because of memory (or lack of it!) Would I be better to record to a separate track for each kit component instead do you think?

You are not recording anything in stereo.

You are recording MIDI events!

 

I don't think that will impact your memory that much, if you want to do it on separate tracks, and you can always separate the MIDI events after the fact if you use one track.

Oh yeah, of course! I've got this Abbey Road Drums software and I'm trying it out for the first time. I laid down three takes with the Kontakt platform on each MIDI lane but it's running really sluggish so that's why I'm trying to just stick to one pass.

It's is probably Kontakt and the sample library that is eating up your RAM.

Hope you nail the take then!

Cheers Eric - you're one of the good guys! Thanks for all your help & advice.

Cheers OMD!