Author Topic: Another old-timer looking to start playing again  (Read 2103 times)

Offline splatter96

Another old-timer looking to start playing again
« on: November 22, 2016, 04:01:21 PM »
Okay, I've seen several guys here that have been off their thrones for years/decades. It's been 22 years for me, and I have a bunch of buddies (plus my wife) who have been wanting me to pick up sticks again and jam. I found a used DM-10 on Craig's List for cheap, and was going to buy it, but the nitwit guy who listed it sold it to someone else. In steps Guitar Center, who offers me 36 months same-as-cash, so I'm thinking of picking up a brand-new Crimson.

Good idea?
DM10X kit, Tama Iron Cobra 600 double pedal, Roc-n-Soc Nitro throne, Shure SE315 IEMs, Sennheiser HD280 Pro headphones, Simmons DA350 drum monitor, Addictive Drums 2, QuikLok LPH004 laptop stand

Offline splatter96

Re: Another old-timer looking to start playing again
« Reply #1 on: November 22, 2016, 04:02:14 PM »
Oh, and I've never played on e-drums before; only acoustic.
DM10X kit, Tama Iron Cobra 600 double pedal, Roc-n-Soc Nitro throne, Shure SE315 IEMs, Sennheiser HD280 Pro headphones, Simmons DA350 drum monitor, Addictive Drums 2, QuikLok LPH004 laptop stand

Offline splatter96

Re: Another old-timer looking to start playing again
« Reply #2 on: November 22, 2016, 07:20:29 PM »
So now Alesis is having a Black Friday sale, and the DM10 X is going for $599! It's not the mesh heads, though. I've read the manuals for both the Crimson and DM10 controllers, and it looks like the DM10 controller is more versatile.
DM10X kit, Tama Iron Cobra 600 double pedal, Roc-n-Soc Nitro throne, Shure SE315 IEMs, Sennheiser HD280 Pro headphones, Simmons DA350 drum monitor, Addictive Drums 2, QuikLok LPH004 laptop stand

Offline rhysT

Re: Another old-timer looking to start playing again
« Reply #3 on: November 23, 2016, 12:31:59 AM »
So now Alesis is having a Black Friday sale, and the DM10 X is going for $599! It's not the mesh heads, though. I've read the manuals for both the Crimson and DM10 controllers, and it looks like the DM10 controller is more versatile.

Yeah that's good value for a DM10X and converting the pads to mesh heads is fairly easy and inexpensive.
Plus you could team it up with one of the new modules expected next year from Pearl or maybe Alesis (let's not forget DM Dock's extensive delay).

And btw, welcome to the quiet achievers club!  8)
« Last Edit: November 23, 2016, 01:14:13 AM by rhysT »

Online AlanK

Re: Another old-timer looking to start playing again
« Reply #4 on: November 23, 2016, 08:17:59 AM »
So now Alesis is having a Black Friday sale, and the DM10 X is going for $599! It's not the mesh heads, though. I've read the manuals for both the Crimson and DM10 controllers, and it looks like the DM10 controller is more versatile.
Wow, that's 400 less than I paid for mine, and it was on sale with a rebate to boot! You should get it, the X is much better than the Studio.. larger pads.

Welcome to the forum and back to drumming. It was about 25 years for me, what a joy I'd been missing all those years
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 splatter96

Re: Another old-timer looking to start playing again
« Reply #5 on: November 23, 2016, 09:22:26 AM »
I like that the DM10X will allow me to use the ProX Hi-Hat. I wonder if Alexis will develop something for its new systems. I like the thumb-drive slot in the Crimson, and I like that I can install new sounds. Doesn't look like I can do that with the DM10.
« Last Edit: November 23, 2016, 12:26:13 PM by splatter96 »
DM10X kit, Tama Iron Cobra 600 double pedal, Roc-n-Soc Nitro throne, Shure SE315 IEMs, Sennheiser HD280 Pro headphones, Simmons DA350 drum monitor, Addictive Drums 2, QuikLok LPH004 laptop stand

Offline splatter96

Re: Another old-timer looking to start playing again
« Reply #6 on: November 23, 2016, 12:38:44 PM »
Out of curiosity, I tried to order the DM10X from the Alesis website, but it says they are out of stock. I called Alesis/inMusic. They said that the kits are merely on hold until they are released for sale tomorrow. I think I'll go with the DM10X, since it will save me $300 over the Crimson, and comes with an extra crash and  tom, which would cost me another $300 or so. For $599 for the DM10X, I can't go wrong. I don't see myself needing to add any more samples in the near future, and if I understand correctly, I guess I can add an external midi device and trigger that with the DM10 controller if I want more. I know lots of you guys like Hellfire can enlighten me. The only major downside to the DM10X is the mylar heads, but it looks like I can just order mesh heads from 682drums. I'm an electro-mechanical engineer, so I'm pretty sure installing a few electronic drum heads won't be a problem.

But the Crimson kit looks super cool. And we all know that looking good is halfway to playing good. (I know I should say "playing well" there, but it doesn't rhyme).
DM10X kit, Tama Iron Cobra 600 double pedal, Roc-n-Soc Nitro throne, Shure SE315 IEMs, Sennheiser HD280 Pro headphones, Simmons DA350 drum monitor, Addictive Drums 2, QuikLok LPH004 laptop stand

Re: Another old-timer looking to start playing again
« Reply #7 on: November 23, 2016, 03:09:00 PM »
Hi splatter96,

I just replied to you on my post where you gave me a heads up on the black Friday sale. Thanks again for that.

You can add new kits to the DM10, however I think it will be much easier with the Crimson. But since you're an engineer, you likely won't have much trouble figuring out the DM10. I haven't tried yet, but my understanding is you have to essentially replace all kits at once. There is an open source software tool called DMEditor developed by an AlesisDrummer member provides a way to make changes that far exceeds doing it directly on the DM10.  If you haven't discovered it yet, search for DMEditor on this board. I have it installed but haven't had a chance to try it. Also, there is a section on this board dedicated to sharing kits with a host of great information on how to do it.

By the way, I am quite impressed with the overall quality of my set. I was a bit taken back when I first turned it on and there was this static buzzing in the snare channel. It took some fiddling to figure out the snare head trigger sensitivity just needed to be reduced. I thought sure it was an electrical component and the unit would need replacing. One other thing that I did not see in the set up or operations manual is the kit setting. That is, you need to "tell" the Dm10 what kind of kit you have, i.e., DM10, DM10X, DM10X Mesh etc. I found it on some support page on alesis.com.

Good luck! I hope you get one of those DM10Xs tomorrow!

Offline rhysT

Re: Another old-timer looking to start playing again
« Reply #8 on: November 23, 2016, 04:43:41 PM »
A major advantage the DM10 module has over the Crimson is being able to blend two sounds for each instrument with its A/B layers. This allows various combos of snare, tom, kick, cymbal and percussion sounds, plus tweaking the dynamic velocity settings for dual snare sounds can provide a 'round-robin' effect.
FYI, Roland have just included a similar dual sound layers feature in their TD-50 and it's also expected in the Strike and Mimic Pro modules.

Offline splatter96

Re: Another old-timer looking to start playing again
« Reply #9 on: November 23, 2016, 04:55:48 PM »
It's done!

When I had called inMusic earlier today, the girl asked if I wanted to place my order with her, even though the sale doesn't officially start until tomorrow. Dang it, I didn't have my credit card on me. I ran home and got my card and called them just before 1pm my time (4pm their time; the automated phone menu answers "Thank you for calling inMusic Florida"). This time, it said that their office was closed. I guess they went home early for the holiday. On a hunch, I went back to the website. Lo and behold, it let me order! My brand new DM10 X kit should ship on Friday! Now I'm off to Guitar Center (okay, I'll go on Sunday, since the nearest one is 2 hours away) to pick out a double kick pedal and a throne.

I'm thinking about the Tama Iron Cobra 600 double pedal and the Tama Ergo-Rider throne. I had all Tama hardware on my kit back in the '80s.

In about a month, I should be ready to let my wife listen to my playing again.

I'm sure I'll be asking lots of questions here soon. 

Cheers!

Dave
DM10X kit, Tama Iron Cobra 600 double pedal, Roc-n-Soc Nitro throne, Shure SE315 IEMs, Sennheiser HD280 Pro headphones, Simmons DA350 drum monitor, Addictive Drums 2, QuikLok LPH004 laptop stand

Offline rhysT

Re: Another old-timer looking to start playing again
« Reply #10 on: November 25, 2016, 08:16:24 AM »
My brand new DM10 X kit should ship on Friday! Now I'm off to Guitar Center (okay, I'll go on Sunday, since the nearest one is 2 hours away) to pick out a double kick pedal and a throne.
I'm thinking about the Tama Iron Cobra 600 double pedal and the Tama Ergo-Rider throne.

Hey Dave, you might want to consider a more versatile option of getting 2 Roland KT-9 Kick trigger pedals as the DM10 allows a variety of sounds to be assigned to each pedal and they would be quieter than a conventional double pedal setup. https://www.roland.com/us/products/kt-9/
« Last Edit: November 25, 2016, 08:18:12 AM by rhysT »

Offline splatter96

Re: Another old-timer looking to start playing again
« Reply #11 on: November 25, 2016, 11:54:14 AM »
Ooo! That KT-9 looks pretty cool. It would probably feel pretty strange to me without having the tactile feedback of real beaters bouncing off a pad. But for only 300 bucks (for two pedals), this is definitely an option I'll have to look into. I'd like to actually feel it. I already downloaded the manual from Roland, and the ability to adjust the spring tension and remove or install a weight might make it feel more like an acoustic-style pedal.

Thanks!
DM10X kit, Tama Iron Cobra 600 double pedal, Roc-n-Soc Nitro throne, Shure SE315 IEMs, Sennheiser HD280 Pro headphones, Simmons DA350 drum monitor, Addictive Drums 2, QuikLok LPH004 laptop stand

Offline rhysT

Re: Another old-timer looking to start playing again
« Reply #12 on: November 25, 2016, 06:36:15 PM »
Fyi, Roland also make the similar KT-10 pedal (https://www.roland.com/global/products/kt-10/) and I'm using some modified FD-8 pedals with trigger sensors added like the KT-9 (check the attached pics). I've simply mounted an enclosed piezo transducer under each foot plate and wired them to TS/mono plugs, connected via a Y-splitter into the Kick trigger input. Those sensors are usually sold as buzzers: http://www.eng.utah.edu/~cs5789/handouts/piezo.pdf.

Btw, most of my DM10 kits have Kick 1&2 sounds tuned slightly offset, and others include some percussion or random instrument sounds.
« Last Edit: November 25, 2016, 06:44:57 PM by rhysT »

Offline Dobly

Re: Another old-timer looking to start playing again
« Reply #13 on: November 25, 2016, 07:40:21 PM »
... but it looks like I can just order mesh heads from 682drums.

Be warned.. I had a horrible time with 682 mesh heads on my DM10X kit. They don't fit. They only just make it over the drum shell such that when you tighten up the head, it slips out from under the rim.

When I told them about it, they sent me these thick rubber strips to stick around the outside of the heads to stop them slipping out.

It was bodgy and ugly.

I replaced all the heads with the Remo Silentstroke. They fit perfectly.

My understanding is that Billy Blast makes good heads too. But I've not used them. As long as they fit they are off to a good start. :)

 

Offline splatter96

Re: Another old-timer looking to start playing again
« Reply #14 on: November 26, 2016, 10:06:14 AM »
Thanks, rhysT and Dobly. Great tips. I had spent quite a bit of time typing a long reply (and I thought it was pretty great), but I forgot to check "stay logged in", and my danged computer logged me out and I lost it. Grr!

So the short version is that I don't even have my DM10 X yet (it's on the FedEx truck and is scheduled for Tuesday delivery), and I'm already planning on modifying it.

I've read through these forums and googled various mesh conversion options, and I think I like the drum-tec kit from Germany, even though it's a little expensive at around 250 bucks.

I'm sure I'll be posting lots more questions.

Cheers!
DM10X kit, Tama Iron Cobra 600 double pedal, Roc-n-Soc Nitro throne, Shure SE315 IEMs, Sennheiser HD280 Pro headphones, Simmons DA350 drum monitor, Addictive Drums 2, QuikLok LPH004 laptop stand

Offline rhysT

Re: Another old-timer looking to start playing again
« Reply #15 on: November 26, 2016, 04:28:29 PM »
Thanks, rhysT and Dobly. Great tips. I had spent quite a bit of time typing a long reply (and I thought it was pretty great), but I forgot to check "stay logged in", and my danged computer logged me out and I lost it. Grr!

Another tip to save much cursing and retyping (next time) is clicking on your browser arrow button to see the previous "post reply" page. Then simply copy your text and after logging in again, paste it back in and hit the post button.

Offline splatter96

Re: Another old-timer looking to start playing again
« Reply #16 on: December 03, 2016, 11:38:56 PM »
Spent a ton at Guitar Center on all the accessories for my DM10 X. Got everything set up and tried it out (of course, this picture is before I set it up). Man, I'm Horrible with a capital H. I'm sure glad that Drumming System had a Black Friday sale. I need some serious lessons before I'll let anyone hear me. :o  ;D



« Last Edit: December 04, 2016, 06:04:29 PM by splatter96 »
DM10X kit, Tama Iron Cobra 600 double pedal, Roc-n-Soc Nitro throne, Shure SE315 IEMs, Sennheiser HD280 Pro headphones, Simmons DA350 drum monitor, Addictive Drums 2, QuikLok LPH004 laptop stand

Online AlanK

Re: Another old-timer looking to start playing again
« Reply #17 on: December 05, 2016, 03:03:18 PM »
But what a treasure trove of gear you've amassed! You sure your wife's on board with this?? Hope you don't share a credit card. I tell mine that for every purse or pair of shoes she buys I'm spending an equal amount on drum stuff.

Cool, don't give up, keep at it and whether you're bad or not, just have fun  ;D
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 splatter96

Re: Another old-timer looking to start playing again
« Reply #18 on: December 06, 2016, 01:46:31 AM »
Guitar Center gave me 36 months no interest! Awesome!
DM10X kit, Tama Iron Cobra 600 double pedal, Roc-n-Soc Nitro throne, Shure SE315 IEMs, Sennheiser HD280 Pro headphones, Simmons DA350 drum monitor, Addictive Drums 2, QuikLok LPH004 laptop stand