Split signals from trigger module?

[ginsufrenzy]

Hey guys, I'm new to this forum.
I tried the search function but honestly I'm not sure what key words to search for.

OK - this is my issue:

I'm going to record drums with mesh heads on kick, snare and toms. I usually record my kicks with a mesh head (to avoid acoustic bass drum sound in overheads when triggering) and this works fine, I record the kick drum sample from an Alesis DM5 trigger module as an Audio track.

But now, when I have several drum tracks recorded this way (toms and snare as well), I need:

- Feedback sounds in headphones for drummer (samples for kick, snare and toms from the Alesis DM5)

- Split signals from DM5 (on a MIDI-track? or split audio tracks?)

I have no idea what equipment I need for this.

The input, I understand - I hook up all the triggers with the Alesis DM5, but how do I solve the output issue? What kind of cables, from what output, should I use MIDI or not, do I need like a split box or something... I want the signals from the trigger module, doesn't really matter if it's MIDI on one track, or if I can get separate audio tracks - as long as I don't get everything on one track

how do you usually do this kind of thing in a studio?

Let me know guys, I have really no clue here... Please help!

 

[JamesNorman]

I think you can do it all with just the DM5, you run singnals back on form drums to DM5. Then take the Midi out from the DM5 into your interface, then you can also take the main out into your interface and run this back thorugh a send back to the drummer, becuase all the siganls will come back from the DM5 in main outs. However the midi you record from it wont have any sound. If you own reasin you can rewire it to the midi tracks and use the samples and mixer on reason to control levels.

You can also set up ,multiple midi tracks from the DM5 and use only the midi note of what you want to trigger a sample so then you can use the in software mixer to mix. You can do this becuase the DM5 will send differnet midi notes out down the midi cable. For example your kick runs in on midi note one, then you assign midi note 1 to a sample on your software, and snare would be 2 and so on.........

I have never done this however but i use a DM4 in my live setup to trigger the kick so i persume it works pretty much the same way. In the studio i run my trigger straight into my fp10 then just replace with a sample later.

 

[JamesNorman]

Excuse my spelling

 

[ginsufrenzy]

Hey James,
thanks for your answer.

So if I understand you right, I don't need anything else than simply a MIDI-out cable?

So the connection would be this way:

Trigger --> Alesis DM5 ---> Midi cable --> Computer --> MIDI track

Is that correct?

Sounds terrific to me!
What does the cable look like in the other end, where it would connect to the computer, I heard there's MIDI to USB, would that be a proper solution? And would the different triggers automatically be assigned to different MIDI keys, like with a midi-keyboard?

Thanks again,
more answers are welcome as well, I'm totally new to this...

 

[Wolfeman]

What kind of interface are you using?

 

[ginsufrenzy]

Logic Pro 9

 

[006]

No, the interface, like, how you get the sound into the computer.

Something maybe looks like this:

 

[ginsufrenzy]

Sorry, didn't know what you meant by interface

Well, when I usually record from my trigger module (or record anything, for that matter), I use an XLR cable from the main output, and plug into the stagebox, which is connected to a D&R mixer, which is then connected to a SSL soundcard, which is connected to the computer....

hope that answers the question better. sorry!

 

[ginsufrenzy]

I usually track drums the "normal" way, with mics and acoustic sounds, and also blend the acoustic sound with triggers,
but this time I'm going to use only mesh head with triggers, to be able to quantize the notes much easier and only have the cymbals in overhead mics.
I've never done this before but I guess it shouldn't be harder than just using a MIDI keyboard? I mean, it works pretty much the same way, right?
i always plug in the midi keyboard to USB and use it as "external instrument" in Logic, works fine, but would it be the same with a Alesis DM5 trigger module?

EDIT:
maybe this is the only thing I need...?
just plug the midi into the DM5 and the usb into the computer,
and then get all the notes lined up as usual on a midi track?

Thanks again, sorry for my n00b-questions