Yamaha DTXpress/DTXplorer/DTXtreme

Hey Devlin!  Its UN.H again!  I love playing a drumset no matter 
what, wheather its for five minutes or five hours, I always have 
fun!  I love playing the set all by myself, that is the way to be a 
musician without copying someone else, its also a way to make sure 
you play a musical instrument and not just make noise.  I love to 
practice "solos," and let me tell ya, I need to practice them! :)  
Sometimes I like to play difficult patterns on the hi-hat, snare, 
and bass drum.  I feel that, incase I was faced with an unavoidable 
drum duel, that the almighty hi-hat, snare, and bass drum can take 
down any double basser with a proper, mind boggling, and technical 
pattern.  I do, however, practice double bass religiously!  But one 
of the funnest things for me to do has a kid, and still today even, 
is to air drum a really cool song or beat!  I love feeling like a 
part of my favorite bands and the DTXpressII lets me do just that 
with the ability to play along to CDs and mp3s.  I think trying to 
play along to TOOL and Dream Theater is my favorite hobby in the 
whole world, even more so then playing in a band, because these 
bands I play along to are my favorite musicians playing my favorite 
songs!  I love my DTXpressII!!!  Playing along to music cd is also 
great practice for staying on beat to music that is perfectly on 
time!  And if you mess up while playing a drum part it will stand 
out because the drum track will "pop out" and hit you right in the 
face!  I feel I have grown as a musician just because I've not only 
listened to these great rock drummers, but actually tried to pull 
off what they do!  If your looking for some music with no drums I've 
seen Modern Drummer offer some cds called "turn it up" I believe.  
They feature rock and bass songs that are very useful, or so I've 
heard, to practice with!  I've also seen a cd-rom entitled "Drum-
Rom" that contains two discs.  One is music with no drums, which is 
apparently "cutting edge" and the second disc features a 
professonial drummer giving instruction and also playing along to 
the songs.  Modern Drummer gave it a 9/10.  Ok I gotta go to bed 
now! :)  Whatever you do and no matter how you practice, it doesn't 
matter, as long you play and express!

- UN.H     



--- In DTXpress@yahoogroups.com, "mhd31971" <mhdevlin@n...> wrote:
> Hey thanks again.
> 
> Let me ask the group this....
> 
> What is the consensus view on practice?  With music? Or Without?  
> Personally I am having far more fun simply playing.  I have very 
> little desire to imitate someone else, I just enjoy playing the 
> drums.  Is this a reasonable approach or should I spend some time 
> playing to music also?   On top of that.. is there a place to get 
> popular music with the drum tracks removed?  I hate playing to the 
> electronic "songs" that are on the dtxpress.
> 
> Thanks.
> 
> 
> --- In DTXpress@yahoogroups.com, "underneathheaven" 
<realvast@s...> 
> wrote:
> > Vern is correct with his advice.  First I would slow down to a 
> > comfortable tempo, one where you can do eight or sixteen notes 
> > without "thinking" about them on the hi-hat all while working a 
> > basic beat on the snare and bass drum.  I think you may have a 
> > problem coming back into a basic beat after your fills because 
> your 
> > throwing too much into your fills at your level.  What you can 
try 
> > is playing a comfortable tempo, then do an easier fill, and 
> practice 
> > coming back into the comfortable tempo right on time and right 
on 
> > beat.  I know your trying to be creative and not sound repeative 
> > with your fills, and thats fine, and your doing a good job of 
it, 
> > its just you gotta work on coming back in, right on time.  Don't 
> > worry though, its a good sign when your making practice harder 
> than 
> > it should be because it displays your creative future on the 
> > drumset.  This creative future should stand as motavation to 
> master 
> > the basics because you already know once you master them, your 
> > plenty ready for more advanced playing.  Don't ever give up, 
> playing 
> > drums is worth the practice!
> > 
> > -UN.H
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > --- In DTXpress@yahoogroups.com, "mhd31971" <mhdevlin@n...> 
wrote:
> > > I am beaming :)  Thanks for the positive feedback.  I am 
> operating 
> > > on an island here as I have no one to play with at the moment 
> and 
> > > can only base my quality (or lack thereof) on my own ear.  I 
> will 
> > be 
> > > sure to let the group know if I get something else recorded 
that 
> > is 
> > > worth hearing.
> > > 
> > > cheers :-)
> > > 
> > > --- In DTXpress@yahoogroups.com, "underneathheaven" 
> > <realvast@s...> 
> > > wrote:
> > > > Hey Matt!  I heard all your drum samples and I'm impressed, 
> your 
> > > > well on your way!  You have the right idea on fills and I'm 
> glad 
> > > to 
> > > > hear your making up your own and not some stuff every novice 
> > > drummer 
> > > > does!  Your recording was a bit low but thats easily fixable 
> > with 
> > > > some tweaking!  When you have more recordings, with or 
without 
> > > > music, let us know, we'll listen!
> > > > 
> > > > - UN.H  
> > > > 
> > > > 
> > > > --- In DTXpress@yahoogroups.com, "mhd31971" <mhdevlin@n...> 
> > wrote:
> > > > > i tried to post once already with a long explanation of 
how 
> > bad 
> > > > > (new) a drummer i am but I had a problem with my session 
and 
> I 
> > > am 
> > > > > not sure if it got posted. I have uploaded some mp3's of 
me 
> > > > > (attempting) to play my DTXpress to my website that may be 
> of 
> > > use 
> > > > to 
> > > > > drummers curious how the DTXpress sounds.  Please bear in 
> mind 
> > > > that 
> > > > > it probably sounds much better if you are a good drummer :)
> > > > > 
> > > > > http://www.mattdevlin.net/audio
> > > > > 
> > > > > If you listen and choose to provide feedback, please be 
> > kind :) 
> > > I 
> > > > > have been playng only a few months and my fragile ego may 
> not 
> > be 
> > > > > able handle harsh criticism on this topic.
> > > > > 
> > > > > Also note that the recording levels are a bit low, I am 
> still 
> > > > > working on mastering the recording.  (among other things) 
I 
> am 
> > > > > currently recording to a portable minidisc player.
> > > > > 
> > > > > --- In DTXpress@yahoogroups.com, chris thackston 
> > > > <christ@... 
> > > > > wrote:
> > > > > > 
> > > > > > I'm glad that the information you got from this group 
has 
> > > > helped. 
> > > > > When I
> > > > > > first started getting info about the DTXpress, primarily 
> > from 
> > > > the 
> > > > > MD
> > > > > > article you mentioned, there was no good source of 
> > > information. 
> > > > > That's the
> > > > > > reason I created this list. Hopefully it will grow into 
a 
> > > > > consistant source
> > > > > > of reliable information and a great source of user kits 
> too.
> > > > > > 
> > > > > > I very much like the sounds in the module. I've been 
> playing 
> > a 
> > > > > friends
> > > > > > Vdrums for over a year now, and while these aren't on 
that 
> > > > level, 
> > > > > they are
> > > > > > very good for what you pay for. Make sure you listen on 
a 
> > good 
> > > > set 
> > > > > of
> > > > > > headphones or a good keyboard amp or PA. It makes all 
the 
> > > > > difference in the
> > > > > > world. After I get back on vacation, I may post some 
mp3's 
> > of 
> > > me 
> > > > > playing on
> > > > > > some of the different kits, just to give others a way to 
> > hear 
> > > > > what's
> > > > > > available. I welcome others to do the same, just keep 
the 
> > file 
> > > > > sizes low.
> > > > > > The DTXpress offers far more than the V's in terms of 
> > effects, 
> > > > > noises and
> > > > > > other sounds besides just drums. The sequencer is a plus 
> as 
> > > > well, 
> > > > > but I
> > > > > > haven't realy had time to fiddle with it.
> > > > > > 
> > > > > > The songs do suck, in my opinion. This is really not 
> > important 
> > > > if 
> > > > > you have
> > > > > > it hooked to a computer with a sequencer, as you can 
write 
> > or 
> > > > > download any
> > > > > > MIDI file and play along while muting the drum track. 
Some 
> > of 
> > > > the 
> > > > > preset
> > > > > > kits are not very functional but there is plenty of 
space 
> to 
> > > > > create your own.
> > > > > > 
> > > > > > All of this is just my opinion but I hope it helps. This 
> is 
> > a 
> > > > > great kit for
> > > > > > the money. Let us know when you get it.
> > > > > > 
> > > > > > 
> > > > > > 				Chris
> > > > > > 
> > > > > > 
> > > > > > 
> > > > > > 
> > > > > > 
> > > > > > At 04:12 PM 11/23/99 -0000, you wrote:
> > > > > > >From: eyemaster69@h...
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > >Okay, I thought I posted this message but apparently I 
> did 
> > > > > something wrong
> > > > > > so here I go again...I apologize if this comes up more 
> than 
> > > > once. 
> > > > > I just
> > > > > > wanted to say Hey to everyone and to thank you for the 
> > honest 
> > > and
> > > > > > information questions and answers. I am about to 
purchase 
> > the 
> > > > > DTXPress kit
> > > > > > and this group has been the single greatest source of 
> > > information
> > > > > > influencing my decision. I have been contemplating 
> > purchasing 
> > > an 
> > > > > electronic
> > > > > > kit for some time now, but the costs involved have, up 
til 
> > > now, 
> > > > > eliminated
> > > > > > that posibility. The positive review of this kit in 
Modern 
> > > > Drummer 
> > > > > piqued
> > > > > > my interest enough to check this kit out at the local 
> music 
> > > > > stores. Now, I
> > > > > > have to admit I was impressed by the pads, which i 
> expected 
> > to 
> > > > be 
> > > > > very hard
> > > > > > and loud like other less expensive electronic drums. 
These 
> > > were 
> > > > > soft &
> > > > > > quiet and, in my opinion, on par with the standard kits. 
> > > > > Unfortunately, I
> > > > > > was less impresssed with the sounds and the songs. I 
found 
> > the 
> > > > > drum and
> > > > > > cymbal sounds to be very thin & tinny and not very 
> > convincing 
> > > or
> > > > > > satisfying. Now, on reviewing your past postings, it 
seems 
> > > that 
> > > > > everyone is
> > > > > > very impressed with the drum sounds in this module. So, 
I 
> am 
> > > > > wondering if
> > > > > > everyone had to teak the sounds to get what they are 
happy 
> > > with 
> > > > or 
> > > > > maybe
> > > > > > the kit I played at the store was "out of whack" with 
all 
> > the 
> > > > > potential
> > > > > > buyers (like me) pushing all the buttons and possibly 
> > changing 
> > > > the 
> > > > > original
> > > > > > sounds. I am going back to the store to test a new, out-
of-
> > the-
> > > > box 
> > > > > kit
> > > > > > tonight but am still interested in everyone's opinions 
on 
> > the 
> > > > > sounds
> > > > > > included in this module. Thanks again for all of the 
> > > information!
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > >>Community email addresses:
> > > > > > >  Post message: DTXpress@onelist.com
> > > > > > >  Subscribe:    DTXpress-subscribe@onelist.com
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> > > > > > >  List owner:   DTXpress-owner@onelist.com
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > >Shortcut URL to this page:
> > > > > > >  http://www.onelist.com/community/DTXpress
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > >