TRIGGER ADVICE? dm5 module&ddrum acoustic triggers...

Devonletendre

Junior Member
So I'm going to be triggering my Gretsch Catalina club mod set with ddrum dual element acoustic triggers (the black ones). They are a bit more expensive but i will be using them live, so i like the idea of having the backup trigger. Also they match my kit better..haha.

I'm considering buying an Alesis dm5 drum module because it seems like the most solid and well reviewed drum module for the price. I guess i'm just looking for a little reassurance before i go out and purchase it. Has anyone had any negative experiences with the dm5? I will be playing hardcore/metal and using a single bass drum, with one kick trigger, and double pedal. Does the dm5 cause double triggering? any weird problems like that? How are the sounds, are they real sounding? does it have a lot of good quality kits? Any advice on your experience with dm5 or similar modules would be appreciated. If not the dm5, what would you recommend?

also, any advice on how to prevent double triggering would be appreciated for example, muffling with moon gels, tape, rings etc.. what has worked for any of you? Is it better to tune the heads rather tightly to prevent a lot of vibration? I will be playing a lot of fast 32nd notes so any advice to prevent double triggering or similar problems would be appreciated..

prior to this i was considering buying the Alesis Triger I/O drum midi module but i'm not sure how i would get the sound to the P.A system. I know that the triggers send the signal to the Trigger I/O, and then i was going to plug the usb to my laptop and use a program such as BFD (i like the idea of being able to use any programs and having a wider variety of sounds to choose from rather than just presets) but then i was confused on how i would get the sound to the PA. There is a midi connection on the back but i wasn't sure if that's what would run to the PA. Also it seems likely to me that with the trigger signal running through so many things (Trigger i/o, laptop, then to PA) that there would be a delay in a live setting..although not sure because i've never seen someone use this setup, so that's why im looking into the DM5

Also considering buying Axis A longboards to aid me in speed and via heel toe technique...anyone recommend these?

Any responses welcome! Thanks
 
I have a dm5 with ddrum acoustic pro triggers. I'm new to it as well, still waiting for my second kick trigger to show up, but I've borrowed the same things from a buddy before, and I've done my research.

I like the sounds that are on it, from the female XLR to male 1/4" cable I go into a 1/4" splitter, into two channels so I can play two sounds simultaneously, which lets me customize my sound even more. The kick sounds I use for metal are SpeedMtl and Fat Head simultaneously, both pitch shifted down as far as they go. I have some other kits set up as well, huge rock sounds, industrial, and techno, could make some cool into kinda stuff with the industrial, or be silly with the techno one.

Initially I was getting a bunch of false triggering, so I asked my buddy what his settings were, and they worked perfectly, just plug in and play. The settings are:
Gain: 94, VCrv 7, Xtalk: 99, Dec: 80, Nois: 99.

I think... maybe I should check it again, anyway... My kicks aren't super muffled, just a thin piece of fiberglass insulation in each, with Evans Hydraulic batter, and remo powestroke fiberskin resos (no porthole, as I don't need to stick a mic in there anymore with triggers) I've loaded up the impact point on the batter with protective pads, and loonies (Canadian 1 dollar coin) and layers upon layers of Gorilla tape (like duct tape but 10 times stronger) as I believe I have the last pair of 24" hydraulic heads in existence.

You should get your own DI Box, never trust a sound guy to have what you need, I've been on both ends there, as the drummer, and as the sound guy, after the first gig I ever did, I ALWAYS bring two of the same kick mic, because so many times, the sound guy only brings one, and I have two kicks, saved my ass when I opened for 3 inches of Blood. (not a problem with triggers, but you get the idea). While on the subject of sound guys, make sure your kit is easy to Mic. Cymbals not too close to toms, some way to get the snare mic in (I just mic the bottom of mine).

Pedals... I have the X longboards, they're awesome, wouldn't mind upgrading to Trick, but that's expensive.

and one last thing, read the manual, you can get it off the alesis website. make sure you know your stuff.

happy triggering :)
 
I like the sounds that are on it, from the female XLR to male 1/4" cable I go into a 1/4" splitter, into two channels so I can play two sounds simultaneously, which lets me customize my sound even more. The kick sounds I use for metal are SpeedMtl and Fat Head simultaneously, both pitch shifted down as far as they go. I have some other kits set up as well, huge rock sounds, industrial, and techno, could make some cool into kinda stuff with the industrial, or be silly with the techno one.

Do you use the splitters for each tom, kick and snare?
I'm considering buying this for use on my snare
http://www.guitarcenter.com/ddrum-Y...r-Brains-101188951-i1128489.gc?esid=101188951

but would you recommend using the same split for the kick and toms?

also I'm not familiar with DI boxes. Do i need that to plug into a PA soundsystem? If you could explain what it is and does in idiot terms for me that would be appreciated..haha

Thanks for the info btw!
 
at the moment I only have kicks going, but I'm going to try out snare and toms, and for everything, I don't use the cable you linked to there, because that's only for the special snare trigger that has two different transducers, one that senses when you hit the head, and one that senses when you hit the rim. instead, I use:
images
going into:
images


I plan to use that on all the drums, I went through all the sounds, and plan to combine bluspkle and piccolo on my main snare (both sounds triggered when I just hit the head) and Big Rim and Snareo on my auxiliary snare. have yet to figure out the toms. The cable you linked to is great if you're using the ddrum snare trigger with the two transducers and, for example, want your regular hit to be bluspkle, and rimshots to be Big Rim.

DI Box: (This is the one I have taped to the top of my DM5)
images

should help to read the wikipedia entry on it: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DI_unit
basically, the DM5's output only has 1/4" patch cord connectors. These are great if you're going into an amplifier. Mixing boards however, work better with XLR microphone cable connectors. The DI box will take a signal that an amplifier would like, and change it into a signal a mixing board would like. You CAN get by without it, but you shouldn't.
 
Thanks, now i semi understand the concept of a DI box

The ddrum acoustic pro triggers apparently can pick up rim shots and hits separately so I'm thinking ill get the ddrum y cable i linked for my snare, and do what you did for the rest of my drums. I just ordered my dm5 off ebay and am in the process of checking out on guitarcenter.com (bought my dual element ddrum trigs and 3 ddrum xlr to 1/4th cable and one xlr to split y 1/4 cable). I'm probably going to go with the berhinger DI600's little cousin the ultra DI400P just because its a bit cheaper and seems like it does the same thing yes? or would you recommend holding off on the DI400P until i can afford something a little nicer?
 
I dunno about the quality of DI boxes, I just grabbed one at random out of the box of what we have for doing sound.
 
question about the ddrum module 1: can we put the sound we want to each pad? or it's only presets kits? for exemple drum sound on the ride... is there good electronic sounds to play pure electronic music the choice is large? good immitation of synthesizer sound? (drum and bass i don't care i do this with an acoustic would only use the module for electronic sounds) should i rather choose the yamaha dxt explorer for that use? or should i put the price to buy an alesis dm10? (but immitation of accoustic it's not what im looking for...i'm just looking for electronic space sounds) thanks
 
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