What is the correct way to use hi hat midi?

Since hi hat doesn't contain any musical scale, I don't really understand the purpose of the midi file.

 

its just so you dont have to program the groove. there are typical hi hat patterns across various genres. Trap for instance has the triplet fills, house on the offbeat etc, etc. Makes for easy programming of hat parts.

 

also there are midi with "human feel" that can give unique groove "not in grid", someone recorded it and then packed in midi. Thats great not only for hats but for Snares, Kicks and everything in the rhythm section

example: the great Clyde Stubbefield drums recordings, now available in midi too
https://yurtrock.com/products/clyde-stubblefield-the-funky-drummer

its great to grab the groove from his playing

 

Thanks for letting me know.

But it raises a question.
If you want to create rhythm patterns, isn't it possible to just program them instead of using MIDI?
What do you think?

 

obviously lol

but "midi" is not a strange magic potion, it's a rhythm pattern that someone created and then decided to share or sell or whatever.
If you create your own rhythm patterns and wanna share or sell you will export those patterns in midi format

I do it all the time. I collect the best rhythm patterns of hihats, snares, 808 that I create then I export em in midi and put the package in the drum kits that I sell

you can use midi patterns you find around but take only a bar, half a bar, or just a roll you like and then program your own pattern as needed in your production, thats the best way for me.

 

They contain the rhythmic information (well, melodic patterns do this as well), and a real hi-hat has got several ways of triggering it, open/close/pedal.

You can program them, but that means you'd usually quantize them. Editing micro rhythm information is a pain if you're trying to inject feel into it, but you can always of course use groove quantize, and extract the rhythm feel from a MIDI pattern.

A MIDI file has a resolution defined by it's PPQ value (ticks per quarter note), now this depends on the sequencer in use, but it starts from 24 ticks per quarter note to 960 ticks. That's enough to impart a human feel and detailed controller movements, but outside musical uses, it's often matched to the video format you use.

Slightly off-topic there, but a MIDI file can contain a lot more "feel" than a rigid sequencer grid, though there's nothing stopping you to switch off quantize and grid and manipulate individual hit timings if you wish. Just be aware that's it's very tedious compared to playing it live.

 

Everyone has their preferred way. Some use audio loops, some use prefab MIDI with their own samples, some program their own patterns but use prefab samples, some use arpeggiators, some use drum sequencers, some swear by their DAW's MIDI editor...

Really - pick whatever works best for you in the moment or find your preferred general workflow.

 

Feel and groove of the performance vs. trying to program that by hand. Someonne can program 1 or 2 bars and get some kind of feel groove going. But, IMO, a performance with vision & confidence across the entire track will yield that elusive feel (e.g. experienced drummer). IME, problems with live midi performance has always been midi latency and jitter, which screws up the live performance (USB sux, but alternative options can get really expensive). Audio to midi tools can assist (e.g. Ableton's audio-to-midi).

 

@shinyzen
@Will Kweks
@xorome
@bluerover
@patatern

Thanks everyone!
This is very helpful!