---sigh::: what a drag it is getting old... :(--- Things are different today... I agree with Vern: lighter sticks, lighter hits. there are ways that edrums encourage subtlety. -----Original Message----- From: Vernon Graner [mailto:vern@...] Sent: Wednesday, August 06, 2003 3:58 PM To: DTXpress@yahoogroups.com Subject: Re: [DTXpress] my go to ask for help fezzasus said: > i have a dtx2 but the interface is almost the same so im hoping > you will still be able to help me: > > i have quite a heavy hitter and feel that i cannot get as much > expression from the drums (ei - they wont go louder when i hit > them harder) and im not quite sure on how i should go about > adjusting them to make them do this - everyhting i seem to do > makes it worse. When you strike the pad, the piezo element encased in it produces a small electric signal that is measured by the DTXpress module to determine how loud a sound it should produce. In your case, if you are striking the pads *very* hard, you may be causing the piezo to produce it's maximum output voltage, if this is the case, then striking the pad even harder will not produce a measureable increase in voltage and so the module is not aware it should make a proportionaly louder sound. This might be different if you had Mesh pads or some other type of pad where you can reduce the amount of kinetic energy reaching the piezo. If the piezo is not being saturated by your stick force, then you should be able to reduce the sensitivity of the pad by using the DIP switches on the back of the module. If you have a sequencer, I would use it to record a series of notes from one of your pads starting at MP and moving to FFF and then look to see what the velocity level is for the notes. If they are reaching 127 before you are at triple-forte, then you will need to reduce the pad sensitivity more. If you are unable to get the note velocity to drop below 127 before you hit triple forte, then it might be time to investigate a different pad. :( Of course, this is assuming that you are unable/unwilling to change your drumming style. If you hit that hard, it might be best for you to move away from gum-rubber pads altogether since many of the older drummers on the list (et hem..:) can tell you from experience you will start to have "organic degradation" i.e. carpal tunnel, sore wrists, sore shoulders, etc.) since the gum rubber doesn't "give" when struck the way a drum head does. Rather than looking at changing the kit, you might want to consider just changing your style a bit so as to improve your chances of being able to drum when you get older. :) > also, my hi-hat is level and i hit the side of it much like the way a > normal one is played however the rim does not respond like the > middle of the pad so i cannot trigger the closed/open sounds > without hitting the top On my kit I have the hat pad tilted towards me so the "normal" horizontal position of my stick will impact the center of the pad. I had no real luck getting the edge to trigger reliably and I don't think the pad would survive long if it were continuously hit on it's side. Another option would be to swap the two-zone cymbal pad with the hat pad since this would give you an "edge" to strike like your "real" hi-hat. > - can i just change the sounds around or > will i need to re-arrange my drum kit - one i dea i had was to > make a cable where the two sterio bits swap around so the DTX > thinks the outside is the inside and the same the other way > around - will this work? I don't think switching the tip/ring around on the stereo cable would work. I'm pretty sure it would render the pad silent as the center sensor is piezo and the edge is a FSR. These two trigger types are not compatible. Changing the cable would route the piezo output to the FSR input on the module and vice versa. It seems to me that a little larger view ought to be taken here. I think many of us are surprised to learn that Electric drums are NOT Acoustic drums! They are as different as an electric guitar is to an acoustic guitar or fretless standup bass is from an electric bass. Subsequently, you need to learn some new playing techniques. Though it is probably possible to make changes to the kit to accommodate what you are trying to accomplish, I don't think it's the best thing for you to do if only because really heavy playing is *very* hard on your body and may result in a shortened playing career. Personally, I discovered that I could produce some very dynamic and powerful sounds with the kit without beating the cr@p out of it. :) I use the lightest jazz sticks I can find and I turn the volume of the kit up loud enough that if I hit with medium to heavy force the sound is *very* loud. This keeps me from hammering the cr@p out of the kit. Of course then you have to be careful not to damage your hearing... :::sigh::: what a drag it is getting old... :( Vern -- Vern Graner CNE/CNA/SSE | "If the network is down, then you're Senior Systems Engineer | obviously incompetent so why are we Texas Information Services | paying you? Of course, if the network vern@... www.txis.com | is up, then we obviously don't need Cell 507-7851 Desk 328-8947 | you, so why are we paying you?" VLG Community email addresses: Post message: DTXpress@yahoogroups.com Subscribe: DTXpress-subscribe@yahoogroups.com Unsubscribe: DTXpress-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com List owner: DTXpress-owner@yahoogroups.com Shortcut URL to this page: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DTXpress Alternate DTXpress site: http://www.dtxpressions.com Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/ --- Incoming mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). Version: 6.0.495 / Virus Database: 294 - Release Date: 6/30/2003 --- Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). Version: 6.0.495 / Virus Database: 294 - Release Date: 6/30/2003
Message
RE: [DTXpress] my go to ask for help
2003-08-07 by Creighton Higgins