Drum module/sequencer? SPD-S, DM5, TD-7...what!?!?!?

Hey guys... So basically what I want to do is trigger my bass drum so each hit is more articulate...it can get muddy when doing fast double bass with bad sound guys... and I also want to have a few trigger pads set up around my kit for other sounds as well... definitely an 808 and then maybe other random percussion instruments.

I just don't know what to get for this! I thought the Alesis DM5 would be great since it's nice and cheap and has plenty of trigger inputs but I hear it doesn't have a good 808 sound and you can't add sounds which isn't good...

So then the guy at Guitar Center pointed me toward the Roland SPD-S...its cool that it's a sequencer too [although I don't really need one] and you can put in your own sounds and everything BUT it only has 1 or 2 external trigger inputs! So I could only have my bass drum and my 808.

I've also looked at a Roland TD-7...is that more what I want?

It would also be nice to have one that mounts on a single space rack [like the DM5] because I have a nice SKB rack mount.

Here's all the gear I have [in case there's something that would work with these things]

Acoustic drums [obviously]
A few cheap trigger pads/cymbals I built myself
M-Audio FastTrack Ultra 8R interface [rack mounted, 8 channels]
Apple MacBook Pro with Pro Tools M-Powered [and Cubase LE]



Could I also use my interface MIDI out to my computer so my computer generates the sounds?


What are my options? [keep in mind I don't want to spend more than $300 or $400 for something used]

If you're looking to use the pc to play the sounds, Alesis makes something called "Midi I/O" that has jacks for triggers and a usb port but no onboard sounds and comes with a rebate for some software or comes with the software... i think you can get them for around $150... the alesis DM5's are good, but don't offer sequencing or sampling.
I can't speak for the other modules as far as sampling but I think this is a good feature that should definately be included.

Just curious, why did you build edrum pads if you don't have a module? also... how did you test the pads to make sure they were working?
if you DO have a module and are open to the concept of playing the audio from your laptop, i say just run your current module into the laptop, buy some software, and run audio out from there.

I can use my computer but the only thing is that my practice studio isn't overly secure so I don't know about leaving something so easy to steal right there during breaks or whatever... same goes for gigs. But of course it's still an option.

But if I were to go that route...through an Alesis I/O into my computer...what software would I need? Would the sounds come out of the Alesis I/O or from my computer's headphone jack?

But ya, I'd prefer to use something other than my computer if possible...the SPD-S looks like almost exactly what I want but I'd want at least 4 trigger inputs...

hahahaha and I just built the pads because they're cheap [about $3 each] and because I knew I'd be getting some sort of module very soon [I need it for a show by the end of the month]

I just saw a tutorial on youtube and thought it'd be a cool project...took all of 5 minutes. And I tested it by plugging it into my friend's SPD-S. What I did was take an old cracked cymbal, put all the electronics under the bell, glued a CD over it to keep it all together, and then I stuck the 1/4" jack out the little hole in the top...perfect! I plan on putting one in a flip flop too that would be funny.

imalildrummaboi said:

But if I were to go that route...through an Alesis I/O into my computer...what software would I need? Would the sounds come out of the Alesis I/O or from my computer's headphone jack?

But ya, I'd prefer to use something other than my computer if possible...the SPD-S looks like almost exactly what I want but I'd want at least 4 trigger inputs...

I just saw a tutorial on youtube and thought it'd be a cool project...took all of 5 minutes. And I tested it by plugging it into my friend's SPD-S.

Click to expand...

What you could do is use an alesis I/O WITH the spd-s through midi.

The Alesis I/O is trigger/midi/usb interface only, it doesn't have any sound samples on it so the audio output would need to be through the pc or other midi sound module (keyboard or drum module).
I don't remember the names of the software but i know there are several different ones out there.

If you don't have the funds to get an alesis i/o AND an spd-s then you may want to consider other options...

I've built several edrums myself so i know what you mean about it being a cool project. really easy too! just watch out for the roland modules with home made edrums. they require an additional circuit to trigger properly.
There's some excellent information at edrums.info for mesh head pads like the roland v drums. also a site called hellfire drums has schematics for the roland-style circuit called "rapier circuit" i think. I've also built the type out of the remo practice pads but they don't trigger very well and the heads on those pads are still really loud.

thelimpingtoad said:

What you could do is use an alesis I/O WITH the spd-s through midi.
.

Click to expand...

so does that mean that I would run up to like 10 different pads into the I/O, which would go MIDI out to the SPD-S and trigger 10 different sounds?


And no, I didn't know the pads don't work with Roland...I hooked up one I made the other day to my friend's SPD-S and it seemed to work fine. The dynamics were even really great!


btw thanks for the help guys!

imalildrummaboi said:

so does that mean that I would run up to like 10 different pads into the I/O, which would go MIDI out to the SPD-S and trigger 10 different sounds?


And no, I didn't know the pads don't work with Roland...I hooked up one I made the other day to my friend's SPD-S and it seemed to work fine. The dynamics were even really great!


btw thanks for the help guys!

Click to expand...

yes. that's exactly the setup I meant. midi transmits the note value along with velocity and stuff so the note value sent from the I/O would play the instrument assigned to it on the module.

interesting... I thought they required the additional circuit. do you just use a piezo element wired into an audio jack?

Wy would you wanna add 10 pads to a padstation wich has allready 9 pads itself?

I had used the i/o for a while, but got mad about all the different loose pads arund the kit. No im back on my 3th spd-s (and it's here to stay) and it's so easy.

When I have jams, I ll take only the spd-s with me (with the internal sounds) and on gigs Ill connect it to my MacBook Pro wich is running software like Ableton Live, Logic 9 and NI Battery. To have midi codes sent out of the spd-s into the software wich will respond with a sampled loop or sound.

I own an SPD-S as well. They are great units.
However I saw the OP write something that is incorrect.

The SPD-S is NOT a sequencer meaning it can't record, store or playback a MIDI sequence. It does have MIDI in and out. It can be triggered by a MIDI sequencer (like an MPC500, etc.) as well as trigger another sound source (DM4, TD-20, drum machines, etc.) via MIDI from the 9 built in pads. It can create and store loops as audio though. Onboard loop creation uses a feature called Phrase Maker but you can also use audio loops imported via Compact Flash card.

I'd have to review the manual but I believe you can connect up to 4 external pads using a Roland splitter cable.

Also know that there are only 2 outputs: Left and Right. Therefore if you run your bass drum sounds out of one of those outputs, any other sound sharing that output (snare, Hi Hat, tambourine, loops) will have the same channel on a mixer. Therefore they share any EQ, effects and level that the mixer channel has. You can adjust levels, effects and EQ internally on the SPD-S on a per pad/sample basis but that is an imperfect solution.

The SPD-S is a great creative tool but you need to know what it does and doesn't do to use it effectively. I've heard good things about the Roland TMC6 that can translate triggers on your drums to MIDI. You could use that with the SPD-S as I've described or any other sound source.

HTH

jim