Roland Hi Hat controller doesn't work

**Boots** · 02-22-2009, 12:06 PM

Hello all:

I'm a Newb and this is my first post. Here is my problem. I purchased an Alesis DM5 Pro kit and the hi-Hat controller is crap. What I did was I purchased a Roland FD7 Hi-Hat controller as a substitute instead. I plugged it into the DM5 and the only sound I get is a Hat closing sound swish as I insert the 1/4 inch plug into the pedal. I move the pedal up and down it does nothing. I opened up the controller cleaned it and put it back together. Same thing. Does anyone have a suggestion? Boots.

**crazymanwithaplunger** · 02-22-2009, 03:52 PM

Well, I could be wrong (rare, but it does happen, kinda like Haley's comet), but did you double check the compatibility between the module from Alesis and the roland hi-hat component BEFORE you did this? If there is one thing I've seen allot of people say its that cross brand compatbility isn't great, even if they say it is, and usually takes some sort of configuration and fiddling if it works at all. For example on the ROland site the only modules it list compatibility with at all are other Roland modules, and makes no mention of other brands being compatible with it. You'll also notice that the Alesis website mentions it is compatible with all Alesis components and "most other major brand components" which is suggestive but not very specific, and certianly doens't offer any guarantees that the hi-hat component you've got is going to work. I know form looking around a bit that the SURGE cymabls from Alesis are comaptibl;e with the Roland pedal, BUT this doens't mean the module is the same, as that compatibility may be using a Roland module, not an Alesis module.

Another bit of interest is something I spotted on the Roland website in a FAQ seciton as follows: "....explains that moving the hi-hat pedal or striking the pads while powering up a TD-series module may cause improper triggering." Perhaps there is a similar issue with Alesis modules?

The alst thing you probably want to hear as well, is tech support is probably going to be useless for you, since a) you already said you pulled apart the component, which may have voided any warranty you had, and b) you'll probably find that both companies will say it is the others fault, not theirs.

Well, that's all I got - maybe someone else on here has had experience with these particular components and can shed some light on the subject, mine is just food for thought