Yamaha DTXpress/DTXplorer/DTXtreme

--- In DTXpress@yahoogroups.com, "Jay" <jayluv6@y...> wrote:
> I am finally going to upgrade my cymbals to a full set of Visulites:
> ride, crash, and hi hats. But I have a few questions, and I 
apologize
> if these have been asked before. I have the DTXPRESSII.
> 
> 1) There are several versions of the Visulite hi hats. There is a
> Yamaha specific one. Will it work 'as is' or do I need to make any
> modifications or do anything weird with my DTX brain?

The Yamaha hi hat was designed for use with the DTXpressI and II, the 
DTX, and DTXtremeI modules. After setup, you may have to fiddle with 
some parameters to suit you, but you certainly won't have to do 
anything weird. Setup of the controller on the stand, however, must 
be done carefully. Detailed instructions are included. 

> 2) Do the hi hats require a hi hat stand?

Yes, and some hi hat stands may be better than others for it. Since 
the contoller connects to the pedal with wire, you need a clear, 
straight path down the shaft. I'm not an expert off the top of my 
head about which ones satisfy this requirement (most do), but Ed 
Morin at Drumbalaya would be able to give you a few suggestions.
 
> 3) Do the cymbals require a cymbal stand, or will they work with the
> Yamaha mounts?

They will work with the Yamaha mounts.

> 4) Are there Yamaha specific crash/rides that I need to look for? 
Are
> they direct fit replacements for the DTX pie pieces?

You can use a crash cymbal w/choke designed for a standard 
Yamaha/Roland stereo input. Visu-lite also has a chokeable crash 
meant for two inputs on an Alesis module. Avoid it.

> 5) Lastly, do I need to make any changes to the sound settings for
 these new cymbals? 

Most likely. The best pad type will probably be one of 
the "miscellaneous" ones. It won't take you long to find it. The Visu-
lite triggers are sensitive; you'll have to change trigger and voice 
settings accordingly. I doubt that you'll find yourself in much of a 
mess with them.

With the company in transition, it might not be a bad idea to ask Ed 
Morin whether Visu-lites are backordered. Eventually, when Pintech 
brings all of its resources to bear on their availability, buying 
will be easier, but I wouldn't be surprised if you had to wait at 
this point. I hope not. Ask Ed or Brian at Pintech. I'd suggest that 
you ask Tom Picard at Visu-lite, but he is notoriously hard to reach.

Ed