DDrums triggers

[tony dB]

Does anyone know what kind of piezostuff DDrum use to build these drumtriggers?

http://www.netzmarkt.de/thomann/thoiw9_ddrum_d1600_kick_trigger_prodinfo.html is what i mean.

Cheers,

Tony

 

[chrissugar]

Hi Tony

Piezo stuff is very cheap so you can buy some from diferent sources and try them. I think there is nothing special.
Some years ago i almost bought the DDRUM4 set, but later my interest faded so no DDRUM at my studio.

chrissugar

 

[Kev]

I usually use a simple disc shaped one. Sometimes comes with a plastic surround that I break away.

For a more detailed answer you could try the DIY E-Drum forums and links.
I should know these off the top of my head ... :sad: but today I must be a bit thick.

 

[tony dB]

thanks geezers :grin:

Tony

 

[Kev]

From my local shop Jaycar.

STOCK-CODE: AB3456 RRP: $7.65
Qty 1+ $7.65 Qty 4+ $6.75 Qty 10+ $5.95

Dual Sound Piezo Buzzer 1-13V

Similar to Sonalert earpiercing sound. Non inductive, operates from 1 - 13V DC. Now with both continuous tone and pulsed tone. Red & black for continuous, yellow and black for pulse tone. Ideal for almost all signalling applications.

Specifications:
- Operating Volt: 1 - 13V DC
- Rated Voltage: 12V DC
- Current: single tone 35mA pulse tone 20mA
- Frequency: 2.9kHz
- SPL: 105dB/30cm single 100dB/ 30cm pulse
- Pulse Rate: 2 - 7 pulse/sec
- Size: 45(dia)mm x 26(H)mm
- Mounting: 1 x 3mm screw.

 

[HiString]

Here's a link to a step by step thang............ http://members.cox.net/ampage/triggers.htm

 

[Emperor-TK]

That's the exact same approach I used and the triggers work flawlessly. Instead of a remo practice kit, I began with a Gibraltar set because of the sturdier hardware. This was a mistake since the piezo's didn't mechanically couple correctly with the thick rubber pads. As you can see in my picture, I wound up replacing most of the Gibraltar pads with Remo ones.

Regards,
Chris

 

[adamasd]

Acoustic Guitar pickups are pretty good for this, they are cheap and sturdy. If you go with the kind that the piezo is the actual saddle, they are about 1/8" thick, you can cut and shape them and they can be cut up iinto multipul sensors. Soldering on them is abit of a trick, but not to bad. There are also the type that goes under a guitars saddle, its like foam wrapped in tin foil, and tends to have a deeper sound if you hook them up to an audio source. if you dig around the net abit you can find them for very cheap, or if you know someone in the acoustic guitar repair field. I find they work better then the disc type and hold up to abuse much better.

adam

 

[daArry]

hey...

i'm aiming for a vdrums setup built around a MIOS interface - theres a circuit and firmware already in testing and is going well from what I've heard so far:

http://www.midibox.org/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi?board=news;action=display;num=1073069885

For the drums I thought these cases from OKW could be good:

http://www.okw.co.uk/catalogue/plastic/info_pages/artinfo.htm

peesh

 

[Kev]

[quote author="Emperor-TK"] Instead of a remo practice kit, I began with a Gibraltar set because of the sturdier hardware. [/quote]

This how many of us started our DIY E-Drums.
Gibraltar + the REMO PAD / Alesis D4 page from a couple of years ago.
Has anyone tried a REMO with a MESH head yet ?
Lots of success with real cymbals and then the E-Drums.
Most of us can get a reasonable 2 or 3 Mic overhead sound and then add the samples or box sounds for the main drums. ... I've even mic'd the pads to help with editing. :shock: ... My D4 doesn't catch everything.

I am drifting more to the V-Drum style of drum, cone and trigger arrangement.

YES
Midi box is cool but I think there is much more going on inside the V-Drum and D-Drum brains.

Better HiHat controls and some X-talk settings not yet in the MidBox stuff.

I am following closely though. I tried to get some interest months ago and there were no takers ???
So what's changed !?

 

[HiString]

Kev,

Life takes some unexpected turns.................I had been slowly working towards some DIY electric drums for our studio........as a guitarist I can't play drums to save myself..........then in the last 4 weeks I've been offered the opportunity to do work for Sleishman which I'm in the process of setting up for at the moment.

Buggered if I know when I'm going to get any DIY gear done :grin: .

 

[Emperor-TK]

Kev,

I had a "snare" made out of a roto-tom with a mesh head. The central hub in the roto-tom gave a good place to mount the piezo, but I found it a little unstable in terms of triggering, at least the way I had mine mounted. It would work great, and then the foam between the head and the piezo would shift or relax and triggering would be sporadic. It takes a little more engineering than embedding the piezo in the practice pad, but it was more pleasant to play on (until it started mistriggering). :wink: It was also much quiter when micing real cymbals, which I do with this kit alot. I just got tired of fixing it.

-Chris

 

[Kev]

The Mesh Head gives the quiet hit.
It should still give the benefits on a REMO Practice Pad.

The Roto is interesting but I think if you mount the whole thing with the normal mount you run the risk of triggers from up the mount from other drums ... cross-triggering.
Mounting from the rim might be possible.

The foam/rubber used by the V-Drum is available and it is also available as a spare part.
One guy found some Kids Toy Foam Letters and one of the letters was just perfect for his DIY set-up.

I have been looking for single 10" and 8" and 6 " toms ... 6 is very small. :roll:
I plan to try to cut one in half to creat two units. Will need 2 Mesh Heads and 1 extra mounting hardware.
Then will need a method to mount the main trigger and then the rim should be easy. This mount need to be stiff and stable BUT need to float a little with respect to the main drum so as not to get false triggers from the rim shot and other drums.

I have also tried to find a plastic tube with enough stability to make a drum with normal drum hardware ... pots and buckets etc ... no luck yet.

Old wooden drums seem to be the best bet for the DIY'er.

How cheap are Kid's Mini drum kits and will they accept normal replacement Mesh Heads.

Playing Drums
... err I can play everything .... badly. :green:
so I guess I can't save myself either !
If the band doesn't behave themselves the ROADIE Band will get up on stage during sound check and WILL play Road House Blues ... or Gloria :shock: until you give in ... or go insane.

 

[Emperor-TK]

Mesh heads on the practice pads is an excellent Idea. I never thought of that one. My rototom was mounted on a snare stand, and also had some foam between the hub and the transducer. I stuffed a small can with foam, the transducer, and then a stiff piece of foam between the head and the transducer. This all was attached to the hub. It was pretty well isolated from the stand, but unfortunately it was also a little too isolated from the head itself .

I'd imagine that a flea-market special drumkit would be a great basis for a DIY mesh kit. Here in the US, you can allways find some early 70's no-name drums with water damage and chipped bearing edges for $50 at a garage sale. They don't have to sound good, or even stay in tune (within reason). I also knew an engineer that made "drums" for his studio that were nothing more than rims and some kind of bearing edge on a sheet of 1/2" plywood with large holes cut out. Allegedly the heavy metal guys loved them for that "thwack" sound. Add a couple of transducers...

So do they make mesh heads small enough for the Remos?

-Chris

 

[HiString]

You may also find some info here.........http://www.electronicdrums.com/


Kev, it is possible that in a few months I may have some "surplus" bare shells that could be fitted out to take mesh heads, etc............just taking this "drum thing" here one step at a time for now.