A to E drum conversion : Megadrum + Acoustic drum + Junxion

[kimouette]

Let's start from the beginning...

I bought an acoustic drum.
I've already started modifying it using this method (except for the part where a box is built and jack plugs are used, I wont need that)

The snare, the bass drum and the 3 toms are no problem, but the cymbals are a little more tricky (I was about to do this ) and for the hi-hat I'm stuck!!!

When I asked for help, I got questions that I still cant answer and this is really becoming a problem! :

what kind of triggers does the mega use? piezo/piezo piezo/switch switch/switch?

this DIY edrum stuff is very much dependent on the drum module. Trigger designs that work flawlessly with Roland modules might drive you nuts with a Yamaha, Alesis, DDrum module, etc. If anyone on this forum has done the DIY module you mention they could prolly give you some specific advice. But this is a hands on job.... without having the module and designing specifically for and with the module.... it would be a crap shoot. And even with the module in hand, some are more ideal than others.... Us Roland guys are pretty fortunate with the tweakability and playability of Rollie drum modules.
You may have more luck on the Megadrum forum, dunno.... We'll see if anyone chimes in here.

So in order to convert the piezo signal into USB and then use it with Steim Junxion, I'v been told that I'd simply need to buil the Megadrum Digital board and the Megadrum Analogue board (32 inputs). Someone I know is in charge of building it (I'm not too good at soldering!!).

Will this specific setting I've chosen to use
- Support Dual Zone Piezo-Switch pads AND Dual Zone Piezo-Piezo pads?
- Support CC Choke on every Dual Zone piezo/switch pad ?

In other words, what is there to know about the board's trigger when no jackplug conversion is made and simply the USB output is used?!?

Thanks for your precious help!
Kim

[dmitri]

In other words, what is there to know about the board's trigger when no jackplug conversion is made and simply the USB output is used?!?

I can't quite understand the question, especially 'board's trigger' and 'no jackplug conversion'.

[kimouette]

I'm so sorry, I just figured out something really important that I should have found in the first place!!

I thought the piezo wires were directly plugged into the board's input
a little bit like this : http://static.flickr.com/31/53523608_3d4268ba68_o.jpg

But I just saw these 2 pictures :
http://pic4.picturetrail.com/VOL719/298 ... 300171.jpg

http://pic4.picturetrail.com/VOL719/298 ... 258752.jpg

That thing you see is the "jackplug" I was talking about (sorry my english is terrible and I'm even less familiar with english technical words!).
What would be the name of that "stereo output/piezo input/metal sleeve and tip" part ?

I thought I could use piezos with extra long wires and simply plug them into the board's input...
For some reason I though the "piezo to jack conversion" was only for those who wanted to use the board's MIDI output.

Sorry for asking...
I guess I still have a lot of reading to do before I can understand the simple basics of what I want to realize.

Kim

[dmitri]

For some reason I though the "piezo to jack conversion" was only for those who wanted to use the board's MIDI output.

MIDI output, be it a standard MIDI output or MIDI over USB, is a main goal of MIDI drum triggers and MegaDrum is not an exclusion. You can connect pads/piezos via 'jackplugs' or you can solder piezos directly to a MegaDrum board. It depends on what you want to achieve.

[kimouette]

Like I said, in the end all I want from the Megadrum board is to send a USB signal that I'll convert to MIDI with that Junxion application I already mentionned.

So in that case, I could simply solder my 8 piezo wires to the board?

Or is there any advantage in soldering the wires to a " 1/4" Panel-Mount Audio Jack", and connect it to the board with a jack plug?

[dmitri]

Like I said, in the end all I want from the Megadrum board is to send a USB signal that I'll convert to MIDI with that Junxion application I already mentionned.

There is nothing to convert, MegaDrum already sends signals over USB in MIDI format!

So in that case, I could simply solder my 8 piezo wires to the board?

Yes, you can.

Or is there any advantage in soldering the wires to a " 1/4" Panel-Mount Audio Jack", and connect it to the board with a jack plug?

Essentially it's up to you how you connect piezos to the board. You can solder them, you can use jacks, you can use whatever you want as long as signals from piezos get to the board.

[kimouette]

Thank you so much for these answers! You really clarified something there!
I wont need to glue little boxes everywhere and
I wont even need to run Junxion! I was a little affraid of the latency that 8 piezos could cause. Now that's a good new!
That board is even better than I thought!

I'll just stick to a very simple setting :
1 piezo for each drum and cymbal
And I'll also try to arrange something simple for the hi hat (like one for the pedal and one for the cymbals that could work together)...

But anyway thanks for your time!

[kimouette]

Please tell me this is not true!

It (Megadrum) may work with Mac if you've built MegaDrum with optional FT232 USB board with the drivers from http://www.ftdichip.com/Drivers/VCP.htm

[Synthex]

This is not true.
With 18F2550, it works without specific driver.

[kimouette]

Ok great for the drivers,
but the 18F2550 IS an additional board that I MUST build if I want the Megadrum32 to work on a Mac right?