Configuring a Roland VH-11

[angr77]

To be able generate better dynamics on the Hihat pedal on a Roland VH-11. (Get a better range between the highlevel and lowlevel)

It seems to be common knowledge that both the Roland PD8 and VH11 needs a resistor installed in the MD box between the tip and ring on the hihat control input. The resistor needs to be about 10k/15K.
See the following link about this. viewtopic.php?p=20778#p20778

I have taken a photo to describe how to install it:

vh11_patch.jpg

After installing the resistor - the highlevels went from 192 to about 428 (using the the high impedance switch) and about 842 when using the low impedance switch + Altin setting)

We think we also have found the magic key to make the VH-11 to perform so smooth and dynamically as you ever can dream of and that is to use the cc-reduction level to 1-2.

After testing - I can just confirm - The Hihat control reacts in a much better way - It is a big difference. It is easy to keep the hihat slightly open, it is faster to react on fast openings. The pedal levels is now for low 44

Please see my other post for all configuration: viewtopic.php?f=4&t=761&p=21579#p21579

Not convinced? Check this youtube movie clip: http://youtu.be/M3usNsUiiDY

[jackiecorn]

Thank you for the great info angr77.
My first megadrum built by dmitri has just arrived and the first thing I noticed when I plug my VH-11 hihat controller to port 1 is that I can't get it to work at all, no level signal or anything. Is this normal? Because I have heard that with the latest firmware the VH-11 should at least somewhat work out of the box.
So what I should do first is to install a 10k resistor between the between the tip and ring on the hihat control input, for it to work at all, is that right?
And everything else you mentioned in the post is for optimization, if I am correct.

[dmitri]

I can't get it to work at all, no level signal or anything. Is this normal?

No.

Did you select the High impedance input with the switch?
Did you set AltIn to Yes?
Did you try LevelsAuto from http://www.megadrum.info/content/hihat-pedal-settings ?
Did you adjust LowLevel and HighLevel as suggested in http://www.megadrum.info/content/hihat-pedal-settings ?

[angr77]

Hi!

I will try to post all my findings for VH-11, but as you point out...it should at least give something out of the box! If nothing...something is wrong.

The resistor gave me better dynamic between high/low level. In the last test i even dropped the Altin = yes and used it disabled. Impedance was set to high.

I will try to make a proper post tomorrow with all settings.

best regards

Anders

[jackiecorn]

Thank you dmitri, I turned the AltIn to Yes and now I'm finally getting signal from my hats controller
Though I agree that the range between the high and low levels can be improved to give more dynamics, I will wait for angr77's findings and hopefully get them to work as well as they should be!

[dmitri]

You can also use these steps to configure a HiHat pedal for maximum dynamic range:

1. If your pedal is of a low impedance type select the Low Impedance pedal input and set AltIn to No. If your pedal is of a high impedance type select the High Impedance pedal input and set AltIn to Yes. A pedal with impedance less than around 50k when fully open can be considered a low impedance pedal, otherwise it is a high impedance pedal. A DIY optical pedal is a typical low impedance pedal. A Roland VH-11 pedal, as far as I know, is a high impedance pedal. If you cannot find/measure the impedance of your pedal, try the below steps first with the Low Impedance input and AltIn set to No and then with the High Impedance input and AltIn set to Yes and then choose the configuration which gives you the widest dynamic range.
2. Set LevelsAuto to No.
3. Set LowLevel as low as it allows.
4. Set HighLevel to 1023.
5. Set LevelsAuto to Yes.
6. Go to LowLevel, press the pedal all the way down. While still holding the pedal pressed increase the LowLevel with buttons/encoders as high as it allows.
7. Go to HighLevel and release the pedal so that it goes all the way up. Decrease the HighLevel with buttons/encoders as low as it allows.
8. Set LevelsAuto to No.

Now the pedal should have maximum dynamic range between fully open and fully closed.

[angr77]

Hi!
I have just rechecked my hihat settings for Roland VH-11.

Hihat pedal looks like this:

hihat2.png

And the hihat settings looks like this:

hihat.PNG

Note:
When reading the config data from my MD (Which I played with on the video) the pedal highlevel was only 428. (I have no clue why...and I don't recall that I have changed this, so I need to verify this) I am guessing that it could be like this: When setting the AltIn=disabled - I must have done a new autolevel sequence - giving the 428 value instead)
(The reason for changing the AltIn was because somebody claimed (I think it was Talrusher) you would get a better feeling...)

When using a resistor on the hihat ctrl, I have got a range between 44 and 869. (without 38-182). The VH-11 hihat is a high impendance type. (The switch on the MD Front)

Anders

[jackiecorn]

Thanks, those settings seem to be a good reference to the VH-11. I have just dialed in the perfect range of high/low levels for my controller with 30-310, getting smooth and precise readings in the range. Now I actually wonder what would be improved if I add a resistor to it and bumping up the high level, as I am already getting perfect readings off the box. Well, the only thing that I find not perfect is the fact that the reading will jump rapidly in higher range(somewhere between 127 and 100), but this is not a big problem to me.
I wouldn't mind adding the resistor if it improves the controller response in any way, but I just don't know how it would improve.

[angr77]

You will get a better range between closed and open. The hihat will become a bit more accurate. If you have the feeling that the hihat pedal jumps fast between 100 and 127...a better range could improve and slow down a bit. We are using exp curve also...which will make the pedal to move faster when reaching the open state.

Last, I have a function in Addictive Drums which holds the last jump back. Already at cc level 90...translations will be done.
It seems like that AD is using this function for all Roland Hihat models for their preconfiged TD-20, TD-12 etc.

ADhh.png

[jackiecorn]

Cool, that looks like something I should look into when I have time.
I almost forgot that there are curves for the open/close range which should allow me to tune it to my preference, thanks