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YAMAHA DXPL Details
DTX Electronic Drums
DTXPLORER
Yamaha Drums brings its renowned electronic drum technology within reach of the beginner, traditional musician, and hobbyist with the introduction of the DTXPLORER. The lowest priced complete 5-piece electronic drum set in the DTX line, includes innovative features found on more expensive sets.
For over a decade, Yamaha’s DTX electronic drums have set new standards. From the DTXPRESS to the DTXTREMEIIS, Yamaha has continually raised the bar. Introducing the DTXPLORER. With a MSRP of $1,059, the DTXPLORER is the lowest priced full-featured 5-piece configured set on the market. The kit includes high-impact rubber pads with natural feel and rebound, mounted on a sturdy folding ribbed rack. For added convenience, the kit also features an FP-6110 bass drum pedal and coded cabling snake for quick and easy setup.
Features
• 5-piece drum set
snare pad, (3) tom pads, bass drum tower pad with FP-6110 drum bass pedal, hi-hat pad, hi-hat controller
• 192 drum & percussion voices and 22 keyboard voices
• 32 preset drum kits plus 10 user kits
• Groove Check function
• Stereo input for CD play along
• Ribbed Aluminum rack
• Folds up for compact storage
• 32 note polyphony
• 22 preset songs to play along with
• digital effects
All the pads included in the set are mono pads.
Many of the sounds are on par with the DtxtremeIIS module.
32 preset drum kits/ 10 user kits
16-bit AWM2 (PCM) tone generator, 32 voice polyphony
192 voices (Kick-17, Snare-41, Tom-22, Cymbal-23, HiHat-20, Percussion-41,
Effect-26)
22 preset songs
Trigger setups: 4 Preset, 1 User
1 Sequencer track
The click can be sent out stereo, left only or right only via Output jacks/Phones
INPUT/OUTPUTS on back panel:
Drum Triggers inputs: 1-Snare(3zone), 2-Tom1(mono), 3-Tom2(mono), 4-Tom3(mono), 5-Ride(stereo), 6-Crash(stereo), 7-HiHat (mono), 8-Kick/9-Spare(dual mono), HiHat Control
Outputs: L/R stereo out, Phones, Midi Out
Inputs: Aux in, DC 12V
Controls: Power on/off, Volume (Master)
This clip shows off the amazing sounds of the DTX drums. All the sound you hear are from the DTX series modules. NO OTHER sound sources were used. MP3 (2.74Mb)
DTX Groove Demo (Jazz)
Pick a song or style and jam along. Mute the drums and play along with the rhythm and melody tracks, or play on top... play it how you want it. In this clip you can hear one of the Jazz Grooves both with and without the drums. MP3 (726Kb)
DTX Groove Demo (Ballad)
This is another example of the over many songs and groves available on the DTX drum kits. In this clip you can hear a simple ballad progression. MP3 (536Kb)
MIDI File Playback
Not just packed with drum sounds, the DTX kits can also playback your favorite MIDI files or Grooves. In this clip you here the demo song from the Twiddly Bits, Volume 9 (soon to be available in the DTX store). MP3 (2.08Mb)
The first decision- what pad feel do I want? rubber or mesh?
Rubber
Pads feel like a practice pad, usually cost less and have a smaller design. Not
all are created equally- the best are foam rubber over a harder rubber for more
give and have a more natural bounce quality and generally last longer. Mesh
heads are more realistic- they feel more like a real drumhead including the
rebound and have more give. They generally offer better positional sensing and
can be tuned like acoustic drums for the feel and rebound desired. As opposed
to rubber heads, mesh heads will eventually wear out and need to be replaced.
Number of 'zones' on a pad
Rubber Pads feel
like a practice pad, usually cost less and have a smaller design. Single zone-
some simpler kits will have one zone per pad which means only one
sound/recording will be triggered which usually will sound softer at lower
strikes and have a harder sound when struck harder. They can sound more one
dimensional. The kick pad only needs a single zone as it strike in on place
only. Dual zone- two physically different areas on a pad like ride edge and
bell, head and rim, choking cymbals,.. Triple zone- allows for rim, middle and
bell of a ride cymbal or tom center, rim and a latin percussion sound,…
Pad Size
Rubber
Pads feel like a practice pad, usually cost less and have a smaller design.
More of an issue for acoustic drummers due to smaller head size who have to
adjust their playing style to work with the usually smaller electronic pads
versus drumheads
Velocity sensing
Simplest is
volume of pad increases with harder strikes. With better modules or some drum
sounds or samples (recordings) in lesser modules, the actual sound or timber
changes as the pad is struck harder for better realism using ‘multisamples'. It
could be a simple crossfade from a soft hit to hard one or could have more
samples in between to offer more subtle changes as the pad is struck
progressively harder.
Positional sensing
With better kits
the sound will change as you move the drumstick over different parts of a pad
or cymbal for better realism- typically the snare and ride. With the snare hit
in the middle of the pad it will be a thick full sound and grow brighter and
thinner as you move towards the edge.
Drumrack
How well
built and sturdy is it? Will it hold up well? Will the pads not slip around?
What do I look for in the drum module?
Quality
and variety of sounds- listen to the demo's, listen to a cymbal decay- does it
fade too fast? drums strong and clear? Number of trigger inputs- room to add
more cymbals and pads? will they be single or dual zone possibly using more
trigger inputs. Editing capability- to tweak each drum sound and effects which
can include tuning, pan position, decay, EQ, amount of fx level, .. all the way
up to the material the drum is made of, tension level,… CD input- so one can
play along with their favorite songs Teaching- to dheck one's timing, training
exercises, etc. Internal songs to play along with- the drums can usually be
muted or not to play along with Ease of Use/Display- is it intuitive? Is the
display understandable or too difficult? Number of outputs- 2 is usually enough
except in a studio or live sound setup where the engineer would like to have
the kick, snare, separated to process separately for more control of the
elements Recording- using a midi sequencer- how many tracks or instruments can
play simultaneously? How many Songs and notes will it hold in memory? Number of
effects- does it have all the effects you might want and how many
simultaneously?
Glossary
What is a Trigger?
connects the pad to the drum module via an audio cable to send midi control voltage messages
What is a Module?
houses the actual sounds, editing and brain of an eelectronic drum set. The pads connect to it via cables.
What are Velocity Curves and Velocity Sensitivity?
Curves- usually several to choose from to determine a curve for soft to loud. It can be linear or proportionately louder as struck
or be more nuanced allowing a wider range at high velocities and a narrower range of sound at soft velocities,…
Sensitivity- adjusts for how hard or soft the user strike the pads with sticks
What is MIDI?
an interface to connect a keyboard to the computer like USB port for printers. It sends note and other data
from the keyboard to the computer or vice versa. Basically says play this note at this time at this volume level- it is not an
actual audio recording. It also makes it possible for one keyboard to play another keyboard.
What are Effects?
to modify and enhance the
sounds in the drum module.
e.g., reverb will put the drum set in a small room or up to a large concert hall
What is polyphony?
the number of
simultaneous notes that can be played, though if it’s a stereo sample/recording
each note can use 2 notes at once. Its important for anyone who plays a lot of
notes at the same time and holds down the sustain pedal. The earliest notes
played will cut out when the limit is exceeded. This can happen with pianos
with 32-note polyphony especially.
What is a Sequencer?
the number of
a recorder with 1 to 16 tracks usually so that multiple instruments can be played back for fully
orchestrated songs and can have elaborate editing capability. These can be downloaded to the computer with a midi interface.
Don't see the answer to your question?
Call us toll-free at 1 877 778 7845 and speak to our electronic drum experts
YAMAHA DTXplorer w/ ... at MusiciansBuy!
RATING:
Sound Quality
9
Features
10
Ease Of Use
9
Value
10
Reliability
9
Overall
10
My first impression of electronics drums was that they aren't really necessary, and that the sound of an acoustic drum could never be beaten. I also had concerns about price, and the fact that you could get an acoustic kit for about the same expense. But after trying the DTXplorer I was astonished. I had no idea how much fun an E-Kit would be. The DTXplorer features so many options you can choose from, so you can change the sound of your kit according to the genre your playing with just the touch of your finger. This kit has everything, weather I want to play funk, jazz, rock, or even hip-hop and drum bass, this kit gives me the sound I need with the ease I demand. But that's not all I love about this kit. With the built in music files and loops to play to, I'll never get bored, and my timing will become perfect. And if I do so-happen to get bored with that, I can hook a CD player right up to the module and jam along with my favorite CDs. This product is perfect for people like me, who live in an apartment, or in a co-op with angry neighbors. With the DTXplorer you can play through an amp, full band, at low levels, or even connect the whole band through head phones for silent practice. The only critism I have for this product is that every kit on the module has one crash, one ride. I like to play with two crashes for some genres, and it doesn't offer a kit that satisfies that need. My suggestion would be to add a kit that has two crashes up top, and the second mounted tom could be a ride cymbal, giving the option of playing two crashes, which is often very necessary. Other than that and the expected semi-natural un-natural feel, that as I stated could only be expected, I'd say overall, this kit is absolutely great. Great value, great sound, great variety. The DTXplorer was a great purchase, that i'll enjoy for many, many years. -Kevin Fournier
I have not played the drums in 35 years, I only took band in Jr High for one semester only to play sports. My love for them has never deminished. After seeing the documentery on the famed Funk Brothers I was compelled to teach myself all over again. These electronics have served its purpose in more ways than one. It allowed me to crunch 35 years into six weeks of exhaustive entertainment. Love the set, I can't say anything about other sets because I am learning the industry, however I still like the wood sound, which I have a set also. I can work evenings until midnight, when I come home I can drum until I can't swing anymore without disturbing anyone. If anyone is contemplating restarting their fire like I have, its a great way to reinvent yourself in a short time. I highly recommend these to anyone who wants to learn an invaluable rewarding craft that developes endless satisfaction!!! p.s. Don't hurt yourself, Its addictive!!!
-James Wingate aka Funkmaster hurwins@aol.com -Va. Beach, 04/03/07
YAMAHA DTXplorer w/ ... at MusiciansBuy!
RATING:
Sound Quality
10
Features
10
Ease Of Use
10
Value
10
Reliability
10
Overall
10
WOW!! This set was more than what i expected. The pads are very responsive and the drum module is great. This is a very good kit for beginners and beyond.
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