Yamaha DTXpress/DTXplorer/DTXtreme

--- Timothy & Jessamyn wrote:
> Can anyone give me ideas on how to add more pads to my
> dtxpress II? From what I can tell, I can plug the kick
> cable into the '9/10' extra input & plug an additional
> pad to the 'pad in' on the kick itself.  Then I could
> use the now vacant kick input on the module to plug in 
> yet another pad; giving me the capability to add a total
> of two more pads to the set.

That's one way. More convenient (in my opinion) is to use an insert 
cable or "splitter" to put two mono pads on 9/10.

> Also, is there a way to add more than two 
> extra pads without buying a seperate module?

Two options are open to you. You could buy a trigger-to-MIDI 
converter, such as the Roland TMC-6 or (now discontinued) PM-16, both 
of which you can get on eBay, the latter for silly money now. You 
would then need to dabble in the arts of MIDI.

Or, you could take my route: cheat. I have taken to splitting cymbal 
inputs to a stereo cymbal and another mono pad. For example, I have a 
mono cymbal pad split into my stereo ride cymbal - I use the edge on 
the stereo as a crash, and the other as a ride (same sound as the bow 
on the stereo pad). The benefit is not another "input" in this case, 
but cymbals mounted in natural positions for crash and ride. I also 
have a fifth tom split into another. Again, crash on the rim of the 
cymbal but the bow of the cymbal (and therefore the tom pad) as an 8" 
tom. Many benefits, and one drawback: mis-hit the cymbal and your 
well-placed crash is replaced by a tom strike!

You really should go back through the archives. As you can imagine, 
these questions get asked a LOT.

Stewart