Author Topic: using dm6 hi-hat style pedal to trigger bass drum  (Read 1896 times)

using dm6 hi-hat style pedal to trigger bass drum
« on: June 27, 2020, 08:25:07 PM »
I have upgraded my dm6 to a dm10.
using 4 dual zone pads from the dm6 at the moment (one of them is a mesh one).... please enlighten me

if i insert a splitter between my controller (hi-hat) pedal and the dm10 i will be able to select it as kick 2 and change the setting from trig to switch, without having a second kick pedal on the splitter?

in other words,....is there any way to use the hi-hat pedal from the dm6 as a kick on the dm10?

thanks in advance

Offline Chaser

Re: using dm6 hi-hat style pedal to trigger bass drum
« Reply #1 on: June 29, 2020, 11:41:29 AM »
I have upgraded my dm6 to a dm10.
using 4 dual zone pads from the dm6 at the moment (one of them is a mesh one).... please enlighten me

if i insert a splitter between my controller (hi-hat) pedal and the dm10 i will be able to select it as kick 2 and change the setting from trig to switch, without having a second kick pedal on the splitter?

in other words,....is there any way to use the hi-hat pedal from the dm6 as a kick on the dm10?

thanks in advance
I presume the HH Controller is the DM Hat..
The Kick input on the module is a dual zone input, so you can use a standard TRS to TS splitter on it (stereo TRS plug goes into the module, and is a Y cable with two female TS connections).. then you use one TS (mono) cable to the Kick pad (Tip) and another TS cable to the DM Hat (Ring)

In the module, you will configure Kick 1 (Tip) as Function=Trigger,Input Type = Piezo. Kick 2 (Ring) as Function = Trigger,Input Type = Switch.

There are different ways to you could setup the cable but usually splitters are short,hence the (2) female ends and TS cables.

Re: using dm6 hi-hat style pedal to trigger bass drum
« Reply #2 on: June 30, 2020, 09:57:28 PM »
first of all
thank you very much for your reply.

I will try that, but I'll be lying if I say I'm not looking into buying a mesh kick pad in the near future.

At least the pads are working how they are supposed to.  I made the error of getting a mesh pad and now I'm hooked.

Any recommendation on bass pedals to use with a mesh kick pad?  beater?

thank you

Offline Chaser

Re: using dm6 hi-hat style pedal to trigger bass drum
« Reply #3 on: July 02, 2020, 10:03:20 AM »
first of all
thank you very much for your reply.

I will try that, but I'll be lying if I say I'm not looking into buying a mesh kick pad in the near future.

At least the pads are working how they are supposed to.  I made the error of getting a mesh pad and now I'm hooked.

Any recommendation on bass pedals to use with a mesh kick pad?  beater?

thank you

Kick pedals are more of a personal preference/selection.
There is a large variety depending on playing style,budget etc which is why most kits,other than a few entry level don't come with them.
Usually intermediate to advanced kits are purchased by someone who is updating/upgrading etc and already have a kick pedal.
The rule for beaters is never use felt on mesh,the friction will fuse or burn a hole in it.
If you still find it necessary to use felt you will need a patch on the mesh head.

If you are going for an Alesis mesh kick tower,there are 3 versions to consider.
The early/original Realhead,the later mesh head tower and the most recent.
The original Realhead Kick had a mylar head and you did the mesh conversion.
The later version came out with a mesh conversion direct from the factory when all the DM10 kits went to mesh (DM10 Studio Mesh..DM10 X Mesh etc).
These kick towers can also be upgraded to larger pads so more room for double beaters.
The latest/most recent kick tower is 8" mesh and cannot be upgraded.
It is easily identified with the 3 screws and mounting.

Left:Original version with 10" upgrade,Right:Current Version



Re: using dm6 hi-hat style pedal to trigger bass drum
« Reply #4 on: July 06, 2020, 08:31:48 PM »
great thanks

any difference in sensitivity between those 3 options?

Offline Chaser

Re: using dm6 hi-hat style pedal to trigger bass drum
« Reply #5 on: July 06, 2020, 09:52:12 PM »
great thanks

any difference in sensitivity between those 3 options?

There is no Product sensitivity rating comparisons/charts...too many variables..hardware,beater placement,type,head size,mesh type,playing style etc etc with some modules having more options for triggering adjustments than others.

Re: using dm6 hi-hat style pedal to trigger bass drum
« Reply #6 on: July 08, 2020, 10:51:35 PM »
thanks again

Offline Chaser

Re: using dm6 hi-hat style pedal to trigger bass drum
« Reply #7 on: July 09, 2020, 12:39:38 PM »
No problem...they are all Piezo type triggers..
If there is anything that would make a difference it would be the latest kick tower has an open mesh with foam circle in the center with the Piezo at the center/bottom ..the Foam/Piezo is attached to the the tower itself and the shell has a cutout and is more of a cover than it is an actual drum with stand.
The earliest kick tower had a separate single zone drum with the Piezo behind a metal "reflection plate" and foam, mounted to the tower.
The tower for the DM10 mesh kits I don't have anymore so I don't remember if it was a separate drum and open mesh with 4 columns and a foam ring like the Toms with the Piezo more centered or at the bottom of the shell.

I haven't taken the time yet to try the early kick tower with one of the New design/open mesh Toms with either the foam columns or ring and sensitivity (balance knob).
It may be the best combination with it being open mesh and the Piezo is cenetered with a 2nd outer Piezo..or maybe the columns collapse and Piezo/Plate wires will break faster as there is a lot more force with a beater than a stick..

The latest design may be less work/expense and easiest to find but also the least customizable.


Re: using dm6 hi-hat style pedal to trigger bass drum
« Reply #8 on: July 10, 2020, 05:35:46 AM »
I'm not sure if mesh is a good idea for the kick.
Checking eBay....

Offline AlanK

Re: using dm6 hi-hat style pedal to trigger bass drum
« Reply #9 on: July 10, 2020, 11:17:55 AM »
a bit late to reply to this discussion.. and i may have missed some details in all the responses.. but wasn't the original question simply, can you use the realhat pedal as a kick trigger mechanism instead of a physical pedal with mallet hitting a pad.. just to throw my 2 cents in, back in my early DM10X days I wanted a double kick and I two did the split to use the Kick2 trigger settings with the RealHat pedal and it worked fine.. only thing I was worried about was the extra pounding the hihat pedal would take from stomping on it so much doing double kick patters.. and of course, there was a differenece in the feel and response between it and a normal kick pedal

so eventually I got my real double kick pedal, and also upgraded to the Pro X hihat, so didn't need to split the kick and use the original pedal (which went to a friend's setup). If I ever get that realhat pedall back though, I will split it into the module and assign it some cool sound like a tone block or cowbell or something to be able to add some pizzaz to my playing
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

Re: using dm6 hi-hat style pedal to trigger bass drum
« Reply #10 on: July 13, 2020, 12:28:18 PM »
thank for the response....
actually is not a late response at all

I've read forum discussions that are years old...

I am currently waiting for the splitter and cable to try and use this HH pedal as the kick drum like it was used on my DM6 by accessing the setting on the module. (it came with 2 HH pedals) currently I don't play double bass.

I am also looking for a mesh kick drum on eBay,
at least I am very clear on not using a felt beater or adding a kick pad to protect the mesh contact place with the beater.

I will place the original DM6 with pads on sale without the rack as Im re-using it..... plus the additional rubber double zone pads that I first upgraded to.

I am planning on having only the 5 double zone mesh pads because I have 2 Roland Octapads that eventually I will connect thru midi.  (each Octapad has 8 pads multiplied by 4 quick access banks plus 8 additional trigger inputs each....I don't need more pads or cymbals).

If everything comes out right, I will end up with 6 mesh pads (including the kick), 3 cymbals and 16 extra triggers on the Octapads.

Maybe if the rack was bigger I could reuse the rubber pads because they are double zone but I have no space.

Still....I am very thankfull for all the responses on this community not only the responses to my questions but all responses.