Trigger Selection - Alesis D4 Reference Manual

• NOISE. The noise floor is is the signal level threshold a vibration or sound
must exceed before it can trigger a drum sound. When selecting lower
values, very soft signals (hits) will trigger the D4. While this allows for the
greatest sensitivity, there's a chance that unwanted, exterior signals such as
vibrations from drum risers, bass cabinets, or even people jumping up and
down on the dance floor may trigger a sound.
Higher settings are useful when trying to extract drum sounds from tape
where other sounds are present; often the snare or kick drum will be louder
than other sounds, so setting the threshold above the other sounds will allow
the snare or kick to trigger the D4. However, the higher the threshold, the
more likely that the instrument's full dynamic range won't be captured and
some soft hits to the pad may not be recognized.
Note: The NOISE parameter in the D4 is similar to XTALK in that the level you
set determines whether the trigger will fire on "softer" signals. But there is a
difference. The NOISE parameter "looks" only at exterior causes of the signal,
whereas the XTALK parameter "looks" at all of the other triggers in the D4 to
determine whether the "soft" signal it is receiving is actually a "real hit".
• GAIN. This is the signal strength that the transducer is sending to the triggers
in the D4. It's adjustment is very similar to that of a tape recorder's VU meter.
With the gain set too low, soft hits may never be recognized. With the gain
set too high, you may experience false, or double triggering. A properly
adjusted gain setting will allow the highest dynamic range for the pad being
used. The gain is the most important parameter in the D4. It must be correctly
set for the remaining parameters to work properly, and to assure reliable
triggering with the D4.

5.0 TRIGGER SELECTION

There are 12 input triggers with corresponding rear panel jacks. Each is edited
independently, so it is first necessary to select a trigger input for editing.
Note: The MIDI note number default settings for the D4 triggers can be found in the
D4 Factory Drumset Reference Chart.
Editable parameters are identical for all 12 triggers, and the trigger set up is global
for all drum sets.
1. The first Ext Trig page shows three parameters, such as:
As with the other screens, the cursor buttons move between the three
parameters.
TRIG:01 VCURVE:4
NOTE: 046 A#1
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