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Connecting your electronic drums
Connecting your electronic drums

How to connect, select, and map any electronic drums to Melodics.

Rhys avatar
Written by Rhys
Updated over a week ago
⚠️ NOTE: This guide is for electronic drums only. For guidance on how to connect acoustic drums, see this article: https://support.melodics.com/en/articles/8641253-guide-to-calibrating-acoustic-drums-with-melodics

Most MIDI drums will work with Melodics™. If your drums aren’t working correctly, or we can’t see them, try the following.

First, make sure you have DRUMS selected as your instrument in Melodics. Click the ‘switch instrument’ button in the top left to switch to drums.

Here is a list of supported devices which do not need mapping. Just plug in and play. Go to the settings tab and select your device from the ‘selected device’ dropdown menu.

Note: supported devices will need manual mapping if you are using a MIDI to USB interface. Instead, we recommend using a direct USB connection where possible.

If your drums are not on our supported devices list or are not appearing in the ‘selected device’ dropdown menu, you’ll need to create a manual mapping. Hit the ‘map your controller’ button in settings. Follow the instructions on screen.

Help! Melodics can’t see my drums.

Does Melodics say it couldn’t find a connected MIDI drum kit? Try the following.

  • Ensure that the USB cable is connected properly.

  • Try a different USB cable or different USB port on your computer. Avoid using a USB hub or USB extensions.

  • If you are using a MIDI to USB interface, ensure the MIDI IN cable is connected to the MIDI OUT socket on your drum module.

  • Restart your computer.

  • Close all other applications that are running in the background.

  • Factory reset your drums. You may need to refer to your user manual to find how to do this, or check out this guide.

  • Ensure you have any necessary drivers installed for your drums or MIDI interface.

Some devices will need specific drivers to be installed. Check the manufacturer’s website for the latest drivers and updates.


Tip for left handed drummers: turn on "Left hand drums" in settings to flip your layout for lefties. All content can be learned left or right handed.


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