Category: DIY

DIY, Gear

Is a cheap trigger plate worth it?

Budget-conscious DIYers may have noticed some drop-in trigger plates on Alibaba with a tempting price tag—under $45, including shipping. Even factoring in a 100% US tariff, the final cost is still significantly lower than the better-known alternatives like the Diamond Electronic Drums Easyfit 14″ multi-trigger plate (£139/US$185) or the Jobeky Fast-Fit Premium 14” system (£99.17/US$135). So how do these no-name (Dongguan Feiming Musical Instrument Co) Chinese trigger plates measure up? What’s in the Box My 14″ trigger plate arrived in Australia just over a week after ordering. It was wrapped in heavy-duty plastic, in a box oddly labelled “CYM 15”—a confusing moment until I opened it and confirmed the contents. Available in 10″, 12″, 14″, and 16″ sizes, the plate […]

DIY

New DIY sound source released

E-drummers have a new sound source option, with Italian drummer Paolo Simonazzi releasing the plans and a component list for a new USB sound expander – and the software needed to run it – all for free. DrumPi began its journey in 2011 when Simonazzi, a software engineer, began toying with the idea of using the smartphone as a sound engine for an electronic drum module. Hampered by latency, in 2015, he changed his approach and started coding prototypes on a Raspberry Pi 3. After sitting dormant for a while, the project was revived, with new software developed to transform the audio engine into a full-featured DAW, including a 64-channel mixer, effects, MIDI support, multi-layered samples, multi-velocity samples, a transients […]

DIY, Gear

Top maintenance tips for drum pads and e-cymbals

Electronic drum kits are built to withstand hours of playing — but like any instrument, they require regular maintenance to keep them performing at their best. Whether you’re gigging regularly or drumming at home, here are some crucial tasks every e-drummer should include in their maintenance routine. Check (and replace) worn foam cones The foam cones or columns under the mesh head on pads are key to translating your playing dynamics into MIDI signals. Over time, these cones can compress, harden or disintegrate, resulting in uneven triggering or dead zones. What to do: Open the pad casing (check your model’s teardown guide first). Inspect the cone for visible damage, wear or compression. Replace with OEM or quality aftermarket cones, if […]

DIY, Gear

New software revives ddrum4

A virtual collaboration is helping bring a 25-year-old drum module into the 21st century. Three software tinkerers, collectively calling themselves Team ddrum4ui, recently unveiled an app that breathes new life into the iconic ddrum4 drum module by enabling editing of factory sound files and adding new audio samples to the brain and with some other features. Before examining the advances, it’s worth looking back at the history of the drum brain which is still sought after today. Brief history of the ddrum4 The ddrum4 hit the market in the late 1990s, when it was released by Swedish synth innovator Clavia, best known for the Nord keyboards. ddrum first emerged in the ‘80s with one of the early acoustic drum triggers. […]

DIY, Gear

R-Drums adds ‘chainable’ trigger

To meet the growing demand for multi-sensor trigger systems, Germany’s R-Drums has launched its Chain Trigger internal side-mounted drum trigger. The Chain Trigger is a dual-zone trigger for mounting on the inside of the drum shell. It is attached to the shell using a lug, so no drilling is required. What is unique about the new system is that multiple Chain Triggers can be installed in a single drum and connected to each other using the built-in male/female cables. This ensures consistent triggering even with large shell diameters, without the annoying hot spot in the centre of the head. R-Drums says the trigger is compatible with many current drum modules, and digitalDrummer’s reviews of the manufacturer’s previous designs have reported […]

DIY

Screen replacement updates

FreeDom Studios, the developer of the TD-120 LCD screen replacements for TD-12 and TD-20 modules, has released a modified version of its board, in response to isolated reports of audio noise following replacements. FreeDom owner Netto Scaff warns that due to their advanced age, many Roland TD-12, TD-20 and TD-20X modules are showing a reduction in the filtering and coupling capacity of the electrolytic capacitors. Because of the reduction, any extra consumption can end up generating noise in the audio circuits. “Since we use a processor to convert the display protocol, I noticed that some modules experience some noise, especially when using MIX IN.” To address the issue , FreeDom has added a 470uF capacitor . Scaff says with demand for the […]

DIY, Gear

Split the difference

digitalDrummer often gets questions about adding drums and cymbals by splitting inputs. It’s a common challenge: connecting more triggers when you have maxed out your drum module. In theory, since most inputs on most modules are stereo (TSR), you should be able to connect two pads or cymbals to each input with a simple cable. But, unfortunately, this is not necessarily the case, and we continue to get questions from readers who don’t understand why they are not able to assign different instrument sounds to the connected pads. In this article, we will delve into the concept of input splitting, highlighting which inputs are splittable and which are not and what kind of connectors are required. Understanding input splitting Very […]

DIY, Gear

More TD-12 and TD-20 replacement screens

Brazil’s Freedom Studios, which has been supplying replacement screens for Roland TD-12 and TD-20 modules for the past 18 months, has released some second-generation screens. One of the new options, according to founder Netto Scaff, is a version that retains the black-on-green style of the original Roland display. This version, he admits, is fairly challenging to install since it uses the original backlight board from the user’s existing display. The board needs to be desoldered from the display and used with a new screen which can be easily obtained from AliExpress. Scaff suggests that this replacement should be done by a trained technician, but Freedom Studios does provide step-by-step video instructions. Responding to customer feedback since the start of screen […]

DIY

A splash of colour

Richard Bates of Leicester, Massachusetts explains how he recently rewrapped his e-drums using some unusual material. It all started when I got bored with looking at my normal drum set. I often change the outside appearance by taking off the lugs and using anything from contact paper to this colour-changing fabric sequin pillow material. I’ve been customising drums my whole life, and I wanted to do something different with this recent electronic kit that I am ready to play out with live. I found this fabric at the store and I thought it looked kind of like a tattoo, so I used it – basically just floating around the shells. There’s no glue or anything else holding the cloth on […]

DIY, Gear

Lego drummer

Many e-drummers are also Lego fans, so here’s an experience that ties the two hobbies together. Lego enthusiast Brick Technology (he prefers to keep his identity secret) recently posted a YouTube video showing how he built a Lego drum machine to power a Roland TD-9. The video shows the build step by step and culminates in a demo of the machine in action, together with a guess-the-song quiz at the end. We asked the mind behind the machine about the build. dD: Why did you start the project? BT: I run a channel and try to come up with interesting ideas that no-one has tried before. I knew Lego Technic is capable of a lot of things and wondered if […]