I just recently bought a set of Casio DP-1 drum pads - the yellow dual hexagonal ones in a rectangle frame. I'm going to get more of these and build up a really kitsch electronic drum kit, to use with my Roland PM-16 Drum MIDI interface controller and Dr660 drum machine.
I presume that the casio pads are actually not real piezo sensor type pads that output a velocity pulse, but only a switch type mechanism that closes a contact. Has anyone converted one of these in the manner of which I describe, for some advice? I'm going to put flat piezo sensor discs in each pad, but until I get the pads (still on delivery) I was wondering what they look like inside, and how I would mount the sensors.
You are probably right about the possibility of switches in those. The drum pads on my MT-500 sound the same whether I just barely touch them or smack them hard.
Sorry, I don't know about how to replace the switches with piezzos.
Yeah, i pretty much figure they're just switches. I basically know how to install the piezo sensors, I was just hoping that someone had already done this, so as to give me a clue on the best positioning, and what cutting/mounting they had to do. My pads arrive next week, so until then, I can only speculate.
$25 brand new in box old stock for 2 pad units (each unit having 2 pads in it). I thought that was pretty ok.
I found a small post somewhere in a google search last week of a guy who said he put some sensors in his so he could use them with his alesis DM5 drum brain or something like that. Can't seem to find the post anymore, otherwise I'd ask him what he did...
I've now installed the piezo sensors in them - a really easy job!! Now they can be plugged into any standard drum brain unit such as a Roland TD series, Alesis DM5 or Yamaha units and play them just like standard electronic drum pads!
They are amazingly responsive and versatile. They are just the right size to sit on your lap and play them with your hands like bongos. They also come with standard drum stand mounting clamps. The hexagonal rubber pads are a really good size - not too large, but not so small that you keep missing them when you use sticks. The rubber feels really good, too - great stick bounce and low surface noise.
If anyone wants to try the same mod, here is the piezo sensor I used:
They're only a couple of dollars each, and when you remove the sensor disk itself from its plastic casing its only about 1mm thick. You can then slip 1 of these in between the 2 rubber pad layers of each pad. Fasten them with a small strip of gaffa tape - that's all it takes! Now you just solder the existing wires in the cable to each sensor disk terminals, put them back together and start pounding away!!
Cheers, Graham
« Last Edit: February 03, 2008, 09:04:30 AM by gmeredith »
I just got my pair of casio dp-1s. I am going to install the piezos like you posted but had a question. when you sodder the piezo to the connectors do you still route the signal out of the DP-1 through the original 1/8 cable to a drum machine? are both pads triggered through the one cable? I am not sure how both pads would be assignable to different sounds in the back of a drum brain.
Hey, sorry for not noticing your question for this long!
Yes, both pads are used through the original 1/8" cable. You then simply make a 1>into 2 Y-dadpter cable using a 1/8" stereo mini jack socket to split it into 2 separate leads, with 1/4" mono plugs on each end, which then plug into your drum brain module.
Having said that, some drum brain modules have STEREO input jacks for triggereng pads with more than 1 sensor - I think some of the Alesis ones do. In this case, simply buy a stereo 1/8" to stereo 1/4" adapter for the end of your casio cable. You can then assign a different sound to each pad.
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