How to Preview Loudstakk MIDI Grooves Directly Inside Your DAW

Why DAW-level preview is the most accurate and reliable way to audition grooves.

Some drum libraries (Kontakt, Bogren, MDL, etc.) will alter or reinterpret third-party MIDI inside their built-in groove players. The safest, most accurate way to hear a Loudstakk groove is to preview it directly in your DAW.

Every DAW handles this differently, so below is a breakdown of the most common workflows based on real support tickets.

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Why Preview in the DAW Instead of a Plugin?

• The groove plays back exactly as written, with no re-mapping or “interpretation.”

• You can switch drum instruments instantly without reloading MIDI.

• You can compare grooves faster.

• No risk of plugins altering velocity, timing, or note positions.

This is how we recommend auditioning grooves before writing.

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1. REAPER — Built-In MIDI Preview (Media Explorer)

Reaper has one of the best MIDI preview systems of any DAW.

How to Preview MIDI:

1. Press View → Media Explorer

2. Navigate to your Loudstakk MIDI folder

3. Select a .mid file

4. Enable Preview MIDI (the speaker icon)

5. Choose your drum instrument in the Preview Output dropdown

   • For example: Superior Drummer 3, EZdrummer, Sitala, etc.

6. Click any groove to instantly hear it through your loaded drum plugin

Drag & Drop to Use

When you find a groove you like, simply drag it from Media Explorer into the timeline.

This is the fastest workflow for writing.

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2. Cubase — MIDI Audition via Instrument Track

Cubase makes previewing easy as long as you have a drum instrument loaded.

How to Preview MIDI:

1. Create an Instrument Track

2. Load your drum plugin (Superior, EZD, Groove Agent, etc.)

3. Open MediaBay (F5)

4. Browse to your Loudstakk MIDI folder

5. Select a groove

6. Press Spacebar or click Audition

Cubase will route the preview through whatever drum instrument is currently loaded on the selected track.

Drag & Drop to Use

When you like a groove, drag it directly from MediaBay onto your Instrument Track.

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3. Logic Pro (Mac)

Logic doesn’t have a built-in MIDI preview button like Reaper or Cubase, but you can audition quickly by loading a drum kit first.

How to Preview MIDI:

1. Create a Software Instrument Track

2. Load a drum instrument (Drum Kit Designer, Superior, EZD, etc.)

3. Open the Loop Browser or Finder panel

4. Drag a MIDI file onto the track

5. Press Spacebar to audition

6. Undo (⌘+Z) if you want to try a different groove

It’s essentially an instant drop-and-play workflow.

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4. Ableton Live

Ableton previews through the currently selected drum track.

How to Preview MIDI:

1. Create a MIDI Track

2. Load your drum plugin

3. Open the Browser

4. Navigate to your Loudstakk MIDI folder

5. Click on any MIDI file once

6. It will preview through the selected drum instrument

Drag & Drop to Use

Drop the groove onto the same track for full editing.

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5. Studio One

Studio One previews MIDI files very cleanly.

How to Preview MIDI:

1. Create an Instrument Track

2. Load your drum plugin

3. Use the Files tab to browse to your Loudstakk MIDI

4. Click on a MIDI file

5. Studio One will audition it through the selected instrument

Drag & Drop to Use

Just drag the groove into the timeline to start writing.

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6. FL Studio

FL Studio doesn’t have a traditional MIDI previewer, but there’s a fast workflow:

How to Preview MIDI:

1. Load a drum plugin on a Channel Rack

2. Drag the MIDI file into the Piano Roll

3. Hit Play

4. Undo (Ctrl+Z) and repeat until you find the right groove

Not as elegant as Reaper or Cubase, but effective.

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Guidelines for Best Results

👉 Always audition in the DAW, not inside a plugin.

Some groove players (especially Kontakt-based instruments) may:

• Shift timing

• Change velocity

• Reinterpret articulations

• Completely rewrite the groove

👉 Drag into the DAW timeline for the most accurate representation.

This guarantees you hear exactly what Loudstakk intended.

👉 If mapping looks incorrect in your drum plugin…

Switch the plugin to General MIDI or Toontrack/EZd mapping option if available.
Loudstakk MIDI uses the Toontrack drum map.