Drum hacking for cheapskates

[7 Dying Trees]

Got a TD9 a while ago, and am hacking at it to make it better. So far I've:
-upgraded the softwarte to double the presets and a load I'll never use
- added a tom and a cymbal to the kit

Next on the list:
- add more cymbals which involves making splitter cables OR
- slave another unit to it so i can have dual zones on the cymbals

Not that I can play particularly well, as just do it for fun, but upgrading it isn't costing the moon, and having more things to hit is good fun.

Who else is adding bits to their kit whilst refusing to buy more expensive modern stuff that actually has inputs?

[Chris]

I have a TD17 with my new kit and I hadn't really thought about hacking it for more kit sounds. I usually just send it to Superior anyway, but now that you mention it I'd totally be on board with more presets.

Comically, other than a few extra inputs I don't notice much of a difference from my old TD4 that was like 1/3 the price.

Upside: The stock MIDI note for the rims on the toms is default mapped to cymbals in Superior, so it actually makes my sloppy fill playing sound cooler. The first time my actual-drummer buddy came by to play it he was all confused by it.

[7 Dying Trees]

I've bought a female stereo jack and have some cables I can cannibalise, found the video on "how to build a splitter" the other night. a resistor, two mono cables and a female stereo jack.

You could literally split all your toms so the rims never sound, and use the spare for moar cymbals. go on. you know you want to.

Like adding cowbell. Splash cymbals (I got a CY5 for this purpose) etc etc

[Chris]

go on. you know you want to.

I definitely do. I have 3 cymbals now (two crash + splash) plus a two-zone ride and the VH11 hats. The problem with adding these splitters is that I'll need more goddamn stands and cymbals to go with them. Shit adds up quick!

[7 Dying Trees]

I've got a spare cy8 (need to take apart and see why it's quiet), and another one i've added plus the cy5. should be enough for now, but it'll escalate, i know it will. I mean, I NEED a cowbell pad

[Chris]

I've got a spare cy8 (need to take apart and see why it's quiet), and another one i've added plus the cy5. should be enough for now, but it'll escalate, i know it will. I mean, I NEED a cowbell pad

Go big:

[Randy]

Nothing too crazy here, I'm using a TD-1kv because I am limited by the footprint I wanted to take up in the office and I pre-made a drum riser to de-couple it from the floor and keep it from rattling the whole house, so I'm kinda tethered to it now.

I'll post pics at some point, but only real upgrades I did were on the ground, upgraded to a pair of KD-7 inverted triggers with single pedals and switched to a single KD-10 with a double pedal. Also upgraded the hat pedal to an FD-7 for meatier pedal and better range.

I've got a spare CY8 but haven't attached it yet because I don't have any more mounting hardware. The module does have an additional input for it, although I'm honestly content with two cymbals, it's not a big deal to drag and drop sample for effects etc. Wouldn't mind having a trigger mapped for china for jamming though.

I'm super happy with the cheap stock module on the thing though. Velocity and zones are suprisingly effective, I think all the cymbals at least have two zones and chokes which is impressive, especially with one cable. Stock sounds are fine for jamming, I haven't mapped a sample pack that I absolutely love yet but I've been a la carte loading samples per drum for dry sounds and actually really digging the Ugrisound metalcore pack and stadium/80s rock samples for produced-ish sounds.

[Randy]

As far as cheapskate stuff, I did 3D print replacement clamps and plastic beater heads to replace my stock felt pieces of puffy puff fucking bullshit.

[Tony]

Nothing too crazy here, I'm using a TD-1kv because I am limited by the footprint I wanted to take up in the office and I pre-made a drum riser to de-couple it from the floor and keep it from rattling the whole house, so I'm kinda tethered to it now.

I'll post pics at some point, but only real upgrades I did were on the ground, upgraded to a pair of KD-7 inverted triggers with single pedals and switched to a single KD-10 with a double pedal. Also upgraded the hat pedal to an FD-7 for meatier pedal and better range.

I've got a spare CY8 but haven't attached it yet because I don't have any more mounting hardware. The module does have an additional input for it, although I'm honestly content with two cymbals, it's not a big deal to drag and drop sample for effects etc. Wouldn't mind having a trigger mapped for china for jamming though.

I'm super happy with the cheap stock module on the thing though. Velocity and zones are suprisingly effective, I think all the cymbals at least have two zones and chokes which is impressive, especially with one cable. Stock sounds are fine for jamming, I haven't mapped a sample pack that I absolutely love yet but I've been a la carte loading samples per drum for dry sounds and actually really digging the Ugrisound metalcore pack and stadium/80s rock samples for produced-ish sounds.

If using vsts you could just remap a Tom rim to a China I guess.

That's what I did on my dirt cheap kit I just picked up.

[Dominic]

Go big:

Acoustic drums (and cowbell) only in this house, and yet suddenly I have a fever....