Setting Xtalk on the DM10

[Andy Keys]

Ok, stoopid newbie question, but why don't you just set every pad (and rim) to the maximum settings for Xtalk Rev, Xtalk Snd and Zone XTalk to their maximum settings? (i.e. least likely to cause or be affected by crosstalk). Does it affect the dynamic range of the pads or something like that?

Regards
Andy
Would like to promise his questions will get more intelligent, but doesn't want to let you down.

[Trondster]

Ok, stoopid newbie question, but why don't you just set every pad (and rim) to the maximum settings for Xtalk Rev, Xtalk Snd and Zone XTalk to their maximum settings? (i.e. least likely to cause or be affected by crosstalk). Does it affect the dynamic range of the pads or something like that?

This will cause mistriggers - when you play fast and/or complicated beats, hits will be ignored, as the module believes them to be mistriggers - especially when you have several simultaneous hits or hits very close after each other. Try it!

[sfish]

Ok, stoopid newbie question, but why don't you just set every pad (and rim) to the maximum settings for Xtalk Rev, Xtalk Snd and Zone XTalk to their maximum settings? (i.e. least likely to cause or be affected by crosstalk). Does it affect the dynamic range of the pads or something like that?

This will cause mistriggers - when you play fast and/or complicated beats, hits will be ignored, as the module believes them to be mistriggers - especially when you have several simultaneous hits or hits very close after each other. Try it!

Excellent question. Insightful answer. I think this provides a solution for one nagging issue I've been experiencing lately. Thanks and thanks!

- Steve

[DRIVE]

just got my DM10Pro Kit yesterday from Guitar Center.  I'm grateful for this thread.  you guys rock. 

Starting to get it figured out, slowly, but surely.  Thanks again!!

[Sxinner]

Hi all,

I'm a noob to (e)drumming...
Just yesterday I put up my brand new DM10 Studio Kit.
Nice kit, manual stinks!

Question; What does "reTrigger" exactly do and how should I use it?
Can please someone explain to me?

Thanx!

[Hellfire]

Hi all,

I'm a noob to (e)drumming...
Just yesterday I put up my brand new DM10 Studio Kit.
Nice kit, manual stinks!

Question; What does "reTrigger" exactly do and how should I use it?
Can please someone explain to me?

Thanx!

Here is the official Alesis definition of Retrigger:

Retrigger: How quickly the module processes repeated strikes of the same trigger (00-99). This is the minimum amount of time needed between successive strikes of the same trigger for the second one to produce a sound. (For instance, if your Retrigger setting is 50 and you strike the trigger once, it will produce a sound if the next strike is at least 50 milliseconds later. Otherwise, it will be silent.) (Note: This parameter is only seen on certain pages since it already affects both zones of a drum pad or cymbal that "share" the same TRIGGER INPUT.)

A lot of times this is helpful with the bass trigger. Many times (on electronic drum kits) the bass beater tends to bounce when striking surface of the trigger. This causes a double hit when only one hit is needed. Adjust the retrigger to minimize this from happening. I hope that helps.

[Sxinner]

Here is the official Alesis definition of Retrigger:

Retrigger: How quickly the module processes repeated strikes of the same trigger (00-99). This is the minimum amount of time needed between successive strikes of the same trigger for the second one to produce a sound. (For instance, if your Retrigger setting is 50 and you strike the trigger once, it will produce a sound if the next strike is at least 50 milliseconds later. Otherwise, it will be silent.) (Note: This parameter is only seen on certain pages since it already affects both zones of a drum pad or cymbal that "share" the same TRIGGER INPUT.)

A lot of times this is helpful with the bass trigger. Many times (on electronic drum kits) the bass beater tends to bounce when striking surface of the trigger. This causes a double hit when only one hit is needed. Adjust the retrigger to minimize this from happening. I hope that helps.

Thanks for the quick and clear response, Hellfire!
Where did you get this "special" information? Is it downloadable from Alesis?
I for sure can use more of this because the manual really sucks.
I also need to find out how the metronom works. But I can not figure it out by only reading the manual.
Thanks again 

[Trondster]

It's in the manual, page 25.

To start/stop the Metronome, push the "Metronome" button above the equalizer. To adjust the tempo, either tap the "tap tempo" button in the correct tempo, or hold the "tap tempo" button while spinning the control wheel. You can adjust the Metronome settings in the menu - press the Utility button and then F1 to access the Metronome menu.

Cheers,
Trondster

[Ennuk3]

 You can also change the time signature of the metronome, by changing the time signature in the current sequence.

 When that sequence is selected (it doesn't need to play), the time signature is adopted to the metronome.

[Sxinner]

You can also change the time signature of the metronome, by changing the time signature in the current sequence.

 When that sequence is selected (it doesn't need to play), the time signature is adopted to the metronome.

AH! Now that's what I was looking for...
Thanks Ennuk3 

[Graham]

Hi guys, when I attempt to save new parameters by pressing "store" the screen says "WRITE PROTECTED" and does not allow me to save my settings. What am I missing?

[recklessrog]

hi, easy fix, page 2 of the manual, deactivate write protect. press utility, press sys, press OS, press MEM, turn write protect off!

[Graham]

Many thanks Recklessrob.... cheers!

[sublimaze69]

Good evening everyone, I'm a brand new DM10X Kit owner as of about 4 hours ago. I haven't even started putting the kit together, its all laid out in pieces on the floor! I was sitting at my computer updating my DM10 Module when I stumbled across these forums and ideas and I've been truly FASCINATED and enlightened by all of the wisdom and dedication that everyone has here!! Kudos to you all, and thank you for being dedicated enough to take the time and post, so that others may learn from your experience and not have the troubles. I am going to switch to mesh, dampen the rack and all of the clamps and everything else that contacts the rack, and hopefully be way ahead of the game before i even setup my kit for the first time! I hope to someday, be able to express how much I appreciate all of these insider tricks and tips!!
Thank you all again for everything!

sublimaze69

[Trondster]

Welcome aboard, sublimaze69!

Sounds like you're off to a good start!

[Slotrace.dk]

I'm in a mess. 
I tried to go by your instructions, but I started to get windchime sound on the tam 1 and 2 and lost track where I was.
Could someone please, please, please just write down the numbers for me for each part?
I do have the latest software.

[Trondster]

If you read the thread, I listed the settings for my mesh-converted kit earlier in the thread. But - you still need to tweak your trigger settings. You need to remove the crosstalk from your toms - reduce the sensitivity on the rims on your trouble pads, and increase the zone xtalk a bit.
You need to go over all the pads and properly set the sensitivity and threshold - separate sensitivity adjustments for both the heads and rims. When that is done, it's time to do the xtalk settings. It's all in the main thread.

[Slotrace.dk]

So you do think I can start of with your settings despite the different heads?

Right now I have gone back to factory default settings and changed piezo to switch. But I got cross talking all over.
Are the kick drum allowed to touch the frame?
Seems like I got a lot of different sounds when I try to play.

[Trondster]

I think you should start following the directions in the first post in this thread - it explains setting the sensitivity and threshold.

Do all the pads one by one.

Set the sensitivity as low as possible - the volume meter should hit the maximum only on your strongest hits.
Set the threshold as high as possible set it high, without it interfering on your soft ghost notes.

Then, when you have set the sensitivity, it's time to have a look at the xtalk settings. If a trigger affects many other triggers - raise the xtalk send. If a trigger is affected by many other triggers - raise the xtalk receive. But - avoid settings of 7 (the maximum) and preferably avoid 6 as well. If you have set a low sensitivity and a high threshold, you won't need that high xtalk send/receive values.

If there is xtalk within the pad (rim sounds sound when you hit the head, for example):
Set the threshold for the entire trigger and sensitivity for both zones. It is the combination of the various trigger settings that determine the behaviour. If the pad is problematic - increase the zone xtalk.


Of course - the information above is already in the thread, but this is what you should do.

[Slotrace.dk]

Okay, thanks will do.
Just one more question, is it normal that when I touch/hit the wires or the frame, sounds are "played" too?
Or do I have an overload of some kind?

[Trondster]

Okay, thanks will do.
Just one more question, is it normal that when I touch/hit the wires or the frame, sounds are "played" too?
Or do I have an overload of some kind?

Yes - this is normal.

"Don't bump the frame".

Shocks and vibrations are transmitted through the frame, and when they reach the various sensors, the piezo sensors will pick them up as vibrations, and the module may interpret them as hits.
This may partially be mitigated by high threshold values, as you should strive to have anyway. You want the sensitivity low, but not too low, and the threshold high, but not too high.

The crosstalk is mostly removed by setting correct sensitivity and threshold parameters - the xtalk settings are to mop up the remainders.

[Slotrace.dk]

That was not what I would have expected from a kit at that price.

[vaikl]

Could you explain to us which kit of which brand in this price range has a completely isolated rack and/or triggers which are not acting on sonic impact?

I would buy this kit immediatley...

[Slotrace.dk]

I had an old, used Millenium Mps200 and have had more fun with that than I have with this new DM10.
Sometimes I think I should have gone for the cheaper Millenium Mps600 instead.
I want to play music, not tuning the kit for hours before I can play and then still get misfits sounds.

[bigcity]

There is a lot of new users to edrums trying to figure out how to set Xtalk (crosstalk) settings on their DM10 modules. I would like this topic to be techniques on how to get the best xtalk results out of your Alesis DM10. Please feel free to share your techniques for adjusting xtalk on your kit. I will start with this:

I would first start with a module reset. See page 2 "RESETTING THE MODULE TO FACTORY DEFAULTS" From there I would upload the latest firmware from Alesis in to your DM10 module. If that doesn't get you where you want to be, you will need to adjust settings by hand.

To start, make sure you have your cross talk settings on all triggers set to zero. Adjusting nothing but Threshold settings, go through each trigger adjusting the threshold up as far as you can live with. You will still hear cross talk between triggers, but you should notice that is has been diminished.

Next we want to focus on ZoneTalk settings. This is the cross talk between adjacent zone (or the two zones in one input). This setting only works for adjacent zone (i.e. Tom#1 head & Tom#1 Rim). Only focus on one dual zone trigger at a time here. If you hit the head (or rim) of a trigger and you hear cross talk to the rim (or head) of the same trigger, raise the value up as little as possible to eliminate most (may not be 100% yet) of the cross talk. Never raise it past 4 or 5. At this point you should have 80-90% of the cross talk between adjacent zone resolved. Do this for each dual zone trigger.

Now we can go in and adjust the Xtalk Send and Receive at each trigger. Again, use these settings very sparingly. You should never go above a setting of 4 or 5. Anymore than that will cause drop out issues. This portions is a little bit of trial and error. You can try adjusting the Xtalk receive first on all the trigger you hear as cross talk, but make sure you are on that trigger. Meaning, if you hit tom#1 and hear a crash sound. Go to the crash trigger settings and adjust the xtalk receive from there. Again, don't go past xtalk settings of 4 or 5. If you are at 5 and still get a little cross talk, then go and adjust the xtalk send for the trigger that you are hitting. Meaning if you hit Tom#1 and the crash sounds just a little adjust the xtalk send of Tom#1. At this point your cross talk should be 95% or more gone. If you are still getting cross talk at this point, you should start looking at other options such as a snare stand and a stand for your hi-hat. Maybe even stuffing your rack tubes with foam.

Remember the sticks you use and how hard you play can effect your crosstalk. I would never play edrums with any stick larger then a 5A. I hope that helps.

I lost my kick pad all of a sudden.. the volume of the pad went way down.. Itried to see the sesitivity and found it was at 09.. when I increrased ir to 29-30 it came back.. but when i would turn the machine off it would be lost again.. why is that?? so i tried to reset to factory settings and all the previouse sounds i had from the facory are all changed now and sound terrible..what do i do now??