Piezo size

[boobus]

I have a small piezo... I bought ten from a guy on eBay because they were bare and I wouldn't have to struggle to break open the Radio Shack model. However, these are smaller (maybe the size of a penny) as opposed to the Radio Shack one (model #273-073A) which are more quarter sized.

Will the size of the piezo make any difference in its triggering function? Or is it just a matter of having the right trigger setup?

Any thoughts are appreciated.

[Silky7483]

I'm not sure how that'll work, but I do know that I bought some MASSIVE Piezos from ebay that are close to two inches wide and they seem more responsive, probably because the the brass area is larger. My guess would be that the smaller ones will trigger a smaller area.

[JLee]

I think for the most part, that it would be true that a smaller piezo would be more sensitive over a more limited range of the drumhead. I saw a link a while back that showed the edrums featuring a 27mm piezo on 10" and 12" shells and a 32mm on the 14". I am using the Radio Shack model 273-073 and they about 27mm and cover the entire drum head pretty easily.

[drummerdan]

My latest project involves a 35mm piezo. We'll see how it responds versus the smaller ones.

[boobus]

If I mounted these to a metal or alumimum disc, would that expand their range over the drumhead, ya think?

I suppose if I need to use bigger ones I can always use these little guys to mount to the shell for dual triggering on rimshots, eh?

[Neo666]

If I mounted these to a metal or alumimum disc, would that expand their range over the drumhead, ya think?

I suppose if I need to use bigger ones I can always use these little guys to mount to the shell for dual triggering on rimshots, eh?

yes it would. piezos work on vibration. if there is more surface area on the piezo it will pickup more vibrations. if you expand the surface area, ex. a piece of sheet metal or even metal flashing(for roof work) it will increase the potential ability for the piezo to work. hope this helps

[boobus]

thanks very much for all the replies... The kit I'm going to build is a conversion from my beat around acoustic kit. 14s,13t,16t,22b.

Since I still haven't built my new a-kit, I'm going to prototype my the 12t I'm not using with an undermounted trigger system like what others have built... brackets, plate, piezo, cone or disc foam, mesh head. If it works, I'll cut this drum to around half its depth and start fabricating the remaining triggers systems for the other drums in anticipation of the future, when I'll be replacing the whole kit with a custom built a-kit.

I've seen many ways of building these triggers, and the GNF has been a tremendous resource, as is Drumbalya. Since it's just for practice and will run through an Alesis D4 brain for now, I'm not real concerned about perfection. Though, I don't want any headaches either. I'll be posting this as a blog in the future, with plenty of pics.

Any and all thoughts are welcome replies. Keep em' coming....

B

[Silky7483]

You and me both sir.

I'm doing the same only without the luxury of the extra kit to tinker with.

So far so good with my stuff...

[JLee]

Not that I know what I am talking about but, here's a few suggestions:

Make sure that you mount the piezos with the brass side up. I made the mistake of doing the opposite, because I thought it looked more correct. Now that they are back to where they should be, the difference is substantial.

Make sure that your solder joints are good and not excessive.

If you are doing a fixed, and not adjustable, bridge, make sure its position allows the cone to just touch the head and not be mashed into it.

Test your piezos before attaching the foam cones. I found a couple to be defective, so there is no point in wasting the 7.99 cost for a cone if the piezo doesn't work.

Pay attention to the tension of the head on your finished product. I have found that for some reason people tend to really crank up the tension on mesh heads, especially on the toms, and I think this kind of compromises the response, unless the module is adjusted accordingly. If you tension the head like an acoustic drum, and mount the piezo correctly, it should behave like an acoustic drum, the exception being the variety of sounds you can get.

Best of luck. It really is a fun project to complete.

[boobus]

Thanks JLee, I've been following your progress from your posts, it's really helped me understand the whole process.

I suppose people might crank up the tension on mesh heads to make them feel more resilient like a mylar head, instead of bouncy like a trampoline. I have some Percussion Plus mesh heads that I got for free so I'm going to see how they work. If not well, I'll invest in the Roland or Hart mesh heads that are designed to feel more natural.

Luckily, I'm not so good at buzz rolls that I'll notice a lot of difference with the performance of whatever triggers I make.

[JLee]

I am glad someone can learn from my mistakes - in drum building anyway.

Actually, while I am sure that many would disagree, I have found the cheap Pearl Traveller mesh heads to feel pretty realistic. I don't think they will hold up all that long under heavy playing, but mine was not intended to be a gigging set. I have Travellers on all the toms, and a Hart dynamics on the snare, and I do have to say, the head response is just fine.

[boobus]

I am glad someone can learn from my mistakes - in drum building anyway.

Actually, while I am sure that many would disagree, I have found the cheap Pearl Traveller mesh heads to feel pretty realistic. I don't think they will hold up all that long under heavy playing, but mine was not intended to be a gigging set. I have Travellers on all the toms, and a Hart dynamics on the snare, and I do have to say, the head response is just fine.

Good to know... I got these PP mesh heads free, so hopefully they will feel fight also.
Peace, brutha.

[weldman]

I'm not sure how that'll work, but I do know that I bought some MASSIVE Piezos from ebay that are close to two inches wide and they seem more responsive, probably because the the brass area is larger. My guess would be that the smaller ones will trigger a smaller area.

all electronics.com has these piezos that are 2" dia.