Questions & Answers

Electronic drums sound unplayably quiet through the 24.4.2 mixer.

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asked Sep 30, 2017 in Classic Mixers by janetdriscoll (170 points)
Hello,

It sounds like it'd be a pretty simple thing to do: I just want my Roland electronic drum kit to play through my Presonus 24.4.4 classic mixer, bypassing all effects and EQ, compression, etc., so that its volume can be mixed along with all the other instruments I have going through the other channels on the mixer.  But the drums are unusably quiet.  I have my drum kit module turned all the way up, the gain on its channel on the mixer is turned almost all the way up, and all of its effects, compression, and EQ are turned off.  The "main" button for its channel is also turned on.  The input AND output LED meter for it reads that it's coming in and going out at a good level, just like all the other instruments are.  But when I output the sound to either a PA or headphones, using the main outputs on the mixer, the drums are just way too quiet, to the point where I can't really hear them while the other instruments are playing out the other channels.   I've also tried plugging the electronic drums into both the line level and mic level inputs for its channel.  Nothing I've tried comes close to working.  Really quite the headache.  

What's going on?

Thanks,

Giacomo Hatanaka

2 Answers

0 votes
answered Oct 3, 2017 by Michael Martin (89,010 points)
 
Best answer
Load the Zero Out Scene to clear any misused settings.

Most E-Drums use Line Level output via TS or TRS cabling. You should either be using the StudioLive's TRS Line Level input or connecting a DI box in front then using the XLR input.

Plug into multiple channels to see if it's a channel issue or E-Drum issue. If all channels react the same, then it's an issue with the drums.

Simply put, trial and error will tell you what is working and what isn't.
0 votes
answered Oct 27, 2017 by genarogonzalez1 (240 points)

Hi there,

I´m going to give you a good reason why you don´t get output from your drum kit......

It happened to me once, and I believe you when you say you´d tried it all....

It´s  a very basic problem that we usually don´t remember or don´t assume is happening.

Well then enough said......

Assuming your inputting your drums into 2 different channels and setting the output in stereo....

If so, Your problem is that these channels are OUT OF FASE within each other.

And if this is not the case, then check the cables used to connect the drum kit to see if they are wired out of fase within each other.

I could give you an explanation to what happens when you OUT PHASE a drum kit, but I guess you can figure this out yourself if this advice solves your problem.

Please let us know if this advice helped smileyyes

May God bless you  

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