Convert acoustic set to digital using only off the shelf piezo

[Tarrasque]

Hi all.

I have an acoustic drum kit (bass drum, snare, 2 toms, hi-hat, ride, 2 crashes), all with mesh skins and low-volume cymbals, that I would like to concert to electric in the least invasive way and easily reversible.

Can I do it with an eDrumin module and simple piezos I can buy online, wire together, stick to the skins and cymbals and connect to the eDrumin?

I think the greatest issue would be the hi-hat, because I need something to track the pedal.

[dsteinschneider]

To track correctly you need center mounted piezo units with the foam cones and a jack. I bought a UFOdrums eBridge kit for my 5 piece Ludwig Accent Combo. The only modification to the drums was removing the air hole grommet which made the hole big enough to mount the jack.

For the hi-hat buy the AudioFront Hall Sensor https://www.audiofront.net/afExtras.php ) and mount it to a normal hi-hat stand. Then use two side Gorilla tape to mount a neodymium magnet to the pedal for the sensor to detect the pedal movement.

I recommend Yamaha PCY-13 and PCY-15 cymbals - I bought mine used from people on the vdrums forum.

[Tarrasque]

Thank you for answering.

Why are the center mounted foams indispensable? I get that they will make the tracking better, but for a first try diy projects, wouldn't just sticking the piezos near the border of the skin work?

If I *really* need to buy an assembled rig like the ufodrum,surely I'll try to pass the wires through the air hole and attach the plug outside. As I said - no permanent modifications to the set.

I'm intrigued by the sensor you are talking of. How does it work? Is it easy to mount and calibrate?

I would definitely buy no new cymbals. I want to keep all the fear I have. Do you think it's possible?

Thank again for answering.

[dsteinschneider]

Roland developed the piezo attached to a foam cone method for sensing the hits. It's tried and true.

You could make your own cross bar using metal angle bars that are drilled so you can fit them over the existing bolts used to fasten the lugs. Then fasten a flat metal bar across from the angles on each side of the drum. Then you need to fasten the piezo/cone assembly to a bolt so you can raise and lower it and double nuts to lock it in place. There are a lot of people online showing their DIY crossbars.

You could run the piezo leads through the airhole grommet and have the jack suspended on the outside.

You can take normal cymbals and fasten a piezo mounted in a small project box with a jack and then fasten it to the cymbal with double sided tape.

The Hall Sensor is dead simple - just run a TRS cable from it to your eDRUMin. Everything you need to adjust it is in the control panel software for the eDRUMin.