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Help setting up Alesis Surge cymbals

PostPosted: Tue Apr 18, 2017 6:57 am
by causticveritas
Hello MegaDrum Community!

This is my first post after having received my new MD device, it looks so awesome and I'm excited to master the enormous configuration capabilities. My Kit is basically an Alesis kit with Surge cymbals. I have the toms/kick/snare working pretty well now. Next I'm trying to get my cymbals setup, but having some trouble with this.

Re: Help setting up Alesis Surge cymbals

PostPosted: Tue Apr 18, 2017 7:52 am
by airflamesred
Welcome, you'll need to be more specific with the problems.

Re: Help setting up Alesis Surge cymbals

PostPosted: Tue Apr 18, 2017 2:41 pm
by causticveritas
Np, let's start with crash cymbal, it's a single zone cymbal with a chokable edge. When I plug it in and hit it, I see activity on the even channel but nothing on the odd channel. Specifically, i'm looking at the velocity indicators on the lcd screen, with the top row being the odd channels and bottom row being even.

I believe that this cymbal is constructed with a single piezo for the bow and a switch strip for the choke edge. I configured the crash input as such, but i'm getting the behavior described above. When I touch the silencer strip on the bottom of the cymbal i see no activity. Best guess currently is that this cymbal is wired 'backwards' according the MD input. Imo that could explain the activity on the even channel and the lack of activity on the odd channel. Does this sound right? Can anyone confirm the issue from their own personal experience?

Re: Help setting up Alesis Surge cymbals

PostPosted: Tue Apr 18, 2017 3:29 pm
by dmitri
Post the screenshot of settings for the cymbal in MDM. Most likely you have not set Threshold correctly on the edge (switch) input.

Re: Help setting up Alesis Surge cymbals

PostPosted: Wed Apr 19, 2017 6:57 am
by causticveritas
Sorry I need to make a correction to my last post, when I hit the cymbal I only see activity on the odd input (not the even). Please see attached screenshot, I included the midi log so that you can see what is logged when i hit the cymbal. When I touch the choke strip, there's no activity in the midi log.
crash-settings.PNG

Re: Help setting up Alesis Surge cymbals

PostPosted: Wed Apr 19, 2017 9:20 am
by dmitri
Yep, you have to adjust Threshold on the Edge input. Read about Threshold "For switch Rim/Edge inputs" in http://www.megadrum.info/content/pads-settings

Re: Help setting up Alesis Surge cymbals

PostPosted: Wed Apr 19, 2017 3:38 pm
by causticveritas
Awesome, thanks for the tip, that seems to have done the trick. And helped to get the ride cymbal working as well. I changed the Threshold to 20 on the Edge input for both cymbals and then I could see activity from touching the switch. Last thing I need to figure out is the hi hat pedal. I can't elaborate on the issue at the moment, I'll start a new topic with the details on that tonight when I get home.