Yamaha DTXpress/DTXplorer/DTXtreme

--- In DTXpress@yahoogroups.com, "aww123us" <awhapha@c...> wrote:
> The volume control on the Hat itself helped - as did the standard 
> module settings for the Special.  Strange reactions at first until 
I 
> set the trigger to SP Dyna - Like magic - It was right there.

Great to know.
  
> The swinging is a function of how tightly snugged they are. Though 
I 
> dare say accoustic-like feel and movement eludes this set.  (Though 
> considerably better than the "fixed wedges" of the III.
> 
> As for the sounds - the helpful hint of lowering the decay was an 
> improvement.  

Good point to repeat.
 
> Perhaps I am using the incorrect terminology here.  It may be less 
a 
> tracking delay and better described as drop-out.  The phenomenon of 
> of certain sounds not occuring smoothly and consistently when 
> triggered in rapid succession.  At times it seems there is an 
> artificial sounding effect as one cymbal sounding "collides" with 
> the next.  Keep in mind this is an experienced newbie, right out of 
> the box, talking here.  I have not yet tweaked the user settings 
> much.

The drop-out problem may be mitigated as you venture further into the 
trigger parameters (gain, min velocity, dynamic curves, etc.). The 
sound collision--aka the machine-gun effect--has been endemic to this 
technology, I'm afraid, from the outset. At this point, eliminating 
it (largely, anyway) requires a higher price point (the Roland TD-20 
or ddrum). You can reduce it, however, with judicious use of decay 
and trying various cymbal voices (the chinas may not be as bad), 
though swells probably won't sound natural by a long shot. If other 
people using the DXPIII module beg to differ, we're all ears 
(apologies to Ross Perot).
  
> I spent Friday evening leisurely assembling the basic set up - 
> couple of hours.  Saturday morning another hour or so "hanging" all 
> the wiring in a neat and useable way.  It may take me the other 
> eight months "setting-up" all the various user features and 
settings.

> One other note - In playing along with the songs I would like to 
> lower the volume on the drum parts without complete muting. There 
> does'nt seem a way to do this. I understand this  is a DTXIII 
> comment/question.

When you're in the Live, as opposed to Practice, setting (see manual 
under Utility mode), you can use the knobs on the front of the module 
to adjust relative volumes in the kit. You can still play songs in 
that mode, right? You can also adjust the volume for individual 
inputs in the Voice menu and of the kit as a whole in the Utility 
menu (I don't know whether this general MIDI setting affects the 
songs at the same time; somebody else will).

> Anyway, hope this helps.  Thanks for asking.  Ed, what is your 
> experience/orientation to this subject?

I was an owner of the original DTXpress back in 1863, though I've 
gone through a lot of equipment since then, from any number of 
different companies; I've been a drummer, in one capacity or another, 
for 40 years. I, OGD, and Vern represent the management of this 
little enterprise. We've seen a lot of observations, questions, 
misery, and joy go by the board, and we have some contact with those 
who make the products--Yamaha as well as other companies--which 
you'll witness if you stick around. So we like to think that we can 
be of some service running and participating in this forum. OGD has 
made himself something of an expert about the insides and outsides of 
the various pads and cymbals that Yamaha has made over the years. 
Vern has broad information about what makes things tick (including 
computers), and I have whatever small advantage seniority confers 
(not much). 

Ed