DTXtreme III Tutorial, Multiple Modules

[CaTaPulT]

Introduction:

Greetings, recently, I was thinking of downsizing my kit to make it a one module kit since I very much like the DTXtreme III module, I like it because it is feature packed but most importantly of all it sounds great when recorded with very little or no tweaking.
I thought to myself that having two modules would be the same pain as before, tweaking both modules so they sound good in a mix, as any of the old timers that participate in the DTX AllStar Jam know, the mixing was one of my weak spots, I just don't have the ear (due to industrial noise damaging my hearing) for this, my cymbals always boomed out way louder than the rest of the kit. The DTXtreme III cured that problem. So this was one of the main reasons I wanted to downsize my kit so it would only use the DTXtreme III module.
I started thinking, wouldn't it be great if I could make the 2nd module sound as good mix wise as the DTXtreme III, no booming cymbals or anything else for that matter, well, eureka, it's possible and that's what this tutorial is all about.
The DTXtreme III has a pretty decent compressor built in, wouldn't it be great if the 2nd module can tap this compressor and rid the drummer of hours of tweaking levels on two modules to sound good in a recording?
Well, you can, 2 modules, both using the DTXtreme III's built in compressor and no mixer required! :)
Find out how in the next message.......

Take care

Regards: >>>> Jack <<<<

[CaTaPulT]

Here we go......
The process involves connecting the 2nd module to the DTXtreme III's "Aux in / Sampling in" port, (I call this piggybacking the modules) for this you will need a cable, you can buy one or make one yourself, I drew up a diagram for those handy with a soldering iron, for those of you not wanting to make you own cable, print this diagram out and bring it to a electronic parts store to get the right cable or have one made from a friend.

http://members.shaw.ca/chewtoy/tut/cable.jpg

You'll need this cable to connect the two 1/4 inch male Mono plug to the Left and Right Stereo outputs of the 2nd module, the Stereo end of the cable plugs into the DTXtreme III's "Aux in / Sampling in" port.
Here a picture of the modules connected together with a cable I had made when I used a DTXpress III and DTXtreme IIs before I got my mixer.

http://members.shaw.ca/chewtoy/tut/cable2.jpg

Make sure you make the cable long enough to reach both modules! :)

Onto the next message........

[CaTaPulT]

Now that you have your cable between the two modules connected, you might want to test to make sure everything works, the pads connected to both modules should play through the headphones connected to the DTXtreme III, on my DTXpress IV, I maxed out the output volume (small volume knob at the back) and I have the volume dial for the Aux in port on the DTXtreme III at about 3/4 of the way up. All pads of both modules can be heard. Now notice how the pads connected to the DTXtreme III sound uniform in their volume and intensity, that's the built in compressor doing it's job. Now play the pads connected to the second module, chances are they sound unrefined, louder and don't sound as smooth in the mix, that's because the 2nd module's signal is not being compressed.
How about we compress the 2nd module?
Yeah, let's do that! :)
Ok, the DTXtreme III has a wonderful feature that allows insertion effects to be applied to the "Aux in" port, so in theory, you can use the compressor built in to the DTXtreme III to compress any incoming sound signal to the Aux in port!
Well, it works, and here's how to do it.

Press the "Utility" button on the DTXtreme III, chose the "Aux In" feature with the "F" keys, you should have a screen that looks like this. (sorry for the poor quality of the pictures, difficult to take pictures of the module screen) :)

http://members.shaw.ca/chewtoy/tut/screen1.jpg

What this screen is telling us is that the volume is at 100, the pan is Center (this keeps the signal to both channels evenly depending on the incoming signal, so left panned sounds on the second module will still be on the left side coming out of the DTXtreme III), we are going to have a stereo signal, and we want to hear this all on the Left and Right stereo outputs at the back of the DTXtreme III and also through the headphones and lastly, we want the DTXtreme III to treat the signal as a "Line in" and not a microphone.

Onto the next message for more.......

[CaTaPulT]

Since we're already on the aux in screen on the DTXtreme III module, look at the options, especially "InsA" and "InsB".
Use the "F" key to go to the "InsA" screen and then the "InsB" screen, they should both look like this.

http://members.shaw.ca/chewtoy/tut/screen2.jpg

What this screen is showing is that both insertion effects from the "Aux In" port are passing through with no effects being added, compression is an effect in the DTXtreme III.
Now how about we add some compression to the "Aux In" port thus giving the 2nd module some compression? :)
Make sure you have the "InsA" screen up (I did the same for "InsB" also, so both InsA and InsB have the same settings), now use the down arrow and put your cursor on the "Type" and using the scroll wheel change it to "MltBndComp" on both "InsA" and "InsB"
Here's what those two screens should look like.......

http://members.shaw.ca/chewtoy/tut/screen3.jpg

Now hit the store button to save the setting in the "Utility" menu and you now have compression to the "Aux In" port thus your 2nd module is being compressed.

Note: I just finished building my kit in the morning so I haven't had that much time to experiment with this, chances are you can adjust the DTXtreme III's compressor to various frequencies and the level of compression as well, even the type of compression being used to compress the signal coming into the "Aux In" port!

In the next two messages I will demonstrate the differences in sounds quality and mix between the 2nd module NOT being compressed and then with compression. :)

[CaTaPulT]

2nd module NOT compressed
On the first recording (File Attached) notice the difference in sound mix, some pads sound nice and even and well mixed, some others seem to just BOOM though.
The ones that sound good are the DTXtreme III pad sounds since they are using the compressor, the loud and uneven sounds are coming from the DTXpress IV which is not being compressed in this recording.
Just for experimental sake, I setup the DTXpress IV (2nd module) using the preset Oak Custom kit, I maxed out the volumes of each voice at 127 so they are LOUD, I'm sure you'll notice some irritating changes in volume and boom depending on if I strike a pad connected to the DTXtreme III or DTXpress IV.
Take a listen then onto the next message.
Please excuse the drumming, I wasn't trying to be accurate, I was trying to hit as many pads between the two modules as possible! :)

(Since the forum won't let me upload the MP3 file, here's a link to it)
http://members.shaw.ca/chewtoy/tut/no comp.mp3

[CaTaPulT]

Now let's listen to the 2nd recording (File Attached) of the same song, but this time the DTXpress IV is being compressed via the DTXtreme III's Aux In port with compression on.
You'll notice that the mix is much smoother and not booming depending on the pads being played with one exception, the ride cymbal on the DTXpress IV seem way louder than the DTXtreme III, my guess is a adjustment of the compressor will fix this, it's probably a frequency adjustment of the compressor, unfortunately, I'm not a sound engineer to figure this one out quickly! LOL :D
So as you can hear from this recording, the sounds are more even between the two modules and more pleasant to listen to, the compressor in the DTXtreme III is compressing the signal of a module that has no compressor of it own, I think this is kinda cool, it's like getting a compressor for free! :)
I hope you have enjoyed this little tutorial and that it may be of use to those of you with large kits, a DTXtreme III module and any other type of module you want to add to your kit! :)
Take care

Regards: >>>> Jack <<<<

PS: link here for the file! Grrrrrrr..... http://members.shaw.ca/chewtoy/tut/with comp.mp3

[kevincool87]

Whoa. That's some hardcore stuff you've illustrated there. Might sound like an easy principle but sure sounds complicated... looks like you had put in some good time to find all that out! Compression sure does deserve much appreciation for the good it does.. And a lot more to you Jack, I get this is some pretty big deal for a lot of people including me...
People using other modules without comp. will love incoporating this impressive idea. Too bad I don't have a III or use a second module :) But let me say thanks for putting in the hard work into this and sharing it with everyone!

[CaTaPulT]

Hi Kevin.
I know the TD-20 has built in adjustable compression, I wonder if it can also compress the signal coming in through the audio in port (where you plug in a MP3 player), if so, then it can do the same thing! :)
Thank you for the kind words regarding the tutorial, but I also gain by this discovery, I get to keep my big kit! LOL! :)
I love it when my bizarre theories come together and work! :)
Take care

Regards: >>>> Jack <<<<

[Hellfire]

Hi Kevin.
I know the TD-20 has built in adjustable compression, I wonder if it can also compress the signal coming in through the audio in port (where you plug in a MP3 player), if so, then it can do the same thing! :)
Thank you for the kind words regarding the tutorial, but I also gain by this discovery, I get to keep my big kit! LOL! :)
I love it when my bizarre theories come together and work! :)
Take care

Regards: >>>> Jack <<<<
Looks good, but couldn't you just connect the two module via midi? Of course there are some limitations to doing that. If you use midi you can only use the sounds from one module and I don't know what limitations on sound selections there might be doing that. I have done this using an Alesis Trigger I/O with my Roland TD8.

[CaTaPulT]

Hi Hellfire.
It's more than likely possible but I know nothing at all about midi, I've heard people talk about mapping voices and pads and all that stuff, sounds like a pain in the butt! LOL :)
This is kind of the lazy man's way of doing it I guess, I'm still using the original sounds of the DTXpress IV (some are quite good) and the pad settings to that module, including it's polyphony, if you midi in as you suggest, wouldn't that count against the polyphony of the receiving module since it's playing all the voices and notes?
Thanks for your input, food for thought for some that's for sure and a very valid point! :)
Take care

Regards: >>>> Jack <<<<

[dschrammie]

So in order for this to work, is a 2nd module required? ;)

Nice amount of info in there. And I'd assume that one reason people may want to go your route is if they really like the sounds of one module that aren't available in the other, right?

[CaTaPulT]

Hi Dschrammie.
When building a large kit, especially in the Yamaha world, the 2nd module would normally be used for the extra pads and sounds. The Yamaha modules having some or most ports being 3 zone capable makes this quite handy. Right now, the DTXtreme III is the flagship module, but there are some people that are partial to many sounds of the DTXtreme IIs, so this would work for those people as well, the point is not the sounds themselves, but how to make both modules play through the DTXtreme III's built in compressor thus giving a much cleaning sounding mix with little tweaking between the two modules. When I was using my DTXtreme IIs and my DTXpress IV module, to setup "Project WTF-2" so it sounded uniform and decently clean in a recording, I had to spand hours tweaking voice volume levels between the two modules to they were more uniform, otherwise you'd get certain pad that would just BOOm out in the mix. The compressor in the DTXtreme III compresses it's own sounds but can also add compression to the "Aux in" port thus reducing the work involved in getting a more uniform sound level between the two modules with much less time and work involved! :)
I hope this helps explain the reason for this little project of mine! :)
Take care

Regards: >>>> Jack <<<<

[alviswesley]

Ok, Based on your latest clues I sumise you are going to run the IV through the aux in on the III and use the onboard compression to level out the sound between the two kit? Am I right? I think I am. Boy am I good with clues. hehe.
Seriously, Your idea is great as well as your tutorial. I feel like adding more pads just so I can do it and probably will soon. Thanks for sharing your idea with us. Alvis

[CaTaPulT]

Yeah Alvis, bring that IIs out of mothballs and give it a shot! LOL :)
Take care

Regards: >>>> Jack <<<<