Author Topic: Strike Pro SE kit, cannot play rim triggers at same time as drum triggers  (Read 1480 times)

I have the Strike Pro SE kit, but I found that I cannot play rim triggers at same time as the drum triggers. Is only between those triggers, is not happening between a rim trigger and the kick or the cymbal triggers. For example, have a China as a rim trigger but cannot get a sound when hitting it as same time as hitting snare trigger, but works at same time with kick hit. Is it a settings issue? I have been told that it is a common problem with all edrums that have rim triggers.

Offline Chaser

Welcome to the Forum !

The main thing to note about drum triggers is it is a compromise.
Drum modules were never designed to use splitters as modules reads the total voltage of an input and converts to a MIDI signal.
The head (Tip) is separate and the Rim (Ring) is separate..hit simultaneously the module still interprets as a single voltage signal.There are modules such as the Roland modules where the module takes the combine voltage reading between the Head and the Rim (when hit simultaneously)and interprets a different MIDI signal and selects the Rimshot sample.Splitters for Roland modules require a 100k resistor.

Single cable Triple zone cymbals work on a stereo TRS input because there is a resistor separating the signal between the bell switch and the edge switch...switches are not piezo's..they are tied to the piezo as open/close switches in a circuit with the amount of voltage sent determined by the velocity of the hit/voltage from the piezo.Ride cymbals have a dedicated input(s) in order to function properly.
Drum modules (most) that can't interpret the voltage of a simultaneous Head/Rim hit just cancel out as the module doesn't know how to translate that specific voltage to MIDI which selects/triggers the sample.

One thing I have never tried for an Alesis module .is a resistor on one side of the splitter to delay the signal on a simultaneous hit..more than likely it will just abruptly cut off (like a mute group) the sample that is playing.
The best way for splitting triggers is an additional TMI like the eDRUMin ,Trigger IO/DDTI (The ddrum DDTI has been removed from their site so the licensing with Alesis must have expired.) or an additional module to the MIDI in on the STRIKE module.The downside to that is the Rim will still be active if using TRS cable.You can use TS cables for the Toms and Snare (eliminate inadvertent triggering the rim)..you cannot use TS cables for the Cymbal inputs.The ring is tied into the circuit and the input will not function..otherwise if using splitters select the triggers you split for instruments/triggers you would never hit simultaneously.

EDIT:
Added links
« Last Edit: April 12, 2022, 09:49:33 PM by Chaser »

Offline Hellfire

I have the Strike Pro SE kit, but I found that I cannot play rim triggers at same time as the drum triggers. Is only between those triggers, is not happening between a rim trigger and the kick or the cymbal triggers. For example, have a China as a rim trigger but cannot get a sound when hitting it as same time as hitting snare trigger, but works at same time with kick hit. Is it a settings issue? I have been told that it is a common problem with all edrums that have rim triggers.

This should only be an issue with adjacent zones (meaning the snare head and snare rim). Chaser did a great job explaining why this is, so I will not restate any of that. However, if you really need to hit a head and rim zone together, here are a couple other options.

- If you always hit a particular head and rim combo, you could just layer two instruments on the rim. That would make it sound as if both were hit, but that only works if you always only hit a particular rim with a particular head sound.
- Or make sure that your combos are not on adjacent zones. (i.e. head zone of tom #1 with rim of tom #2)

I really wish Alesis would fix this issue. And yes it should be fixable. The old style DM10 and the Trigger I/O had a setting called "Zone Talk". When set to "zero" you could play both adjacent zones (piezo/piezo triggers) at the same time. There is no reason Alesis couldn't do this on the Strike drum triggers since they are piezo/piezo triggers (i.e. meaning two separate voltage signals).

Wow, thank y?all so much, is similar to what others have said. Guess I?ll spend some more time tinkering while listening to Yankee games!