Understanding Hi Hat Pedal Mode - Alesis DM5 Reference Manual

Chapter 6: External Triggering
U
NDERSTANDING
This is a feature for hardcore drummers. It's a little complicated, but hang in there—
the DM5 finally gives you a way to get truly realistic hi hat effects with electronic
drums.
An acoustic hi hat produces three main types of sound:
• Open hi hat. The pedal is up so that the upper and lower cymbals do not touch.
Striking the upper cymbal causes it to ring until it is struck again, or until the
pedal begins closing.
• Foot closed hi hat. This is the sound generated by pushing down on the pedal; it
is not initiated by hitting the hi hat with a drum stick, but by the sound of the
upper cymbal striking the lower one.
• Closed hi hat. Once the hats are closed (pedal down), then striking the upper
cymbal with the drumstick produces the closed hi hat sound.
To replicate these individual effects:
1
Patch a drum pad (the "hi hat" striking surface) into DM5 Trigger input 1 and a
footswitch (for "opening" and "closing" the hi hat) into the footswitch input. Hi
Hat Pedal must be selected for the footswitch mode.
2
If it isn't assigned already, assign an open hi hat sound to the note triggered by
Trigger Input 1.
3
Press the [EXT TRIG] button until the display shows the Footswitch
Close note. This is the note that will be played when the footswitch is pressed.
If it hasn't been assigned already, assign a closing hi hat sound to this note. This
will give the hi hat a realistic closing sound, as opposed to an abrupt switch from
an open sound to a closed sound.
Note that you don't necessarily have to use hi hat sounds while using this mode. If
you wish, you can use any sound available in the DM5.
5
Press the [EXT TRIG] button until the display shows the Footswitch Held
note. This is the note that will be played when Trigger 1 is struck AND the
footswitch is held. If it hasn't been assigned already, assign a closed hi hat sound
to this note.
6
Using the Group function (see page 31), assign all the hi hat sounds to Group 1
so that you can't have two different hi hat sounds ringing at the same time. (The
hi hat sounds could be assigned to Group 2 if you're already using Group 1 for
other drum sounds.)
If you strike the hi hat pad while the footswitch is not pressed, you'll hear the open
hi hat sound. Pressing the footswitch triggers the foot closed sound (at the same
velocity as the most recent open hi hat hit); just like a real hi hat, you don't have to
strike the pad—simply "closing" the hi hat by pressing the footswitch triggers the
sound.
Striking the pad while the footswitch is held down plays the closed hi hat sound.
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DM5 Reference Manual