Here is a PM I received from a V-drum forum member who had seen my post about V-drums & The L1.
Posting here for future reference.

quote:

Originally posted by Dstar Tue October 17 2006 11:34 PM

Drumr-
I may have left you a similar message on vdrums. I am wrestling what system to get I have played the PAS currently havge a friends to play around with. It seems that to get the variations in different kit sounding sets that VEX provides a great deal of tweaking needs to be done to make them sound acceptable throu the Bose. What is your experience and possibly can you send me some tweaked set that you think sound the best on the BOSe so to convince myself this the system for me.
Thanks,
Dstar

Hi Dstar,

I find that basically, the kits on my TD-12 are too open/boomy, sloppy for the L1.
Great in headphones, bad thru the system.
However, I want a more "recorded" (controlled, compressed) type sound, not so much a real, live (noisy) drum sound.
The sounds from my old Alesis D4 were much tighter but lacked the dampening touches.

What I have done is:

* found the tightest, crispest snares
* stick to smaller toms w/coated heads & muffling
* 13" hat
* drop tune the crashes
* there are no really good rides, too much "stick", not enough ping.
* vary the kick drum head/size/muffling according to venue.



I have the Exotics kits and find that the Elm and Acoustic kits are very nice and pretty usable.
Just had to tighten/dampen them slightly.

The biggest thing I notice is that I must adjust my kick drum for every room.
However, it's very easy.
Just change head, depth, and damping for the room.

I use 4-B1 subs and in some rooms they can be overwhelming, so I just dampen a bit.
In the deader rooms, I deepen the drum and use a pinstripe or clear head.

I have a sysex of my favorite kit but don't know if it will work with the TD20.
I sent it to the V-expressions guys, they were not impressed...understandably.
It only sounds good with the Bose.

If you have any more questions, or comments on your own use of the Vdrums and L1
please post to the open Bose/Drums forums so everyone else can benefit.

I hope this helps.

TightKit.syx (2 Kb, 2 downloads) TightKit.sysex

quote:

Originally posted by Drumr:
What I have done is:

* found the tightest, crispest snares
* stick to smaller toms w/coated heads & muffling
* 13" hat
* drop tune the crashes
* there are no really good rides, too much "stick", not enough ping.
* vary the kick drum head/size/muffling according to venue.



The biggest thing I notice is that I must adjust my kick drum for every room.


I use 4-B1 subs and in some rooms they can be overwhelming, so I just dampen a bit.
In the deader rooms, I deepen the drum and use a pinstripe or clear head.

Wow, I have done almost the same things. It did take some time to figure out how to get the beater slap out of the kick. After that I started using compression on the kick as well. What I have found that really helps the kick is a Peavey Kosmos subharmonic generator. The kick sounds bigger without more thump, if that makes sense.

Hi lar,

I have read about the Peavey at V-drums.com,
and would look into it but don't want any more gear to schlepp around.

Using INTERNAL compression on your kick from the module or outboard?

Finding any good tips for ride cymbal tweaking to get rid of "wood stick" sound?
TD20 might have more choices than I do though.

Thanks for helping.

quote:

Originally posted by Drumr:

Using INTERNAL compression on your kick from the module or outboard?

Finding any good tips for ride cymbal tweaking to get rid of "wood stick" sound?

The compression is internal from the module, it helps keep the L1 from 'limiting' when playing loud, othewise the subs sound as if they are distorting. When playing through good headphones the kick sounds fine, but with the subs it is much different.

I actually used one of your setups for the ride this last weekend, I don't have a fix for the wood stick effect. All that comes to mind for that is to make some changes with the eq and/or compression-sizzle.

I have the V-expressions kits but have yet to really use them, maybe one of the kits will have a ride that sounds a little better. I will have to check that.

Yes the Peavey is another 'item' that then requires another item to hold it. And cables. But I really like the way it works.

lar

Thanks lar,

quote:

I actually used one of your setups for the ride this last weekend

The sysex I sent you should have been only one kit, was there more?
That kit has my favorite "sizzle ride" that is real smooth, but I needed crashier.

Last night I did do some EQ tweaking, boosting high and cutting mids (forget the frequencies) that did help quite a bit.

I noticed that after doing so, the changes in tone over the dynamic range of the cymbal was more pronounced.
I did a lot of riding and smiling.

quote:

V-expressions kit

I found thisdemo of Tony le Rhodes playing the TD-20.
He sure has some skill

Hi Drummers--

Another v-drummer here, also having followed Drumr's posts on vdrums.com.

Would your fav L1 kit work on a TD-20? (Sorry if newbie question). New to the Bose system. Just purchased an L1 model II with packlite bass expansion (two more B1s). Agree completely, with what I have experienced thus far, that you at least need to:

-adjust muffling and heads on drums to reduce "boom";
-tone down pitch on cymbals (way to "high pitch" through the L1 otherwise).

I also send my bass drum direct out into the tonematch port.

Tadman

Hi Tadman, and welcome to this forum. Happy that you found some good tips here.

As for sysex files, I think Vdrum Librarian will turn TD12 into TD20 and vice versa if you have it. I imagine you would just have some emptly slots. My sysex is set up for my Trapkat, so I don't know if all the instruments and tweaks would fall to the correct pad on your 20s, but we can give it a try if you want.

The sysex I have is from my older settings, I have new better ones, but am not currently using the KAT and haven't saved them. I'll post what I do have from my other PC.

DRumr,

Thanks much! Great to "see" you in both fora (this great Bose forum and the Vdrums forum).

Will be playing live later this month, I believe, and will have a chance to test the additional tweaking. I will be using an SPD-S, as well. I have seen where drummers will simply connect the SPD-S to the mix in on the TD-20 module (as it would play mono anyway). Any sense as to whether a direct in to the Tonematch port would be better (assuming likely just going "flat" on the presets). You may not have an SPD-S, but any thoughts welcome.

Tadman