Yamaha DTXpress/DTXplorer/DTXtreme

Hi All

This is my first post.

I have an oppertunity to buy a demo dtxpress 2 for a really good price.
But i was looking originally at buying the 3 series. So I have a few
questions.

1. Is there a huge difference between the two that would warrant the 
          extra cash 
2. will i be able to load drum samples into the xpress 2 module

3. Can i use pc based samples with the dtxpress 2 series.
4. Can you choke the dtxpress 2 cymbals.

I will be using the set to mostly record with Sonar 4 and wavelab.
Can anyone else suggest what else i would need to get the best sound
(i'm still feeling my way around midi sequencing)

Thanks All
Clint

----- Original Message ----- 

From: "clintonmam" <clintonmam@...>
To: <DTXpress@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Thursday, September 08, 2005 11:43 AM
Subject: [DTXpress] dtxpress 3 or dtxpress 2 .....


> Hi All

> This is my first post.

Welcome!

>
> I have an oppertunity to buy a demo dtxpress 2 for a really good price.
> But i was looking originally at buying the 3 series. So I have a few
> questions.
>
> 1. Is there a huge difference between the two that would warrant the
>           extra cash

Tricky to answer, as I moved from the Mk1 to the Mk3, there's major
differencies, I believe the Mk2 looks, and works in much the same way as the
Mk3, but the latest version does feature additional sounds that the pervious
vesions do not have (but the knew that already I take it).

> 2. will i be able to load drum samples into the xpress 2 module

None of the DTXpress modules can upload new samples. The DTXtreme (Mk2) can.

>
> 3. Can i use pc based samples with the dtxpress 2 series.

Depends what you mean, if you refer to question 2, then no.
If you mean, can I trigger drum samples on the PC via MIDI, then yes.

> 4. Can you choke the dtxpress 2 cymbals.
>
All DTXpress modules can. The Mk3 is compatable with 3 zone pads, I beleive
the Mk2 had 'some' compatibilty with 3 zone pads on certain trigger inputs
(a Mk2 owner is best to conferm this), but the Mk1 only handles 2 zone pads.

> I will be using the set to mostly record with Sonar 4 and wavelab.
> Can anyone else suggest what else i would need to get the best sound
> (i'm still feeling my way around midi sequencing)
>

Software wise, you have a good start.
You might what to think about getting an audio interface if to plan to
record the audio from the DTX module directly into your PC, and a MIDI
interface might also be an assit as I've found the typical PC gameport
MIDI/joystick connection doesn't like having lots of MIDI data shoved down
it.

the Sonic Energy Authority - a sound investment

>> 4. Can you choke the dtxpress 2 cymbals.
>>
> All DTXpress modules can. The Mk3 is compatable with 3 zone pads, I 
> beleive
> the Mk2 had 'some' compatibilty with 3 zone pads on certain trigger inputs
> (a Mk2 owner is best to conferm this), but the Mk1 only handles 2 zone 
> pads.

Hey??  Am I being dumb?
As far as I know, the cymbals you get with the DTxpress III (I'm not talking 
about the 'special' here) do NOT choke.  That is there is no lever 
underneath them for 'catching' the cymbals once they have been struck.  I 
got one dual zone cymbal with the kit, yes, but that is only used for an 
added 'bell' type sound so it simulates hitting different parts of the 
cymbal.
So even though the brain allows for expansion since it offers additional 
multi-zone inputs, I don't think you can say that these editions offer 
choke.

If I'm wrong I'd be very happy to hear of it! :)

Matt

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
http://www.loopit.org
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

>>> 4. Can you choke the dtxpress 2 cymbals.
>>>
>> All DTXpress modules can. The Mk3 is compatable with 3 zone pads, I
>> beleive
>> the Mk2 had 'some' compatibilty with 3 zone pads on certain trigger
>> inputs
>> (a Mk2 owner is best to conferm this), but the Mk1 only handles 2
>> zone
>> pads.
>
> Hey??  Am I being dumb?
> As far as I know, the cymbals you get with the DTxpress III (I'm not
> talking
> about the 'special' here) do NOT choke.  That is there is no lever
> underneath them for 'catching' the cymbals once they have been struck.

The crash does choke, nicely. There's no level, but you just grip the
fore edge to choke it.

J

>> Hey??  Am I being dumb?
>> As far as I know, the cymbals you get with the DTxpress III (I'm not
>> talking
>> about the 'special' here) do NOT choke.  That is there is no lever
>> underneath them for 'catching' the cymbals once they have been struck.
>
> The crash does choke, nicely. There's no level, but you just grip the
> fore edge to choke it.

I'm sure that wasn't in the documentation...
thats great news though.  Let me just check before I get excited: we are 
talking about a standard dtxpress III.  There are two triangular shaped 
cymbal triggers, one of which is a two zone cymbal (the other is a single 
zone).  The only visual difference between the two is that the two zone has 
a line following the perimeter of the 'arc' about 1 inch away from it, which 
form the second surface to hit for the diffeent sound.  The two zone is 
usually used as a ride on the premade patches, so I guess you're talking 
about what I have labelled as the 'signle zone' trigger, which in actual 
fact must be a dual zone too, just with a different positioned secondary 
zone which cannot be hit, but rather squeezed.

And you just squeeze this at the edge somewhere after hitting it, and the 
sound sort of cuts out.

Have I got it right?
Thanks for the help,

Matt

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
http://www.loopit.org
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

>>> Hey??  Am I being dumb?
>>> As far as I know, the cymbals you get with the DTxpress III (I'm
>>> not
>>> talking
>>> about the 'special' here) do NOT choke.  That is there is no lever
>>> underneath them for 'catching' the cymbals once they have been
>>> struck.
>>
>> The crash does choke, nicely. There's no level, but you just grip
>> the
>> fore edge to choke it.
>
> I'm sure that wasn't in the documentation...
> thats great news though.  Let me just check before I get excited: we
> are
> talking about a standard dtxpress III.  There are two triangular
> shaped
> cymbal triggers, one of which is a two zone cymbal (the other is a
> single
> zone).  The only visual difference between the two is that the two
> zone has
> a line following the perimeter of the 'arc' about 1 inch away from it,
> which
> form the second surface to hit for the diffeent sound.  The two zone
> is
> usually used as a ride on the premade patches, so I guess you're
> talking
> about what I have labelled as the 'signle zone' trigger, which in
> actual
> fact must be a dual zone too, just with a different positioned
> secondary
> zone which cannot be hit, but rather squeezed.
>
> And you just squeeze this at the edge somewhere after hitting it, and
> the
> sound sort of cuts out.
>
> Have I got it right?

It's the standard DTXPRESS III (afaik, I don't actually know what the
special is, I'm not aware I have it), the cymbal that chokes is the
dual zone, a PCY65S. I have that set up with two crashes, and use the
single zone as a ride, I thought that was standard.

Anyway, otherwise, yes. The choke works on both zones. You just grip
the forward zone and squeeze.

AFAIK there's no choke on the single zone.

HTH
J