Author Topic: New member - DM10  (Read 1692 times)

New member - DM10
« on: December 25, 2015, 11:10:22 AM »
Hello all,

I'm Dee and I have the DM10 kit which I am going to update later...first off I need a better hi-hat. Thinking about a Yamaha or Roland one, depending what kind of a deal I can get.

I have drummed very little so far, started about 2 years ago but I typically only play a few hours a month and mostly only when I need to record stuff. The DM10 has served me fine so far, but the simple Hi-Hat annoys me to no end because on real drums (which I have played about a year) I use it quite a lot.

You can see my stuff in YouTube/deeaa or facebook/deeheikkinen or my own web pages (link takes to Google sites:

http://deeaa.pp.fi

And here's my couple latest drumming songs...I usually play all instruments but 'live' I play for this kinda weird band:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Znl7BK-kqU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vRYhM1hSU8I


Will be eager to discuss Alesis stuff once I get around to starting to upgrade my kit!

Cheers,

Dee
--
/deeaa on YT and Fandalism, /deeheikkinen on FB

Offline JohnRick

Re: New member - DM10
« Reply #1 on: December 25, 2015, 12:33:54 PM »
You can't upgrade to a Roland or Yamaha hihat and expect to get another response unless you also update the module.
The dedicated hihat input will only carry one zone for this kit regardless of what you put into it.
I have the RH135 on my high-end DTX900 (and a spare one) but would not think of using it with Alesis. Especially Yamaha btw which basically is the equivalent of Mac in the e-kit world (very proprietary).

Don't even think about upgrading to Alesis Pro-x hihat btw. The only advantage there is its looks, nothing else. I bought it, and it went back into the closet after a week. Prefer the stock hat.

That said - there are ways to get a 2-zone response from the DM10, but it involves som DIY:
http://www.dmdrummer.com/index.php?topic=4778.0


If you want to hear my RH135 in use - here is our latest release (fade solo in the end):
https://open.spotify.com/track/5rDtArdBNgHyzIGVsi7Twq
« Last Edit: December 25, 2015, 12:41:11 PM by JohnRick »

Re: New member - DM10
« Reply #2 on: December 25, 2015, 12:57:41 PM »
Thanks for the info!

However, I'm more interested in getting it to properly read open and close positions AND the in-between positions than dual zone. Would the brain be able to read continuous changing data stream that'd allow for smooth transition from closed to open and so on. As it is, I only get totally open and totally closed without anything in between and even that is kinda laggy and hard to use - need to lift the leg from the pedal clearly in advance or it misses the open position completely.

I've circumvented the problem by pretty much only playing open or closed and changing the velocity curves in my DAW/Superior Drummer afterwards to get the HiHat to have variation there.

The way I have it rigged is I have the click and tracks from the DAW to DM10 brain but not the triggered sounds, so when I play and record, I hear the Alesis' own sounds and when I listen to what I just recorded, it plays the Superior kit sounds from the MIDI track. So I'm only using the brain's own sounds for latency-free monitoring.

And the Hi-Hat works a LOT better that way too...still no in-between positions and a little laggy to open, but it's so so usable. However what gets recorded to MIDI file is pretty much just open or closed. (Cubase 6).

Hm. I for sure won't be upgrading my whole kit - the DM10 is quite good enough for me in every other respect...but perhaps it means I would need to get a new brain as well as a new Hi-Hat then.
--
/deeaa on YT and Fandalism, /deeheikkinen on FB

Offline Trondster

Re: New member - DM10
« Reply #3 on: December 25, 2015, 02:20:49 PM »
When registering MIDI you must set your software to listen to CC#4, which continously gets the hi-hat pedal position.
DM10 Pro kit with dampened rack, extra crashes, mesh heads, Gibraltar stands, P2002C and a dream cherry snare by Diamond Drums.

Re: New member - DM10
« Reply #4 on: December 25, 2015, 04:02:18 PM »
But...the dm 10 only sends open and close and nothing in between? Or does it?
--
/deeaa on YT and Fandalism, /deeheikkinen on FB

Offline JohnRick

Re: New member - DM10
« Reply #5 on: December 25, 2015, 04:46:43 PM »
But...the dm 10 only sends open and close and nothing in between? Or does it?

DM10 is capable of handling CC4-values, must lika any other drum module (guess there are exceptions).
Make sure that you have calibrated the hihat in the module and that it is setup to receive CC4-values accordingly.

Then when it sounds good in the module you may start fiddling with the velocity maps in SD, AD etc.
I haven't had that need though, once the module is set up properly, so I'm happy with triggering SDX libraries without any modifications other than a midi node for sidestick in Superior Drummer.

Re: New member - DM10
« Reply #6 on: December 26, 2015, 01:23:41 AM »
So...that reads to me that if the hihat controller were better and really sent in between values (it seems to me the pedal of DM10 sends pretty much only on or off and velocity...the area for getting a half closed sound is like 1/10 inch and changes position it seems...I figured it just guesses when leaving closed that you want half open if you do it slowly)...I have spent hours trying to adjust it and the best I can do is make it so that I can actually play pedal hihat on it without triggering a splash, but even that it still does.

In a word, the pedal on the 10 is plain terrible.
I tried a Yamaha one the other day and on that you could do like 16th notes and vary the openness of the hats for instance, wasn't just tick tick and straight to splash splash only, and you could even hit it and open right after impact for a 'zi-kashh' sound on one hit...in a word it behaved about 10 times better than the alesis plastic pedal like thingy.

I guess I'll have to borrow one from the store and see how it functions.
--
/deeaa on YT and Fandalism, /deeheikkinen on FB

Offline Trondster

Re: New member - DM10
« Reply #7 on: December 27, 2015, 03:39:44 AM »
The pedal itself is a variable resistor, and the module measures different resistances, and sends those as continuous CC#4 signals every time you move the pedal, with values from 0 to 127 depending on the position of the pedal. You can configure the module to send the same MIDI note for cymbal hits or different notes depending on if it is fully open or closed.
The module itself has samples for four different degrees of openness for most hi-hats, but you can get even more granularity on a VST.

The module doesn't send different notes for each in-between position. It sends CC#4 signals, and you must configure your VST to read those signals. I believe the problem here is that you haven't done so.

So - the module does in deed handle and send in-between positions - you just need to configure your VST to read the CC#4 signals.
« Last Edit: December 27, 2015, 03:53:48 AM by Trondster »
DM10 Pro kit with dampened rack, extra crashes, mesh heads, Gibraltar stands, P2002C and a dream cherry snare by Diamond Drums.

Re: New member - DM10
« Reply #8 on: December 27, 2015, 04:03:57 AM »
First I need to get the DM10 brain itself to play the in between positions I guess. Because as it is factory setting it basically only plays open and closed and detects pedal hihat (very poorly) even if I listen to the brain. I have tried to adjust the velocity curves etc. But it only seems to adjust the sensitivity and sound level of hitting the cymbal. Can't find how to make it play those in between positions.

Sometimes it kinda plays in between positions but it is impossible to keep the pedal in a position that it would constantly play those. So I was guessing it was only optical on/off for the pedal. It looks like it is just a simple optical switch.
--
/deeaa on YT and Fandalism, /deeheikkinen on FB

Offline Trondster

Re: New member - DM10
« Reply #9 on: December 27, 2015, 04:46:16 AM »
Try adjusting the open and closed TRIM values, calibrating the pedal. Here's a thread about pedal modifications: http://www.dmdrummer.com/index.php?topic=2685.msg20433#msg20433
DM10 Pro kit with dampened rack, extra crashes, mesh heads, Gibraltar stands, P2002C and a dream cherry snare by Diamond Drums.

Re: New member - DM10
« Reply #10 on: December 27, 2015, 07:40:35 AM »
Thanks...I will check that out. Starting to feel hopeful maybe it can be made better after all1
--
/deeaa on YT and Fandalism, /deeheikkinen on FB

Re: New member - DM10
« Reply #11 on: December 29, 2015, 02:09:52 PM »
FWIW it works somewhat OK now...there is like closed, quietly open and loud open. Some more variation would be nice, but it's already usable. Just need to manually change the loudest hits now. Thanks a lot for help to all! 😀
--
/deeaa on YT and Fandalism, /deeheikkinen on FB

Offline Trondster

Re: New member - DM10
« Reply #12 on: December 30, 2015, 02:43:50 AM »
Good to hear!
DM10 Pro kit with dampened rack, extra crashes, mesh heads, Gibraltar stands, P2002C and a dream cherry snare by Diamond Drums.