Author Topic: Everything. All at once. All the time.  (Read 2719 times)

Offline VandalX

Everything. All at once. All the time.
« on: December 31, 2017, 05:17:26 PM »
So, I'm coming up on week two of my new foray into e-drums with my DM10 MKII Pro. It's been fantastic. Setup was easy, no cross triggering, and I'm getting used to the shitty hi hat and occasional cymbal issues (bell on ride, mostly). I've built a User Kit that I keep tweaking and adding to, and it's one I'm relatively happy with across the genres I playing to (the samba and bossanova don't respond to what's basically a rock kit).

So, that said, I just want to send out a word of warning for those just joining this new, exciting world: don't try to do everything that's possible all at once. Get used to the set out of the box and see what you need and where you want to be. I know I have a bunch of stuff that I'd like to hear with my kit, but right now I'm trying to dial back my expectations and deal with the system as it is. That's not to say that I haven't gone off the rails for a bit in a fit of excitement.

Initially, I decided to try to play some VSTs, even though I KNOW that I don't have the firepower in my laptop for no/low latency. I downloaded Addictive and EZ Drums, and while I liked the sounds, the latency (even with MIDI sampling adjusted for my system) was mostly unusable. Simple hits worked, but anything complex with multiple, quick triggering gave me latency and clicks/pops. But it does give me something to shoot for down the line. I KNOW I'll be able to expand this kit to my liking with software solutions. But to keep from crazy-making, I've gone back to the module.

After not drumming for years, I have been having a great time playing. I've looked for play-along songs online, as I've beaten the included sequenced sounds to death. And frankly, I just can't come up with a more interesting "country pop" groove with a hard rock kit. I just can't (and I won't- you can't make me)!

I explored a site (http://www.karaoke-version.com/custombackingtrack) that has a ton of songs in various genres to play along with. You can download the full track or just parts so you can add your own drum track (via the "AUX in" on the module). They're pretty decent covers, if somewhat cheesy. Perhaps ditching the vocals altogether is a good idea for most of them! But the getting instrumentals to play to is lots of fun. Each song is $2.99, and can be downloaded over and over, and with multiple downloads for the same song with various tracks silenced. So, that's a good resource. I'm currently practicing with Moon, Mitchell and Bonham.

I also played along with my iTunes playlist, but with drums in the background, I found it slightly more difficult to keep a rhythm. That just means I need to practice more!

Now, for the equipment I went all out with adding the items I have at my disposal. For the most part, that's been fine. However, I immediately integrated my Tama Iron Cobra double pedal, and that brought its own headaches. I was only cautiously used to it with my acoustic set, and adding it to an e-drum- and my first e-drum- was more than I needed to deal with right now. So I put on my 40 year old Camco single chain drive pedal. The old gal felt like a favorite pair of jeans! I still need to work on speed, technique and rebound to get used to it all, but this is a better bet for me and I'll integrate the double pedal once I achieve some success with the single. I need to perfect triplets with my right foot before I start adding more bass notes.

My next project is to move all my old four track cassette multitrack tunes to the digital recorder, so I can replace the drum machine that I used to produce the originals. This is a matter of lots of patience and cable calisthenics (cable-thenics?) to get them into a playable form. But it does muddy up my playing and practice time, so I need to be mindful of what I'm trying to accomplish and how. I sometimes need to step back and just enjoy playing again and not get ahead of myself.

Anyway, I'm just throwing that out there to give fellow noobies a little advice and commiserate if you're having challenges. Just have fun and practice!
Alesis DM 10 MKII Pro (with Tama Iron Cobra double). Pearl Export acoustic. Fostex VF160EX Digital multitrack (16). Fostex monitors. Roland TR-626 drum machine. Roland Juno 106 Poly synth. Aria Knight Warrior. Peavy Fury. Digitech GNX3000. Digitech RP360. Tascam Porta 05 four track. MacBook Air.

Re: Everything. All at once. All the time.
« Reply #1 on: December 31, 2017, 11:03:11 PM »
You can find drumless tracks on Youtube.  I primarily play along with the songs on my phone and have learned to ignore the drums, although it is difficult to not try copying the fills note for note.  I am slowly getting away from that now.
Simple does not equal easy.

Offline AlanK

Re: Everything. All at once. All the time.
« Reply #2 on: January 04, 2018, 02:18:41 PM »
Hi Vandal, glad you're going nuts with your kit and exploring all possibilities.. keep at it and don't stop pushing the limits! :)

I'm using Addictive and have for years now, on many a crappy computer with relatively no probs. I started off using ASIO4ALL as the latency driver and it worked pretty good. I eventually bought a Tascam audio interface soundcard to handle latency.

I'm not sure if the midi sampling software you mention handles latency.. did it give you options to adjust the amount? I've had to go down to about 96 on mine (I think, it's been a while). Now I inherited an iMac so it's a more robust computer. But for me, AD is the way to go  :)
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 Dobly

Re: Everything. All at once. All the time.
« Reply #3 on: January 08, 2018, 09:15:23 PM »
Initially, I decided to try to play some VSTs, even though I KNOW that I don't have the firepower in my laptop for no/low latency. I downloaded Addictive and EZ Drums, and while I liked the sounds, the latency (even with MIDI sampling adjusted for my system) was mostly unusable. Simple hits worked, but anything complex with multiple, quick triggering gave me latency and clicks/pops. But it does give me something to shoot for down the line. I KNOW I'll be able to expand this kit to my liking with software solutions. But to keep from crazy-making, I've gone back to the module.

Just to add what Alan said.. If you USB from the module to the laptop there is almost no latency.. The issue is with the software out of the crappy onboard sound system in pretty much all pcs.

That is where a USB interface comes in. It takes over the role of 'sound system' on your pc and most (if not all) come with their own Asio drivers.. (Asio4All should only be used if you don't have an ASIO driver for your USB interface.

I use a Focusrite 2i4. It has top notch asio drivers and I enjoy latency around 3ms. Alan's Tascam will have it's own asio divers I'm sure.


Offline VandalX

Re: Everything. All at once. All the time.
« Reply #4 on: January 30, 2018, 12:55:33 PM »
Thanks for the info, guys! I'll try the USB interface...once I fix the broken triggers on two of my 12" mesh toms/snares. It was only a matter of time before something physically broke. But only a month in...jeeze.
Alesis DM 10 MKII Pro (with Tama Iron Cobra double). Pearl Export acoustic. Fostex VF160EX Digital multitrack (16). Fostex monitors. Roland TR-626 drum machine. Roland Juno 106 Poly synth. Aria Knight Warrior. Peavy Fury. Digitech GNX3000. Digitech RP360. Tascam Porta 05 four track. MacBook Air.

Offline Purpledc

Re: Everything. All at once. All the time.
« Reply #5 on: February 04, 2018, 10:18:25 AM »
Ultimately I just wasn't happy with the actual sound quality as well as the build quality of the drums.  For me every single alesis kit I have tried with the exception of my current kit has had issues where if you hit too drums at once it had clicks and pops and I found the pad responses to just not be acceptable.   For me while it has a lot of cool features the module just doesn't have the ability to do what I needed it to do.   And for the amount of money I would have to spend on good VST software I found it was just easier to return my DM10mkII pro and got a strike kit.   The response and dynamics is really rewarding.   But hey man, if you are happy with it that is awesome.  I just couldn't get stuck with something that I wanted to upgrade right out of the box.

Offline VandalX

Re: Everything. All at once. All the time.
« Reply #6 on: March 05, 2018, 09:59:56 AM »
Hi Purpledc,
I can't tell you how much I moved between the MKII Pro and the Strike before purchasing! It was agonizing. Of course, when it came down to brass tacks I let funds motivate my initial purchase. In another parallel universe, I would have made the Strike choice after owning the MKII for a few months. At least my purchase was protected and I got a completely new set. At least now I know what the immediate fixes will be if necessary.

Oh well, live and learn. At least I enjoy all the tinkering I have to do to get unique and custom sounds! Plus, I'm going to move to an all-VST set up in the near future, so the module will be a non-issue.
Alesis DM 10 MKII Pro (with Tama Iron Cobra double). Pearl Export acoustic. Fostex VF160EX Digital multitrack (16). Fostex monitors. Roland TR-626 drum machine. Roland Juno 106 Poly synth. Aria Knight Warrior. Peavy Fury. Digitech GNX3000. Digitech RP360. Tascam Porta 05 four track. MacBook Air.

Offline Dartanbeck

Re: Everything. All at once. All the time.
« Reply #7 on: March 05, 2018, 04:41:41 PM »
I love those old Camco pedals! I would agree with that feeling!!! I also love the Iron Cobra and many other pedals, like the Pearl pedals I see others rocking on around here.

Yeah... it's kinda hard to dial-it-back when trying to get that perfect kit, isn't it? I'm quite a bit the noob when it comes to e-drumming. I'm glad that my DM10 is making that a smooth transition. I went from full-on acoustic to full-on DM10 within a two week period between gigs last year, so that I can disassemble my acoustic kit for a complete refinishing session. It is a rare kit that Yamaha hand painted instead of using wraps, so they'll all have to be meticulously sanded down. We're also considering power coating the hardware, but that's another story.

So my DM10 kit has been evolving to fit the sound that comes out of a PA, which is so difficult to measure unless running through the PA to hear it. It always seems to sound great through the headphones, but to ask a sound engineer to change the EQ for the drums is simply not something we want to try. Instead... we alter the kit to meet the needs of the PA.

My easiest time with that comes after spending some quality time just listening to as many of the different drums sounds as I can. I still have a lot to go through from other collections on the module, and then try them with various voice changes, etc.,

So far my bands and audiences have been incredibly impressed with the sounds of the kit. There were a lot of nay-sayers when they first saw me set up my little DM10 mesh pads, plugging them into the module.

"What happened to your 'Real' drums?"
"My 'Other' drums are taking a break so I can refinish them. 'These' 'Real' drums rock... you'll see"

After the first set, those types of folk make their point to come and agree that my new kit sounds amazing! I love that!
Alesis DM10X Mesh - Laurin Drums & Cymbals - Strike Module
Dartanbeck.com Digital Artist

Offline Iggford

Re: Everything. All at once. All the time.
« Reply #8 on: March 05, 2018, 04:54:23 PM »

So far my bands and audiences have been incredibly impressed with the sounds of the kit. There were a lot of nay-sayers when they first saw me set up my little DM10 mesh pads, plugging them into the module.

"What happened to your 'Real' drums?"
"My 'Other' drums are taking a break so I can refinish them. 'These' 'Real' drums rock... you'll see"

After the first set, those types of folk make their point to come and agree that my new kit sounds amazing! I love that!


I've gotten a lot of "oohs" and "ahhs" over my DM10 at shows.  People are amazed at the sounds that come out of that little beast.  I can't wait to see the reactions when we hit the road again at the end of this month and I roll out my new Strike kit. :) 

I like your comment about "real" drums.  I saw a review online of the Strike last week.  The reviewer kept talking about how it compared to "real" drums.  I didn't even finish the article.  I wish people would realize that these ARE real drums.  Just a different type of kit.  I haven't played an acoustic kit in almost 20 years.  I don't feel I've missed out since switching to e-drumming.  The Strike is the fourth e-kit I've owned, and I haven't looked back at any point and wished I'd taken a different path.

It sounds like you are getting a very quick grasp on the whole e-drumming concept, though.  I guess you'd have to with two bands!  My band gigs once a month (normally), so I have more time in between to tweak things.  We're starting a mini-tour on March 30, though, so it's the start of a busy rest of 2018 for us!  Can't wait to see how the Strike holds up against this!


--
Shawn

Offline Dartanbeck

Re: Everything. All at once. All the time.
« Reply #9 on: March 06, 2018, 02:38:51 PM »
I'm finally starting to feel more comfortable soloing, which is a totally different trip than with my ultra-responsive ever-changeable Yamaha power toms and Ludwig Maple snare. I'm so used to making so many different sounds on a single drum, even in the same spot, and with my DM10 I'm still trying to dial in the sensitivity and responsiveness of the toms.

It's a fun challenge though, and I'm loving the results!

It's crazy how, as soon as a band (one of them, anyways) finds out I'm using e-drums, they immediately want me to be able to play very specific, special sounds - like a single (unnecessary, in my mind) background sound for a single song that we seldom play! Gotta school 'em a bit! LOL  (as well as tell them: "buy me a Sample Pad Pro, and I might do that for you!)

The easy part to get used to is never (Never Ever!) having to trip my sticks on some crazy microphone that someone insists has to be 'right there, at that angle'. Also how incredibly consistent they are - always. I'm still getting used to trying to set the trigger sensitivity, threshold, etc., to where I can get quiet when I need to, while still being able to hit every note, but in all other situations, I just love how easy it is to dial in the volume. I know I'd really miss those individual faders if I suddenly didn't have them anymore!

So Shawn, going from a DM10 to a Strike!!! What was that like? I was thinking of starting a thread on that very subject - like a comparison and 'how do you like the switch' along with are there any things you miss from the DM10, sort of thing.

For the newer pads, I'd likely just get some drum cases for those and keep my DM10 kit as part of the Strike, still using the DM10 module along with it. But I love my DM10 pads - how portable they make the whole kit. Any specific thoughts?
Alesis DM10X Mesh - Laurin Drums & Cymbals - Strike Module
Dartanbeck.com Digital Artist

Offline Iggford

Re: Everything. All at once. All the time.
« Reply #10 on: March 06, 2018, 03:31:09 PM »
I didn't start gigging until after I had made the switch to electronic, so I can't relate to the mic issue, but I've popped the bottom of a cymbal more often than I care to admit, causing a stick to go flying.

The band I'm in was actually looking for a drummer that plays electronic.  Our entire stage setup (lights, PA and instruments) can fit into a single SUV.  It's also allowed us to play house parties and shows that require lower volume.

Well, the switch seems to be going very well so far.  I've only had my Strike set up for about 4 days.  I may take my module to our next practice, though, to test out the sounds on our PA.  I have to bring my DM10 home after this week's practice anyway to make room for a house concert out bandleader is hosting.  So when we return next week, I'll have the full Strike kit ready to go.  I've not gotten as much time with it at home as I'd have liked, but I'm blown away by what I have been able to hear.  The sounds are simply amazing, and the pads respond so well.  It feels like there are much better dynamics in the kit.  I can get softer hits to register more correctly, and it makes me excited to try it out with the band.

If I had to say there was one thing I missed from the DM10...  It would probably be the ability to assign voices to MIDI notes.  I was able to take those notes and create sequences.  I actually believe the sequencer is gone, so that would make two things.  On the flip side, though, the Strike has the built-in sampler and the ability to create and play loops.  This may actually make up for the missing features from the DM10, at least for my purposes.

I bought a Gator e-kit bag to store and transport my Strike.  It's the large one with padded dividers.  I actually haven't unboxed it yet, so I'm still hoping that these massive pads FIT into the thing, lol.  It was recommended by my rep at Sweetwater, so I'm not too worried about it.  The only pad I figure I'm going to have to find another solution for is the 14" kick pad.  With the pad itself being so large, I doubt it will leave much room for the stand to go into the bag.  But I do like this pad better than my DM10 kick.  The Strike kick folds flat, so it should be easier to find a bag or case for it.

One thing I did do with my DM10, and I don't know if you've already solved this issue.  I didn't do the best job of safely transporting my DM10 module early on, and it resulted in the volume knobs getting a bit loose.  This causes the stereo signal to cut out on one side at certain volumes, and has resulted in me having to use a mono setup going into our sound board.  I ended up going to Harbor Freight after reading an old thread on here, and I bought a roughly $30 padded tool case that has a customizable foam interior.  This has kept my module protected, and I will do the same for my Strike.

Sorry for being a bit long-winded, but it's the first time I've really had an opportunity to let some of this excitement out about the new kit.  I imagine there will be bugs to work out, I remember having some with my DM10, some of which are still works in progress, but I'm loving it so far!


--
Shawn

Offline Dartanbeck

Re: Everything. All at once. All the time.
« Reply #11 on: March 06, 2018, 08:08:39 PM »
No, man... thanks for all the words! That's what I was hoping for!

So the sounds and feel of the Strike are that much better than the DM10, eh? Okay... I think I'll save my money and go that route instead of just adding a Command kit to my kit. Well... at least that's what I'll shoot for. My mind changes with the wind sometimes, and those new Command mesh kits are so inexpensive. But I'd really love to have the Pro level sounds and response. That sounds like it'll make my Live experience (which is 80+% of my drumming experience these days) even that much better - especially for solos and those songs that highlight nuts maneuvers across the drum kit.

I love my DM10, I think that much has been obvious in nearly all of my posts here. So instead of parting with it and its midi capabilities, no matter what I get next is planned to add to my DM10X Mesh or, perhaps, the other way around.

So cool! One of my bands is really great at being able to play quiet gigs, which is what gets us hired for Doctors parties and other assorted gigs that would otherwise use a stereo or maybe a DJ - but likely no music at all. People just know us and our abilities so it always comes up to hire us! :)  I Love that!

But we were like that before I got my DM10. My Yamaha acoustic kit is all power shells, which still drives me nuts as to why I bought it in the first place - such a LOUD kit when all of my gigs use mics!  But it was one of those things where we run across a dream kit at the price of a starter kit - just had to jump! 10x10, 12x12, 13x13, 16x16 and a massive 18x22 bass drum, and my snare (I've had since I was 14) is 8.5x14 twelve lug deep dish Chrome on Maple Ludwig. The thing snaps like no other - I just love it.

For some crazy reason, I always relished those quiet gigs! To play hard rock up to tempo really quietly is such a rush!!! LOL

Of course, now I can do that at full concert velocity, which I love!

I just had rehearsal and my singer/band leader/best friend just called about how much he loves my sound in the practice recordings. He's going to send me some mixed-down copies to listen to at home.

Hearing my DM10 through the PA is always such a pleasure. There are still awkward trigger anomalies from time to time, like Crash 2 not responding once in a while and tom 2 being odd to dial in for sensitivity. None of these are deal breakers, but it can be odd when all of a sudden there's nothing where a crash should be! LOL

Which is a good part of why I want to add another kit to this one. With the two modules I can hook up Crash 2 to an input that always works and also chokes, and put something less important where Crash 2 plugs in, if anything. I don't really "need" the number of pads that two full kits would provide, so some of those can simply become mounted spares - and since they're there, might as well hook them up to some kind of useful sound! :)

Hey, thanks for the comments on the Strike! I hope to capture more feedback from other Strike owners, and am looking forward to hearing your thoughts as you get more acquainted with yours! Damn... now I really want a Strike!!!
Alesis DM10X Mesh - Laurin Drums & Cymbals - Strike Module
Dartanbeck.com Digital Artist

Offline Purpledc

Re: Everything. All at once. All the time.
« Reply #12 on: March 07, 2018, 10:00:06 AM »
dude the strike is INSANE.  Ill be honest when I got it I was like "really?" .   I swear its like every single parameter was dialed in to make you hate the drum set.   It really is dialed in as the "anti-Roland".   But when you learn the module and unlock the secrets to getting the thing to open up its just a beast.   Its funny, I got mine and thought I was going to return it for a TD25.   But then I just dedicated a day to really digging in and tweaking sounds.  I watched tutorials and really learned everything I could to get the most out of it and man has it paid off.   It was actually funny because now I have it dialed in to be so responsive and loud that when I went into guitar center yesterday and tried their TD25KV they had I noticed how much better the strike sounds than that drum set.   The TD25 sounded artificial and now my cymbals are actually just as sensitive as the roland stuff. 

But what is most impressive is the dynamics.  There is so much more going on.  With the DM10MKII it didnt have very much dynamics.  You seemed to have two velocity layers.  Very little change from soft to hard playing.  The strike just really lets the nuance of the player to be highlighted if you dial it in properly.   The ONLY thing im hoping for is more control in the editing section.  Like I would like to turn on effects globally instead of per trigger.   At first I thought this module was a little too simple having moved from the DM10MKII.   Because that module technically lets you change more stuff.   But those parameters didnt always work well albeit you had numerous options.  With the strike it seems like you are limited but you start tweaking parameters and those controls work so well you dont miss certain things not being there.   

Like cross stick.  There is no button to quickly turn it on or off.   Instead they have an actual sample for cross stick.   And then for the drums you dont have the ability to increase or decrease the size of the drum like the dm10mkII.   But things like decay work infinitely better on the strike.   My guess is the strike is only going to get better as more features and control are added.   And if you know who to call you can get a great deal on them.   I got my strike kit for $1550 shipped.   Then I bought a 14" strike tom on ebay for $100.   Robbed my nitro for a couple cymbals and voila!  Ghetto strike pro.

Offline Iggford

Re: Everything. All at once. All the time.
« Reply #13 on: March 07, 2018, 01:06:37 PM »
Based on what I've gotten to do with my Strike so far, which admittedly isn't as much as I'd hoped at this point, I don't regret my choice one bit.  I had originally planned to buy a Pearl Mimic Pro module and upgrade pads over time.  At some point along the way, I fixated on the Strike, and I think I would have done it the same way over and over again.  Yes, there are shortcomings right out of the box, the two Roland kits I've owned were much more playable out of the box.  The funny thing was, at the time I bought those two, I was only playing for my own enjoyment, so there wasn't the pressure of getting everything set up between gigs or even practices.  Luckily, I've got my trusty DM10 holding the fort until the new kit is ready.

I definitely feel that the Strike responds better than the DM10.  I have the old DM10 version, though, so I don't know how it stands up to the MKII variations.  I just feel that I can get better dynamics from the Strike so far.  It seems to pick up subtle playing a bit easier, which to me, makes the entire experience an easier one.  It is funny, however, that they say several times in the manual that the Strike is optimized out of the box with the best sensitivity and XTalk settings.  I've not experienced any XTalk so far, but I've had to adjust the other trigger settings on pretty much all my pads so far.  So it still takes a bit of dialing in to get it just right.  For me, anyway.  But the dynamics ARE definitely far superior to the DM10, at least mine.

I agree that less seems to be more with this kit, too.  I noticed that there weren't as many individual settings, and I wondered how it could be better that way.  Until I got my first user kit built and realized that the settings that were there simply made much more of a difference than on the DM10.

I love being able to play a variety of gigs.  We've got one coming up where the owner doesn't typically book full bands because the extra high ceilings result in horrible results with an acoustic drum kit.  We pitched our full-electronic setup, and he was willing to give us a shot.  We've gotten several house parties based on the fact we can rock out without destroying eardrums.  Then, on the flip side of that, we played an outdoor show in the heart of downtown last year to a crowd of over 1,000 people.  We could be heard 3 blocks away.  That kind of flexibility is amazing to me.

I love the way my DM10 sounds through the PA, so I can't wait to see how the Strike sounds.  I think the most satisfying show we've played so far was a joint-effort last summer.  We were trying to get into a venue, and to be added to the rotation, we had to either open for another band or come in and do a full night with at least two other bands.  We opted for the second, and had a 3-band show.  Rather than sharing a kit, though, we each brought ours.  So, we had my DM10, a Roland TD-11 and an acoustic kit (can't remember what it was).  Each band played an hour set, then we came together at the end of the night to do a 3-song closing set.  It included a planned, but not rehearsed, drum trio segment between the last two songs.  One of my dreams on stage is to play with another drummer.  It was an amazing experience, but I was also blown away by the way my DM10 stacked up and held its own against the other two.

I've had some of those abnormal triggering situations with my DM10 as well.  My Crash 1 has a tendency to not trigger on the odd occasion.  If I cross over and strike it with my right hand, it works every time, but if my right hand's busy and I go in with the left, it triggers about 75% of the time.  I found ways around it, though.  But it will be nice to hopefully not have that problem now, and be able to concentrate fully on what I'm playing rather than the kit's performance. 

Good luck with your decision, whichever way you decide to go!  It sounds like you've got a good hold on how it all comes together, though.  For what it's worth, I'm going to take my Strike module to practice tomorrow night and use it with my DM10 kit.  I imagine I shouldn't run into any trouble, as the pads don't seem to be a whole lot different between the two kits.  I'd be happy to report back my results afterward.  There are modules popping up for sale here and there, so it may make it a bit easier to go that route if you're trying to save some money. 


--
Shawn

Offline Dartanbeck

Re: Everything. All at once. All the time.
« Reply #14 on: March 07, 2018, 06:14:51 PM »
I was just thinking that from what Purple told me in another thread - get my hands on a Strike Module.

If I did that and also bought a Command kit for the pads and rack parts, it would be close to $500 less, depending on this and that.

Already happy with the sound I get from the (pre-MKII) DM10, I may just go ahead and grab a Command, Command Mesh, or new DM10 kit to add on to mine. I'm fairly certain that the non-activating crash cymbals is some sort of polyphonic overload on the module for that particular input channel for some crazy reason. There is a lot going on in that module, afterall.

So by having the additional (Command or DM10 MKII) module running some things and my DM10 running others, I think I'll be able to fine-tune a very nice setup.

Then, as soon as I can, get my hands on a Strike module and use that as the main drum kit module, remove the Command or DM10 MKII and save as a spare, while still keeping the DM10 I have now running everything else.

I love these comments. So cool to hear real-world emotions on this stuff.

Oh yeah! Also to add: My singer is the owner of the sound company that does sound for pretty much everything in our surrounding area, so he has craploads of high-end gear for running sound!

I'd say about ten years ago he transitioned everything to high-end JBL and other sound gear - and they can all be mixed via iPad, even though he still hires some sound guys that prefer the big mixers, so he has a plethora of those too. He's also got a really nice pro-level recording studio.

Anyway, we get great opportunities to rock with some pretty great acts. I got to share my acoustic kit with the drummer from Carlos Santana, The Bodeans, Chris Aaron (RIP) Band, many others over the years.
As much as I love the challenge of (occasional) quiet gigs, nothing beats the large thundering ones!

Getting my DM10 has sparked a whole new vigor of drum purchasing enthusiasm in me... makes me want more! Which is how this thread really hit me in the right way. It's good (best?)  to get used to and enjoy what we already have, than to go too nuts right from the start. But darn... I really want more!!! LOL
Alesis DM10X Mesh - Laurin Drums & Cymbals - Strike Module
Dartanbeck.com Digital Artist