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Chapter 6: External Triggering
40 DM5 Reference Manual
ABOUT TRIGGER PARAMETERS
The DM5 now offers
five
user controllable trigger parameters. These are:
• VCrv. (Velocity Curve). This represents the velocity curve, or the sensitivity of
the trigger input. There are eight separate curve tables, 0 through 7. Using these
settings it is possible to adjust the DM5’s triggers to accompany a wide variety of
playing styles, and to help compensate for sensitivity variances between different
brands of drum pads and triggers.
The lower the setting, the less sensitive the velocity curve and the higher the
setting, the more sensitive. For example, a pad using a setting of 7 will reach a
MIDI velocity of 127 with just a moderate strike. For a pad whose velocity curve
setting is 1, only a very hard hit would generate such a velocity.
For average type of play (striking pads with velocities ranging from very soft to
very hard) the default setting of 4 is ideal in achieving the full range of sensitivity
which corresponds to MIDI velocities of 1 through 127.
Note: Curve 0 is named “Unassigned”. The function of this curve is explained fully in
the section entitled “Velocity Curve” on page 44.
• Xtalk. (Crosstalk). Sometimes hitting one pad will cause a nearby pad to false
trigger or “crosstalk”. This is generally due to stand vibrations which can affect
the other pads. These vibrations send signals to the nearby pads which can cause
false triggering. The Xtalk adjustment acts as a suppression control.
A higher value adjustment equals greater suppression of the signal, a lower
value equals less suppression. Therefore, the higher the value setting, the less
likely the nearby pad (or drum) will trigger from stand or head vibrations.
This is how it works:
First, you strike a pad and the DM5 triggers its sound. Shortly after this hit the
DM5 receives a secondary, “softer” signal from a nearby pad. Before the DM5
will play this softer signal, it will scan the other inputs to determine whether this
was a legitimate hit, or simply a vibration from a stand or head.
It does this by comparing the level of this soft signal with the threshold level set
in the Xtalk parameter. If this secondary signal level is greater than the allowable
threshold level, the DM5 will trigger its sound. If the signal is less than the
allowable threshold level, the DM5 will ignore it.
By adjusting the crosstalk level to a higher value, you set a higher threshold for
the signal to exceed, and reduce the ability of a pad (drum) to crosstalk. The
following chart shows a scenario with a
properly
adjusted Xtalk level.