Studio Set Up With A TD-4K2

stellar92010

Senior Member
Thought I'd share my Electronic Set-Up to show what can be done with an Electronic Kit....

The Kit: Roland TD-4K2, with 4 Pdx-8 and 1 Pdx-125BK mesh pads, C-15Y ride, 3 cy-8 crash, and cy-5 hi hat. An Alesis Trigger I/O module provides extra trieggers.

Software: The pads trigger kits on Addictive Drums. Playback is throught a UAD-2 Solo DSP card. Each AD output channel has a channel strip and equalization. The processed output is sent to an EMU-1616m sound card. The 1616m has 2 aux sends for sending the final mix or individual drums to a dual channel lexicon MX-400 reverb. Final mixes are monitored with an EMU-0404 USB sound card. The addictive Drums runs inside Cubase 5 64 bit.

I also have Reason, but I use it for other things besides drums. Also, I have an EMU Emulator X3 sampler/synthesizer that I can either sample the drums, or trigger addicitonal samples to layer. The audio output of the Roland TD-4s sound module is turned off, unless I select drums to output on its audio channel. which gives me another option for layering.

I built this setup over the years, it originally started as a guitar/vocals/bass recording studio, and evolved into this. the computer (upgraded this summer) is an Intel i3770 with 3 Samsung SSD hard drives and overkill 32Gb of ram. Here are some pics, feel free to ask about any set ups, mixing, sounds, etc.
 

Attachments

  • 924207537-kit_027.jpg
    924207537-kit_027.jpg
    524.6 KB · Views: 452
  • 924202225-kit_023.jpg
    924202225-kit_023.jpg
    293.6 KB · Views: 426
  • 377133197-1616M_front_zoom.jpg
    377133197-1616M_front_zoom.jpg
    60.3 KB · Views: 417
  • 924207618-kit_030.jpg
    924207618-kit_030.jpg
    269.2 KB · Views: 418
couple more pics, since couldnt get them all at once
 

Attachments

  • Studio and Snare 009.JPG
    Studio and Snare 009.JPG
    326.9 KB · Views: 352
  • Studio and Snare 010.JPG
    Studio and Snare 010.JPG
    364.3 KB · Views: 497
  • 924289251-ss3.jpg
    924289251-ss3.jpg
    296 KB · Views: 374
  • 924282960-ss2.jpg
    924282960-ss2.jpg
    293.1 KB · Views: 376
  • 924202304-kit_025.jpg
    924202304-kit_025.jpg
    245.1 KB · Views: 380
  • 377133167-1616M_back_zoom.jpg
    377133167-1616M_back_zoom.jpg
    63.3 KB · Views: 367
Last edited:
Very interesting.

I would like to do something like this myself, but have not had much luck using a simple MIDI to USB converter.

How do you connect it all up? Do you take individual cables from each pad to the Alesis I/O, or use the TD-4 Midi out? And then does the Alesis connect directly to the PC? (via USB, or via another method?)

Would you mind sharing please?
 
Here is how I set up the TD-4: I use the midi out and send toms 1, 2, 3, kick, snare, hi-hat, and ride out midi fo the TD-4. Having the bell as well as the ride ping and crash (using a CY-15r pad) uses the ride connection and aux 2 connection on the TD-4, so that uses all the inputs.

Then I take the other 2 cymbals I have (cy-8 pads) the 4th tom, and a percussion pad, and send them to the alesis, which uses the USB like midi.

Now in cubase I can either assign one instance of addictive drums to trigger from both the alesis and td-4, or open 2 instances of addictive drums and have them separate. This is better because then it is easier to map the sounds in. And I can add on more toms,cymbals, etc

On the various drum tracks in cubase then I can assign things like compressors, equalizers, etc, that run on the UAD-2 card. I also create a submix in my soundcard and send it to an outboard reverb unit (lexicon 400). So then I can master onto a number of individual dry and processed tracks, and mix down differently for different sounds. still experiementing.

The latency is good enough that I don't feel a delay. Currently I have to run 14ms on the EMU-1616 soundcard to keep from getting noice, clicks, and sampling problems, but that isnt too bad. So I can play the kit live and have no noticeable latency or triggering. Hope this helps.
 
Very cool. Thanks for sharing.

I have a TD-9 with one extra crash connected into the TD-9 brain. I would like to connect it to a laptop to drive a drum VST.

I tried connecting the Midi out via a simple Midi to USB cable for fun with Garageband but it didn't sound very good - sounded like a polyphony issue.

I wonder if it's the Midi-to-USB that's the problem, or the drums in Garageband.

Based on your experience do you think I need something like the Alesis, or is ia simpler midi in/out sufficient ?
 
I'm not really sure. Based on my limited experience, my TD-4 driving Addictive Drums sounds worlds ahead of any other midi-based stuff i've tried.
 
Back
Top