Have Alesis DM5 kit, want different brain

hayasa

Junior Member
New kit, but I'm really not thrilled with the DM5, or rather, I was messing around with the Roland TD-9 and fell in love. The DM5 isn't nearly as fun - I just don't want to pay $800 for just the brain since my whole set-up cost around that.

Anyone know if there are other modules that might be comparable, and more importantly, compatible? Do all brains work with all pads and such, or are hardware and software all proprietary per the manufacturer?
 
Right now, there are 3 TD-9 modules for sale. This one http://cgi.ebay.com/Roland-TD-9-Per...ryZ38097QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem is auction format. They sell for what they sell for, because they are good. As you can personally attest. Lots of people use different pads (Alesis, Hart, etc) with Roland modules. Some people prefer the Yamaha sounds over the Roland. Yamaha actually samples their own drums (Maple Customs, Recording Customs, into their modules). Roland, well, they don't make drums, but they do have an extensive library of sounds and effects. They are top dog in the game, with Yamaha #2.
 
So all pads work with all controllers? I guess ones that take three inputs (like some cymbals) just have to deactivate a port or something to get everything to work right, huh.
 
So all pads work with all controllers? I guess ones that take three inputs (like some cymbals) just have to deactivate a port or something to get everything to work right, huh.

MIDI is just a series of control messages, and that's what the module does. Convert a voltage (which the pads produce) into a MIDI message and assign a patch to that message. So yes, all pads work with all modules as long as they run on the current MIDI format.
 
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