Yamaha DTXpress/DTXplorer/DTXtreme

--- In DTXpress@yahoogroups.com, "vantre1" <adrianoc@d...> wrote:
> Ed - many thanks for that detailed reply. You've pretty much 
> convinced me that it's possible to create my perfect set up :)
> 
> One other dtxpress-specific question though. I'm a big fan of the 
> use of ghost notes on the snare (although not really up to playing 
> them!). I've seen a couple of comments about the machine gun effect. 
> Does the dtxpress really have the sensitivity to really reflect a 
> nice ghost style or is something much higher end needed for that 
> (which would be out of the question budget-wise)

Adrian,

I must confess that it's been a while since I used a DTXpress to make 
drum sounds; so my memory isn't perfect. I hope other members will 
give you their impressions. But the DTXpress was my first, beloved 
electronic kit. After playing acoustic drums for at least 35 years, 
and having had mixed feelings about the early electronic percussion 
that I'd heard, I was completely thrilled about the DTXpress when I 
tried it. As I got more acquainted with it, its limitations, vis a vis 
acoustic drums, became more apparent, but they didn't diminish my 
affection for it. It is quite capable of decent dynamic range and 
enough nuance to achieve satisfactory performance under many 
conditions, though it hasn't eliminated the machine-gun effect 
entirely. It is sensitive enough to register light ghost notes, 
especially with its own components, but it doesn't have any dedicated 
way to minimize the effect of each hit being essentially its own 
entity, without natural acoustic decay. Judicious use of the onboard 
reverb and velocity crossfading can help, but they are too crude at 
the DTXpress level for complete success. Some of the samples are 
better than others in this respect, but, as you feared, you have to 
spend more money to buy a kit that devotes exlicit attention to 
softening the sound envelope. You may find that software manipulation 
on a PC does a better job. That said, however, the DTXPU is a solid, 
high-quality entry into the game.  A lot more money gets you better 
performance all around, and a little more money can change the 
emphases here and there. But the DTXpress gets your foot in the door 
quite nicely.

Ed