DM Dock and DM Touch - Another Alesis Failure

[stratocaster]

It has become clear to me that based on the reviews the DMDock is a bust. A premature and poorly planned product that has done nothing but further hurt the reputation of the company.

I also think the DMTouch software has serious issues. I will qualify my experience by saying I am a MIDI novice and challenged in this area and may be missing something (but what I was trying to do is not rocket surgery). I have read what little is available regarding the use of the software (Alesis does not provide much instruction as far as I know, and when I click on the DMTouch Support link I get a "server not found" message). I am using an Ipad 1 (IOS 5.1.1) and the latest "update" DMTouch software (1.0.1). I did not purchase the DMDock but was planning on using the IODock with the DMTouch. I have downloaded the software several times to see if a faulty download may be the source of the problems I am having.  I have read  various reports that the software has glitches and defaults to MIDI notes that work with some e-kits or it defaults to MIDI note zero for all drums. My particular software defaulted to MIDI note 60 for the bass drum and MIDI note 0 for everything else. However when I press say the snare in the Trigger Inputs setting and go back to the bass drum it indicates 0 as the MIDI note for the bass drum. There is also a button that indicates Reset Triggers which seems to do absolutely nothing. That's not the worst of it. The software does not save any changes that you make to the trigger setting or MIDI notes after you turn off the Ipad. It will save kits but not settings or assigned MIDI notes. However, it will save everything if you exit the program and return to it without turning off the Ipad. So the software is more or less useless unless you just enjoy tapping on drum icons on your Ipad. I am not sure exactly what is going on with Alesis, but where is the support for the app? I have no idea if the software is wacky or there is some other issue (maybe with my Ipad, but I doubt it). So my conclusion based on experience and what I have read is that the software is garbage and the DMDock is garbage. This seems to be a research and development project that escaped from the lab prematurely.

[Sal]

+1 for rocket surgery

Alesis is notoriously stingy with product support.

Also, you think using the OG iPad may be an issue? Have you tried it with a newer model?

[AlanK]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6u0x8caFNlA


midi talk at 6:45


he doesn't go into a lot of midi note settings talk but it would seem it should work. Maybe it only works properly when in the dock?

[stratocaster]

I admit the iPad might be the problem (but unlikely). My iPad has the operating system that is required by the information on the app page. The  app appears to only have had one update ("minor bug fixes"). Now maybe the the problem is the update not being compatible  with the operating system, but that's not indicated on the app page. When updates cause problems the App Store usually has a way to install the older version. All that being said, where is the @#%$ support to work all this out. I have to say if it was not for this forum, then a lot of people would have trashed the DM10 in all its iterations and the product would be dead in the water. This forum is Alesis support of drummers. Alesis should freakin pay Hellfire for all he has done to help continue to sell their drum equipment by providing a venue for upgrades and workarounds.

[stratocaster]

Yep, one of my thoughts was that somehow Alesis got all crazy going nuts that the DMTouch software might work independently of the Dock (there are videos of it doing just that) and decided to mess with the software so it only works when an iPad is placed in the DMDock. It would be nice if they let people know. However, it seems weird that they would not let you save settings on your iPad when it is not placed in a Dock (be it IO or DM).

[vaikl]

Yep, one of my thoughts was that somehow Alesis got all crazy going nuts that the DMTouch software might work independently of the Dock (there are videos of it doing just that) and decided to mess with the software so it only works when an iPad is placed in the DMDock. It would be nice if they let people know. However, it seems weird that they would not let you save settings on your iPad when it is not placed in a Dock (be it IO or DM).

I can reproduce this bug, i'm on an iPad mini (same architecture than an iPad 2) and on IOS 8.2 (latest from yesterday;-). I lose my MIDI mapping when i close and reopen the app, no hardware shutdown necessary.

Could be the idea behind that bugs to strictly use the app only with hardware, but then Apple would intervene immediately if some app requires special hardware and the developer didn't mention it in the description. Big foul. But... nothing seems to be impossible for Alesis today

[stratocaster]

Yep, it's the software. I can use the Garage Band drums without a problem using the IODock and my iPad. Alesis is really something.  The whole mess will be found in online discount bins very shortly.

[stratocaster]

This proves it worked without the DM Dock before they %$&#$ with it:

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

Hmm, now that I think about it the DM Touch software probably worked a lot better with the IO Dock (plus you get all the extra features of the IO Dock as well as more versatility). The geniuses at Alesis probably realized that they had an older, better and cheaper product that would eat into the market share of the DM Dock so they had to sabotage the software use in the IO Dock. Then again, maybe I am giving them too much credit and they just unintentionally %$&#@ up the software so it doesn't work for anybody (including new DM Dock owners).

[vaikl]

Then again, maybe I am giving them too much credit and they just unintentionally %$&#@ up the software so it doesn't work for anybody (including new DM Dock owners).

Hm, some 2 cents: For me it's totally unclear if the trigger settings in DMTouch will change something *in the DMDock itself*. It could also be an software-limited, internal system of filters to trigger the in-build sounds of DMTouch. More tests should be done with a DMDock and other MIDI apps on IOS devices (which should work in theory) and with a DMDock and two iPads with two DMTouch apps, just to show if the trigger settings will be stored in the DMDock hardware or only in DMTouch.

I don't owe a DMDock nor will I, so other heroes are welcome to test

[Sal]

Yeah that's some tin-foil-hat kind of thinking, but I can see what you mean.

[AlanK]

I believe the dock is simply the conduit so that the trigger inputs, midi in/out. volume and power can pass through some circuit board(s) and send the signals to the iPad. Just a shell pretty much to patch cables into the device with the software. Nothing stored in the dock itself.

[Chaser]

I still have a copy of 1.0..it is the same as the 1.01 except no IAA
I haven't received a response from Alesis for almost a year concerning the features , rim/midi assigments etc.
There hasn't been an update for the DMTouch for almost a year.
The 1.01 update was to enable the IAA as it was in the products description in the app store.

DMTouch is nothing more than a full featured Demo..I don't believe it needs to be "fixed"..but rather the features need to be enabled or turned on.
It is a SQLite build with dls files, and the UI is made up of iDrum nib files.
each kit has.. SQLite script (bank locker including "purchasable" dls)
...dls files.(downloadable sounds)...each dls file has 8 layers which was promising
... kit pieces.. png
there are some extra banks such as custom kits..extra kicks..etc
other than the allowance of "live" editing,mixing and saving kit pieces ,everything seems to be disabled/off including global parameters / save function..so once you close the app it defaults/resets.
It was setup for server communication/authorization/purchasing which to date no server has been set up.
Thats more than likely the reason it's free..if there was a fee involved Apple would not allow it in the App Store as it would have to be fully functional.

Alesis "dangled a carrot"...if/when it is completed there will more than likely be a fee/user account or hardware dependent inter-app purchasing etc..examples such as Digitech iStomp..(Digitech gave up on the iStomp and all models are now free) or something along the lines of  IK Multimedia ..
who knows...based on the past couple years the DMTouch/DMDock may end up under a different brand..or maybe there will be an update for the DMDock that unlocks all the features of the app..or the server goes online.
at this point and time it's all speculation

The source code is in there also but it would be too time consuming.. not to mention the legal issues to make it fully functional

If you wish to review the app build..ipa is a package delivery method ..got to music/itunes/mobile media.. copy/place the ipa in a folder..rename the file extension to zip..and extract it,you can view the code resources, SQLite files with notepad and you can use a program such as Awave Studio to open/edit/play the sound files

[Dimitris Miglis]

ANYONE HAVE THE DM TOUCH APP? I HAVE DMDOCK SOTTONG AROUND WITH BARBA X DRUMS NO TRIGGER SETTINGS AT ALL STRUGGLING TO MAKE IT WORK I THINK I HAVE TO MAKE MY OWN APP IF I FIND THE RIGHT CODE AS TRIGGER IO ONLY FOR MIDI MAPPING AND TRIGGER SETTINGS USING WITH VST