Triggering From A Real Gong

[stevieb]

The mininster (or whomever is leading the service) at my little UU church gets everyone in a more proper state of mind by hitting a small gong. Thing is, it's smallish size- about 10 inches in diameter, and fairly light-weight construction means it does sound with much volume or authority.

The two sides of me that are usually warring with each other- the evil trickster and the helpmate have joined forces to "fix" this problem. I though, if I put a MIDI trigger on the back side of the gong, and ran the lead to a synth set on "gong," and ran the output to the sanctuary PA, when the gong was rang, the resulting sound would REALLY get everyone's attention. The trickster tells me to not tell ANYONE what I have done- just set it up and try not to fall out laughing at everyone's reaction. I can imagine our mininster looking at the clapper like Zoot (sax player in the Muppet Show's Dr. Teeth and The Electric Mayhem) looks at the bell of his sax after he honks on it.

Reason I am posting here: What kind of trigger will do the trick? My Ensoniq ESQ-1 has a bitchin' gong sound, so I have that part down.

Thanks.

 

[dintymoore]

If it takes a 1/4" trigger you could probably use one of these:
http://drums-percussion.musiciansfr...444035&src=3WFRWXX&ZYXSEM=0&CAWELAID=26032014
You could even make one because the parts you need are in an old smoke alarm or most microwave ovens. If you need it to be MIDI that's a bigger problem... you could do that with a Doepfer card but that would run $75 or so.

 

[dintymoore]

If you do end up rigging up a trigger, it would give you the option of changing (as a fun prank) the sample triggered.

So after a few weeks and everybody gets used to the gong sound, see everybody's reaction when you change it to a cowbell.

Make sure you video it and post it if you do!