Yamaha DTXpress/DTXplorer/DTXtreme

Being brand new to the electronic set up, having played accoustic for 
donkeys, it's good to see that us older ones (late 40's) are still 
getting enjoyment playing drums after all these years. Once a 
drummer...............!! 
I'm slowly (very) coming to terms with my electric kit. I picked it
up 
second hand, so that I could compare the feel,and experience, before 
possibly upgrading further. 
I've got an original DTxpress with Roland KD80 kick and mesh snare 
with Roland cymbals. All other pads are Yamaha. 
As accoustic drums don't come with instruction manuals, and electric 
do, I've done a lot of headscratching but am managing to get a decent 
sound from them and am enjoying the experience.
Few questions however, which I'm hoping to have your assistance on.
1 Being an older kit, some of the pads do seem loose when attached to 
the frame and theres a bit of movement even when tightened. Can the 
pads be dismantled and the clamp inside(or whatever) be tightened?
2 I like a good cymbal crash, but am having difficulty getting a 
decent, loud sound when playing in the band, and a good bell sound. 
Any tips?
3 Can you recommend the best midi cable to get and where to get it 
from so i can download some kits?  

Thanks a lot, and keep up the good work. I'm sure these won't be my 
only questions

Steve

--- In DTXpress@yahoogroups.com, "phoenixrnb" <steve.s@m...> wrote:

> 1 Being an older kit, some of the pads do seem loose when attached 
to 
> the frame and theres a bit of movement even when tightened. Can the 
> pads be dismantled and the clamp inside(or whatever) be tightened?
> 2 I like a good cymbal crash, but am having difficulty getting a 
> decent, loud sound when playing in the band, and a good bell sound. 
> Any tips?
> 3 Can you recommend the best midi cable to get and where to get it 
> from so i can download some kits?  
> 
> Thanks a lot, and keep up the good work. I'm sure these won't be my 
> only questions

Hi Steve,

Good to have you with us.

1. The threads on the plastic clamps start to wear after a while and 
lose their grip, and the smooth surface of the rack isn't great for 
bite, anyway. Many people simply replace the clamps with heavier duty 
metal ones, usually from Gibralter. 

2. Try changing the Volume Mode in Utility to "live" so that you can 
use the front knobs to control kit levels and setting the overall 
volume of the kits in Voice to 127. Avoid turning up the pads' gain 
unless you're trying to maximize dynamic range. It's also possible 
that your Roland cymbals aren't getting the volume out of the module 
that Yamaha cymbals would. I remember experimenting with Roland CY-6 
cymbals through the DTXpress; they were all right but not as lively 
as Yamaha's own. YOu might try changing the pad type for them to one 
of the "miscellaneous" options to see if that helps. Don't hold me to 
it, but I remember Cymbals voices 32-34 as being the best bell type 
sounds. Maybe layering two of the same ones, or even two different 
ones, as v1 and 2, on a cymbal will increase the volume. The cymbals 
also tend to get overwhelmed when playing live. If you turn the 
individual volume settings of the other pads down a little but leave 
those of the cymbals higher, you might have a better balance on stage.

3. Any MIDI cable will do these days. Whatever your local music or 
computer store or web outlet carries will work. Length isn't much of 
a factor unless you're planning a 16 m run. You can even get a cable 
with a joystick adaptor if you have a Soundblaster-type card on your 
PC.

Ed