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I'm feeling pretty pleased with myself :o)

I was thinking how much easier it would make my effects routing issues (I've been using the four discrete processors in my Ensoniq DP/4 to process each of the four outputs of my TD-8 seperately, then taking the outs from the DP/4 to a mixer to mix with the outs from my SPD-S and sending three outs from the mixer to the desk - one for snares, one for kicks and toms, and one for cymbals - so the sound guy/girl still has broad control over my mix) if I could change which output a given drum was coming out of with a simple kit change - the problem being that the output assignments on the td-8 are at global rather than patch level.

I did have TD-8, SPD-S and DP/4 all midi linked so I could just change the effect on any given drum (e.g. have a bit of delay on the snare and hats in one bit of the song and then just on the hats in a different bit) with a simple patch change triggered from a footswitch taped to the heel plate of my hat pedal - but the DP/4 takes ages (over half a second) to respond to midi patch change instructions, or even bypass instructions, and it's the same using my Digitech Quad 4 instead of the DP/4. And during this delay period all sound going through it is cut so that's no good at all. Of course you can just change the patch on the DP/4 with a switch going direct to it, but I need to be able to change kit on the brain (even if that's just to change snare sound) at the same time as changing how particular drums are processed. And ideally I want to be able to initiate the change just by hitting a pad, so the brain needs to be first in the chain.

I realised that when the expanded TD-10 module I picked up on eBay a few days ago (for £362) :o) arrives, and I have eight outs, being able to change which output a given drum or group of drums comes out of by just changing kit would offer me massively increased flexibility to change or bypass effects (in this case literally physically bypass the whole box!) without sending any midi data to the effects box (especially if I use the Quad 4 as well as the DP/4, with four of the brain's outs to each one) - think about it carefully and you'll see what I mean. Principally with the kick, as of course you can always have two snares or two pairs of hats coming through different outs on the kit (especially as I play a strange non-rack-based setup with a pair of hats and a snare both directly in front of me rather than having the hats to the left) - but it would be nice to be able to stay on the one snare and change which out you're coming out of too.

The solution I figured out is to put a "stereo to 2X stereo" splitter in the output(s) of my pad(s) and route one to (e.g.) my kick input and the other to my aux input, then set the aux input to 'off' in one patch and the kick input to 'off' and the aux input to a kick sound in the next patch, then route the aux and kick inputs to different outputs and bingo, you have your kick coming out of different outs in different patches. And I'll be able to do this with several drums as I play a small kit with not many pads. Or even split pads between three different outputs by using two splitters in sequence, to have two different effects and a bypass option.

This is going to be really useful for me with my set-up - just thought I'd post it up here in case it's of use to anyone else with nice juicy routing puzzles like mine. Damn I love routing puzzles.

Glad it's all working for ya..
I'll admit I got a little lost some way through, but if it does what it saya on the tin, gets the effects, signals, and sounds you want, fair play to you.

With solutions like that, you want to call BP, give them a few ideas on that leak problem they have

Finding that expanded TD-10 was a bit of a bargain find too.

Just after I wrote that I realised that:

a) on the TD-10 you just assign an instrument to an output number and determine whether it's left or right output with the pan which (presumably, as it is on the td-8) is set at patch level, so you can actually really change outputs with a patch change anyway without sacrificing ins,

b) the output settings are part of the mixer on the td-10 which might suggest they are set at patch level anyway (? - will find out soon...)

c) no one except me is ever going to find this the least bit useful or interesting

so I was kinda hoping it would sink without being noticed...



Did I mention I got an expanded TD-10 for £362?? :o)

biguana - 21 June 2010 05:56 PM

b) the output settings are part of the mixer on the td-10 which might suggest they are set at patch level anyway (? - will find out soon...)

Bingo :o)