Author Topic: [DM10] VELOCITY ON SWITCH (Rim/Edge) ZONES  (Read 7487 times)

Offline Hellfire

[DM10] VELOCITY ON SWITCH (Rim/Edge) ZONES
« on: January 02, 2014, 10:44:51 PM »
DIY DUAL ZONE
(PIEZO/SWITCH) WITH
VELOCITY FOR BOTH ZONE


Theory of Operation:

It is well known that the DM10 can not produce a velocity on a traditional switch type triggering zone. To get a switch zone on the DM10 to have a velocity, the DM10 must be tricked to think the switch zone is a piezo zone. This is done by using just one piezo for both zones and inserting a switch between the piezo and the default zone. When Retrigger and Zonetalk are set properly on a given input, the "default" zone is always triggered first when signal is seen on both head and rim at the same time. The default zone should be the head zone.

Set-up:

• This only works on inputs that can handle dual piezo/piezo trigger inputs. So, all inputs minus the hi-hat input should be sufficient.

• When both "tip" (head) & "ring" (rim) receive signal at the same time, the module defaults to "tip" (head) when retrigger and zonetalk are set correctly (anything other than zero). You may need to play with the settings some.

• By using a normally open switch on the "tip" (head) zone, the "ring" can be default. The switch zone is hit closing the switch just as velocity is being sensed by the DM10 causing the "tip" (head) zone to see the piezo and thus triggering the sound assigned in the DM10 for that zone. When not hitting the switch the "ring" (rim) zone is default.

The DM10 can not handle a floating piezo input. Because of this a resistor must be added to keep the "tip" zone from floating. Failure to add the resistor will result in random tip zone triggering. The resistor should be at least 1.5 mega ohms for the configuration to work properly.



Wiring pictogram:


Untested Additional Thoughts:

It may be possible to set this configuration to handle a dual zone plus choke by utilizing the "mute group" function of the DM10. This will depend heavily on the switch design. If the switch closes to easily, then it may choke when it is not intended. On the other hand, if it is too hard to close the switch, you will not get very good velocity sensing from that zone. The trick is to find that happy compromise in the switch design.  The other draw back would be, poly would need to be turned off in order to function as a dual zone plus choke. That type of set-up would not sound that pleasing to the ear when it come to cymbal swells.

Background/related links:
Alesis DM10, Pearl REDbox Velocity Switch Zone (Hellfiredrums.com article)
Alesis DM10, DM8 Velocity Switch Zone Triggering
Alesis DM10, Pearl REDbox Velocity Switch Triggering (Youtube Video)
Tru Trac Variable Rim Velocity now possible! (Pearl Drum Forum)
R.E.D.box, Velocity from a Cymbal Switch Zone (Pearl Drum Forum)
« Last Edit: January 30, 2016, 10:48:26 AM by Hellfire »