Yamaha DTXpress/DTXplorer/DTXtreme

Hi,

Nothing better than a little e-drum talk on Sunday morning. Nice to 
discover that you decided on the Yamaha. I believe that the files 
section contains some uploaded user kits. To get them into your 
module, you'll need SYSEX software like DTXchange, which you can 
also pick up in the files or at the site DTXpressions (which you 
would do well to explore). But my 2 cents is that the best way to 
get what you want from the DTXpress is to get familiar enough with 
it to trust the module (and manual, I'm afraid) to provide what you 
need. In my opinion, as daunting and intensive as it may seem, the 
learning curve is indispensable. Nobody's favorite snare or kit is 
going to make much sense to you until you've acquired the basic 
programming skills yourself. 

The possibilities are endless, even at this level, complicated 
immensely by layering and crossfading (which we'll ignore for now). 
You might take a little time to explore the available snare voices, 
for example, or to start investigating some of the preprogrammed 
kits that appeal to you. In no time, you'll start tinkering, and the 
problems (like crosstalk) that you will inevitably encounter will 
get you even deeper into the module's personality. The collective 
experience of the group will then be able to help with your specific 
questions.

The stereo cymbals definitely take some practice. If I recall 
correctly, the the last two inches on both sides of the rim and bow 
are inert; you'll have your best luck striking a glancing blow with 
the shank of your stick near the center of the rim and a direct hit 
with the tip along the center of the bow from bottom to top. 
Interestingly, the yam. cymbals voice more loudly the closer you 
struck to the wingnut, leading to some inventive crossfading 
(changing sounds on an input by hitting a pad at different 
velocities) by group members. But more of that another time. The 
technique of hitting a stereo cymbal can be a little awkard; you 
need to angle the cymbal so that you can strike each section without 
strain. Although rim and bow will sometimes interact or choke 
inappropriately, you will get better at isolating them. (By the way, 
crosstalk applies to the interaction between pads, not between 
sectors of each pad. You'll see. The trigger menu, with the gain, 
min. vel., and various rejection options will beckon in no time, 
because you'll need to solve a problem.) 

Programming rim and bow, or rim and body, won't throw you for long. 
In the voice menu, you bring up a pad--say, input 7--either by 
striking it or by toggling to it on the first page--and then start 
programming. For the rim of that input, you move ahead one toggle 
from the input number--or, again, strike it--and go through the same 
process. 

I know this wasn't exactly what you were looking for, but I hope it 
helps. Others may have more information. You'll be up to speed 
before the next few weeks. Welcome.

Ed



--- In DTXpress@yahoogroups.com, "mkotke <mkotke@y...>" 
<mkotke@y...> wrote:
> I just bought my DTXPRESS 2 yesterday and have not yet spent 
nearly 
> enough time tinkering with it, but it's been pretty fun so far.  I 
> can see that I will have to do some serious studying (ugh) of the 
> manuals to get more out of the kit, and I plan on doing just that 
> (and little else) over the next few weeks ;)
> 
> I would like to ask if anyone out there is willing to share any 
> custom parameters that they have created; if you've managed to 
create 
> a "killer snare", or to reproduce some cool skins, is it possible 
to 
> post some of the details here?  Or, if you want to hang on to your 
> hard-earned secrets, could you just offer some general tips on how 
to 
> go about creating new sounds/loops?  
> 
> ***Off the top of my head, I'm thinking of the drum loop from 
Peter 
> Gabriel "Digging in the Dirt" (Manu Katche)... some nice splashes 
> (Carter Beauford, Katche {again} )... maybe some nice jazz 
> snares/rides (Buddy Rich, Harvey Mason, Ed Thigpen)... ***
> 
> Another question I have is regarding the 2-zone crash.  I'm a 
little 
> unsure about how to set up 2 different sounds on it, and how to 
get 
> those sounds to work properly while I'm playing.  Some of the pre-
> programmed kits do have two sounds available, but I'm having 
trouble 
> isolating the exact spot to o nthe rim to hit in order to get the 
rim 
> sound - many times it gives me the main cymbal sound, even though 
I'm 
> being careful to strike just the rim.  Does this have to do with 
the 
> mysterious-and-slightly-ominous-sounding "crossfade" 
> and/or "rejection parameters"?  As I said, I have a lot of reading 
to 
> do and am not really looking forward to it...
> 
> Any tips from you veterans out there would be greatly appreciated 
by 
> myself and many others, I'm sure.  Thanks!