sam(otacon28)'s Blastech kit 2009 after GAS kicked in

[sam(otacon28)]

Hello everyone .

Here's some pics of my custom built electronic acoustic kit with some additions that were added to it recently .


http://c1.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/6/l_0346cc74255541dab83d3d35d378248c.jpg

http://c2.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/28/l_01be8d17cf5046179c722f7c56974e7d.jpg

http://c3.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/42/l_832435597882404785570551eaa80522.jpg

http://c4.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/41/l_fc13998b42e14f7bb155c065ced4982b.jpg

http://c2.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/25/l_42c0ccf881fb42e5941ba5210fec44f1.jpg



Here's the specs of this layout shown :


Drums :

6 Pc. Blastech custom built set with Keller VSS Maple shells

12x6 [dual zone] snare
10x6 rack tom
12x6 rack tom
12x6 floor tom
14x6 floor tom
12x20 kick


Drum Modules :

ddrum4SE with version 1.5 O/S & custom hardcase
Yamaha DTX with version 2.0 O/S & custom hardcase


Additional trigger pads :

4 ) ddrum cast precision cymbals
1 ) ddrum cast Hihat controller
2 ) Hart/Alesis series ten cymbal wedges
5 ) Hart Hammer trigger units
1 ) 8 " Pintech Gig Upright Kick Drum ( for accessory use )
1 ) 10" Pintech electronic splash cymbal .
2 ) 14" Pintech electronic crash cymbals ( not shown in pic )

Hardware & trimmings :

1 ddrum4SE powder coat ( Black ) rack system customized with additional clamps , tubing , mounting hardware , & matching black rack mounted snare stand

Roc~n~Soc drum throne with backrest
Tama Powerglide double pedal
Yamaha HH65 foot controller
Pintech Gig HH foot controller ( not shown in pic )
Hart dynamics ddrum4 convertor box for HHAT


sam(otacon28)

[Axe_Grinder]

Well aren't you lookin' all cool and sly by your new kit :)

Very nice! That is awesome looking. Very neat and clean looking. Billy does nice work. How do you like the heads? I've presonally never used them. Kinda curious. Never used the DDrum modules though either. Are they all dual zone?

Welcome to the forum :)

Congratulations :)

[WildWes]

http://www.freesmileys.org/smileys/smiley-forum/welcome.gif (http://www.freesmileys.org) sam(otacon28).

Although I'm not partial to wood-stained drums (Sorry Tom), you've got a very nice looking kit there and it looks like it would be fun to play.

Just 4 questions:

1. What modules are all the pads hooked-up to?
2. Which module has better sounds?
3. How do you like the feel of the Hart Hammers?
4. Which left foot controls all those pedals?

[sam(otacon28)]

Well aren't you lookin' all cool and sly by your new kit :)

Very nice! That is awesome looking. Very neat and clean looking. Billy does nice work. How do you like the heads? I've presonally never used them. Kinda curious. Never used the DDrum modules though either. Are they all dual zone?

Welcome to the forum :)

Congratulations :)


Thanks for the welcome greeting & comment Axe_Grinder ,

I'm really happy with the current layout and it's alot of fun to sit down to . I got the chance in 2007 to try the snare drum out that is on this kit from Billy and was just very impressed at how it felt and equally how well the triggering tracked on it . I really like the black mesh heads that are on it in the pics and believe it or not they are the original heads that I got them with . I think it's the longest mesh heads have lasted me on a kit . I just recently got a Ballistic head and am checking it out on my snare drum . Overall so far i really like the feel of it even thuogh it's not as quiet as the mesh heads it seems to perform very well .

The ddrum module I have has the upgraded firmware chipset version 1.5 , the cymbals are chokeable , the snare has 2 inputs one for the head & a seperate one for rim , the hihat is variable . I really like the sound quality of the samples on the ddrum4 module .



sam(otacon28)

[sam(otacon28)]

http://www.freesmileys.org/smileys/smiley-forum/welcome.gif (http://www.freesmileys.org) sam(otacon28).

Although I'm not partial to wood-stained drums (Sorry Tom), you've got a very nice looking kit there and it looks like it would be fun to play.

Just 4 questions:

1. What modules are all the pads hooked-up to?
2. Which module has better sounds?
3. How do you like the feel of the Hart Hammers?
4. Which left foot controls all those pedals?


Thanks Wes,


I have seen pics of your kits over on the vdrums forum and I must say those are some fine looking kits that you have as well . I love the whole layout on that Purple kit ( wow just looks very clean and classy ) and the drum rack design just looks great .

To answer your questions

Question 1 . my input list for each module is as follows

ddrum4 {10 inputs } ( all the Blastech drums are hooked up to this module )

1) Blastech kick , 2) Blastech snare head , 3) Blastech floor tom 2 , 4) Blastech riding tom 1 , 5) Blastech riding tom 2 , 6) Blastech floor tom 1 , 7) ddrum ride cymbal , 8) Hart crash cymbal 1 , 9) Hart crash cymbal 2 10) ddrum hi hat controller with yamaha HH65 footcontroller and HDI ddrum hi-hat converter box .

DTX 2.0 module {12 inputs }

1) ddrum cymbal pad ( far left over hihat ) , 2) ddrum cymbal pad over hihat , 3) Hart Hammer , 4) Hart Hammer , 5) Hart Hammer , 6) Hart Hammer , 7) Hart Hammer , 8) Pintech 10 splash cymbal , 9/10) ddrum cymbal pad & and Blastech snare rim trigger , 11/12) Pintech Kick tower & Pintech foot controller for kit selection and loop control features .

The sounds assigned to these pads depends on what kits I'm using ( Ex. there's a few layouts where I have piano , bass , & synth notes stacked on the Hart Hammers . )

Question 2 .

Although I really like both modules on my kit , the ddrum4 module hands down has more realistic samples as far as acoustics go . I use a variety of samples and really don't try to use e-drums to emulate an acoustic kit , but I must say the ddrum samples are of very high quality for doing so .


Question 3 .

I love the Hart Hammers and they are exactly what I've been looking for with a versatile yet compact trigger unit . The design is very rugged and the wedge shape allows alot of different options for placement and uses . I have used a good bit of tube style trigger poles ( ex. PoleKat , Pintech's Dingbat & Nimrod , Yamaha's BP80 , LP's Spike , etc. ) all of which worked out well , but I still was looking for something with a little different feel to it . The gum rubber playing surface of the Hart Hammer feels very natural and has much more controlled rebound to it .


Question 4 .

I know it can look a bit confusing but one pedal is more for loop and kit change functions so it's not used as much as the others , I mainly use the Pintech kick tower for adding a foot controlled cowbell , clava , or some latin percussion effects .


sam(otacon28)

[WildWes]

Thanks Sam. I believe your the first to join here using a dDrum module and Blastech drums. I've always heard the drum samples were fantastic on that module, but had never heard them in person. I've even bid on a few, but never won the auctions. I knew what the Yamaha DTX 2.0 was capable of as I've owned two before. In fact, after seeing your kit I just went to Blastechs site and ordered a 14 Inch Ballistech Mesh Head to see how they work on my kit. If I like the 14", I'll outfit the entire kit with them.

Damn! More kit photos - hahahahahaha

More Damn! Blastech offers his drums in purple wrap.

[sam(otacon28)]

Thanks Sam. I believe your the first to join here using a dDrum module and Blastech drums. I've always heard the drum samples were fantastic on that module, but had never heard them in person. I've even bid on a few, but never won the auctions. I knew what the Yamaha DTX 2.0 was capable of as I've owned two before. In fact, after seeing your kit I just went to Blastechs site and ordered a 14 Inch Ballistech Mesh Head to see how they work on my kit. If I like the 14", I'll outfit the entire kit with them.

Damn! More kit photos - hahahahahaha

More Damn! Blastech offers his drums in purple wrap.


Yeah I have always just really liked the sound quality that I have gotten on my kits with the ddrum4 module . Processed sounds are fine , but the samples in the ddrum module don't have a ton of effects laid over top of them . I use the DTX 2.0 more for sounds around the kit and it's for the most part set-up like an accessory sound bank more than primary voices on my set . I like all the note stacking features and the ability to work in some GM sounds in real time with pads rather than using a sampler or sequencer while playing . I've been shooting a good bit of videos , so my new PC is slated to be here this coming week and then some videos will go up online .

Cool on the Ballistic drum head too , Let me know how it works out for you . I have had a little time to try the one I have on my snare but I really like what I've seen so far from it , and it seems to be really well constructed .


Damn! More kit photos - hahahahahaha

More Damn! Blastech offers his drums in purple wrap.

^ Isn't GAS just grand man ? LOL this made me laugh because I feel these Damn moments the same way when I go through something like that with my kit .

sam(otacon28)

[Axe_Grinder]

You have any audio/video clips anywhere? I just noticed your sig says endorsed. I would love to hear/see some clips :) I'm just learning drums, so I love watching percussionists.

[sam(otacon28)]

I'm gonna be putting some video clips online shortly with me playing some various stuff with this kit . I've been shooting a good bit of videos , and my new PC is slated to be here this coming week and then some videos will go up online .

sam(otacon28)

[Axe_Grinder]

Cool, looking forward to it.