Rock Band drum controller in Cubase Artist 6.5

Hello:
I am trying to use a Rock Band drum set to control VST instruments in Cubase Artist 6.5. I have a PS3 kit and wireless dongle receiver. I’m not sure if I have a Rock Band 2 or 3 kit (I think it’s a 3 because it has 3 expansion ports).

My ultimate goal is to control EZ Drummer with the RB kit (and record MIDI files on the track), but it would be useful if I could control other virtual instruments as well (such as Groove Agent One, Kontakt Player, etc.) In the past I have been able to control virtual drum kits using a keyboard controller with pads and tapping the pads. I’m also hoping to buy the 3-cymbal expansion for more realistic playing.

Right now I have the RB kit on and connected (via the dongle) and CA recognizes it, but no sound comes from the virtual instrument track. I can tell that CA can see the controller, because it is in the MIDI Port Setup with four items as “Virtual MIDI Driver Game Controller 1” and so on up to 4. The input on my Instrument tracks have All MIDI Inputs active. Even with the game controller selected as an input, nothing happens. I’ve also tried several different VST instruments other than EZ Drummer and the same nothing happens.

I know the kit/dongle combination works because I tried it in Toontrack Solo and got it to function. I also verified that the kit worked in GarageBand via a free app called GarageDrummer.

I have the feeling I am close to making this work, but am missing something fundamental. All the tutorials I have found online involve GarageBand, but of course CA is better and I would love to be able to record drums I have played myself.

So if anyone can assist me, I would appreciate it.

Thanks!

P.S.: If you are wondering why I am even bothering using a Rock Band kit instead of a “real” electronic kit, consider that I got mine for free from a guy in my neighborhood who was about to put them in the trash. And I don’t have the kind of money to spend ($400 minimum, new or used) on an electronic kit. I have no interest in music games (I’d rather be writing music), and don’t have the game, but I do have two RB guitar controllers if anyone’s interested!

Interesting
That controller is most likely sending its midi data on midi channel 10. Check if EZdrummer is receiving on that channel.

(I’ve been experimenting a bit with guitar hero world tour controllers, but I used them the other way around. I can play GHWT on my electronic drumkit )

Here’s something I found while snooping around on google.
http://www.mattgrounds.com/rb2midi/

I hope this helps.
:Miki

Hi all:
to Miki: I should have mentioned that I am using Mac OS 10.7! But thanks anyway.

to Strophold:
I’m not quite sure where to change that. I did change something to channel 10 (on the panel on the left, two lines down from the All MIDI Inputs menu). But nothing happened. Is there another missing link somewhere? The Game Controller does not show up under the VST Connections panel (Devices>VST Connections) though it does show up under the MIDI Port Options in the Device Setup panel (Devices>Device Setup…). Any thoughts? Thanks!

I would be surprised if it showed in VST connections because that’d mean it could stream audio as well (which it can’t as that’d be pointless ).
If you set the rock band controller as input on a midi track and hit some pads, does the midi activity bar in Cubase spike?
If not, then you’ll probably need something like Miki posted (if it exists for Mac) because the controller doesn’t send data according to the midi spec.
If you do see activity, it’ll be easier, then it’s a matter of filtering the information out. Try recording some hits on the drumkit to midi (doesn’t matter if you don’t hear anything). Now open the recorded midi part in the list editor and see what’s there.