Allan Leibowitz offers some advice to get the best triggering out of your pads and cymbals.
You’ve plugged in a new pad and it just doesn’t seem to be triggering right. You head to your favourite Facebook group and you get all sorts of advice: boost the sensitivity, change the cables, your mask time is too low! Some of the tips may be rights, but more often than not, your online peers may be missing something crucial.
Start from scratch
If you’re setting up a new kit, first check if there are any software or firmware updates and apply those. With a used kit or module, you have no idea what settings the previous owner had deployed, so it is best to start with a clean slate. But before you do, back up the data on the module (there may be custom samples or tuning packs). Then do a full factory reset.
Get wired
Make sure that all your drums and cymbals are connected with the appropriate cables. Almost all triggers require TRS (stereo) connections – even some single-zone bar/Aux triggers. If you don’t use the right cables, your triggering is doomed before you even switch on the module.
Bank on it
Most manufacturers use the same module for a variety of kits with different pad/cymbal configurations. Sometimes, the module will be paired with mesh pads, while other kit versions may use rubber pads. Then there are kits with different drum and cymbal sizes – all using the same module. Often, the module will include a number of trigger banks – collections of trigger settings for specific pad set-ups. Make sure you choose the bank or kit configuration closest to your drum and cymbal array. Most modules automatically save these kinds of settings, but some require you to hit “save” after you’ve clicked “enter”. Make sure your trigger bank is selected and saved by exiting the trigger menu and then going back to check.
Customising the performance
The correct trigger bank or kit configuration setting is just a starting point. You don’t get in a car, turn the ignition and drive off without adjusting your seat position, steering wheel angle and rear-view mirrors. Similarly, the stock settings in your module were designed to suit someone else’s playing style which may or may not be similar to yours.
Spend some time thoroughly dialling in every pad and cymbal and you’ll enjoy years of happy drumming. Overlook this step and you are opening yourself up to all kinds of frustration.
Dialling ‘em in
Some kits have a set-up wizard which sets up each drum and cymbal methodically, getting you to apply hard and soft hits and automatically adjusting the parameters based on the force of your hits.
This is a great starting point, especially for those who don’t fully understand the parameters and what they do. (See: Understanding trigger parameters).
However, these wizards are not infallible and you will probably need to do some fine-tuning of at least one or two pads or cymbals, even after a successful ‘training’ session.
The right order
Let’s use the example of dialling in a PD-128 on a Roland TD-28 module. Assuming it’s a stock drum kit and we are using the correct trigger bank, the first step is to access the trigger menu and let the module know we are dialling in the snare. Most modules now have a ‘trigger chase’ function which allows you to select the drum or cymbal you want to modify simply by hitting it.
When the appropriate trigger is highlighted, first check the trigger type. From the drop-down menu, select the trigger type corresponding to your drum – in this case, PD128. That will load the presets for your particular drum – but again, those presets were defined by an engineer in a factory on the other side of the world and may not work well for you.
Having chosen the correct trigger type, spend a few minutes playing the drum at different velocities – hit hard and soft in different locations: in the centre, at the edges, the rims, rimshots (rim plus head), etc. Does it feel natural and does what you hear correspond to the dynamics of your playing? If it’s all good, move onto the next drum or cymbal. If not, it’s time to dig in …
Digging in
There are different approaches to dialling in your trigger settings, and the trigger menu may seem to suggest a certain order, often starting with Sensitivity.
Personally, I like to start with Threshold because that’s an important factor in determining which hits are ignored and which trigger sounds. I’ve heard threshold described as a levee – how high does the wall have to be to keep out the bulk of the tide and just let in the waves. You don’t want the module to be triggered by every vibration the head experiences – just your intended hits. But you also don’t want the threshold set so high that your ghost notes are blocked.
For most e-drummers, Sensitivity is the go-to parameter for adjusting trigger response. In another article, I noted that sensitivity is the measure of how the drum module interprets the velocity of a hit. Think of it as a volume dial for your trigger: high values will give strong signals from weak hits while low values will make the trigger less responsive. So, while you might be tempted to push the sensitivity to the limit, this will have the effect of reducing the dynamics, especially when you’re really laying into the drum.
With dual-zone drums (head/rim) and cymbals (bow/edge), you actually need to dial in both the head and the rim (or the bow and edge for a cymbal) as well as the separation – telling the module which is which and what to play and what to ignore. The nomenclature varies from module to module, but is usually called something like Head/Rim Balance.
One of the most overlooked parameters – and one that can have the most dramatic effects – is response curve. Unlike an acoustic drum where the volume is directly proportional to the force, you can vary the response of e-drums so that you don’t have to bash them to get louder hits. Most modules provide a number of Velocity Curves which alter the performance by varying the response relative to the force applied. Most default settings (Linear) mirror acoustic drums – soft hits equate to low volume, hard hits to higher volume – and the harder you hit, the louder it gets. However, you’ll also find curves which accentuate the lower volumes and others where it is easier to trigger loud sounds with soft hits. Try different curves and see which best matches your playing style. Some advanced modules allow you to personalise the curve so that you get one type of performance at low velocity and another when you’re belting the pads.
The final ‘crude’ trigger parameter is dynamic range – a measure of how the module responds to different levels of playing intensity. Some modules allow you to set the minimum and maximum sounds – so there’s either a big or small jump from soft to very loud. Most drummers prefer a fairly large dynamic range, with lots of ‘steps’ from very soft to very loud. Adjusting the dynamic range helps achieve a natural and expressive drumming experience.
Fine-tuning
The four parameters discussed above will certainly set you on a path to perfect triggering. But you’ll find a few other parameters on your module which may or may not be helpful.
One of them is particularly useful for large mesh kick drums where there’s a risk of double triggering as the mesh vibrates. Extending the Mask Time allows the module to ignore hits on a pad after an initial trigger. Properly configuring mask time prevents false triggers from post-hit vibrations and ensures that the module accurately interprets each hit. At the other extreme, when you’re playing rolls or quick strokes, you may need to adjust the Retrigger Cancel so that the module can register multiple hits in quick succession.
The beauty of being able to dial in each drum or cymbal lies in the power of the setting to accommodate different dynamics and styles for each drum.
But it’s not just the individual triggering you need to worry about, especially if your pads and cymbals are mounted on racks. Proximity to other drums can increase the risk of unintentional triggering through vibration. So, when you’ve got all your drums set up, you need to hit them all and check that the crash doesn’t trigger the rack toms, for example. Rather than dialling out these unintended signals by further raising the Threshold (which will impact on the pad performance), most modules come with Cross Talk (Xtalk) cancellation functionality. This parameter allows you to adjust the sensitivity between pads, minimising interference and enhancing the overall performance.
Summary
Modern drum brains have enhanced triggering capability, but need to be dialled in for your particular pad array, the positions of your pads and cymbals and your personal playing style.
It’s worth spending time ‘tuning’ your kit by adjusting the main trigger parameters to your individual gear set-up and performance style.
And if a pad doesn’t perform as you expect, don’t just “adjust the sensitivity” (the usual Facebook advice) and think that’ll fix everything. Go back to basics, check the major settings and save them as a custom setting, if your module allows. Then, back up those settings and keep them in case you ever have to do a factory reset. You’ll save yourself a heap of time and effort and be back behind the kit playing the way you’re used to – quickly and effortlessly.
Finally, if more than one drummer uses a kit, you can create a custom trigger bank or global preset for each and switch between these user banks so that each one enjoys optimal triggering. Similarly, if you’re a gigging drummer, you can store your trigger settings on a USB stick or SD card, depending on the module, and simply install your settings if you ever have to play someone else’s kit.