Yamaha DTXpress/DTXplorer/DTXtreme

Just thinking of some creative routing and connection options...
This may be interesting to hear some idea's...I have a DTXpress I 
set, with extra cymbal and drum pads. Also a DTXpress module and an 
Alesis DM Pro module.

I was thinking about using all three drum modules for 
selected/prefered drum and cymbal sounds, then routing the various 
selected outputs into my mixer.

Other thoughts were to have two pads next to eachother as choices of 
different Hi-Hat sounds. Maybe one controlled, and one just an 
open/semi-open sound?

As for the snare I was thinking of doing the same as above or even 
put a selector switch somewhere convenient to route the snare pad 
from one module to another?

I know that I can cobine or layer samples together in one module, 
but I was also thinking about splitting the snare's cord with a "Y" 
and routing it to two modules to combine snare sounds.
Any otherbright ideas? :)

Steve

> Any otherbright ideas? :)

I was wondering about compression and other effects. Are the samples
already compressed sufficiently or do people route the whole thing
through some sort of compression?

J

--- In DTXpress@yahoogroups.com, john@j... wrote:
> > Any otherbright ideas? :)
> 
> I was wondering about compression and other effects. Are the samples
> already compressed sufficiently or do people route the whole thing
> through some sort of compression?
> 
> J

Hi J,

By compression do you mean bringing the sounds below a certain 
threshold? If so, the module has no ability to limit or compress; nor 
would you need it unless your recording or other context required 
that the signal be tamed to some extent. Just imagine if the module 
had something comparable to a home theater's "midnight setting," to 
keep the volume down while people were sleeping. You can't do 
anything more considerate in that respect than playing through 
headphones. Nor does the module have anything but bread and butter 
reverb options. An outboard unit could certainly elaborate the sound 
further, though unfortunately the DTXpress module doesn't allow the 
components to be split beyond simple stereo for individual 
processing. Sequencing would be an alternative.

If by compression you mean reducing the size of a file to fit a 
certain application, into, say, an MP3, you'd have to do that by 
recording to your PC and then using the appropriate program to 
compress accordingly. Whatever Yamaha does to the samples to keep the 
size down, if anything, the result at the module's output is pure, 
uncompressed audio. And MIDI is, well, just MIDI.

Ed

> Hi J,
>
> By compression do you mean bringing the sounds below a certain
> threshold? If so, the module has no ability to limit or compress; nor
> would you need it unless your recording or other context required
> that the signal be tamed to some extent.

Well, I'm definitely an amateur, but I have played with compression as
an effect and is certainly made things easier to listen to, and yes it
would be nice to compress the cymbals (that can make them last longer,
right?) but I accept it's all or nothing.

I've not gigged with the Yamaha but I was just thinking it might make
the sound 'smoother' somehow.

J

--- In DTXpress@yahoogroups.com, john@j... wrote:
> Well, I'm definitely an amateur, but I have played with compression 
as
> an effect and is certainly made things easier to listen to, and yes 
it
> would be nice to compress the cymbals (that can make them last 
longer,
> right?) but I accept it's all or nothing.
> 
> I've not gigged with the Yamaha but I was just thinking it might 
make
> the sound 'smoother' somehow.

Hey J,

If you've got a use for compression, more power to you. In the past, 
when compression was all the rage, recordings acquired a signature 
studio sound that I learned not to like. Compression can be used 
judiciously, but the challenge with the DTXpress live would seem to 
be not squeezing the life out of it. But I can see how the kit might 
have a certain digital brashness that might bother people under 
certain conditions. Keep us posted.

Ed

[Edited]
 
Hi, I'm thinking of some creative routing and connection options...

I have a DTXpress I pad set with extra cymbal and drum pads, dual & 
single trigger. I'll likely get more pads... I also have three drum 
modules, the DTXpress I, DTXpress III, and an Alesis DM Pro module.

I was thinking about using all three drum modules for 
selected/prefered drum and cymbal sounds, then routing the various 
selected outputs into my mixer. 
Obviously with multiple modules I can run individual drum sounds out 
for treatment of say the snare, for added FX's. And now I'll have 
the capability to run a single drum sound into a recorded track. 
 
With what I have I figure I can have about seven different cymbal 
sounds. Maybe even alternate Hi-Hats and extra toms etc...
 
As for the snare I was thinking of even putting a "Y" adapter and 
split the pads triggered signal to two modules to combine sounds, 
similar to layering sounds in one module.
I thought about even using a selector switch somewhere convenient to 
route, say the snare pad from one module to another independently, 
and I could do this with other pads as well. This would be similar 
to a patchbay, without having to plug and unplug cords. In fact, I 
could make a Patchbay multi-selector switch box to route selected 
pads that I may want to switch between the modules.

Not sure which module will control wich cymbal or drum pad at this 
point. But I figure the DTXpress I module has the least impressive 
cymbal samples...?
 
Any of your own thoughts or problems with my thought? This may be 
interesting to hear some other idea's.

Steve

Steve,
 
You can run pads leads out to more than one module. You can also run pads
into multiple inputs on the same module, but the rejection settings have to
be played with. The only issue I ever ran across using multiple modules was
the crosstriggering  issue. 
 
OGD

   _____  

From: zapaxe [mailto:a_zapelectric@...] 
Sent: Friday, November 19, 2004 2:40 AM
To: DTXpress@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [DTXpress] Re: Idea's For Hooking Up Multiple Modules & Pads?



[Edited]

Hi, I'm thinking of some creative routing and connection options...

I have a DTXpress I pad set with extra cymbal and drum pads, dual & 
single trigger. I'll likely get more pads... I also have three drum 
modules, the DTXpress I, DTXpress III, and an Alesis DM Pro module.

I was thinking about using all three drum modules for 
selected/prefered drum and cymbal sounds, then routing the various 
selected outputs into my mixer. 
Obviously with multiple modules I can run individual drum sounds out 
for treatment of say the snare, for added FX's. And now I'll have 
the capability to run a single drum sound into a recorded track. 

With what I have I figure I can have about seven different cymbal 
sounds. Maybe even alternate Hi-Hats and extra toms etc...

As for the snare I was thinking of even putting a "Y" adapter and 
split the pads triggered signal to two modules to combine sounds, 
similar to layering sounds in one module.
I thought about even using a selector switch somewhere convenient to 
route, say the snare pad from one module to another independently, 
and I could do this with other pads as well. This would be similar 
to a patchbay, without having to plug and unplug cords. In fact, I 
could make a Patchbay multi-selector switch box to route selected 
pads that I may want to switch between the modules.

Not sure which module will control wich cymbal or drum pad at this 
point. But I figure the DTXpress I module has the least impressive 
cymbal samples...?

Any of your own thoughts or problems with my thought? This may be 
interesting to hear some other idea's.

Steve




 
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Hi OGD,

This rejection you mention is only on one pad into multiple inputs 
of the same module? Or is it for one pads into different modules as 
well? 
Truthfully I've never experienced rejection or crosstriggering, so 
I'm not certain exactly what that is...?
I'll take a guess (with out RTFM)that rejection is the trigger not 
triggering? and crosstriggering is unwanted triggering of other 
voices/sounds?
I set up and mounted all my extra pads, and this weekend I plan to 
hook up all three of my modules to my mixer. I supposes I be running 
into more issues that I've never even heard of before :/

Steve

--- In DTXpress@yahoogroups.com, rdamon@m... wrote:
> Steve,
>  
> You can run pads leads out to more than one module. You can also 
run pads
> into multiple inputs on the same module, but the rejection 
settings have to
> be played with. The only issue I ever ran across using multiple 
modules was
> the crosstriggering  issue. 
>  
> OGD
> 
>    _____  
> 
> From: zapaxe [mailto:a_zapelectric@h...] 
> Sent: Friday, November 19, 2004 2:40 AM
> To: DTXpress@yahoogroups.com
> Subject: [DTXpress] Re: Idea's For Hooking Up Multiple Modules & 
Pads?
> 
> 
> 
> [Edited]
> 
> Hi, I'm thinking of some creative routing and connection options...
> 
> I have a DTXpress I pad set with extra cymbal and drum pads, dual 
& 
> single trigger. I'll likely get more pads... I also have three 
drum 
> modules, the DTXpress I, DTXpress III, and an Alesis DM Pro module.
> 
> I was thinking about using all three drum modules for 
> selected/prefered drum and cymbal sounds, then routing the various 
> selected outputs into my mixer. 
> Obviously with multiple modules I can run individual drum sounds 
out 
> for treatment of say the snare, for added FX's. And now I'll have 
> the capability to run a single drum sound into a recorded track. 
> 
> With what I have I figure I can have about seven different cymbal 
> sounds. Maybe even alternate Hi-Hats and extra toms etc...
> 
> As for the snare I was thinking of even putting a "Y" adapter and 
> split the pads triggered signal to two modules to combine sounds, 
> similar to layering sounds in one module.
> I thought about even using a selector switch somewhere convenient 
to 
> route, say the snare pad from one module to another independently, 
> and I could do this with other pads as well. This would be similar 
> to a patchbay, without having to plug and unplug cords. In fact, I 
> could make a Patchbay multi-selector switch box to route selected 
> pads that I may want to switch between the modules.
> 
> Not sure which module will control wich cymbal or drum pad at this 
> point. But I figure the DTXpress I module has the least impressive 
> cymbal samples...?
> 
> Any of your own thoughts or problems with my thought? This may be 
> interesting to hear some other idea's.
> 
> Steve
> 
> 
> 
> 
>  
> 
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*****
> The information transmitted herewith is sensitive information 
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> for use to the individual or entity to which it is addressed. If 
the reader
> of this message is not the intended recipient, you are hereby 
notified that
> any review, retransmission, dissemination, distribution, copying 
or other
> use of, or taking of any action in reliance upon, this information 
is
> strictly prohibited. If you have received this communication in 
error,
> please contact the sender and delete the material from your 
computer.
> 
> 
> 
_____________________________________________________________________
_
> This email has been scanned by the MessageLabs Email Security 
System.
> For more information please visit http://www.messagelabs.com/email 
> 
_____________________________________________________________________
_

Steve,

Briefly.....you adjust the rejection settings to prevent or minimize 
cross-triggering. When you hit one pad and that pad sounds as well as 
the pad next to it also triggers, even though you only hit one pad.

There are three rejection settings:

The first is the general rejection the pad peizo has to the rest of 
the world, the rack, other thinks that make it vibrate in general.

The second is the rejection the pad has to itself. If the setting is 
too low, one strike may cause the sound to play twice, instead of 
once, because when you hit the pad hard, it doesn't instantly stop 
vibrating, so if the continuing vibration is strong enough the module 
will trigger the sound a second time, even though you only hit it 
once.

The third rejection is the pad has to a second specific adjacent pad. 
If when you hit the crash2 cymbal hard, and the vibration travels 
down the mounting arm and down to Tom4 and cause Tom4 to trigger, you 
will have to adjust the Tom4 (input 5) specific rejection setting to 
the crash2 (input 11) to a higher number until the Tom4 no longer 
triggers accidentally when you strike the crash2 pad.

When you use multiple modules the first two items can easily be 
handled, but the third is difficult, but not impossible to handle. 
You have to use up spare inputs on each module and use some Y-
splitter cables.

The way I handled it was dividing the rack up into three sections, 
left rack pads went to module 1, middle rack pads went to module 2 
and the right rack pads went to module 3. 

If your pads aren't crammed together like mine, you shouldn't have a 
problem.

OGD

--- In DTXpress@yahoogroups.com, "zapaxe" <a_zapelectric@h...> wrote:
> 
> Hi OGD,
> 
> This rejection you mention is only on one pad into multiple inputs 
> of the same module? Or is it for one pads into different modules as 
> well? 
> Truthfully I've never experienced rejection or crosstriggering, so 
> I'm not certain exactly what that is...?
> I'll take a guess (with out RTFM)that rejection is the trigger not 
> triggering? and crosstriggering is unwanted triggering of other 
> voices/sounds?
> I set up and mounted all my extra pads, and this weekend I plan to 
> hook up all three of my modules to my mixer. I supposes I be 
running 

> into more issues that I've never even heard of before :/
> 
> Steve
>> _

Thanks again OGD,

What you've said here has jogged my memory from reading the manual, 
and beyond that with your experience of these isssues. 

I understand what you're saying and can apply this as needed.

What I DON'T fully understand is when you say I MUST use up ALL 
unused trigger inputs? Is this correct and why?
If I'm understanding this correctly, then I'm guessing that the 'Y' 
cables are so that I can use say the crash cymbal and split them to 
different modules?
Now I was thinking about the use of 'Y' cables anyway, along with 
possible switchers from my pads cables to alternate a certain pad to 
assign to one module to another, if I need to.

Thanks again, Steve


--- In DTXpress@yahoogroups.com, "oldguydrummer" <rdamon@m...> wrote:
> 
> Steve,
> 
> Briefly.....you adjust the rejection settings to prevent or 
minimize 
> cross-triggering. When you hit one pad and that pad sounds as well 
as 
> the pad next to it also triggers, even though you only hit one pad.
> 
> There are three rejection settings:
> 
> The first is the general rejection the pad peizo has to the rest 
of 
> the world, the rack, other thinks that make it vibrate in general.
> 
> The second is the rejection the pad has to itself. If the setting 
is 
> too low, one strike may cause the sound to play twice, instead of 
> once, because when you hit the pad hard, it doesn't instantly stop 
> vibrating, so if the continuing vibration is strong enough the 
module 
> will trigger the sound a second time, even though you only hit it 
> once.
> 
> The third rejection is the pad has to a second specific adjacent 
pad. 
> If when you hit the crash2 cymbal hard, and the vibration travels 
> down the mounting arm and down to Tom4 and cause Tom4 to trigger, 
you 
> will have to adjust the Tom4 (input 5) specific rejection setting 
to 
> the crash2 (input 11) to a higher number until the Tom4 no longer 
> triggers accidentally when you strike the crash2 pad.
> 
> When you use multiple modules the first two items can easily be 
> handled, but the third is difficult, but not impossible to handle. 
> You have to use up spare inputs on each module and use some Y-
> splitter cables.
> 
> The way I handled it was dividing the rack up into three sections, 
> left rack pads went to module 1, middle rack pads went to module 2 
> and the right rack pads went to module 3. 
> 
> If your pads aren't crammed together like mine, you shouldn't have 
a 
> problem.
> 
> OGD
> 
> --- In DTXpress@yahoogroups.com, "zapaxe" <a_zapelectric@h...> 
wrote:
> > 
> > Hi OGD,
> > 
> > This rejection you mention is only on one pad into multiple 
inputs 
> > of the same module? Or is it for one pads into different modules 
as 
> > well? 
> > Truthfully I've never experienced rejection or crosstriggering, 
so 
> > I'm not certain exactly what that is...?
> > I'll take a guess (with out RTFM)that rejection is the trigger 
not 
> > triggering? and crosstriggering is unwanted triggering of other 
> > voices/sounds?
> > I set up and mounted all my extra pads, and this weekend I plan 
to 

> > hook up all three of my modules to my mixer. I supposes I be 
> running 
> > into more issues that I've never even heard of before :/
> > 
> > Steve
> >> _

Sorry for the confusion. What I was trying to say is that you have to 
use up "a" spare on each module, not "all" spares. What you are 
trying to do is have the ability to setup a "specific" rejection 
between two interfering pads that are connected to two different 
modules.
If you have a crash1 on module no. 1 on input no. 1 that is mounted 
next to tom1 that is on module no. 2 on input no 1, and they are 
causing crosstriggering, between these two pads, but everything else 
is triggering fine, you have no way to use the specific rejection 
function between two modules.

But if you run crash1 to both modules and use module no. 1/input no. 
1 and module no.2/input no.7. You then setup the voice/volume as 
needed for M1/I1 for the crash1 voice and you setup voice/volume on 
M2/I7 as volume "0". 

Now you can tell module 2 that you are having a rejection problem 
between inputs no. 1 (Tom1) and input no. 7 (Muted-Crash1).

If you only have a "one-way" crosstriggering problem, then that all 
you have to do.

I just wish they had added the ability to setup specific rejections 
between more than one pad. 

OGD

--- In DTXpress@yahoogroups.com, "zapaxe" <a_zapelectric@h...> wrote:

> What I DON'T fully understand is when you say I MUST use up ALL 
> unused trigger inputs? Is this correct and why?

 

> --- In DTXpress@yahoogroups.com, "oldguydrummer" <rdamon@m...> 
wrote:

> > You have to use up spare inputs on each module and use some Y-
> > splitter cables.

Great OGD!:)

The confusion is on my end I'm sure:/ I've never dealt with these 
issues before. "A" spare...got it! This is neccessary for programing 
the rejection when needed.
Oh I see, run say a crash to both modules with the 'Y'. Hmmm..This 
is going to be more work than I originally thought. I believe I 
understand what you're saying now. I WILL have to refer back to this 
post and the manual come hook-up time I'm sure.
Was going to hook up modules last night, got side tracked dusting my 
studio...Maybe I should have has "spaceman" for my user name;)

Thanks once again, I may be back with this subject if I'm still 
confused.

Steve


--- In DTXpress@yahoogroups.com, "oldguydrummer" <rdamon@m...> wrote:
> 
> Sorry for the confusion. What I was trying to say is that you have 
to 
> use up "a" spare on each module, not "all" spares. What you are 
> trying to do is have the ability to setup a "specific" rejection 
> between two interfering pads that are connected to two different 
> modules.
> If you have a crash1 on module no. 1 on input no. 1 that is 
mounted 
> next to tom1 that is on module no. 2 on input no 1, and they are 
> causing crosstriggering, between these two pads, but everything 
else 
> is triggering fine, you have no way to use the specific rejection 
> function between two modules.
> 
> But if you run crash1 to both modules and use module no. 1/input 
no. 
> 1 and module no.2/input no.7. You then setup the voice/volume as 
> needed for M1/I1 for the crash1 voice and you setup voice/volume 
on 
> M2/I7 as volume "0". 
> 
> Now you can tell module 2 that you are having a rejection problem 
> between inputs no. 1 (Tom1) and input no. 7 (Muted-Crash1).
> 
> If you only have a "one-way" crosstriggering problem, then that 
all 
> you have to do.
> 
> I just wish they had added the ability to setup specific 
rejections 
> between more than one pad. 
> 
> OGD
> 
> --- In DTXpress@yahoogroups.com, "zapaxe" <a_zapelectric@h...> 
wrote:

> 
> > What I DON'T fully understand is when you say I MUST use up ALL 
> > unused trigger inputs? Is this correct and why?
> 
>  
> 
> > --- In DTXpress@yahoogroups.com, "oldguydrummer" <rdamon@m...> 
> wrote:
> 
> > > You have to use up spare inputs on each module and use some Y-
> > > splitter cables.