KD-120 and TD-20 thru PC

[tanshul22]

I just received my TD-20 yesterday. Spent all day setting it up.
It is just awesome but honestly speaking i am not completely satisfied.

The KD-120 bass drum has too much bounce. I placed a sweatshirt over it and it feels so much better. Do some of you guys feel the same about the KD-120. If so how do you come over it?

The sounds are also not too convincing. I am wondering how to connect it to the computer to use EZDrummer. The kit didnt come with any USB cable. I am also thinking of purchasing some VExpressions sounds. How do i go about it. Do i need a usb cable or a memory card to install the new sounds.

Also about the KD-120, i read somewhere that the plastic beater should be used as the felts can ruin the head. Im not sure but i guess its gotta do with some static charge. If yes, wont my sweatshirt harm the head too.

Too many questions.
Would be happy to get some answers, suggestions etc....

Another proud TD-20 owner

Anshul

[CobaltSky]

Hi Anshul,
Congrats on your new kit. Wonders await you!

If the KD120 has too much bounce for you, try loosening the mesh head a little. Somewhere between taut and flabby you should get the amount of rebound you're looking for.

Before you connect up to the computer, you should certainly try out the VExpression options. They're quite a noticeable step up over the stock sounds, and well worth having. If you download them to a cheap CF card (Compact Flash) you'll be able to load them up into the TD20 pretty efficiently.

To connect the TD20 directly to your computer, you'll need a MIDI interface. Any standard USB or Firewire MIDI interface will do (depending how your computer is configured, of course). Then you can take a standard MIDI cable from the TD20 into the interface and thence patch it thru to the soft sampler or sequencer of your choice.

Plastic beaters are recommended for mesh heads, but it has nothing to do with static electricity. The issue is that the fine fibers in the felt will lodge in the mesh and have an abrasive effect, so over time a felt beater will soften the mesh and wear through it (and vice-versa - the mesh will cause the felt to "shed"). Plastic beaters don't have this effect, so the head (and the beater, for that matter) lasts longer. There are folk who ignore this issue and just put up with the faster wear cycle - and the fine felt dust that accumulates. My take is that it's better to go for a plastic beater in the first place, but YMMV.

Again, congrats on your acquisition. A great choice - and although the sounds are not quite what some of us might hope, perhaps the expansion card (due out fairly soon, or so we're led to expect...) will improve things on that front. Here's hoping!

In the meantime, enjoy. It's a whole new world!!

[tanshul22]

Thanks Cobalt.
Your suggestions helped and i will for sure check out the vEx sounds when my next paycheck comes.

For now its the TD-20 sounds.

[stickinthemud]

The KD120 bounce has been covered in depth in other threads. Try this forum's search engine for solutions, both hardware and software. I like the feel of felt beaters, and find that a peice of gaffers tape (or standard bass drum patch) protects the mesh head just fine.