Hi-Hat Pedal Headaches ... a possible cause and cure

[Guitardude]

After chasing my tail for a week I discovered where a lot of us are making different assumptions regarding the HH Ctrl pedal input.

Not all pedals use a stereo (TRS) cable. The Roland FD-7 and the newer Pintech internally controlled HiHats use MONO cables. They are not acting as complete voltage dividers.

As stated many times adding a 15K resistor across the Tip and Ring helps. In these cases it makes them work but you must use a stereo (TRS) cable. This actually completes the voltage divider circuit. Using the MONO cable as told by the manufacturer actually shorts out the voltage source (causing me to chase my tail even more.) Adding the resistor internally to the Megadrum unit works however there is noise created by the open end of the cable. I was fortunate that the jack on the Pintech was TRS. I was able to solder the resistor inside the jack.

This might be a the problem with the Roland VH-11. I cannot verify this.

Hope this helps someone
Guitardude

[dmitri]

VH-11 uses a stereo cable with separation between power (ring) and signal (tip).
I was pretty sure FD-7/8 also use stereo cables but I might be wrong.

[Guitardude]

VH-11 uses a stereo cable with separation between power (ring) and signal (tip).
I was pretty sure FD-7/8 also use stereo cables but I might be wrong.

I have the FD-7 and it does not. It has a stereo connector but only two leads are connected internally. Not sure on the FD-8. Pintech HyperHat pedal uses a stereo cable.