Author Topic: Once was DM10  (Read 2583 times)

Offline Dobly

Once was DM10
« on: January 26, 2018, 06:24:15 PM »
It has been a long journey modding my ancient DM10X kits and tweaking every ounce of pliability out of this pad design.

First some retrospective.. Way back in the early 70s I was playing a Pearl kit in a garage (where else?)



I wish I still had that kit! Anyway. Look at the wrap. It's called Ocean Oyster and I found it online a few months ago.

I hatched a plan to rewrap my drums. But if I was going to put this wrap on my shells, my shells would need to be taller. So my Shell Deepening project started which I documented here.

http://www.alesisdrummer.com/index.php?topic=7470.msg50175#msg50175

Anyway, without any further ado, he is my 'Once was DM10' kit now..



and a shot of the control room.



Offline AlanK

Re: Once was DM10
« Reply #1 on: January 29, 2018, 12:30:30 PM »
Absolutely marvelous! I'm a 70s kid too and am always fascinated with pics from the day, especially if there's musical gear involved. So cool. And the new modded kit is amazingly cool as well, nice wraps! Is all that electronic gear on the table beside your set for your drums?? Imagine not, but if it is, wow..hahaha.. good stuff man
DM10X with Addictive Drums 2, Pro X hi-hat, 4 crashes, foam cone conversion w Roland mesh heads, Laurin Drums snare and kick, Mapex P710W double kick pedal, Mapex 2 legged hi-hat, Behringer 8 channel USB mixer, Tascam 144MK AI, Samson Expedition Escape powered speakers

Offline Dartanbeck

Re: Once was DM10
« Reply #2 on: January 29, 2018, 01:48:11 PM »
Fantastic, Dobly!!! Love that kit!
Alesis DM10X Mesh - Laurin Drums & Cymbals - Strike Module
Dartanbeck.com Digital Artist

Offline Dobly

Re: Once was DM10
« Reply #3 on: January 29, 2018, 11:25:10 PM »
Is all that electronic gear on the table beside your set for your drums?? Imagine not, but if it is, wow..hahaha.. good stuff man

I'm afraid so AlanK. To the right of the hats and down a bit is the  DM10. Just below and behind the hats is the Sample Rack. Above the sample rack is one of my 2 MTMMMES multipads. The other is on the right of the kit.  There is also a mic on the hats.

The DM10 is plugged into the laptop which is running AD2. Also on that laptop is Reaper and Freestyler (a DMX lighting app)

The laptop is connected via USB to a Focusrite 2i4 which you can see on the left of the shot. The 4 in 2i4 means it has 4 output. So, AD2 goes out of outputs 1 and 2, while the bands backings go out of 3 and the matching click track out of 4.

Outputs 3 and 4  go to the 2nd mixer. More on that below.

My drum sounds go to a channel on a little Behringer mixer. Also in that mixer I send AD2 from the 2i4, the Sample Rack, and the hi hat and Ride mics. So that mixer lets me balance all my sounds.  The Main out of that mixer goes to our front of house desk. The FX Send goes out to my huge foldback for the other guys in the band and the Headphones out of that mixer goes to a channel on the 2nd mixer.

The next mixer is Soundtech Quantum ST-2010 or some such thing.

I use 5 tracks on this mixer.

1. The drums coming from the headphones on the first mixer. 
2. The backings from line 3 of the focusrite
3. The click track gets its own channel.
4. My vocal mice (which get split up near the mic to run to here and the foh desk)
5. I have an android tablet in there that is on random play back for between the sets

Only the backing track (or the play back music) has its volume slider up. All the rest are on zero and I use the pre fader Monitor 1 on each to send it to the Monitor 1 output. That output goes to a little headphone amp and up to my ears so I have as much drums, backings, vocals and click that  want.

Phew!

« Last Edit: February 08, 2018, 12:07:48 AM by Dobly »

Offline Dartanbeck

Re: Once was DM10
« Reply #4 on: February 08, 2018, 10:20:35 PM »
Gorgeous Kit Dobly! I love the story on how you deepened the shells as well as the MTMMMES multipads... Very cool stuff!
Alesis DM10X Mesh - Laurin Drums & Cymbals - Strike Module
Dartanbeck.com Digital Artist

Re: Once was DM10
« Reply #5 on: March 15, 2018, 08:08:34 PM »
Thanks, now I have to deepen mine!

Offline Dobly

Re: Once was DM10
« Reply #6 on: March 19, 2018, 06:23:39 PM »
Thanks, now I have to deepen mine!

Its a very satisfying project but there some gotchas I can give you some tips on.

1. When you make your shells taller you tension rods will no longer fit. I tried to get ones long enough but now I use 100mm allen bolts on my pads. I have to say. I prefer allen bolt to regular drum lugs. The Allen wrench sits snuggly in the top of the bolt and you can spin it with your finger. They look pretty smart too.

2. Once the shells are taller you'll need to work out  what to do with the insides of you pads. The easiest option is to just add more padding and move the metal plate up. Or you go nuts and rip the insides out and redesign the pad. I can help with that if you go down that route.

3. You need new drum wrap. This is is a bonus and puts your stamp on our DIY efforts.
« Last Edit: March 19, 2018, 07:57:18 PM by Dobly »

Offline Dartanbeck

Re: Once was DM10
« Reply #7 on: March 19, 2018, 08:11:05 PM »
I love the allen screw idea! But if someone wants/needs to stick with drum key tension rods, DIY for Drummers shops that sell the bits n' bobs (like drum lugs, etc.,) have many different sizes available. Perhaps order those before getting on with the DIY and measure the new shells to fit? Just an idea.

I really do love Dobly's method though! Looks great and I almost always have allen keys nearby. Might even do that even though I don't need to! LOL
Alesis DM10X Mesh - Laurin Drums & Cymbals - Strike Module
Dartanbeck.com Digital Artist

Offline Dobly

Re: Once was DM10
« Reply #8 on: March 30, 2018, 02:46:33 AM »
I love the allen screw idea! But if someone wants/needs to stick with drum key tension rods, DIY for Drummers shops that sell the bits n' bobs (like drum lugs, etc.,) have many different sizes available. Perhaps order those before getting on with the DIY and measure the new shells to fit? Just an idea.

I really do love Dobly's method though! Looks great and I almost always have allen keys nearby. Might even do that even though I don't need to! LOL

The idea was given to me from the guy at drumbase..

http://www.drummersbase.com.au/

At the time I was after 70mm drum lugs.. The trick with the DM10 pads is they use an M6 thread. Regular drum lugs are in imperial and do not fit. So was asking Shaun at Drummerbase and he suggested the Allen bolts. They are easy to get, and way cheaper than drum lugs. And the little L shaped wrench is way cheaper than a drum key.