Yamaha DTXpress/DTXplorer/DTXtreme

That's exceptionally helpful!

I've been considering getting a DM Pro module even now that I have the
3SP, then drive it off the MIDI port.  Any excuse to BUY MORE GEAR!
(and more inputs)

Thanks,

Charlie

uac235 wrote:

>I suffer from your same ailment it seems.  I got my TP120 from 
>Drumbalaya along with a 12 inch snare stand and incorporated it into 
>a DTXIIISP.  I love it.  The feel of the pad is great and it made the 
>set a whole lot more comfortable for me to play.  One of the problems 
>I had when I first got my set was that I just couldn't find a good 
>arrangement with double base pedals where I wasn't banging my leg on 
>the snare support tube.  Now I just pushed the tube out of the way 
>and put the 120 on the stand.  IMHO it's the way the Special should 
>come out of the factory.  If you're going to have a "real" hi-hat 
>stand and function, why not do the same with the snare?  Anyway, it 
>works out great.
>
>
>After I added the 120, I was left with the extra 65s which I 
>incorporated into the set as a 4th tom.  First I put the 120 on input 
>2 and moved the extra 65s to input 7 and programmed it as my 4th tom. 
>Then I rearranged the rest of the pads.  This is what it looks like:
>
>Input    Pad      Sound
>1        KP65     Bass
>2        TP120S   Snare
>3        TP65     Tom 1
>4        TP65     Tom 2
>5        PCY130s  Crash 1
>6        PCY150s  Ride
>7        TP65s    Tom 4
>8        RHH130   HiHat
>9        PCY130   Crash 2
>10       TP65     Tom 3
>
>I found this arrangement gives me the best maximization of inputs for 
>the Special.  The only catch is that you will have to program all 
>your kits as user kits to make them compatible with the new 
>arrangement as I haven't found a way the reprogram the pad/sound 
>relationships to make the standard kits work.  Anyway, with this 
>arrangment I get 6 sounds out of my "front" pads which is great if 
>you are trying to simulate timbales.  
>
>The only problem is that apparently Yamaha doesn't take latin sound 
>sampling very seriously.  All the latin sounds in their module really 
>suck.  Obviously they don't have anybody in their staff that is a 
>latin percussion connoiseur.   The closest thing you'll find to a 
>cascara is one of the jamblock/tick sounds and in terms of a rim shot 
>you are SOL.  I tried tunning the timbale sound up and down and all I 
>got was cartoonish sounds out of it.  In other words, just don't get 
>rid of your acoustic Latin percussion instruments yet.
>
>By the way, I have to give kudos to Ed at Drumbalaya since he was 
>very helpful and very patient answering my questions when I was 
>getting ready to "upgrade" my setup.  And that was even before I new 
>about this group, so he wasn't under any pressure to help.  Thanks Ed.
>
>Hope that helps,
>
>Jaime
>