Yamaha DTXpress/DTXplorer/DTXtreme

Hi guys,

Tried the DTXpress II the other day and was impressed. Maybe the 
Hihat-sounds were not that perfect. So my question is, can you get 
the Hihat-pedal to work with samplers (Akai S5000, Logic EXS24)
through midi ?

CU Cassius

Maybe the 
> Hihat-sounds were not that perfect. So my question is, can you get 
> the Hihat-pedal to work with samplers (Akai S5000, Logic EXS24)
> through midi ?

Hi ya CU,

The module won't take samples, but as Vern said in a post just 
before yours, you can check out other kits at the DTXpressions site 
that he hosts for hi hat ideas. Weak, in general, as the hi hat and 
cymbals sounds may be, it is not impossible to make your peace with 
them. Although the controller (the HH65 that comes with the kit has 
only three positions--open, closed, and half-open; the more 
expensive HH80A is fully variable)and choice of cymbal has something 
to do with your impression, the internal settings bear the main 
responsibility. The offset and timing adjustments in the utility 
menu determine how easy a foot splash is to make and how quickly the 
hh is to react to your actions. Since I don't use foot splashes and 
don't want them to get in the way, my number is at -32; my T is at 
0. But I don't use the standard issue Yamaha hi hat; your settings 
may vary. The sensitivity setting for the hi hat in the voice menu 
also needs attention. I've had mine anywhere from 20 to the max of 
63, whatever the hi hat that I was using. 

I would venture to say that the decay setting for the closed hi hat 
voice may have the most bang for the buck in making the hi hat  
believable. As I recall, the default setting for it is way too high 
and dry, leaving the hi hat sounding too anemic. Bring the number 
down to the point where the sound has the depth and body that you 
like. If you're anything like me (and let's hope for your sake that 
you aren't), you'll like a bright-sounding hat that cuts through the 
mix and will program the module accordingly. For that purpose I 
start with the GM Jazz hat on one of the pre-installed kits and 
tweak from there. I use the same resulting hat on all of my main 
kits. I don't just tolerate it; I actually like it. 

Pardon the big wind. I hope some of it's helpful.

Ed

Hi Ed,

Thanks for your reply. Didn't know the HH65 had only 3 positions so 
the HH80A seems a better option along with your other suggestions.

Yes I know the module won't take samples. But what I ment was is it 
possible to use the HH65/HH80A and the module to trigger HiHat 
samples (close-open and everything in between) from an external 
sampler ?

Cassius

--- In DTXpress@yahoogroups.com, "liberatusvirus" 
<liberatusvirus@y...> wrote:
>   Maybe the 
> > Hihat-sounds were not that perfect. So my question is, can you 
get 
> > the Hihat-pedal to work with samplers (Akai S5000, Logic EXS24)
> > through midi ?
> 
> Hi ya CU,
> 
> The module won't take samples, but as Vern said in a post just 
> before yours, you can check out other kits at the DTXpressions site 
> that he hosts for hi hat ideas. Weak, in general, as the hi hat and 
> cymbals sounds may be, it is not impossible to make your peace with 
> them. Although the controller (the HH65 that comes with the kit has 
> only three positions--open, closed, and half-open; the more 
> expensive HH80A is fully variable)and choice of cymbal has 
something 
> to do with your impression, the internal settings bear the main 
> responsibility. The offset and timing adjustments in the utility 
> menu determine how easy a foot splash is to make and how quickly 
the 
> hh is to react to your actions. Since I don't use foot splashes and 
> don't want them to get in the way, my number is at -32; my T is at 
> 0. But I don't use the standard issue Yamaha hi hat; your settings 
> may vary. The sensitivity setting for the hi hat in the voice menu 
> also needs attention. I've had mine anywhere from 20 to the max of 
> 63, whatever the hi hat that I was using. 
> 
> I would venture to say that the decay setting for the closed hi hat 
> voice may have the most bang for the buck in making the hi hat  
> believable. As I recall, the default setting for it is way too high 
> and dry, leaving the hi hat sounding too anemic. Bring the number 
> down to the point where the sound has the depth and body that you 
> like. If you're anything like me (and let's hope for your sake that 
> you aren't), you'll like a bright-sounding hat that cuts through 
the 

> mix and will program the module accordingly. For that purpose I 
> start with the GM Jazz hat on one of the pre-installed kits and 
> tweak from there. I use the same resulting hat on all of my main 
> kits. I don't just tolerate it; I actually like it. 
> 
> Pardon the big wind. I hope some of it's helpful.
> 
> Ed

But what I ment was is it 
> possible to use the HH65/HH80A and the module to trigger HiHat 
> samples (close-open and everything in between) from an external 
> sampler ?

Cassius,

I suspect that the module can be treated as a mere trigger device 
via MIDI, with the tone generator muted, in the manner of a 
MIDIkiti, PM-16, or TMC-6, though I've never used it that way. But I 
don't know whether individual inputs will work as triggers for an 
external sound source apart from the whole set.

Ed