Yamaha DTXpress/DTXplorer/DTXtreme

Hey thanks again.

Let me ask the group this....

What is the consensus view on practice?  With music? Or Without?  
Personally I am having far more fun simply playing.  I have very 
little desire to imitate someone else, I just enjoy playing the 
drums.  Is this a reasonable approach or should I spend some time 
playing to music also?   On top of that.. is there a place to get 
popular music with the drum tracks removed?  I hate playing to the 
electronic "songs" that are on the dtxpress.

Thanks.


--- In DTXpress@yahoogroups.com, "underneathheaven" <realvast@s...> 
wrote:
> Vern is correct with his advice.  First I would slow down to a 
> comfortable tempo, one where you can do eight or sixteen notes 
> without "thinking" about them on the hi-hat all while working a 
> basic beat on the snare and bass drum.  I think you may have a 
> problem coming back into a basic beat after your fills because 
your 
> throwing too much into your fills at your level.  What you can try 
> is playing a comfortable tempo, then do an easier fill, and 
practice 
> coming back into the comfortable tempo right on time and right on 
> beat.  I know your trying to be creative and not sound repeative 
> with your fills, and thats fine, and your doing a good job of it, 
> its just you gotta work on coming back in, right on time.  Don't 
> worry though, its a good sign when your making practice harder 
than 
> it should be because it displays your creative future on the 
> drumset.  This creative future should stand as motavation to 
master 
> the basics because you already know once you master them, your 
> plenty ready for more advanced playing.  Don't ever give up, 
playing 
> drums is worth the practice!
> 
> -UN.H
> 
> 
> 
> --- In DTXpress@yahoogroups.com, "mhd31971" <mhdevlin@n...> wrote:
> > I am beaming :)  Thanks for the positive feedback.  I am 
operating 
> > on an island here as I have no one to play with at the moment 
and 
> > can only base my quality (or lack thereof) on my own ear.  I 
will 
> be 
> > sure to let the group know if I get something else recorded that 
> is 
> > worth hearing.
> > 
> > cheers :-)
> > 
> > --- In DTXpress@yahoogroups.com, "underneathheaven" 
> <realvast@s...> 
> > wrote:
> > > Hey Matt!  I heard all your drum samples and I'm impressed, 
your 
> > > well on your way!  You have the right idea on fills and I'm 
glad 
> > to 
> > > hear your making up your own and not some stuff every novice 
> > drummer 
> > > does!  Your recording was a bit low but thats easily fixable 
> with 
> > > some tweaking!  When you have more recordings, with or without 
> > > music, let us know, we'll listen!
> > > 
> > > - UN.H  
> > > 
> > > 
> > > --- In DTXpress@yahoogroups.com, "mhd31971" <mhdevlin@n...> 
> wrote:
> > > > i tried to post once already with a long explanation of how 
> bad 
> > > > (new) a drummer i am but I had a problem with my session and 
I 
> > am 
> > > > not sure if it got posted. I have uploaded some mp3's of me 
> > > > (attempting) to play my DTXpress to my website that may be 
of 
> > use 
> > > to 
> > > > drummers curious how the DTXpress sounds.  Please bear in 
mind 
> > > that 
> > > > it probably sounds much better if you are a good drummer :)
> > > > 
> > > > http://www.mattdevlin.net/audio
> > > > 
> > > > If you listen and choose to provide feedback, please be 
> kind :) 
> > I 
> > > > have been playng only a few months and my fragile ego may 
not 
> be 
> > > > able handle harsh criticism on this topic.
> > > > 
> > > > Also note that the recording levels are a bit low, I am 
still 
> > > > working on mastering the recording.  (among other things) I 
am 
> > > > currently recording to a portable minidisc player.
> > > > 
> > > > --- In DTXpress@yahoogroups.com, chris thackston 
> > > <christ@... 
> > > > wrote:
> > > > > 
> > > > > I'm glad that the information you got from this group has 
> > > helped. 
> > > > When I
> > > > > first started getting info about the DTXpress, primarily 
> from 
> > > the 
> > > > MD
> > > > > article you mentioned, there was no good source of 
> > information. 
> > > > That's the
> > > > > reason I created this list. Hopefully it will grow into a 
> > > > consistant source
> > > > > of reliable information and a great source of user kits 
too.
> > > > > 
> > > > > I very much like the sounds in the module. I've been 
playing 
> a 
> > > > friends
> > > > > Vdrums for over a year now, and while these aren't on that 
> > > level, 
> > > > they are
> > > > > very good for what you pay for. Make sure you listen on a 
> good 
> > > set 
> > > > of
> > > > > headphones or a good keyboard amp or PA. It makes all the 
> > > > difference in the
> > > > > world. After I get back on vacation, I may post some mp3's 
> of 
> > me 
> > > > playing on
> > > > > some of the different kits, just to give others a way to 
> hear 
> > > > what's
> > > > > available. I welcome others to do the same, just keep the 
> file 
> > > > sizes low.
> > > > > The DTXpress offers far more than the V's in terms of 
> effects, 
> > > > noises and
> > > > > other sounds besides just drums. The sequencer is a plus 
as 
> > > well, 
> > > > but I
> > > > > haven't realy had time to fiddle with it.
> > > > > 
> > > > > The songs do suck, in my opinion. This is really not 
> important 
> > > if 
> > > > you have
> > > > > it hooked to a computer with a sequencer, as you can write 
> or 
> > > > download any
> > > > > MIDI file and play along while muting the drum track. Some 
> of 
> > > the 
> > > > preset
> > > > > kits are not very functional but there is plenty of space 
to 
> > > > create your own.
> > > > > 
> > > > > All of this is just my opinion but I hope it helps. This 
is 
> a 
> > > > great kit for
> > > > > the money. Let us know when you get it.
> > > > > 
> > > > > 
> > > > > 				Chris
> > > > > 
> > > > > 
> > > > > 
> > > > > 
> > > > > 
> > > > > At 04:12 PM 11/23/99 -0000, you wrote:
> > > > > >From: eyemaster69@h...
> > > > > >
> > > > > >Okay, I thought I posted this message but apparently I 
did 
> > > > something wrong
> > > > > so here I go again...I apologize if this comes up more 
than 
> > > once. 
> > > > I just
> > > > > wanted to say Hey to everyone and to thank you for the 
> honest 
> > and
> > > > > information questions and answers. I am about to purchase 
> the 
> > > > DTXPress kit
> > > > > and this group has been the single greatest source of 
> > information
> > > > > influencing my decision. I have been contemplating 
> purchasing 
> > an 
> > > > electronic
> > > > > kit for some time now, but the costs involved have, up til 
> > now, 
> > > > eliminated
> > > > > that posibility. The positive review of this kit in Modern 
> > > Drummer 
> > > > piqued
> > > > > my interest enough to check this kit out at the local 
music 
> > > > stores. Now, I
> > > > > have to admit I was impressed by the pads, which i 
expected 
> to 
> > > be 
> > > > very hard
> > > > > and loud like other less expensive electronic drums. These 
> > were 
> > > > soft &
> > > > > quiet and, in my opinion, on par with the standard kits. 
> > > > Unfortunately, I
> > > > > was less impresssed with the sounds and the songs. I found 
> the 
> > > > drum and
> > > > > cymbal sounds to be very thin & tinny and not very 
> convincing 
> > or
> > > > > satisfying. Now, on reviewing your past postings, it seems 
> > that 
> > > > everyone is
> > > > > very impressed with the drum sounds in this module. So, I 
am 
> > > > wondering if
> > > > > everyone had to teak the sounds to get what they are happy 
> > with 
> > > or 
> > > > maybe
> > > > > the kit I played at the store was "out of whack" with all 
> the 
> > > > potential
> > > > > buyers (like me) pushing all the buttons and possibly 
> changing 
> > > the 
> > > > original
> > > > > sounds. I am going back to the store to test a new, out-of-
> the-
> > > box 
> > > > kit
> > > > > tonight but am still interested in everyone's opinions on 
> the 
> > > > sounds
> > > > > included in this module. Thanks again for all of the 
> > information!
> > > > > >
> > > > > >>Community email addresses:
> > > > > >  Post message: DTXpress@onelist.com
> > > > > >  Subscribe:    DTXpress-subscribe@onelist.com
> > > > > >  Unsubscribe:  DTXpress-unsubscribe@onelist.com
> > > > > >  List owner:   DTXpress-owner@onelist.com
> > > > > >
> > > > > >Shortcut URL to this page:
> > > > > >  http://www.onelist.com/community/DTXpress
> > > > > >
> > > > > >