basic triggering

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notbradsohner

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I need help setting up a triggering system. Basically, I need to trigger bass drums and possibly snares. I have triggers, but i need something to trigger. I do not use a computer in my recording set up, (ADAT) so I dont want to do things like sequencing. I just want to produce an audio signal that I can send to tape. A hardware unit would be good, but these are pretty hard to upgrade if I am correct. How nice of a computer would I need if I were going to use it specifically for triggering. Keep in mind it must be a laptop. S

So, Rackunit, cheap laptop, electronic drumkit brain? What do I need?
 
Im pretty confused about your question but ill give it a shot..

Ok, first, midi isnt audio. Midi is made up of computer codes etc. So if your wanting an audio signal, the best thing is to actually get a keyboard and connect it directly to your adat and record onto that.

If you want a cheap laptop, then you might consider looking at Dell laptops? I think you can get some pretty cheap ones from there, not bad either for the price. If your going to be using it just for that, i would say a 2.2ghz processor and maybe 256mb ram (512 if you can).

You could maybe just get a drum machine if your only going to be triggering drum sounds. you could hook that up and maybe use that?

I dont know if ive answered your question there or if ive just blabbered on about nothing.. But hope it helped a little :(

Good luck!
 
I was hoping to use midi to trigger sounds. After doing some more research, I am now interested in the best method to trigger drums sounds from a computer. Would I go in via midi?
 
You can use MIDI to trigger the sounds, the thing is, you need the sounds. MIDI is NOT the sound, it is control information for the sound.

So, you could get the sound from a soft synth on your computer (if you had one) or a hardware synth/sampler.

For what you are describing, your triggers are just another form of MIDI controller.
 
Hook up your triggers to an Alesis DR-5 man (or whatever the new Alesis drum module is) and plug the module right into your recorder/mixer/amp. You'll be happy and have a blast!

A few years ago, to make a budget drum kit with hundreds of sounds, I bought a bunch of piezos from Radio Shack and goo'ed them to the back of some rubber practice pads. Hitting the pads triggered the Alesis and let me have a HUGE drum kit for a few hundred bucks. Unfortunately, I can't play the drums worth a darn so I sold the "kit" to someone who could.
 
what kind of interface do I want if I am going to go with a computer? The triggers are 1/4 inch, so is there anything cheaper than a dm-4/5 to convert 1/4 trigger signals to midi?
 
You can get a DM4 on eBay for $150. And no, there's no cheaper way that I know of...
 
Yes..you need to plug them into a Module "BRAIN" to produce the midi...you could then plug them into a "SAMPLER" which contains drum samples of your choice. No need for a PC. Samplers have high quality AD/DA convertors and are soooo cheap now... An Akai s2000 or a EMU can go for less than $200. You can then pick up plenty of free AKAI EMU format samples on the net, or purchase a ready made CD.

You will need to match the MIDI notes the Brain sends, to the SAMPLES in the SAMPLER by changing the notes the Brain sends, or the notes the SAMPLER recieves for the corresponding kick, hat, snare, etc.,
 
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