Yamaha DTXpress/DTXplorer/DTXtreme

hey all. i got the dtxpress about 4 months ago and been playing around with it. i just started playing drums when i got the set. my only issue so far is that

--- In DTXpress@yahoogroups.com, MD <dumas.m@g...> wrote:
>
> hey all. i got the dtxpress about 4 months ago and been playing
around with
> it. i just started playing drums when i got the set. my only issue
so far is
> that the bass drum is really weak. i believe i have the brain set
for the
> bass drum volumn up high.
> 
> however when i play on an acoustic set i have a pretty heavy hit and the
> bass really pops out. wondering if there is anything i can do with the
> dtxpress to make the bass more dominant. or is that just something
im going
> to have to live with on this set.
> 
> thanks
> --matt
>


Try by holding the "shift" key and turning the click volume ath the
same time. Then check the signal knob on the KP pad.

I hope this can help

Try this.....I have a weak KP60 that when you look at the trigger values never really goes 
above 15%. I upped the gain to 80-85.  I also took the pad apart and removed a small 
square of foam in front of the actual trigger. The Trigger is fronted by aluminum.

One issue is if you set the gain higher than this ( with my pad anyway) you get a double 
strike: once when you hit the pad and once when the beater lifts back off the surface. If I 
keep the gain lower than 85 I do not get this effect.

TRIG IN= 1 ( 0%) 
Gain=64 MVel= 32 
KIT IN=pad 1 
Reverb send=  15 
Change the Pad's Sensitivity 
1. Double-click the [TRIG] button to open this display, 
Input Gain (Sensitivity) 
2. Hit the pad that you want to edit (that pad will be selected). 
3. Use the [SEL<]/[SEL>] and [VALUE–]/[VALUE+] buttons 
to edit. 

The normal gain for a Kick Pad seem to be around 60.

I also set the velocity to 50 which makes the pad insensitive, but then you can just use the 
volume control. I have the unit set up for performance which [ Volume Mode - Live] which 
then acts as this:

If the Utility mode's [1-3. Volume Mode] (P. 52) is set to "live", 
the following volume levels can be controlled. 
• [ACCOMP VOL]: The volume of the snare drum. 
• [SHIFT]+[ACCOMP VOL]: The volume of the cymbal. 
• [CLICK VOL]: The volume of the bass drum. 
• [SHIFT]+[CLICK VOL]: The volume of the other drum in- 
struments (excluding snare, bass drum, cymbals and the 
metronome's click). 





--- In DTXpress@yahoogroups.com, MD <dumas.m@g...> wrote:

>
> hey all. i got the dtxpress about 4 months ago and been playing around with
> it. i just started playing drums when i got the set. my only issue so far is
> that the bass drum is really weak. i believe i have the brain set for the
> bass drum volumn up high.
> 
> however when i play on an acoustic set i have a pretty heavy hit and the
> bass really pops out. wondering if there is anything i can do with the
> dtxpress to make the bass more dominant. or is that just something im going
> to have to live with on this set.
> 
> thanks
> --matt
>

I use something different:

Garageband and RMIV ( I also have Battery and iDrum ).

I use a MIDISport 2x2 (M-Audio) to connect the Brain to the Mac. I find RMIV has some 
excellent samples. 

In performing live I use the onboard sounds, but in making stuff by myself I use RMIV.

I have had no probems - works very well.

From time to time the MIDI signal fails to pass all the way through and usually a reboot of 
the brain and the plug/unplug of the USB based MIDISPort solves the problem.

It seems most people use MIDI keyboards to trigger samples, but I suspect they are not 
aware of how good a real kit ( i.e. something that can be played properly) with samples 
can be.

I have some upcoming stuff with an Irish/Jazz group and have a nice Bohdran sample that 
I will use as where I live it is hard to source a real one.

One aspect of RMIV that is interesting is that each drum sample can be controlled from a 
volume/mix point of view - thus giving more control over the final sound. Obviously you 
can play with each volume in the brain but it is just easier visually to do it in the software 
on the screen.

Hope this helps. 

I use a DTXexpress ( the original).  The next thing I want for either the basic DTX or for 
RMIV is a MIDI foot controller to send a program change to select a differnt kit. I have 
changed kits midsong while performing using the up down buttons on thte DTX but 
obvioulsy that is not optimal.

I suspect I am never gonna play a real kit again. Much easier humping a DTX and a Mac 
into a gig. :-)

Kevin

--- In DTXpress@...m, Earl Wyatt <onyxag@y...> wrote:

>
> if so what is your set-up and how is it working for you.
> 
> 
> I have the dtxpress III and bfd and I'm looking for some solutions...
>

I've been using BFD for a while, playing live with the DTXpress III
special kit, and without any problems other than one limitation:
FXpansion has yet to develop a mechanism to recognize the cymbal
choking on the DTX. Hopefully that will be addressed soon. 

Go to the official forum at kvraudio.com for most things you need
answers to. I had a tough time setting up the variable hihats until I
found out that the MIDI notes for positions in-between fully open and
fully closed hihats in BFD had to be set to notes that aren't assigned
in the DTX module. They can be set to anything. All you need to have
correct is the var. tip and shank, pedal, open tip, and I believe the
closed tip and shank.



--- In DTXpress@yahoogroups.com, Earl Wyatt <onyxag@y...> wrote:

>
> if so what is your set-up and how is it working for you.
> 
> 
> I have the dtxpress III and bfd and I'm looking for some solutions...
>

In my case, often the RMIV kit will have different mappings for the kit. What I do is set up a 
customs Kit in the Yamaha with mappings for that specific kit. Of course I could do it the 
other way around as well by changing RMIV but for whatever reason I found it easier to 
channel the Yamaha to match the set up of the sampled kit. 

It is a bit tedious process -> trigger each item in the software -> write down MDI note as 
trigger, strike pad on Yamaha -> align Yamaha midi note with software then when all pads 
are triggering correctly save as custom kit. There is no magic formula, the mapping is 
done one by one.......and saved and documented.

It is easier to change the kit via the brains up down button than to try and use a mouse 
during a performance. I have just bought a foot controller so I can program it to send MIDI 
program change control messages to be able to easily change kits mid performance - 
since I have the DTX express, all my pads are single pads, so I often want to change kits in 
mid song. Later I am hoping that I can figure out to send a program change to Garageband 
so all kits are stored on the Mac as samples and the our path is simpler.

The process can be a bit tedious but works well enough. You just have to document what 
kit is assigned to what number on the Yamaha. 

I have used both sampled RMIV kits and the Yamaha native kits during a 
performance.....you just need a way to change outputs easily. My solution was to tape two 
input leads together....one lead runs from the Mac to the amp ( the Yamaha is always 
connected via a Midiport 2x2 to the Mac), the other from the Yamaha to the amp. I use a 
small guitar amp as the venues (bars)  here are always small. If I want the  RMIV kit, 
unplug the Yamaha, plug in the Mac. In am ideal world their would be a mixing desk and 
someone to run the desk and set up proper levels from the sterio outs........but again small 
venues it is easier to control my own sound with one amp ( later I will but two keyboard 
amps for sterio out)

Eventualy I want to sample all the instruments in the Yamaha and store them inthe Mac so 
their is a standard path out -> and the Yamaha is just a MIDI trigger but I still have access 
to the kits. I like the Yamaha snares but there are much better Cymbal samples externally.

I bought Redmatica Autosampler to do this but to date have had no sucess in getting it 
working ( lack of time etc).

At the end of the day it all works and works well. Hope this second long winded reply 
helps.

Kevin




--- In DTXpress@yahoogroups.com, Earl Wyatt <onyxag@y...> wrote:
>
> I was actually speaking specifically about the specific channels each drum is triggering, 
> and/or
> 
>  what the transposing would be so that 
> 
> dtx kick triggers the midi kick ... and so on...
> 
> 
> 
> "kevin.nice" <kevin.nice@y...> wrote:     I use something different:
>  
>  Garageband and RMIV ( I also have Battery and iDrum ).
>  
>  I use a MIDISport 2x2 (M-Audio) to connect the Brain to the Mac. I find RMIV has some 
>  excellent samples. 
>  
>  In performing live I use the onboard sounds, but in making stuff by myself I use RMIV.
>  
>  I have had no probems - works very well.
>  
>  From time to time the MIDI signal fails to pass all the way through and usually a reboot 
of 
>  the brain and the plug/unplug of the USB based MIDISPort solves the problem.
>  
>  It seems most people use MIDI keyboards to trigger samples, but I suspect they are not 
>  aware of how good a real kit ( i.e. something that can be played properly) with samples 
>  can be.
>  
>  I have some upcoming stuff with an Irish/Jazz group and have a nice Bohdran sample 
that 
>  I will use as where I live it is hard to source a real one.
>  
>  One aspect of RMIV that is interesting is that each drum sample can be controlled from 
a 
>  volume/mix point of view - thus giving more control over the final sound. Obviously 
you 
>  can play with each volume in the brain but it is just easier visually to do it in the 
software 
>  on the screen.
>  
>  Hope this helps. 
>  
>  I use a DTXexpress ( the original).  The next thing I want for either the basic DTX or for 
>  RMIV is a MIDI foot controller to send a program change to select a differnt kit. I have 
>  changed kits midsong while performing using the up down buttons on thte DTX but 
>  obvioulsy that is not optimal.
>  
>  I suspect I am never gonna play a real kit again. Much easier humping a DTX and a Mac 
>  into a gig. :-)
>  
>  Kevin
>  
>  --- In DTXpress@yahoogroups.com, Earl Wyatt <onyxag@y...> wrote:
>  >
>  > if so what is your set-up and how is it working for you.
>  > 
>  > 
>  > I have the dtxpress III and bfd and I'm looking for some solutions...
>  >
>  
>  
>  
>  
>       
> 
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I have the DTXpress III Special and BFD with the XFL Expansion.  I
cannot figure out the variable hi-hat.  I have read all the version
1.5 documentation and threads on kvraudio and there's not much info
for Yamaha users.  bestrockindude, your description helps a lot but
what midi note values did you assign to the variable hi-hat hits?  Did
you create a custom drum map in BFD or did you change them on the user
kit in the drum brain?  Also, what slider settings and HH sensitivity
work best?  Any advice is greatly appreciated.





--- In DTXpress@yahoogroups.com, "bestrockindude" <toho@w...> wrote:

>
> I've been using BFD for a while, playing live with the DTXpress III
> special kit, and without any problems other than one limitation:
> FXpansion has yet to develop a mechanism to recognize the cymbal
> choking on the DTX. Hopefully that will be addressed soon. 
> 
> Go to the official forum at kvraudio.com for most things you need
> answers to. I had a tough time setting up the variable hihats until I
> found out that the MIDI notes for positions in-between fully open and
> fully closed hihats in BFD had to be set to notes that aren't assigned
> in the DTX module. They can be set to anything. All you need to have
> correct is the var. tip and shank, pedal, open tip, and I believe the
> closed tip and shank.
>