Alesis Strike - Drum Module Manual

Introduction

At Alesis, we know how serious music is to you. That's why we design our equipment with only one thing in mind—to make your performance the best it can be.

Box Contents
Strike Performance Drum Module
8 GB SDHC Card (in module's SD card slot)
Power Adapter
Quickstart Guide
Safety & Warranty Manual

Setup
Items not listed in Introduction > Box Contents are sold separately.

Features

Top Panel

1. Display: This full-color display shows the current kit, settings, and other information. Use the cursors to move through the menus and lists shown here. Use the Data Dial to scroll through available options. Use the Function Buttons (F1–F6) to select tabs shown at the bottom edge of the display.
2. Function Buttons (F1–F6): Press one of these 6 buttons to select the corresponding tab shown above it (at the bottom edge of the display).
3. Data Dial: Turn this dial to scroll through available options shown in the display.
4. Cursors: Use these buttons to select different areas shown in the current page in the display.
5. Enter: Press this button to confirm a selection shown in the display.
6. Kit: Press this button to enter the Kit menu (the default view when you power on the drum module).
7. Main Vol: Turn this knob to adjust the volume level of the Main Out on the rear panel. This level is independent from the volume level of each voice or the overall kit.
8. Aux In: Turn this knob to adjust the volume level of the Aux In on the rear panel. This also controls the input recording level of Sample Mode.
9. Headphone Out (1/4"/6.35 mm): Connect your stereo headphones to this input. Adjust the volume with the Headphone Vol knob.
10. Headphone Vol: Turn this knob to adjust the volume level of the Headphone Out.
11. Sliders: Use these sliders to adjust the independent volume level of each sound in your current kit. The sound's name is shown under the slider.
12. Note Chase: Press this button to activate or deactivate the Note Chase feature. When active, hitting a trigger will automatically select it in the drum module. This is useful for quickly making changes to multiple sounds on your kit, like selecting new instruments, editing voice parameters, etc.
    Alternatively, your Strike module's menus allow you to select the current trigger using the cursors and data dial.
13. Mixer: Press this button to enter Mixer Mode.
14. Sample: Press this button to enter Sample Edit Mode. This requires you to have an SD card inserted into the Strike module's SD card slot. If your SD card doesn't already have any WAV files, pressing this button will enter Sample Record Mode.
15. Utility: Press this button to show the Utility menu.
16. Save: Press this button to save the current kit or global settings (depending on the current mode). When you're in Kit Mode, pressing this button allows you to name/rename and save the current kit to your SD card. When you're in Trigger Mode or the Utility menu, pressing this button allows you to save all of your current trigger, metronome, and global MIDI settings.
17. Edit > Kit FX: Press this button to enter Kit Effects Mode where you can set the reverb and other effects for each kit.
18. Edit > Voice: Press this button to enter Voice Mode where you can edit the assigned instruments, reverb/FX Amount, MIDI output, and other settings for each drum or cymbal pad.
19. Edit > Triggers: Press this button to enter Trigger Mode where you can adjust the sensitivity and overall feel of each drum or cymbal pad. Strike's default settings are optimized for a wide range of playing styles and kit configurations. While trigger settings normally don't need any adjustment, you can still adjust the sensitivity of your triggers here.
20. Metro > On/Off: Press this button to turn the metronome on or off. Metronome settings can be found in the Utility menu, in the Metro tab.
21. Metro > Tempo: Press this button 3 or more times in succession at the desired rate to change the tempo of the metronome (in BPM). Alternatively, you can press and hold this button and turn the data dial to change the BPM. The light above this button will flash at the current tempo.
22. Transport Buttons: Use these buttons to control sample playback. These buttons work even when the drum module is not in Sample Mode.

• Rewind/Fast-Forward (): Press and hold one of these buttons to "scrub" backward or forward (respectively) through the sample.
• Play (): Press this button to start sample playback or recording.
• Stop (): Press this button to stop sample playback or recording.
• Record (˜): Press this button to show the Sample Record screen. Press it again to begin recording the signal from the Aux In, and then press it once more to stop the recording. You will then be in Sample Edit Mode where you can edit and save your new sample.

Rear Panel

1. Power Input: Connect the included power adapter (12 V, 2 A, center-positive) to this input.
2. Cable Restraint: You can secure the cable of the power adapter to this restraint to help prevent disconnecting it accidentally.
3. Power Switch: Press this button to power the drum module on or off. Power it on only after you have connected all of your input devices and before you power on any connected loudspeakers. Power off your loudspeakers before powering off the drum module.
4. Trigger Inputs (1/4"/6.35 mm, TRS): Connect these inputs to the triggers of your Strike Kit. The cable snake included with your Strike Kit or Strike Pro Kit is labeled to match these inputs. When connected, hitting a trigger will send an electric signal to the drum module, which will trigger the corresponding sound.
5. Aux In (1/8"/3.5 mm, TRS): Connect this input to an optional external audio device (computer, tablet, smartphone, etc.). Turn the Aux In knob on the top panel to adjust the volume level. You can then listen and play long to your favorite backing tracks or record the incoming audio signal in Sample Mode.
6. Main Out (1/4"/6.35 mm, TRS): Connect these outputs to your loudspeakers, audio interface, etc. Turn the Main Vol knob on the top panel to adjust the volume level.
7. Direct Audio Outs (1/4"/6.35 mm, TRS or TS): Connect these mono outputs to your external mixer, audio interface, etc. The independent audio signals of these triggers will be sent out of these outputs: kick, snare, hi-hat, ride, the left and right channels for all toms, and the left and right channels for the crash cymbals. The signal sent from these outputs is fixed and without any effects applied.
8. MIDI In (5-pin DIN): Connect this input to the MIDI output of an external MIDI device (synthesizer, drum machine, etc.).
9. MIDI Out (5-pin DIN): Connect this output to the MIDI input of an external MIDI device (synthesizer, drum machine, etc.).
10. USB Port: Use a standard USB cable (included) to connect this USB port to an available USB port on your computer. This connection sends and receives MIDI information to and from the computer.
11. SD Card Slot: You can insert a standard SDHC card into this slot (an 8 GB card is already included). An SD card is required to save kits, samples, or global settings. The SDHC card must be Class 10, use a FAT32 file system, and have a capacity of no more than 64 GB.
12. Display Contrast: Turn this knob to adjust the contrast of the display.

Operation

This chapter contains information on how to use your Strike Performance Drum Module.

Navigation
Controls
The Strike module's display shows information about its current mode and operations. You can navigate its different modes, pages, etc. by using the following controls:

• Data Dial: Use this dial to scroll through a menu or to change the selected parameter value, setting, etc. in the display.
• Cursors: Use these buttons to select different areas shown in the current page in the display.
• Enter: Press this button to confirm a selection shown in the display.
• Function Buttons (F1–F6): Press one of these 6 buttons to select the corresponding tab shown above it (at the bottom edge of the display).
• Mode Buttons (not shown): Press one of these buttons to enter its mode: Kit, Mixer, Sample, Utility, Save, Kit FX, Voice, or Triggers. When you power on the drum module, it'll always start in Kit Mode.

Overview
This section provides an overview of each page shown in the display.
To learn how to perform specific operations in the drum module, see the Kits, Trigger Mode, Metronome, Sample Mode, and Utility Menu chapters.

Kit Menu
This is the main menu where you can select kits or select individual triggers to edit within the kit.

To view the Kit menu, press Kit.
To select a kit, do one of the following:

• Press F3/Preset to choose from your preset kits or F4/User to choose from the user kits on your SD card.
  Turn the data dial to scroll through the list (the current kit name is shown at the top of the page). After you stop moving the data dial, the kit will load automatically.
• Press F1/List to choose from a list of available kits.
  Press F3/Preset to choose from your preset kits or F4/User to choose from your user kits.
  Use the cursors to switch between the kit categories (left panel) and kits (right panel).
  Turn the data dial to scroll through the list. After you stop moving the data dial, the kit will load automatically.
  If you select a kit category in the list and then return to the main Kit menu, you'll then be viewing the kits in that category only.

To save a kit, see Kits > Saving Kits.

If you edit a preset kit and then save it, the saved kit will be stored onto your SD card, while the original preset kit remains unchanged on the module's internal memory. You must have your SD card inserted into the SD card slot in order to save changes to preset kits.

Kit FX Mode
Kit FX Mode lets you adjust the settings for the Reverb, EQ, Comp (compressor), and FX processors. You can then how much of each to apply to each voice in the kit (see Kits > Editing Kits > Editing Voices).
To enter Kit FX Mode, press Edit > Kit FX.
See Kits > Editing Kits for more information about Kit FX Mode.

Voice Mode
Voice Mode shows the settings for each voice within the kit. A voice is the sound produced by each trigger of your Strike Kit.
Each tab in this screen lets you edit different settings of each voice.

To enter Voice Mode, press Edit > Voice.
To select a trigger, do one of the following:

• Press Note Chase so it's on. Strike the desired trigger on your Strike Kit.
• Use the cursors to select the Trig field in the upper-right corner. Turn the data dial to select the desired trigger.

See Kits > Editing Kits for more information about Voice Mode settings.

Trigger Mode
Trigger Mode shows the settings for each trigger of your Strike Kit, including its sensitivity, threshold, velocity curve, and crosstalk settings.

To enter Trigger Mode, press Edit > Trigger.
To select a trigger, do one of the following:

• Press Note Chase so it's on. Strike the desired trigger on your Strike Kit.
• Use the cursors to select the Trig field in the upper-right corner. Turn the data dial to select the desired trigger.

See Kits > Editing Kits for more information about Trigger Mode settings.

Mixer Mode
Mixer Mode shows you the output levels of each trigger, represented by 12 channel faders.
To enter Mixer Mode, press Mixer.
To adjust the level of each trigger, move its slider on the module up or down.

Sample Mode
Sample Record Mode contains controls for recording samples (before recording) and editing samples (after recording).
To enter Sample Record Mode, press the Record (˜) button.
To start recording, press the Record (˜) button. The button in the display will light red and the Time Remaining counter will start counting.
To stop recording and show the Sample Edit page, press the Record (˜) button again.
See Sample Mode > Recording Samples to learn more.
Sample Edit Mode lets you edit the sample you just recorded. See Sample Mode > Editing Samples for more information about this.

Utility Menu
The Utility menu contains settings that determine the module's overall operation, including global metronome functions, global trigger settings, and system information.
To view the Utility menu, press Utility.
See Utility Menu for more information about this.

Kits

The Strike module contains 135 preset kits. You can also create and save your own user kits onto an SD card. You can save as many user kits as your SD card can hold.
If you edit a preset kit and then save it, the saved kit will be stored onto your SD card, while the original preset kit remains unchanged on the module's internal memory.
You must have your SD card inserted into the SD card slot in order to save changes to preset kits.

Selecting Kits
To select a kit:

1. Press Kit to show the Kit menu (the default view when you power on the drum module).
2. Press F3/Preset to choose from your preset kits or F4/User to choose from user kits on your SD card. Turn the data dial to scroll through the list (the current kit name is shown at the top of the page). After you stop moving the data dial, the kit will load automatically.
   Alternatively, press F1/List to show all kits as a list. Press F3/Preset to choose from your preset kits or F4/User to choose from your user kits. Use the cursors to switch between the kit categories (left panel) and kits (right panel). Turn the data dial to scroll through the list. After you stop moving the data dial, the kit will load automatically.

Editing Kits
You can edit several different areas of a kit: the instruments assigned to each layer, the effects applied to the kit, the settings for each trigger, and more.

Assigning Instruments
To assign an instrument in a kit:

1. Press Kit to show the Kit menu, and select a kit.
2. After selecting a kit, select a trigger: If the Note Chase button is off, press it so it turns on, and then strike the desired zone of the trigger (drum or cymbal pad).
3. Press Voice and then press F4/Inst.
4. Press F1/Layer A or F2/Layer B to select the desired layer (your Strike module can layer two separate instruments on one trigger zone).
5. Press F3/Preset to select an instrument from the Strike module's internal instrument library or F4/User to select an instrument from your SD card (if you've saved samples in Sample Edit Mode, they'll be on your SD card).
6. Use the cursors to select the left panel—the instrument categories. Turn the data dial to scroll through the list and select one.
7. Use the cursors to select the right panel—the instruments in that category. Turn the data dial to scroll through the list to select one.
   To assign other instruments, use the cursors to select the Trig field in the upper-right corner, and turn the data dial to select the desired zone of a trigger. Alternatively, if Note Chase is on, strike the desired zone of the trigger. Repeat Steps 4–5 to assign a new instrument.
   
   Each kit can use up to 200 MB worth of samples. The Memory Used meter indicates how much space you are using of that total capacity.

Using Kit FX
Each kit has a processor for reverb, equalization (EQ), compression (Comp), and two FX processors. The Kit FX Mode is where you adjust the parameters for these effects. These settings are saved with each kit.
After editing these settings, you can use the then determine how much of each effect is applied for each individual trigger zone. You can do this in the FX/MIDI tab of Voice Mode (see Editing Voices> FX/MIDI).
To edit effects for an entire kit:

1. After selecting a kit, press Edit > Kit FX to enter Kit FX Mode.
2. Press the function button under the type of effect you want to apply: reverb (F1/Reverb), equalization (F2/EQ), compression (F3/Comp), or another effect (F4/FX1 or F5/FX2).
3. Use the cursors to select the parameter you want to edit.
   Turn the data dial to change the parameter value or setting.
   To make adjustments to other kit effect settings, repeat Steps 2–3.
   To return to the previous screen, press F6/Back.

These are the parameters in Kit FX Mode:

Editing Voices
Voice Mode shows the kit's voice settings, which determine how each instrument sounds when you strike each trigger. (When creating user kits, this is where you'll spend most of your time.)

To edit voice settings:

1. After selecting a kit, press Edit > Voice to enter Voice Mode.
2. Select a trigger by doing one of the following:
   • If the Note Chase button is off, press it so it turns on. Strike the desired zone of the trigger whose voice you want to edit.
   • Use thecursors to select the Trig field in the upper-right corner. Turn the data dial to select the desired zone of a trigger.
3. You'll see the Layers page first. Press the function button under the settings you want to edit: level settings (F1/Level), tone and tuning settings (F2/Tone), or velocity settings and dynamics (F3/Velocity). You'll also see F4/Inst, which lets you edit the instruments of your kit (see Assigning Instruments).
   To view the FX/MIDI page instead, press F5/FX/MIDI, and press the function button under other voice settings you want to edit: effect settings (F1/FX), MIDI settings (F2/MIDI), or other performance-related settings (F3/Other). Press F5/Layers to return to the Layers page.
   
4. Use thecursors to select the parameter you want to edit.
   Turn the data dial to change the parameter value or setting.
   To adjust other voice settings, repeat Steps 2–4.
   To return to the previous screen, press F6/Back.
   
   

These are the parameters on the Layers page of Voice Mode (identical for both layers):

These are the parameters on the FX/MIDI page of Voice Mode (they affect both layers):

Saving Kits
After editing a kit, you may want to save it as a user kit on an SD card for a later performance.

If you edit a preset kit and then save it, the saved kit will be stored onto your SD card, while the original preset kit remains unchanged on the module's internal memory. You must have your SD card inserted into the SD card slot in order to save changes to preset kits.

To save a user kit:

1. After editing the kit, press Kit to enter the Kit Menu.
2. Press Save.
3. In the page that appears, enter the name of the kit.
   To move to the previous or next character, press F1/<< or F2/>>.
   To change the current character, turn the data dial.
   To delete the current character, press F4/Delete.
   To clear all characters, press F5/Clear.
4. To save the kit, press F3/Save.
   To return to the previous screen without saving, press F6/Back.
   
   If you try to save a kit with a name that already exists, the module will ask if you want to overwrite (replace) the existing kit. To overwrite the kit, press F1/Save. To cancel, press F6/Back.
   Note: If you edit a preset kit, save it, and then want to load that saved kit later, remember that it is actually a user kit.

Trigger Mode

Trigger Mode shows the settings that determine how the trigger sensor for each drum or cymbal pad behaves when struck. If you want to make adjustments to the overall level of a sound, do this in the Layers tab of Voice Mode instead (see Kits > Editing Kits > Editing Voices); Trigger Mode settings are already optimized to work with your Strike Kit or Strike Pro Kit, so they generally won't require adjustment.
These settings are global and retained in the module's internal memory; they are not saved with any kit. To save your trigger settings, simply press Save while in Trigger Mode.

To edit trigger settings:

1. After selecting a kit, press Edit > Triggers to enter Trigger Mode.
2. Select a trigger by doing one of the following:
   • If the Note Chase button is off, press it so it turns on. Strike the desired zone of the trigger whose voice you want to edit.
   • Use thecursors to select the Trig field in the upper-right corner. Turn the data dial to select the desired zone of a trigger.
3. Use the cursors to select the parameter you want to edit.
   Turn the data dial to change the parameter value or setting.
   To adjust other voice settings, repeat Steps 2–4.
   Note: The HiHat Bow and HiHat Edge triggers have additional HiHat Pedal settings. See Hi-Hat Pedal Setup to learn about this.

These are the parameters in Trigger Mode:

Metronome

To turn the metronome on or off, press Metro > On/Off.
To adjust the tempo of the metronome, do one of the following:

• Press Metro > Tempo at least 3 times at the desired rate.
• Press and hold Metro > Tempo, and then turn the data dial to select a new tempo.

To change the metronome settings, see Utility Menu >Metronome (Metro). You can change the metronome sound, time signature, and volume levels. You can also enable or disable the Metro > Tempo button.

Sample Mode

You can use your Strike module to record, edit, and save samples from another audio source. You can then assign those samples as instruments in a kit or play them back as loops or backing tracks.

Recording Samples
Sample Record Mode contains controls for recording from an audio source connected to the Strike module's Aux In or Strike module's own internal audio signal.

To record a sample:

1. Press Record (˜) to enter Sample Record Mode.
2. Turn the data dial to select the source you want to record:
   • Aux Input: the signal sent into the aux in (on the rear panel).
   • Internal: the module's internal audio signal (i.e., you playing the Strike Kit).
   • Aux+Internal: the signal sent into the aux in (on the rear panel) as well as the module's internal audio signal (i.e., you playing the Strike Kit).
3. If you selected Aux Input or Aux+Internal, use a 1/8" (3.5 mm) stereo/TRS cable to connect your audio source to the aux in.
4. Turn the data dial to select the channels you want to record:
   • Stereo: the left and right channels in stereo.
   • Mono Left: the left channel only.
   • Mono Right: the right channel only.
   • Mono Summed: both channels summed into a mono signal.
5. Play your Aux source and/or Strike Kit to check that the volume level is sufficient.
6. Press the Record (˜) button to start recording. The button in the display will light red and the Time Remaining counter will start counting.
   Note: The time limit for the sample will be based on how much space is available on your SD Card.
7. Play your audio source and/or play your Strike Kit.
8. Press the Record (˜) or Stop () button to stop recording and enter Sample Edit Mode.
9. If you are recording from the Aux Input, stop its playback, and/or turn the Aux In knob back down.

Editing Samples

Sample Edit Mode lets you edit the sample you just recorded. The module will automatically enter Sample Edit Mode when you stop recording.
To enter Sample Edit Mode from another screen, press Sample.
To adjust the start or end markers of the sample, press F1/Start to select the Start (left) marker, or press F2/End to select the End (right) marker.
To adjust the start or end markers with more precision, press and hold F1/Start or F2/End while turning the data dial. This will zoom in on the Start or End marker so you can make fine adjustments, which is important when creating a loop that will repeat without pops or clicks.
To play the area of the sample between the start and end markers, press Play ().
To stop playback, press Stop ().
To zoom into the area of the waveform between the start and end markers, press F5/Zoom. Press it again to return to the preview view.
To set a quantization grid, press F3/Grid to cycle through 1/4 Note, 1/8 Note, 1/16 Note, and Off. This will lock the location of the End marker to a musical grid, based off the Strike module's tempo.

To adjust the tempo (which affects the Grid setting), do one of the following:

• Press Metro > Tempo three or more times in succession at the desired rate.
• Press and hold Metro > Tempo and turn the data dial.
• Use the cursors to select the BPM field in the upper-right corner and then turn the data dial.

To looping on or off, press F4/Loop. When on, playing the sample will cause it to repeat until you press Stop (). When off, playing the sample will play it only once.
Tip: You can also use Voice Mode to set a sample on a layer of a pad to loop. See Kits >Editing Kits > Editing Voices to learn about this.

Saving Samples
When you want to save the sample, you must select how you want to use it; you can save it as a loop—a normal audio file that you can play back in Sample Playback Mode—or as an instrument—a sound that you can assign to a voice in a kit.

When you save a loop or instrument, it will be saved to your SD card only. You cannot save or overwrite loops or instruments in your Strike module's internal memory.

To save the sample:

1. While in Sample Edit mode, press theSave button, and a window will appear.
2. Enter a name for the sample.
   To move to the previous or next character, press F1/<< or F2/>>.
   To change the current character, turn the data dial.
   To delete the current character, press F4/Delete.
   To clear all characters, press F5/Clear.
3. Press the down cursor to highlight the Save type. Then turn the data dial to select Full Sample, Trimmed Sample, or Instrument.
   To save the entire sample (without edits) as a loop, select Full Sample.
   To save the edited sample as a loop, select Trimmed Sample.
   To save the edited sample as an instrument, select Instrument. Then press the down cursor to highlight the instrument Category. Turn the data dial to select Acoustic, Melodic, or Electronic.
   Note: We recommend saving samples immediately as Full or Trimmed loops so you can name the file. You can always reload, edit, or play a loop later—or use it to create an instrument—while an instrument is simply for assigning to a trigger.
   
4. Press F3/Save to save the sample.
   To return to the previous screen without saving, press F6/Back.
   
   If you try to save a loop or instrument with a name that already exists, the module will ask if you want to overwrite (replace) the existing one. To overwrite the loop or instrument, press F1/Save. To cancel, press F6/Back.

Assigning Samples
Once you have saved your edited sample as an instrument, you can assign it to a kit.
To do this, see Kits > Editing Kits > Assigning Instruments. All samples saved as instruments are found in the User tab.

Playing Loops
You can play your edited sample as a loop (e.g., as a backing track) in Sample Edit Mode.
Tip: You can also use Voice Mode to set a sample on a layer of a pad to loop. See Kits >Editing Kits > Editing Voices to learn about this.

To play a loop:

1. Press Sample to enter Sample Edit Mode.
2. Use the cursors to select the Sample field at the top of the display.
3. Turn the data dial to select a sample, which will appear in the waveform below.
4. Press Play () to start playback. When you're finished, press Stop () to stop playback.

Alternatively:

1. Press the Record (˜) button to enter Sample Record Mode.
2. Press F1/List to show a list of samples on your SD card.
3. Turn the data dial to select a sample.
4. Press Sample to enter Sample Edit Mode. The sample you selected will appear in the waveform below.
5. Press Play () to start playback. When you're finished, press Stop () to stop playback.

Utility Menu

The Utility menu contains settings that determine the module's overall operation, including global metronome functions, global trigger settings, and system information.
Press the corresponding function button to show its settings:

• F1/Metro: Metronome settings. See Metronome (Metro) in this chapter.
• F2/MIDI: MIDI settings. See MIDI in this chapter.
• F3/Trigger: Trigger settings. See Trigger in this chapter.
• F4/SysEx: Send the trigger settings as a MIDI SysEx file. See SysEx in this chapter.
• F5/OS: Current operating system information. See OS in this chapter.

On each page, use the cursors to select a setting, and turn the data dial to change it.
To reset to the default settings in Trigger Mode and in the Utility menu, press and hold the Stop and Enter buttons while powering on the Strike Module.

Metronome (Metro)

MIDI

Note: You can send MIDI program change messages to your Strike module's MIDI input or USB port. The numbers of program change messages correspond to the kits listed in the current folder. Alternatively, send MIDI CC #118 to increment by one kit or MIDI CC #119 to decrement by one kit.

Trigger

OS

Factory Reset / Restore Defaults

To reset to the default settings in Trigger Mode and in the Utility menu, press and hold the Stop and Enter buttons while powering on the Strike Module.

Technical Specifications

Specifications are subject to change without notice.