Inexpensive DIY percussion trigger

Made from common items from Radio Shack and Home Depot. Run through the Roland TD-9 drum module.
Here's the address to the piezo on Radio Shack's site:
http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2062402
You just need to take a pair of needle-nosed pliers and CAREFULLY pry away the two screw mounts on the side and open up the plastic case and the piezo is nestled inside. Once the case is off you'll have the thin piezo connected to two wires.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Roland
• percussion
• drum
• trigger

[megodzillaudeadable]

Really cool idea! I haven't seen a trigger inside a tube before, did you do that for any reason or just convenience? Also if some one doesn't want to tear stuff apart you can buy the bare piezo elements online

[karenstev]

@megodzillaudeadable The only reason I encased it in the tube was so I had something to whack with a stick, or shake like a tambourine. Tnanks for looking!

[norxcontacts]

Does Rush use drum triggers?

[karenstev]

@norxcontacts

Peart uses quite a bit of electronics and triggers. According to the Rush site, he's currently using V-Drums, TD-20 brains, Roland XV 5080 samplers, the MalletKat, Kat trigger pedals, and a Dauz trigger pad.

[SimonKentSmith]

Hey man,

I was wondering, if this would work, on a cymbal.. I'm building a acoustic/electric kit, and have the drums figured out, but I was to trigger real cymbals. Ya think if I muffle them and add one of these triggers, I'd be in business?

[karenstev]

@SimonKentSmith

You can absolutely use these with an acoustic cymbal. There are a bunch of guys who have done this over at the vdrums(dot)com/forum forums, in the DIY section. Read through some of the posts and poke around there as tey are far mre knowledgeable than I about this.

[MetalMarcMoxley]

how would one go about putting that up on a stand or something or a rack or something??

[TheKyron93]

@norxcontacts Neil peart has an electric drum kit attached to his acoustic kit but as for the bass drum, he uses completely natural sound.

[muziknonstop]

MOTU makes an midi to USB hub called fast lane. That works and you can find them for $50

[DiGgfReAk]

@BobNSlobbit check out alesis trigger i/o

[BobNSlobbit]

Any ideas on making a USB trigger? I want to trigger sounds in Ableton Live on my laptop and all I need is a simple trigger, but it needs to hook up via USB. Any ideas would be GREATLY appreciated.

[CloseTheDoorNathan]

@SimonKentSmith if you want a trigger with the look of a real cymbal, check out Alesis "Surge" Cymbals

[BTvisuals]

did you see the new rush documentary?

[megodzillaudeadable]

@TheBetterPeter I don't know for sure but I BELIEVE that the kHz rating on these elements is the frequency response of the element, i.e. the frequencies it will produce as a speaker or detect as a pickup. If you are just useing the piezo element to send a voltage spike as in a drum trigger (and not trying to use it as a contact mic) the frequency response shouldn't matter. Hope that helps, good luck!