Drum Genius for Android / iOS

**jzucker** · 09-09-2017, 01:41 PM

Best metronome/practicing device ever. For $8.99 you get 400 patterns based on tony williams, philly joe jones, mickey roker plus afro-cuban, funk, bugaloo, etc.

**grahambop** · 09-09-2017, 03:15 PM

It's great to just listen to all the exotic Afro-Cuban, Brazilian and Caribbean rhythms in DG. Now I know what a Bembe and a Mozambique are!

**M-ster** · 09-09-2017, 06:29 PM

I think Jens Larsen was the first I recall recommending DG to us. Barry Greene has a great video on YouTube illustrating how he uses it with Ableton Live for his YT channel.

**grahambop** · 09-09-2017, 07:14 PM

Originally Posted by M-ster

I think Jens Larsen was the first I recall recommending DG to us. Barry Greene has a great video on YouTube illustrating how he uses it with Ableton Live for his YT channel.

Here's that Barry Greene video:

**boo** · 09-10-2017, 08:43 AM

Yeah, I knew the Barry Greene video already. Really cool!

And I am using DG on my iPad as a tool for some time now. The drum loops are awesome!

But:

- the app has bugs. Very often I have to force quit because there are two drums playing at the same time.

- the app is an iPhone app and does not look good on an iPad. The split screen option is missing completely.

- "inter app audio" IAA or Audiobus is not supported. So you have to "import" the drum loop like Barry Greene which is tedious and error prone. In this post New app: Drumgenius | Page 4 | TalkBass.com IAA is announced for the next update but the post is 3 years old now.

If the developer of this app reads this: Please, please fix it!

**jzucker** · 09-10-2017, 09:35 AM

i haven't run into any bugs yet other than activation issues. I have not experienced 2 drumsets going at once. I just can't believe there's not an export function. I don't have a mac or ableton so I can't really utilize what barry does...

Originally Posted by boo

Yeah, I knew the Barry Greene video already. Really cool!

And I am using DG on my iPad as a tool for some time now. The drum loops are awesome!

But:

- the app has bugs. Very often I have to force quit because there are two drums playing at the same time.

- the app is an iPhone app and does not look good on an iPad. The split screen option is missing completely.

- "inter app audio" IAA or Audiobus is not supported. So you have to "import" the drum loop like Barry Greene which is tedious and error prone. In this post New app: Drumgenius | Page 4 | TalkBass.com IAA is announced for the next update but the post is 3 years old now.

If the developer of this app reads this: Please, please fix it!

**M-ster** · 09-10-2017, 11:42 AM

Ableton Live 9 has a free version that doesn't do the audio to midi conversion that Barry shows, but you can get the Drum Genius loops in there, ala Barry. I'm running it on a Windows 10 machine.

I have Drum Genius on an iPad mini and haven't experienced the issues boo describes. I have it patched into my DAW. Pretty cool! Barry's doing the same thing. He's recording the DG into his DAW (not exporting).

**pkirk** · 09-10-2017, 11:54 AM

I noticed the same bugs on an iPhone (solution is to quit then restart; happens about once a week), and it's a bit clunky to use. But no matter, it's a *great* app. It has replaced the metronome for me. I practice with a zoom G7 multiFX which I use as a computer interface via USB and the zoom has an "aux in" input which I connect to the headphone output of the iPhone. I can easily record the drum loops to the computer that way if I need to.

**mr. beaumont** · 09-10-2017, 12:10 PM

Originally Posted by boo

Yeah, I knew the Barry Greene video already. Really cool!

And I am using DG on my iPad as a tool for some time now. The drum loops are awesome!

But:

- the app has bugs. Very often I have to force quit because there are two drums playing at the same time.

- the app is an iPhone app and does not look good on an iPad. The split screen option is missing completely.

- "inter app audio" IAA or Audiobus is not supported. So you have to "import" the drum loop like Barry Greene which is tedious and error prone. In this post New app: Drumgenius | Page 4 | TalkBass.com IAA is announced for the next update but the post is 3 years old now.

If the developer of this app reads this: Please, please fix it!

That's because iPhones suck

Never had an issue on my lowly droid...my favorite app ever. Well, this and TanpuraDroid.

**boo** · 09-10-2017, 12:20 PM

My best guess to force this bug is to leave DG in the "player mode" and press pause and then switch to one ore more other apps with a big memory footprint. DG will then most likely receive a memory warning and fails to recover correctly. I admit that it is not easy to debug such things (I am an app developer myself).

DG is really a great app and I regret that it is not possible to integrate it into a workflow based solely on an iPad (for example Garageband). There should be no need for external hacks like the Zoom G7 above or a 2000$ MacBook Pro (Barry Greene).

And I because it is not easy to maintain an app with a small user base (small revenue) Apple AND we the users should take care that such apps could be improved constantly! In the moment the app store does not allow paid upgrades, sigh.

In-app-purchases are not a solution for this and btw are notoriously hard to implement. Virtually every app has done it wrong first...

**yebdox** · 09-10-2017, 12:59 PM

I have this and love messing around with it, didn't think about importing it as an audio track. I think someone on this forum recommended it a year or so ago, can't remember, but thanks for the reminder, Jack. Good recommendation for all, and timely with the discussion elsewhere today (Chico Pinheiro's new video lesson.)

I haven't used it enough to notice any bugs. Just a lot of fun to have those rhythms instead of a metronome.

**grahambop** · 09-10-2017, 01:08 PM

Originally Posted by boo

My best guess to force this bug is to leave DG in the "player mode" and press pause and then switch to one ore more other apps with a big memory footprint. DG will then most likely receive a memory warning and fails to recover correctly. I admit that it is not easy to debug such things (I am an app developer myself).

DG is really a great app and I regret that it is not possible to integrate it into a workflow based solely on an iPad (for example Garageband). There should be no need for external hacks like the Zoom G7 above or a 2000$ MacBook Pro (Barry Greene).

And I because it is not easy to maintain an app with a small user base (small revenue) Apple AND we the users should take care that such apps could be improved constantly! In the moment the app store does not allow paid upgrades, sigh.

In-app-purchases are not a solution for this and btw are notoriously hard to implement. Virtually every app has done it wrong first...

It's weird that a while back I was somehow able to get a Drumgenius loop into GarageBand on my iPad. I can still see the track in GB with the Drumgenius 'green head' icon next to it, which suggests I imported it via Audiobus perhaps (I remember getting Audiobus, maybe for this very purpose). But now it does not appear as an Audiobus input, so does not seem to be compatible any more. Very odd.

**grahambop** · 09-10-2017, 01:18 PM

Here's Drumgenius in GarageBand on my iPad, second track down. How on earth did I do that!?

Drum Genius for Android / iOS-img_0127-jpg

**grahambop** · 09-10-2017, 06:56 PM

I asked about this on the DG Facebook page - he replied as follows:

Hey Graham,
yes you're right, I'm working on making DG compatible again with Audiobus...iOS drastically changed the internal code and we need to fill the gap!
Hope in the next upgrade (hopefully in November) I will fix that!

**jzucker** · 09-10-2017, 09:47 PM

i just talked to the author. No plans ever for a pc version or exportable loops.

**Stevebol** · 09-10-2017, 11:46 PM

I'm curious. The audio to midi in Ableton seemed like a novelty but what if you do it with a sample of drums?

**boo** · 09-11-2017, 02:39 AM

Originally Posted by grahambop

I asked about this on the DG Facebook page - he replied as follows:

Hey Graham,
yes you're right, I'm working on making DG compatible again with Audiobus...iOS drastically changed the internal code and we need to fill the gap!
Hope in the next upgrade (hopefully in November) I will fix that!

Thanks (I don't have a Facebook account)!

Then let's wait and see...

**boo** · 09-11-2017, 02:45 AM

Originally Posted by jzucker

i just talked to the author. No plans ever for a pc version or exportable loops.

Yeah just as I said, at least you have to get some profit for your spare time!

Perhaps the authors of DG and IRealPro should work together. They are both bassists and have an italian name!

**boo** · 09-11-2017, 02:47 AM

Originally Posted by Stevebol

I'm curious. The audio to midi in Ableton seemed like a novelty but what if you do it with a sample of drums?

Barry Greene uses the audio to midi to produce the transcriptions for his lessons, not for the drums!

**Stevebol** · 09-11-2017, 03:53 AM

Originally Posted by boo

Barry Greene uses the audio to midi to produce the transcriptions for his lessons, not for the drums!

Transcriptions? I suppose the piano roll in Ableton could be called a tool for composition.
I'm not knocking Barry. I liked the video.

Come to think of it the piano roll would make transcribing easier. Not only looking at the little keyboard to see the notes but also note duration.
That is nifty.

**Stevebol** · 09-11-2017, 04:12 AM

Originally Posted by grahambop

Here's that Barry Greene video:

Excellent video. I know Barry is using DG and Ableton in a different capacity but I'd really like to know what the real drums loop would look like with the audio to midi conversion.
I'm a drum programmer and doing midi jazz tracks has been driving us nuts from the beginning.

**Philco** · 09-11-2017, 06:00 AM

Originally Posted by Stevebol

Excellent video. I know Barry is using DG and Ableton in a different capacity but I'd really like to know what the real drums loop would look like with the audio to midi conversion.
I'm a drum programmer and doing midi jazz tracks has been driving us nuts from the beginning.

If you want to reverse-engineer it then simply buy Addictive Drums 2 and the 2 Jazz expansion packs, Jazz Sticks and Jazz Brushes.

That's what the loops are made from except you don't get the midi files.
Addictive comes with a lot of great midi files but the midi files in Drum Genius were programmed by the creator.
He either painstakingly copied every groove from the actual audio performances and programmed the midi
or he imported the audio of the performance into a DAW with midi to groove capability and started that way.

I think either way would be extremely labor intensive. He really did a great job. But they are midi drums and not live performances.

I asked if the midi files were available (silly question really but.....) and of course, if he released those he probably wouldn't sell another app.

That app is worth every cent and then some.

**Stevebol** · 09-11-2017, 07:00 AM

Originally Posted by Philco

If you want to reverse-engineer it then simply buy Addictive Drums 2 and the 2 Jazz expansion packs, Jazz Sticks and Jazz Brushes.

That's what the loops are made from except you don't get the midi files.
Addictive comes with a lot of great midi files but the midi files in Drum Genius were programmed by the creator.
He either painstakingly copied every groove from the actual audio performances and programmed the midi
or he imported the audio of the performance into a DAW with midi to groove capability and started that way.

I think either way would be extremely labor intensive. He really did a great job. But they are midi drums and not live performances.

I asked if the midi files were available (silly question really but.....) and of course, if he released those he probably wouldn't sell another app.

That app is worth every cent and then some.

I tried a drum program and didn't like the workflow at all. It might have been Addictive. I know it's midi.
I thought Drum Genius was real loops. From what little I've heard he did a hell of a job if it's midi.

I just bought the app. Didn't know you get everything for $8!!!! Bargain of the century. I'm a little behind with this stuff but not too much. If that's midi programming it's extraordinary.
It's a no-brainer.
Aren't the Real drums in BIAB real drummers? I think it's loops of real playing. Who knows.
DG is a jazz app definitely. Swing and bop grooves are notoriously difficult to do with midi. Midi or not he nailed it.

**Stevebol** · 09-11-2017, 07:11 AM

Originally Posted by Philco

If you want to reverse-engineer it then simply buy Addictive Drums 2 and the 2 Jazz expansion packs, Jazz Sticks and Jazz Brushes.

That's what the loops are made from except you don't get the midi files.
Addictive comes with a lot of great midi files but the midi files in Drum Genius were programmed by the creator.
He either painstakingly copied every groove from the actual audio performances and programmed the midi
or he imported the audio of the performance into a DAW with midi to groove capability and started that way.

I think either way would be extremely labor intensive. He really did a great job. But they are midi drums and not live performances.

I asked if the midi files were available (silly question really but.....) and of course, if he released those he probably wouldn't sell another app.

That app is worth every cent and then some.

Not sure what you mean. I take a song, usually R&B related and put it in Soundforge. I make a loop there. Then put it in FL Studio. It has improved stretching now but I haven't played with it enough. I want BPM rounded to 108, 120, whatever, not 117.342. Round off and start imitating all the percussion elements. Throw in some bass sometimes.
Get it all into midi form. I've done about 40 songs that way.
I should probably learn to use FL's Edison more for audio editing but I'm used to Soundforge.
I'm off ALL this stuff now and I just play my strat.
Digital burnout.
It's all DJ shite.

**jzucker** · 09-11-2017, 07:14 AM

how does addictive drums compare to ezdrummer (which I own) and can you import the grooves into ezdrummer and visa versa?

Originally Posted by Philco

If you want to reverse-engineer it then simply buy Addictive Drums 2 and the 2 Jazz expansion packs, Jazz Sticks and Jazz Brushes.

That's what the loops are made from except you don't get the midi files.
Addictive comes with a lot of great midi files but the midi files in Drum Genius were programmed by the creator.
He either painstakingly copied every groove from the actual audio performances and programmed the midi
or he imported the audio of the performance into a DAW with midi to groove capability and started that way.

I think either way would be extremely labor intensive. He really did a great job. But they are midi drums and not live performances.

I asked if the midi files were available (silly question really but.....) and of course, if he released those he probably wouldn't sell another app.

That app is worth every cent and then some.