The best Electronic Drum Triggers: Reddit reviews

From 3.5 billion Reddit comments

If you're using them as a replacement for the ION cymbals, you'll want to get the Pintech single zone cymbals. You can find them on Amazon. This is the one I use on my kit to replace the Hi-Hat: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0002F78NU/ref=sxr_rr_xsim1

Hope this helps.

There's this, too:https://www.amazon.com/Goedrum-Prewired-Double-Adhesive-Circle/dp/B01G8X1VX2/

but you can probably get a single cheap piezo, too. 8" mesh heads are also available on ebay and amazon, just try finding a similar looking one. I tried Roland for my snare and they had a much wider rim. Simple Remo or Evans (black) heads are also sold in music stores. You might want to add a kick drum patch for extra protection and make sure not to use a felt beater.

I bought my replacement piezo triggers on Amazon! They’re GoEdrum triggers and they work (in my opinion) much better than the stock. I put the link but I think they are out of stock on Amazon.

Im no expert but I think any brand of piezo will work. It probably comes down to quality when choosing.

GoEdrum Piezo triggers

The Teensy 2.x and 3.x are excellent for this, already have MIDI code for them, and have been used in many MIDI controllers. The larger versions have plenty of input pins, both analog and digital, to cover what you want to do.

But signals loose definition and gain noise over long wire runs. Even the length of an arm might be enough to disrupt analog signals. Something like a 328P, or an even smaller ATTiny, on each hand could communicate to the Teensy in the middle.

If you decide to try simple first, use shielded cables. Both CAT 5e and CAT 6 come in shielded versions, but they're a little expensive. If you know someone in IT, see if they have some scraps you can use. If you only need one pair of wires, shielded microphone cable is much cheaper.

For drum-type sensors, everyone uses piezo disks. Even pro drum sensors use them, and they're cheap! You can just glue them to your shirt and they'll work. Some kind of solid base that holds it still and allows the piezo disk to 'flex' will increase sensitivity and give you better repeatability . A solid wood/plastic ring or a stiff rubber base would work well. It only needs to flex microscopically to generate a good signal.

When you get it running, post and let us know how it worked out.

Yep I ended up replacing the piezo with this:

Goedrum Pack of 5 Prewired 35mm Piezo Disc and Double Sided Adhesive Foam Circle https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01G8X1VX2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_XAtSFbB18V1MP?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

It was super easy but requires some soldering (and new solder).

Solved all my kick drum problems and now it works great.

Looks like the sale was not permanent and it’s at $50 right now. Keep in mind my kit is an Alesis nitro mesh so the clamp fits my rack perfectly.

Alesis Nitro 8 Inch SINGLE-ZONE Mesh Tom Pad Expansion Pack- 8" Drum, Clamp, Cable - DMPad https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08541MRJY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_XZ1sFbR1D16KA

I don't care too much about the choke, just the 2-zone triggers.

Please do let me know how the Pintech one works, particularly what the difference in behavior is between the crash2 and tom2 ports if you can.

Is this the one you got?

https://www.amazon.com/Pintech-Percussion-PC16-B-Dual-Cable/dp/B014XRO33A

Its a small bluetooth device that syncs with the app, its really fun. this is the device:
https://www.amazon.com/DK-Sense-Kit-DrumKnee-app/dp/B089561RTS#customerReviews

For the record, i have no affiliation with this brand/app or device.

Thanks for the advice! I hadn't thought to try amazon chat. If for some reason they don't want it back I imagine that something like this ddrum ddti would probably work great with the Donner pads and cymbals.

I'm looking for local used Roland kits. From what I've read Alesis doesn't seem to be worth it, even their "pro" gear seems prone to early failure. The Simmons SD1200 looks really good but there just isn't a lot of info about its durability and it seems earlier simmons models apparently weren't great in that department.

I think I've learned the lesson as to why everybody says "save and buy Roland".

I primarily plan to use a midi vst so an older roland kit should work great for me as long as I can find one with good pads. Used TD-11KV seems like a sweet spot for price (looks like $700-900ish) with good pads and cymbals.

Thanks for your thoughts. When you say a MIDI interface, do you mean something like this:

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https://smile.amazon.com/ddrum-DDTi-Drum-Trigger-Interface/dp/B00IQ7PYG4/ref=sr_1_47?keywords=drum+midi&qid=1555278081&s=gateway&sr=8-47

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I was planning on getting something like that so I can have more inputs for sounds with some of the PD-7s or PD-9s that came with my deal. But otherwise, I'm just going to plug my TD-10 into a computer with a MIDI/USB cable for the software you mention. It is definitely in the plans, but I've focused on setting up Phase Shift first so I can start playing some songs. The learning curve has been steep, but I think I've got it all set up.

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I've also started the restoration of one of the PD-120's. I may be done with some pictures tomorrow....

I personally use an old TD-20 module I bought off craigslist for super cheap (but only as a midi interface), but if I hadn't gotten such a deal on that I would have gone with this guy since it does exactly what I need:

https://www.amazon.com/Ddrum-DDTI-ddrum-Trigger-Interface/dp/B00IQ7PYG4

Over time I just kept adding more toms and cymbals to my e-kit as I got extra cash. The mesh head Roland toms feel the best, but they can be pricey. I'd recommend buying used mesh toms off of ebay if you like that, but don't buy used e-cymbals since people really beat those things up.

This approach is also nice because you're not locked in to any particular vendor since you're "rolling your own" kit.

so i found this and this... am i headed in the right direction?

Oh I see, there's an input on the back!

Is this the sort of cable I'd want to pickup for that?

http://www.amazon.com/Pintech-Percussion-C10S-Electronic-Accessory/dp/B014XRN9JO/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1462725369&sr=8-4&keywords=1%2F4+inch+drum+cable+Alesis

No I am on xbox.

Im using a trigger io with my ions plugged into that and both of my pedals. Then midi out of that into a ghwt drum brain which has midi in. Then connecting that via legacy adapter and the game thinks it is a stock ghwt kit.

The only downfall to this is that is does not allow for pro drums only regular. You can do this with any midi kit though.

Yeah! That would be the general price of cheaper drum brains. I have heard stories of people acquiring them through craigslist for dirt cheap, so that's always a route. Just make sure the drum brain offers midi out, and nothing bizarre because that'll compromise the Midi Pro Adapter. I can recommend this (http://www.amazon.com/Ddrum-DDTI-ddrum-Trigger-Interface/dp/B00IQ7PYG4/ref=sr_1_12?ie=UTF8&qid=1453010455&sr=8-12&keywords=alesis+io) for the price bracket.

Wait, if you already have an Ion kit, just buy an Alesis Trigger IO. My Ions work so much better than before, it's like getting new pads...they're almost as sensitive as Roland mesh pads now. You'll have to buy it used on Ebay or Amazon and it takes some time to set up, but once you do you're set.

EDIT: Couldn't find the Alesis but this ddrum module is the exact same thing.

Thanks for the feedback! Do any particular modules come to mind for my needs? Would this be any good? The kick pedal does look even smaller! I wonder how it feels in comparison to the other...

The acoustic electric snare is something I saw earlier in a YouTube video. Have you had any experience with these compared to something like a Roland pd 120? Can't imagine how accurate they would be. The cost would go way down though so that's a massive bonus!