Yamaha DTXpress/DTXplorer/DTXtreme

I have a DT Express II that I just picked up used. Of course it has a 
single zone snare. I would like to upgrade to one of the three zone 
pads, but I'm not sure if the Express II brain supports theses (?)
I know the manual says it supports the multi zone cymbal pads, does the 
same hold true for the snare ? Has anybody tried this with a II ?

John

--- In DTXpress@yahoogroups.com, "John Spokus" <whistlingtk@...> wrote:
>
> I have a DT Express II that I just picked up used. Of course it has a 
> single zone snare. I would like to upgrade to one of the three zone 
> pads, but I'm not sure if the Express II brain supports theses (?)
> I know the manual says it supports the multi zone cymbal pads, does the 
> same hold true for the snare ? Has anybody tried this with a II ?
> 
> John
>

John,

Ipouts 2,6 and 7 are 3 zone, 1,3,4,5 & 8 are dual zone (see P9 of the
manual).

Keith.

Hi, problem is that PDX8 is a "dual" pad (2 sensors) and DTX has 
a "stereo" input (1 pad + 1 or 2 switch). Switches are asocited with 
rim and Xstick, and signal provided to the module is diferent from 
that from a sensor. That's the reason you need to hit extreme to the 
RShot.

On database you can find some ways to "convert" dual's into steroes.

Regards

--- In DTXpress@yahoogroups.com, Jason Stadel <jrstadel@...> wrote:
>
> I have a dtexpress 2 and I got a Roland PDX8 Dual-trigger Snare 
Pad. It is supposed to be 2 zone snare, but for some reason i get 
snare, rim shot and cross stick out of it.  The mesh head is very 
responsive and it fits well on the set.   The only draw back is that 
you have to hit it pretty hard to get the rimshot. The best part for 
me was I got use my old snare pad for an extra cymbol.
> 
> 
> grant <graant@...> wrote:          Yes John , it will ,
> 
> Cheers
> Grant
> 
> John Spokus wrote:
>       I have a DT Express II that I just picked up used. Of course 
it has a 
> single zone snare. I would like to upgrade to one of the three 
zone 
> pads, but I'm not sure if the Express II brain supports theses (?)
> I know the manual says it supports the multi zone cymbal pads, 
does the 
> same hold true for the snare ? Has anybody tried this with a II ?
> 
> John 
> 
> 
> 
>   
> 
>                          
> 
>        
> ---------------------------------
> Be a better sports nut! Let your teams follow you with Yahoo 
Mobile. Try it now.
>

--- In DTXpress@yahoogroups.com, "m_rey50" <m_rey50@...> wrote:
>
> Hi, problem is that PDX8 is a "dual" pad (2 sensors) and DTX has 
> a "stereo" input (1 pad + 1 or 2 switch). Switches are asocited with 
> rim and Xstick, and signal provided to the module is diferent from 
> that from a sensor. That's the reason you need to hit extreme to the 
> RShot.
> 
> On database you can find some ways to "convert" dual's into steroes.

or you could use a Y splitter cable & two inputs.

Keith.

Man was I being stupid. I didn't realize until today that my DT 
Express II already came with a three zone snare pad, which I had a 
mono cable hooked up to, thus it was only working as single zone, and 
I had the dual zone cymbal pad hooked up as my crash, where I 
should've been using it as my ride. Was the manual not clear on this, 
or was  I just being stupid ?




--- In DTXpress@yahoogroups.com, "Keith" <keith@...> wrote:
>
> --- In DTXpress@yahoogroups.com, "John Spokus" <whistlingtk@> wrote:
> >
> > I have a DT Express II that I just picked up used. Of course it 
has a 
> > single zone snare. I would like to upgrade to one of the three 
zone 
> > pads, but I'm not sure if the Express II brain supports theses (?)
> > I know the manual says it supports the multi zone cymbal pads, 
does the 
> > same hold true for the snare ? Has anybody tried this with a II ?
> > 
> > John
> >
> 
> John,
> 
> Ipouts 2,6 and 7 are 3 zone, 1,3,4,5 & 8 are dual zone (see P9 of 
the

> manual).
> 
> Keith.
>

--- In DTXpress@yahoogroups.com, "John Spokus" <whistlingtk@...> wrote:
>
> Man was I being stupid. I didn't realize until today that my DT 
> Express II already came with a three zone snare pad, which I had a 
> mono cable hooked up to, thus it was only working as single zone, and 
> I had the dual zone cymbal pad hooked up as my crash, where I 
> should've been using it as my ride. Was the manual not clear on this, 
> or was  I just being stupid ?

You can have the dual zone cymbal as a crash.  Somewhere in the manual
I am sure it tells you to use stereo cables for the connections.  On
my DTXpress it isn't a problem because it comes with the stereo cables
all tied onto the rack.  I don't know how the DTXpress II was
supplied, but I guess if you bought it second hand anything could happen.

I'm glad you now have it sorted - I hope you didn't buy a 3 zone pad
to find out you already had one!

Keith.

-"I'm glad you now have it sorted - I hope you didn't buy a 3 zone pad
> to find out you already had one!"
> 
> Keith.




No I didn't, but had one on my Musician's Friend Wishlist, now 
deleted.I looked at the manual last night and in the section that 
showed the connections, couldn't find any reference to this.

The dual zone cymbal pad is sort of weird though,seems kind of 
unpredictable what you are going to get when you hit it. It seems to 
respond more to velocity than the area that I'm hitting as far as 
which sound it produces. I'll try it as a crash with the stereo cable 
and see if I like that better.

Back to the snare, given the fact that the pads are as small as they 
are, you have to stay really focused on the area you hit to get the 
sound you want, very easy to cross over into the wrong territory.
It's not such a problem when you are doing a basic, snare, hi-hat, 
bass beat. But when it comes to going into a roll from the snare to 
the rack toms, it's easy to hit the side stick area, which can sound 
a little messy.

John

--- In DTXpress@yahoogroups.com, "John Spokus" <whistlingtk@...> wrote:
> 
> The dual zone cymbal pad is sort of weird though,seems kind of 
> unpredictable what you are going to get when you hit it. It seems to 
> respond more to velocity than the area that I'm hitting as far as 
> which sound it produces. I'll try it as a crash with the stereo cable 
> and see if I like that better.

I don't seem to get any subtlety out of the cymbal edge - I whack it
hard and program it as a nice loud cymbal edge sound.  My work on the
DTXpander has shown that some of the insensitivity on the rims of the
two zone pads is due to the module itself, not the pad.

> 
> Back to the snare, given the fact that the pads are as small as they 
> are, you have to stay really focused on the area you hit to get the 
> sound you want, very easy to cross over into the wrong territory.
> It's not such a problem when you are doing a basic, snare, hi-hat, 
> bass beat. But when it comes to going into a roll from the snare to 
> the rack toms, it's easy to hit the side stick area, which can sound 
> a little messy.

I must admit I have had a TP100 on a snare stand for a while now, so I
don't find that a problem. 

Keith.

--- In DTXpress@yahoogroups.com, "Keith" <keith@...> wrote:
 
> I must admit I have had a TP100 on a snare stand for a while now, so I
> don't find that a problem. 
> 
> Keith.
>

... similar to you Keith, I changed my snare pad out for a TP120 when I 
found one cheap in a sale.   I do find it makes the snare much 
more "playable", it responds better to dynamics.

Nick

-I switched the dual zone cymbal back to crash. It works much better
that way than as a ride. I didn't know you could choke the dual zone 
Yamaha cymbals until now. 




-- In DTXpress@yahoogroups.com, "Keith" <keith@...> wrote:
>
> --- In DTXpress@yahoogroups.com, "John Spokus" <whistlingtk@> wrote:
> > 
> > The dual zone cymbal pad is sort of weird though,seems kind of 
> > unpredictable what you are going to get when you hit it. It seems 
to 
> > respond more to velocity than the area that I'm hitting as far as 
> > which sound it produces. I'll try it as a crash with the stereo 
cable 
> > and see if I like that better.
> 
> I don't seem to get any subtlety out of the cymbal edge - I whack it
> hard and program it as a nice loud cymbal edge sound.  My work on 
the
> DTXpander has shown that some of the insensitivity on the rims of 
the
> two zone pads is due to the module itself, not the pad.
> 
> > 
> > Back to the snare, given the fact that the pads are as small as 
they 
> > are, you have to stay really focused on the area you hit to get 
the 
> > sound you want, very easy to cross over into the wrong territory.
> > It's not such a problem when you are doing a basic, snare, hi-
hat, 
> > bass beat. But when it comes to going into a roll from the snare 
to 
> > the rack toms, it's easy to hit the side stick area, which can 
sound 
> > a little messy.
> 
> I must admit I have had a TP100 on a snare stand for a while now, 
so I

> don't find that a problem. 
> 
> Keith.
>

I was wondering if you could tell me how you set up your dtxpress 
(triggers, gain, etc.) to work with the PDX-8. I just bought one to 
use with a DTXPRESS I (original orange version), and the rim shot 
does not work properly. When I strike the rim, regardless of how 
hard, there is no triggering (no sound). If it hit the bottom plastic 
of the drum, it does trigger. Everything worked fine with a different 
dual-trigger pad, so I know the TRS cable and the sound module are 
working. It seems like a sensitivity problem. Any help you can offer 
will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

--Kevin

--- In DTXpress@yahoogroups.com, Jason Stadel <jrstadel@...> wrote:
>
> I have a dtexpress 2 and I got a Roland PDX8 Dual-trigger Snare 
Pad. It is supposed to be 2 zone snare, but for some reason i get 
snare, rim shot and cross stick out of it.  The mesh head is very 
responsive and it fits well on the set.   The only draw back is that 
you have to hit it pretty hard to get the rimshot. The best part for 
me was I got use my old snare pad for an extra cymbol.
> 
> 
> grant <graant@...> wrote:          Yes John , it will ,
> 
> Cheers
> Grant
> 
> John Spokus wrote:
>       I have a DT Express II that I just picked up used. Of course 
it has a 
> single zone snare. I would like to upgrade to one of the three zone 
> pads, but I'm not sure if the Express II brain supports theses (?)
> I know the manual says it supports the multi zone cymbal pads, does 
the 
> same hold true for the snare ? Has anybody tried this with a II ?
> 
> John 
> 
> 
> 
>   
> 
>                          
> 
>        
> ---------------------------------
> Be a better sports nut! Let your teams follow you with Yahoo 
Mobile. Try it now.
>

--- In DTXpress@yahoogroups.com, "kmwinslow" <kmwinslow@...> wrote:
>
> I was wondering if you could tell me how you set up your dtxpress 
> (triggers, gain, etc.) to work with the PDX-8. I just bought one to 
> use with a DTXPRESS I (original orange version), and the rim shot 
> does not work properly. When I strike the rim, regardless of how 
> hard, there is no triggering (no sound). If it hit the bottom plastic 
> of the drum, it does trigger. Everything worked fine with a different 
> dual-trigger pad, so I know the TRS cable and the sound module are 
> working. It seems like a sensitivity problem. Any help you can offer 
> will be greatly appreciated.

The best way is to use a Y splitter and use two inputs.  The PDX-8 has
two piezos so can never work well in a single input unless you use the
DTXpander.

Keith.

--- In DTXpress@yahoogroups.com, "Keith" <keith@...> wrote:
>
> --- In DTXpress@yahoogroups.com, "kmwinslow" <kmwinslow@> wrote:
> >
> > I was wondering if you could tell me how you set up your dtxpress 
> > (triggers, gain, etc.) to work with the PDX-8. I just bought one 
to 
> > use with a DTXPRESS I (original orange version), and the rim shot 
> > does not work properly. When I strike the rim, regardless of how 
> > hard, there is no triggering (no sound). If it hit the bottom 
plastic 
> > of the drum, it does trigger. Everything worked fine with a 
different 
> > dual-trigger pad, so I know the TRS cable and the sound module 
are 
> > working. It seems like a sensitivity problem. Any help you can 
offer 
> > will be greatly appreciated.
> 
> The best way is to use a Y splitter and use two inputs.  The PDX-8 
has
> two piezos so can never work well in a single input unless you use 
the
> DTXpander.
> 
> Keith.
>

I thought the snare input (as well as a few others) of the DTXpress 
was "stereo" (dual-trigger input). In fact, in the sound module, you 
can assign a pad and a rim sound for the two triggers for each input. 
And the manual says, on page 10, "Trigger Input Jacks are all stereo 
input type jacks".  What am I missing?

And what is the DTXpander?

Thanks.

--Kevin

--- In DTXpress@yahoogroups.com, "kmwinslow" <kmwinslow@...> wrote:
> I thought the snare input (as well as a few others) of the DTXpress 
> was "stereo" (dual-trigger input). In fact, in the sound module, you 
> can assign a pad and a rim sound for the two triggers for each input. 
> And the manual says, on page 10, "Trigger Input Jacks are all stereo 
> input type jacks".  What am I missing?

The "stereo" term is a bit misleading.  The problem is that you can
make a pad have two sounds with either two piezos or a single piezo
and a switch.  The Yamaha uses the single piezo & rim switch.  If you
try to use a pad with two piezos the rim piezo produces a signal which
is not what the module is looking for.

> 
> And what is the DTXpander?

It is a circuit I designed - see the files section.  It was originally
designed to allow you to plug two mono pads into a stereo input on the
DTXpress to allow more pads, but it also allows you to put a dual
piezo pad into the DTXpress.

Keith.

--- In DTXpress@yahoogroups.com, "Keith" <keith@...> wrote:
>
> --- In DTXpress@yahoogroups.com, "kmwinslow" <kmwinslow@> wrote:
> > I thought the snare input (as well as a few others) of the 
DTXpress 
> > was "stereo" (dual-trigger input). In fact, in the sound module, 
you 
> > can assign a pad and a rim sound for the two triggers for each 
input. 
> > And the manual says, on page 10, "Trigger Input Jacks are all 
stereo 
> > input type jacks".  What am I missing?
> 
> The "stereo" term is a bit misleading.  The problem is that you can
> make a pad have two sounds with either two piezos or a single piezo
> and a switch.  The Yamaha uses the single piezo & rim switch.  If 
you
> try to use a pad with two piezos the rim piezo produces a signal 
which
> is not what the module is looking for.
> 
> > 
> > And what is the DTXpander?
> 
> It is a circuit I designed - see the files section.  It was 
originally
> designed to allow you to plug two mono pads into a stereo input on 
the
> DTXpress to allow more pads, but it also allows you to put a dual
> piezo pad into the DTXpress.
> 
> Keith.
>


Now it all makes sense. Thanks for your explanation. I'm going to try 
plugging the PDX-8 into the 9/10 input and use 9 as the snare pad 
sound and 10 as the rim. I then hope to use something like the 
DTXpander to use 2 pads to get two sounds out of the #2 (snare) 
input. I think this will give me the best of everything -- 
maintaining the number of pads I have and upgrading my snare. Thanks 
again for the help.

--Kevin

> Now it all makes sense. Thanks for your explanation. I'm going to try 
> plugging the PDX-8 into the 9/10 input and use 9 as the snare pad 
> sound and 10 as the rim. I then hope to use something like the 
> DTXpander to use 2 pads to get two sounds out of the #2 (snare) 
> input. I think this will give me the best of everything -- 
> maintaining the number of pads I have and upgrading my snare. Thanks 
> again for the help.
> 
> --Kevin
>

You could use the splitter and put the main pad through to the normal
snare input & the rim though to 9.  That way the standard kits will
still play the snare without reprogramming them.

Keith.

Hi Keith,

speaking of snare pad, have you tried using the snare
pad that comes with dtxpress 4 special on a dtxpress 3
special module?

if this is not supported by default, is there
something that i could do to make it work?

thanks.


--- Keith <keith@...> wrote:

> 
> > Now it all makes sense. Thanks for your
> explanation. I'm going to try 
> > plugging the PDX-8 into the 9/10 input and use 9
> as the snare pad 
> > sound and 10 as the rim. I then hope to use
> something like the 
> > DTXpander to use 2 pads to get two sounds out of
> the #2 (snare) 
> > input. I think this will give me the best of
> everything -- 
> > maintaining the number of pads I have and
> upgrading my snare. Thanks 
> > again for the help.
> > 
> > --Kevin
> >
> 
> You could use the splitter and put the main pad
> through to the normal
> snare input & the rim though to 9.  That way the
> standard kits will
> still play the snare without reprogramming them.
> 
> Keith.
> 
> 



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--- In DTXpress@yahoogroups.com, DARKMOON <darkmoon__666@...> wrote:
>
> Hi Keith,
> 
> speaking of snare pad, have you tried using the snare
> pad that comes with dtxpress 4 special on a dtxpress 3
> special module?
> 
> if this is not supported by default, is there
> something that i could do to make it work?

It works fine - I have been using the TP100 for the snare on my
DTXpress III for a couple of years now.  The red knob doesn't do
anything (it does on the DTXpress IV or the DTXtreme) but I like it. 
I have it on a snare stand, which I also prefer to having it on the rack.

Keith.

--- In DTXpress@yahoogroups.com, "Keith" <keith@...> wrote:
> It works fine - I have been using the TP100 for the snare on my
> DTXpress III for a couple of years now.  The red knob doesn't do
> anything (it does on the DTXpress IV or the DTXtreme) but I like it. 
> I have it on a snare stand, which I also prefer to having it on the 
rack.
> 
> Keith.
>

Ditto, except I have a TP120 on a stand as I'm such a sloppy player I 
like to have a big snare!  

Nick

thanks guys. i guess i'll have to start searching for
a good deal now. :-)

keith, the tp100 or tp120 is a triple zone pad, but if
we use it as a tom with a dtxpress 3 special module,
will i get the other 2 sounds? can we configure that
on our dtxpress3 module?

--- Nick Falconer <nick_falconer@...> wrote:

> --- In DTXpress@yahoogroups.com, "Keith" <keith@...>
> wrote:
> > It works fine - I have been using the TP100 for
> the snare on my
> > DTXpress III for a couple of years now.  The red
> knob doesn't do
> > anything (it does on the DTXpress IV or the
> DTXtreme) but I like it. 
> > I have it on a snare stand, which I also prefer to
> having it on the 
> rack.
> > 
> > Keith.
> >
> 
> Ditto, except I have a TP120 on a stand as I'm such
> a sloppy player I 
> like to have a big snare!  
> 
> Nick
> 
> 



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--- In DTXpress@yahoogroups.com, DARKMOON <darkmoon__666@...> wrote:
>
> thanks guys. i guess i'll have to start searching for
> a good deal now. :-)
> 
> keith, the tp100 or tp120 is a triple zone pad, but if
> we use it as a tom with a dtxpress 3 special module,
> will i get the other 2 sounds? can we configure that
> on our dtxpress3 module?

The only 3 zone inputs on the DTXpress 3 are 2, 6 and 7, so if you use
a tom input you will just get 2 zones.  I'm not sure what you would
use a rim sound for on a tom, but it could be anything e.g. a cross
stick or cowbell or percussion sound.

Keith.