Author Topic: STRIKE Hi Hat ready for the dumpster? Fix it for 50 cents. No joke.  (Read 13669 times)

Offline Purpledc

So this needs its own thread so it doesn't get lost.   Looks like a solution to the whole strike hi hat debacle has been floating around for a couple weeks and just now are people catching on, doing it and finding it works. 

So what is the problem?

Turns out the spring that separates the top cymbal from the bottom cymbal is too short.   About 3/8" too short.   I did a lot of experimenting and found the best washer is actually the felt washer that your lower cymbal sits on.  Its the perfect thickness.  You simply lay that on top of your spring assembly and then place your cymbal on that and tighten it down.  If you don't have one you can use the washer off of one of your wing nuts but note it will be  a bit too thick and you will want a thinner one but you can use it and it will work just the same it will just work.   

I had a hi hat that was hopeless.   And seriously with just that washer this thing is flawless.  I cant get it to act up again.  And what do you know when I change the settings and do the calibration it actually works and makes changes to the feel.  Anyone with strike hi hat I urge you to give it a shot.   just remember put the washer on the spring, then lay the cymbal on it and crank it down.  Don't adjust the height as the whole point is to make sure the spring keeps constant pressure on the cymbals and raising the cymbal too much will put you back to square one.

Re: STRIKE Hi Hat ready for the dumpster? Fix it for 50 cents. No joke.
« Reply #1 on: February 22, 2018, 06:46:52 PM »
yep it works.  I just stretched the spring as a hoot and found out by accident.
  Now Alesis needs to get on board and supply longer springs (or spacers)

Offline Purpledc

Re: STRIKE Hi Hat ready for the dumpster? Fix it for 50 cents. No joke.
« Reply #2 on: February 23, 2018, 05:28:49 PM »
UPDATED SOLUTION:


All you have to do is pull your spring assembly from your hi hat.

Remove the plastic plug from the top of the spring.  Flip the plastic over so the flat part sits on top of the spring.  The hole will keep it centered and you dont need to have the plastic attached to the spring.  Just rest the cymbal on top and let it rest like before.   It works and doesnt require anything to accomplish.  in fact I find the in between sounds to be much better.

Re: STRIKE Hi Hat ready for the dumpster? Fix it for 50 cents. No joke.
« Reply #3 on: February 23, 2018, 10:21:15 PM »
saw  you post this on the alesis community.  ;D

Re: STRIKE Hi Hat ready for the dumpster? Fix it for 50 cents. No joke.
« Reply #4 on: February 24, 2018, 06:11:26 AM »
I think in their testing Alesis must have just worn the hell out of the spring. Its only purpose is putting pressure on the HH controller. If they used a mechanism that provided _zero_ resistance to existing hihat assemblies (...I'd think making the cymbals heavier would be an obvious solution), it would work far better.

On a semi-related note, I'd be interested to talk to a patent attorney regarding the patent on the Hall effect sensor. I had asked a buddy who does EE professionalls how he would make a hihat controller. After I explained which part of the kit a hihat was, he told me about this interesting behavior of perpendicular magnetic fields and how you could easily use it to detect hi hat states. That was his first solution to the problem - which tells me the US PTO granted a patent that doesn't pass the 2 major tests of novel and non-obvious. In fact, if you google "hall effect patent", you'll see a number of ridiculous things people have patented implementing what effectively is e=mc2. A well understood property of physics applied to X. Just like all the ridiculous patents for "... on the Internet" and nearly _ANY_ patent involving software.

I have a feeling Alesis doesn't pursue the legal route because they have some ridiculous patents themselves. In fact - they patented their hi-hat implementation. The problem - again - the notion of making an electronic hihat function like a real hihat, using the exact same principles they utilized on the non-"real" hihat controllers (it's an expression pedal with a spring - I use one to have spring-loaded wah on my Nord keyboard)... but moving the pieces around. The only reason they filed it in the first place was to stifle competition. That way they can charge ridiculous amounts of money for putting $120 worth of parts in a plastic case (the screen is the most expensive component followed by the custom PCBs)  and selling it for $1k+. Yeah, Roland does it too - and the most noticeable effect of lack of competition is we, the customers, pay ridiculous amounts for sub-par technology.

A motivated person with basic EE knowledge could take an Arduino unit (2 teensy boards would work well), a Raspberry PI, and one of many available hi-fi audio DACs and build their own sans screen (if you can program an Arduino, writing a software interface becomes trivial) for under $100. Yes, you have to get samples - there are at least a dozen commercially available drum sample packages under $100 that are of equal or better quality to the samples on the Strike.  And when I say "trivial", it is for any decent EE with a bit of CS knowledge. The software interface Alesis created is the most naive implementation available. No tricky proprietary protocols or drivers - they just expose the SD card port.  Windows has support for SD cards over USB built in. A comp sci student could implement it with an Arduino in an afternoon.

TLDR: Alesis could double what they spend on building the Strike and still make money hand over fist. In fact they could crush Roland in the market by doing so... I don't know what is stopping them.

If anyone from Alesis is reading this post - I write boring L2/L3 networking code for cloud/SDN right now...and while the packet-switched network is the greatest invention of the 20th century, music is the greatest invention of mankind and I'd vastly prefer using my skills and knowledge "in concert" (heh) with a company that has established manufacturing facilities and brand recognition. Else I'm going to save my pay for the next 6 months, quit my day job, and start making drum controllers that the folks at Steven Slate have designs for but prefer not to bleed the golden goose. The ADC routines for triggering are public knowledge and there's a piece of hardware everyone carries with them that would make a fantastic configuration interface. I've already prototyped the "run 2 teensy slaves using the Pi as the master" and am currently evaluating SoCs to replace the Pi. nVidia's Xavier product looks like the ideal solution and I'm just waiting to get my hands on the dev kit...

</rant>


Offline Purpledc

Re: STRIKE Hi Hat ready for the dumpster? Fix it for 50 cents. No joke.
« Reply #5 on: February 24, 2018, 11:47:32 AM »
I really don't think it has anything to do with alesis wearing out their spring.  A spring wont yield like that under even extreme use.  I just think they overlooked its length when they changed the look of the cymbal.   


And in this case they could make the hi hat 40 pounds and it wont change anything. When I placed my top cymbal with the existing spring as it is there was 0 gap between the top and bottom cymbal.  And even with the pedal fully closing the hi hat the spring still made no contact with the top cymbal.  The only thing that is going to get the original set up to work is a longer spring or a thicker plastic cap on that spring.

As for them Crushing roland with quality and this or that? I dont think thats possible.  The reason being?  Roland Is a huge corporation.  They design not only the look of their goods but also design the funcionality and they have a hand in every single aspect of a products manufacture.  I honestly dont think alesis operates this way.   

You see some companies dont actually have a design team that designs and engineers the products from the ground up but rather you have a company that creates its products by utilizing existing platforms and technologies from a company it outsources from.   Making tweaks and requesting certain functionalities but not actually having much input otherwise.   Or its possible they are given the hardware on an open platform and are free to create their own software. 

But what I almost are guaranteed NOT to have is a company that has complete and total control over every aspect of the build.   Roland and Yamaha control everything.  From design to execution and so on.  They have deep pockets and resources.   The only way alesis could really compete with them would be to actually compete with them.   As in assemble a team that overseas every aspect of design.   Research and develop new technologies that push the boundaries of what is possible rather than trying to come up with new ways of making existing technology work for your desired application.   

Now, I'm not in any way saying I prefer roland.  I'm here and bought a strike kit so I obviously am a person who prefers value to elite perfectionism.   And in that regard I still think alesis kills it.   Do I think my strike kit is as good as a TD50, td30 or even a TD25?   In some regards no.  But in many yes.  At least the things that matter to me.   I don't mind a little rough patches of tweaking if it means I can save tons of money.   And while my strike may not be as technically sophisticated as a roland or Yamaha kit and maybe it wont even sound as good right out of the box it has serious potential and after watching some tutorials I feel it now sounds superior to the competition.  It just needed to be dialed in.   But I would be lying If I said I thought alesis could every really hope to dethrone Roland.

Because for them to really compete they would need to invest a lot more time and money in staff and product development.   So much so that I am not entirely convinced they could keep prices competitive.   If you put just as much money INTO your products, that means you have to ask more for them.
« Last Edit: February 24, 2018, 12:29:45 PM by Purpledc »

Offline BobbyKidd

Re: STRIKE Hi Hat ready for the dumpster? Fix it for 50 cents. No joke.
« Reply #6 on: February 25, 2018, 04:49:47 PM »
The felt washer works perfectly. Thank you so much! Now, if only my replacement cymbals' edge sensors work when they arrive; I'll be back in business.
« Last Edit: February 26, 2018, 01:45:58 PM by BobbyKidd »
Alesis Strike & Strike Pro Modules & Kits
Alesis D4 & DM5
Alesis SR16
Superior Drummer 3
Steven Slate Drums

Pro Drummer since 1979

Offline Purpledc

Re: STRIKE Hi Hat ready for the dumpster? Fix it for 50 cents. No joke.
« Reply #7 on: February 26, 2018, 08:59:48 PM »
Nice man.  So glad it helped.  Sorry about the edge of your cymbals.  For that I got nothin.

Offline Purpledc

Re: STRIKE Hi Hat ready for the dumpster? Fix it for 50 cents. No joke.
« Reply #8 on: March 01, 2018, 09:59:43 PM »
So I got this little part from ace hardware.  Its a little rubber grommet in their bulk parts.  This is $2 and is the perfect match to get the hihat working good.  And the best part is the clearance is so close to stock its almost like its not there. The stepped part goes down and fits inside the plastic spring topper.  Its like t was made for this.

Also previous thoughts were incorrect. You can infact raise your cymbal and it has no ill effect. 

Offline Purpledc

Re: STRIKE Hi Hat ready for the dumpster? Fix it for 50 cents. No joke.
« Reply #9 on: March 02, 2018, 01:18:52 PM »
At ace hardware
« Last Edit: March 17, 2018, 11:13:06 AM by Purpledc »

Re: STRIKE Hi Hat ready for the dumpster? Fix it for 50 cents. No joke.
« Reply #10 on: March 02, 2018, 01:58:27 PM »
So I am a bit of a newb with this kit and e-drums in general, so I just want to clarify: if you completely loosen the top hat on the rod, is it supposed to sit on the spring, or is it supposed to sit on the bottom cymbal?  Without this 'trick', mine sits on the cymbal, and with it, it sits on the spring of course.

This is the first e-hihat I've ever used so I am totally confused :).

Offline Purpledc

Re: STRIKE Hi Hat ready for the dumpster? Fix it for 50 cents. No joke.
« Reply #11 on: March 02, 2018, 04:35:12 PM »
ok.  I get the confusion.   Hows about a picture?

Give me a minute.  I need to get my phone.

Offline Purpledc

Re: STRIKE Hi Hat ready for the dumpster? Fix it for 50 cents. No joke.
« Reply #12 on: March 02, 2018, 04:41:14 PM »
Here is a breakdown of the steps.

Offline Purpledc

Re: STRIKE Hi Hat ready for the dumpster? Fix it for 50 cents. No joke.
« Reply #13 on: March 02, 2018, 04:49:32 PM »
And if using the awesome new ace hardware fix.  Same steps as before but instead of a felt its this.  Now the benefit to this is you will have 100% trigger function but you now have greater range to be able to adjust the gap between your lower and upper cymbal. 



READ PLEASE.  In previous posts i said you needed to have the cymbal ride on the spring.  This is not the case.  You want to pull down on the pedal even if its only a 1/16”.  The reason being that to get fully open sounds all pressure should be released from the control module.  Having the cymbal rest on the spring can cause the module to think its half closed. 

Re: STRIKE Hi Hat ready for the dumpster? Fix it for 50 cents. No joke.
« Reply #14 on: March 02, 2018, 05:38:33 PM »
Nice, thanks so much!  This answers my questions, that's exactly how I had mine except I had it sitting on the spring at rest...now i will make sure to add a little bit of space so will sound fully open when it's supposed to.

Offline Purpledc

Re: STRIKE Hi Hat ready for the dumpster? Fix it for 50 cents. No joke.
« Reply #15 on: March 02, 2018, 08:21:35 PM »
Also this is considered a hardware change.  So while it takes care of the triggering issue right away to get full use of the range and to get good mid sounds on all the kits you should do a hi hat auto calibration.  And make sure to play a bunch of patterns in the mid position so that it learns your playing technique.

Offline BobbyKidd

Re: STRIKE Hi Hat ready for the dumpster? Fix it for 50 cents. No joke.
« Reply #16 on: March 03, 2018, 01:55:57 PM »
At ace hardware
Great thought... I too thought about the "give" that a felt washer will have, and the affect of the fix after a long while.  So I got crafty with the dark gray support packing that laptop companies use to basically suspend the new laptop in the middle of the shipping box.  The stuff has just a slight "give" to it, but retains it's shape very well. So I carved it down to resemble the felt washer, and voila. IMHO, I think your hard rubber grommet is the better choice, so I'll be stopping by Ace Hardware today.   ;D
Alesis Strike & Strike Pro Modules & Kits
Alesis D4 & DM5
Alesis SR16
Superior Drummer 3
Steven Slate Drums

Pro Drummer since 1979

Re: STRIKE Hi Hat ready for the dumpster? Fix it for 50 cents. No joke.
« Reply #17 on: April 09, 2018, 11:03:30 PM »
I tried this tonight and it absolutely works. I now get 100% sound on closing the high hat every time. I re-calibrated the HH per Alesis instructions but I do though still have problems with the Chink not working 100% and random fires of something I'm not expecting to hear. It could be though I dont have enough pressure on the pedal.  I did put chink to 85, and the HH is open about half an inch. The inconsistency might also be because the HH cymbals spin...a lot. Maybe setting the bow and edge as the same sound, although i'd rather not do that.  Anyone have a solution to the spinning? I do also notice i get a cleaner sound on the side of the Alesis logo and I read that could mean a problem with the Cymbal. If i let my drum stick fall from about 6 inches onto the front of the cymbal it sounds pretty dead. If I do that on the wrong side it sounds crisp and clear.

I will experiment more tomorrow.  I was sidetracked as I just discovered Superior Drummer and now my wallet is itching!!
« Last Edit: April 09, 2018, 11:23:00 PM by ShaggyRS6 »

Re: STRIKE Hi Hat ready for the dumpster? Fix it for 50 cents. No joke.
« Reply #18 on: April 10, 2018, 09:51:55 AM »
To stop the hihat spinning, just rotate the main shaft clockwise until it goes "tight".

See
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EG20w0Et1Lc

Re: STRIKE Hi Hat ready for the dumpster? Fix it for 50 cents. No joke.
« Reply #19 on: April 10, 2018, 09:54:56 AM »
To stop the hihat spinning, just rotate the main shaft clockwise until it goes "tight".

See
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EG20w0Et1Lc

Thanks Dino!!

Offline Purpledc

Re: STRIKE Hi Hat ready for the dumpster? Fix it for 50 cents. No joke.
« Reply #20 on: April 13, 2018, 08:22:44 AM »
and if you find that the rod of your stand keeps coming loose you can buy a compound called VC-3 by vibramate.  Its a thread locker that can be applied to screws that are left out to dry.  The best part is it isn't permanent and can be reused 4-5 times before needing a new application.  The stuff also works great for your cymbal toppers and keeping those from rotating if you like your cymbals to swing more.

Re: STRIKE Hi Hat ready for the dumpster? Fix it for 50 cents. No joke.
« Reply #21 on: April 13, 2018, 08:43:10 AM »
and if you find that the rod of your stand keeps coming loose you can buy a compound called VC-3 by vibramate.  Its a thread locker that can be applied to screws that are left out to dry.  The best part is it isn't permanent and can be reused 4-5 times before needing a new application.  The stuff also works great for your cymbal toppers and keeping those from rotating if you like your cymbals to swing more.

Nice.  I think I have everything dialed in now and I am pretty happy. I think I read somewhere that the Alesis Strike Pro was not for the faint hearted in terms of setup and I think what the OP meant was there is an amount of tinkering that needs to be carried out to get it working. Should it be like that? No, probably not, but once dialed in this kit is awesome.  Now I can spend the money I was going to use for a Roland Hit Hat on Superior drums!

Re: STRIKE Hi Hat ready for the dumpster? Fix it for 50 cents. No joke.
« Reply #22 on: February 27, 2022, 05:15:39 PM »
I've struggled with this for a few years now. THIS WORKED!. Flipped the spring cap over and instantly the hats are behaving they should and the trigger controls work.

I'm SO HAPPY...