I purchased the Alesis DM5 Pro Kit-to learn how to play drums and also to *hopefully* have a big HI control surface I could use with Max/MSP. However, upon reading the manual for the DM5 there are some curious things about its MIDI in/out:

*It uses pitch values to transmit and receive triggering information-(works great for input-you can easily use a keyboard to control the drumset. Not ideal output.)

*Apparently note velocity, according to the manual, is "0" for both on AND off. Big problem.

When used as input in Max/MSP the only thing I can get to show up when I hit different drum pads is a change in pitch values-Velocity always stays at 0.

I would have given up since not having a changing velocity would render the drums rather lifeless BUT when recording the MIDI signals of the drums into Reason the velocity of the drums change according to how hard I hit them!

Please forum, I NEED YOUR HELP to be able to use this drum set with Max/MSP.

*Apparently note velocity, according to the manual, is "0" for both on AND off. Big problem.
When used as input in Max/MSP the only thing I can get to show up when I hit different drum pads is a change in pitch values-Velocity always stays at 0.

Please forum, I NEED YOUR HELP to be able to use this drum set with Max/MSP. 

receiving-midi-from-alesis-electronic-drum-kit

Eli, I am quite certain that the Alesis DM5 doesn't know which software 

What does happen with midi triggers is that the note-on velocity appears 

for a very short time, and then goes back to zero - I reckon you have 

hooked a numberbox up directly to the input and are monitoring with your 

Try it with print, and you should see the on-velocity for a very short 

When looking at the midi implementation chart in the manual you'll also 

see that things that are supported are marked with a "0", while things 

that are NOT supported are marked with an X. This may have been the 

confusing bit reg. the note-on/off thing?

> I purchased the Alesis DM5 Pro Kit-to learn how to play drums and also to *hopefully* have a big HI control surface I could use with Max/MSP. However, upon reading the manual for the DM5 there are some curious things about its MIDI in/out:

> *It uses pitch values to transmit and receive triggering information-(works great for input-you can easily use a keyboard to control the drumset. Not ideal output.)

> *Apparently note velocity, according to the manual, is "0" for both on AND off. Big problem.

> When used as input in Max/MSP the only thing I can get to show up when I hit different drum pads is a change in pitch values-Velocity always stays at 0.

> I would have given up since not having a changing velocity would render the drums rather lifeless BUT when recording the MIDI signals of the drums into Reason the velocity of the drums change according to how hard I hit them!

> Please forum, I NEED YOUR HELP to be able to use this drum set with Max/MSP. 

Eli, I am quite certain that the Alesis DM5 doesn't know which software 
it's sending midi to.
Everything is fine.
What does happen with midi triggers is that the note-on velocity appears 
for a very short time, and then goes back to zero - I reckon you have 
hooked a numberbox up directly to the input and are monitoring with your 
eyes?

Try it with print, and you should see the on-velocity for a very short 
time followed by the off-velocity of 0.

When looking at the midi implementation chart in the manual you'll also 
see that things that are supported are marked with a "0", while things 
that are NOT supported are marked with an X. This may have been the 
confusing bit reg. the note-on/off thing?

Eli Stine skrev:
> I purchased the Alesis DM5 Pro Kit-to learn how to play drums and also to *hopefully* have a big HI control surface I could use with Max/MSP. However, upon reading the manual for the DM5 there are some curious things about its MIDI in/out:
>
> *It uses pitch values to transmit and receive triggering information-(works great for input-you can easily use a keyboard to control the drumset. Not ideal output.)
>
> *Apparently note velocity, according to the manual, is "0" for both on AND off. Big problem.
> When used as input in Max/MSP the only thing I can get to show up when I hit different drum pads is a change in pitch values-Velocity always stays at 0.
>
> I would have given up since not having a changing velocity would render the drums rather lifeless BUT when recording the MIDI signals of the drums into Reason the velocity of the drums change according to how hard I hit them!
>
> Please forum, I NEED YOUR HELP to be able to use this drum set with Max/MSP. 
>
> Thanks for any replies.
>
>
>
>
> .
>
>


I haven't played with this model of drum kit. If it's hooked up via MIDI, however, it shouldn't be difficult to get it working with Max. If the manual isn't giving you the necessary information, I think you'd be best off to do a little investigating on your own, either via Max or other software. The first thing I'd do in Max would be to use something like this simple patch to see what's coming in:

As you hit a pad, you should see some messages show up in the Max window, preceded by labels. It's usually pretty easy from there to figure out what info is coming in from the physical MIDI controller.

I haven't played with this model of drum kit.  If it's hooked up via MIDI, however, it shouldn't be difficult to get it working with Max.  If the manual isn't giving you the necessary information, I think you'd be best off to do a little investigating on your own, either via Max or other software.  The first thing I'd do in Max would be to use something like this simple patch to see what's coming in:

As you hit a pad, you should see some messages show up in the Max window, preceded by labels.  It's usually pretty easy from there to figure out what info is coming in from the physical MIDI controller.

Hey man, I tried your patch, but i am getting no effect.

I hooked a print up to the second output of notein and keep receiving number 127.

The electronic pads are home made, piezo triggers inside of practice pads.

Do you have any idea why they wouldn't have any velocity?

Hey man, I tried your patch, but i am getting no effect.
I hooked a print up to the second output of notein and keep receiving number 127.
The electronic pads are home made, piezo triggers inside of practice pads.
Do you have any idea why they wouldn't have any velocity?

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Receiving MIDI from Alesis electronic drum kit