DM5 problems

[weldman]

i cant get any sound out of trigger port 5...

i thought it was a bad trigger or solder joint by me in my #2 tom but i plugged another trigger/drum into the #5 port and it still wont work

so its either a broken module or an error in the setting that i dont know about...any ideas?


also, i cant figure out how to increase the volume of a pad...my bass pedal is really quiet

[weldman]

well i figured out how to reset it and the tom works now but i still cant figure out the pad volume

[rhjanes]

you got the manual? Setting the output volume for each pad is fairly easy. The biggest thing Alesis does, is each "panel" has multiple screens! I've not had a DM5 in 4 years, but I think the volume control for each trigger, plus the output, pan etc, is all on one of the screens, except you have to open the first screen, and then scroll to another screen to see what all you can adjust. the cursor button and the scroll wheel controls this.

go to the alesis web site and download the manual, if you don't already have it.

Yes, there are LOT's of setting controlling, volume, pan, sensitivity, etc.

[ange d mange]

Here's a link to the manual if you don't already have it.

http://www.alesis.com/downloads/manuals/DM5_Manual.pdf

[Maggot]

wow i almost jumped, i thought you were going to ask a question about a paintball gun for a minute there...

[JLee]

Not sure if it is the same with the DM5, but the DM Pro never does get that loud when going straight through the module. Also, there is quite a bit of variation as far as the triggering level of various components.

For example, all the toms and snare trigger equally loud (or pretty damn close to it) on my ekit. However, the "hi hat" pad and the kick trigger are much much quieter.

I have done some fiddling around with my module, and it is my biggest disappointment with the whole project. I will really need to figure out how to get a little more volume on this rig. Playing along with music is pretty much impossible if I want to hear myself.
I have a Danelectro practice amp that I am going to try to incorporate, but I am not sure that it will make a lot of difference, considering it is pretty small and low power itself.

[rhjanes]

Oh, yes. I do find the cymbals and kik trigger "softer". I thought it was just me.
What have I done?
Raised the output level (in the brain), on the kick, cymbals and hats to about 80 to 90.

lowered some of the toms and snares to about 60 to 80. This is all just a starting point! Each "instrument" will be different! I set up ONE kit, did the panning (to send out four different sends), did every thing on that kit. Then, Kit to Kit copy and duplicated it about 5 times. Then, changed kit two to "country", kit three became "jazz", kit 4 became "brushes", kit 5 became Latin. Changed the instruments to match the type of music. then, fine-tuned each kit.

Remember to back it all up!!! to you PC, another unit...etc. It's a lot of work to redo!

[JLee]

I have all my outputs at 99, which is as high as they will go. It is still not very loud.
Not sure what to do in the long run, as it makes for a nice edrum set with fairly limited practice applications. I had thought that maybe my hearing was going, but I have had other people get on the headphones and their impression was the same as mine.

[rhjanes]

Oh....You playing with your CD player into the brain? I don't. I run the DMPro into a 8 chanel mixer, with the CD player in also, mix accordingly. Output to my headphones off that. I can make it hurt just with the internal Peavey mixer! Bring up the mains on the Peavey, which are RCA output into the home stereo. Volume is not an issue for me.

[JLee]

All of which means I need to go get me some more equipment, it would appear.

So, I will need an eight channel mixer, and a stronger amp, I assume?

[rhjanes]

It depends on what you want to output! I use the following:
Main Left = Toms
Main Right = cymbals and other highs
Aux Left = kick
Aux Right = snare.

do it with Panning. Then, your sound guy has isolation. I use a Peavey 8 chanel mixer in the house. Even my 10 year old knew how to use it (at 6). 4 input are the DMPro (or my old DM5, when I had one). LEft and Right off the CD player, Left and Right off my cassette deck. Mains out of the Peavey are converted to RCA inputs to the home stereo.

On my road kit, same thing. But, I just use a 6 Channel mixer/amp, I think it is 125 watts. Same four inputs. Then, I have mix and main volume. It's an EBay Samson mixer and a no-name speaker. It works well enough in smoky-bars with my 5 piece band.

[boobus]

The Drum Volume setting is accessible by choosing the drum, then hitting the "Mix" button. It's one of those pages in there.

I have all my drums set in the 80s and 90s. I find that the ride cymbal is the quietest so I jacked that up. However, I'm not experiencing the same problems as JLEE with volume. My module plays LOUD. I keep the volume on not quite 12 o'clock on the dial.

I wonder if it has anything to do with the headphones you're using (assuming you are). I use the Extreme Isolation headphones, which aren't the most detailed, but they are closed-back cans with... well, "extreme" isolation (-29dB). Some cans need more current than others, so I might suggest experimenting with others before going too far with the fancy equipment.

I also think the volume pot on the Alesis is of poor quality. Sometimes my left channel cuts out, so I wiggle the volume control and get it back in. I might suggest calling Alesis tech support and ask about it. They've been pretty cool when I called, though they might refer you to one of the authorized repair centers if it's not something they can troubleshoot.

Best of luck.

[weldman]

ok thanks for all the info again


i finally found it in the manual...its under the mix button...


anyways
now my homeamde crash cymbal is goin nuts...it keeps fadeing in and out quite often....it cant be a loose connection as its not cutting out, its fading in and out like someone is turning the volume up and down....


anyonw have any ideas on that one?

i switched it to another port and it does the same thing so i think its the trigger on the piezo itself...i have 2 extra triggers and i hot glued this one on

do you think the hot glue distroyed the trigger?

i put the glue on the back brass part...not the crystal part

i hot glued all my triggers on though and none of them have any problems....maby ill try some of this Aleene's original "TACKY" GLUE...not really permanent and stays rubbery...

as for figureing out the dm5..i think i have that covered, its getting easy to program now
ill have to lower the cymbals and toms as they are really loud and that should bring the bass up a bit more as its all the way up to 100 now and still not good:rolleyes:

[rhjanes]

Oh yeah, I forget on the DM5, but on the DMPro, Alesis made some dumb choices. The volume control on the front? Does NOT control the volume out on anything but the Main channels and head phone out. Dumb..... hence, I control all the output on the mixer/amp. I just tune and volume set the entire kit on the Pro, then, leave the volume knob all the way up and control it on the mixer.

If you have one pad at 99 and it is still not loud enough, then everything else is too loud. Bring them all down. I try and keep only the softest instrument at about 95. Hence, in the Pro, I've got some set at 60!