Controlling Drumkit from Hell with Drum Pads

  • Thread starter Thread starter Ipso Facto
  • Start date Start date
I

Ipso Facto

New member
Hi. Because of neighbor/$$$ issues I record everything direct. I have Drum Kit from Hell Superior and I'm thinking of buying an electronic drumkit as a controller instead of punching stuff out on a keyboard. Has anyone had any experience with this?
 
I have no experience of drumkit from hell, but i made a set of trigger pads from a practice kit and bought a drum module which i connect to my pc to trigger whatever i want. Making trigger pads is easy and cheap, and after fiddling around with the midi settings for a bit it works like a charm.
 
Oh, can u tell me how to make trigger pads? Is it something like DIY?
 
Do you need any hardware between triggers and software samples (Aside from soundcards etc)? I have a real kit but it's too loud for the neighbors and I can't afford to soundproof/mic. Could I just get a set of dampeners to mute the drums and then use the triggers under those? How would I set this up?

Triggers>???????>Soundcard's Midi inputs?

Sorry if this is noob. :o :)
 
Ipso Facto said:
Do you need any hardware between triggers and software samples (Aside from soundcards etc)? I have a real kit but it's too loud for the neighbors and I can't afford to soundproof/mic. Could I just get a set of dampeners to mute the drums and then use the triggers under those? How would I set this up?

Triggers>???????>Soundcard's Midi inputs?

Sorry if this is noob. :o :)
Click to expand...


I use an Alesis DM5 drum module which has 12 trigger inputs, and plug that into my pc with a usb midi input which cost £40, allowing me to trigger whatever samples I want. The module cost £150 / $300 on ebay, and you can make the pads for next to nothing. It's worth it, believe me.

So yeah, you could turn acoustic drum dampeners into trigger pads no problem.

I'm in the process of getting a tutorial together on my website, i'll put the link up when it's done if you like.
 
Davenhurst said:
I use an Alesis DM5 drum module which has 12 trigger inputs, and plug that into my pc with a usb midi input which cost £40, allowing me to trigger whatever samples I want. The module cost £150 / $300 on ebay, and you can make the pads for next to nothing. It's worth it, believe me.

So yeah, you could turn acoustic drum dampeners into trigger pads no problem.

I'm in the process of getting a tutorial together on my website, i'll put the link up when it's done if you like.
Click to expand...

Cool! A link would be great. Thanks!
 
For now I might just go with the Yamaha DD55. It's got midi ins and outs... would that do the job? I've thought about the roland sp pad but the thing is I don't need inbuilt sounds since I'm only going to use it to trigger DFHS samples. Any advice?
 
Ipso Facto said:
For now I might just go with the Yamaha DD55. It's got midi ins and outs... would that do the job? I've thought about the roland sp pad but the thing is I don't need inbuilt sounds since I'm only going to use it to trigger DFHS samples. Any advice?
Click to expand...

I used to have a DD55 for this purpose, but it wasn't realistic enough for me. I now run two Yamaha DTXPress Kits combined and Control DFH with it, running Battery 2.0. The DTXPress kits can be found cheap used and I run mine with a simple M-Audio USB 1x1 MIDI interface that's only around $35. Works excellent.

Here's a photo. My bass drum pedals match now btw. (Two Pearls) :)
http://hc.themna.com/media/DFH/two.jpg

-Sys
 
Thanks...I was having second thoughts on the dd55 because it's only 32 voice and some people have complained, aside from it being an obvious toy :) , about the pads triggering wrong during more complex beats. I think I'll make the jump to a Roland Sp-s. Any thoughts? I'm about to go to HK and get it in about two hours...I hope someone replies before that. :o :D

P.S. Nice setup! :)
 
Ipso Facto said:
Thanks...I was having second thoughts on the dd55 because it's only 32 voice and some people have complained, aside from it being an obvious toy :) , about the pads triggering wrong during more complex beats. I think I'll make the jump to a Roland Sp-s. Any thoughts? I'm about to go to HK and get it in about two hours...I hope someone replies before that. :o :D

P.S. Nice setup! :)
Click to expand...

Well, the DD55 works great, but the lack of a better hi-hat controller pedal and a real kick pedal wasn't any good for me. You can add the ones from the DTXpress to the DD unit, but it wasn't worth it. Easier just to get a whole new setup.

Thanks BTW. :)

-Sys
 
LOL! I got hit with a severe case of G.A.S. and decided to buy this:

449912.jpg


I'll post pics when I set it up... :)
 
Sysera, or any of you for that matter,

I have a DTXpress and have been meaning to do exactly(with only one kit though :) ) what you are doing; triggering DFH with the DTXpress. Being a total noob at MIDI, I haven't found much info.

Could you layout how this would work? I have Sonar, and I guess, I'll need to get Battery. I have an M-Audio AP 2496 that does my audio in and Midi I/O. How would I set this up to trigger the sounds in DFH? Can you make "kits" or something so you can easily change the sound of a pad? How does that go into the sequencer? Ugh. :)

I just don't want to spend any money until I have a mental grasp of the entire process.

THANKS!
 
Ibrow said:
Sysera, or any of you for that matter,

I have a DTXpress and have been meaning to do exactly(with only one kit though :) ) what you are doing; triggering DFH with the DTXpress. Being a total noob at MIDI, I haven't found much info.

Could you layout how this would work? I have Sonar, and I guess, I'll need to get Battery. I have an M-Audio AP 2496 that does my audio in and Midi I/O. How would I set this up to trigger the sounds in DFH? Can you make "kits" or something so you can easily change the sound of a pad? How does that go into the sequencer? Ugh. :)

I just don't want to spend any money until I have a mental grasp of the entire process.

THANKS!
Click to expand...

I'm completely unfamiliar with Sonar, but this is the overall.

In Sonar somewhere, you can send your MIDI input to a virtual instrument, you need to send the MIDI input from your DTXPress to Battery.

In Battery, each sample you set up will have a MIDI trigger note. C1, D1, C#1, etc.

Go to edit the pad you are playing, like you would to change the sound in the DTXPress brain. If you page ahead a few, it will say Note C1 (Or something like that), simply set the pad to the note of the sample you want it to play.

Do that for each piece, then save the settings to that DTXPress setup, quickly. ;)

That's the basics of it, you can get into a lot more detail with velocity levels and such, but just try to get that rockin' for now. :)

-Sys
 
What do you think the cheapest module that would work decently is?

How's the Alesis DM4?
 
Thanks!

Is Battery the best/easiest/most cost-effective program to do this, or will other programs work?

I suppose I should hit Battery's site and see if they have a pdf manual or something. I think I'll do that now.

If I need more help, I'll hit you up again. :)
 
I suppose someone should have answered the initial question. LMAO!

Can you use the drum triggers to trigger the sounds in DFHS? Or do you absolutely need Battery?

I downloaded the Demo for battery, and it works pretty sweet with my DTXpress kit. But a full version would be $160. I can get DFHS for another $100 with a LOT more sounds it looks like ;) :D . I am hoping not to have to buy both.

Thanks!
 
Drumkit from Hell Superior has it's own interface. I think you only need battery for DFH and DFH2 which don't include one.

E-drums are great with DFHS! Simply goes MIDI into your sound card's MIDI inputs. Right now I only have 1 gig of RAM so I can't do anything realtime. I program the drums with the TD3 sounds and then switch to the DKFHS plugin during playback. One cool thing I found, was that your hi-hat pedal can trigger closed and open hi-hats in DFHS at the same time. Because the DKFHS interface only allows one high hat pad, I was under the impression I had to program all the closed hi-hats, bounce, and then do the opens etc.

This might also mean I can synch the rim trigger on the V-drum snare to a DKFHS rimshot and be able to record snare and rimshot simultaneously.

How many gigs of RAM do I need to use DFHS in realtime? I've heard anywhere from 3-5 depending on how much mic bleed you are using. Does anyone know firsthand?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top