Alesis DM5 Technical document

Quick Start Owner’s Manual

Manual de inicio rápido para el usuario

(Spanish)

Guide d’installation rapide

(Français)

Schnelles Hinweisbuch

(Deutsch)

Manuale rapido di utilizzazione

(Italiano)

Quick Start Owner’s Manual (English)

Quick Setup for the DM5 Electronic Drum Kit

yMake sure that all of the items listed on the front cover are included in the DM5

Drum Kit’s box.

yRead the Important Safety Instructions included in the box.

yStudy the assembly and hookup diagrams below.

yOnce everything is plugged in, turn everything on. If you’ve connected the DM5

module to a PA system, make sure to turn on the speakers last to prevent any

“thumps” from damaging your speakers.

yRead the DM5’s Reference Manual and experiment with its various parameters.

yWhen finished, turn off your speakers and PA system before turning off the

DM5 module.

yGo to www.alesis.com and register your DM5 Drum Kit.

DM5 Electronic Drum Kit Components

Before you begin assembling your DM5 Drum Kit, make sure the box includes all the

necessary pieces. Each piece of the drum kit is assigned a letter and you should have the

following:

A. Pads (5 total)

These pads are used to trigger sounds from the DM5

module. There are 5 pads included in the kit (1 for the

kick drum, 1 for snare, 1 hi-hat, and 2 toms). These

pads are identical and can be configured in any way that

suits the needs of the drummer. For example, if a

drummer needs 3 toms and no snare, this can be

arranged through the DM5 module.

B. Cymbals (2 total)

The DM5 drum kit includes two cymbals intended for

use as ride and crash cymbals. Like the pads listed

above, these cymbals are interchangeable and can be

configured in any way that suits the drummer.

C. DM5 Drum Module

This is the “brain” of your electronic drum kit. All of

your pads connect to this module, and sounds are

generated within this unit. The unit includes a

mounting kit that allows for convenient placement near

the drummer, but the unit can also be rack mounted.

D. Hi-hat Pedal

This pedal is used to open and close your electronic hi-

hat. The throw of the pedal is adjustable, as described

later in this manual.

E. Kick Pedal

This kick drum pedal feels and works just like an

acoustic kick drum pedal. The included clamping

mechanism (shown to the right of the pedal) is used to

attach the pedal to the rack in order to keep the pedal

from moving around during performance.

Your DM5 Drum Kit should also include the following pieces in order to assemble the drum

rack. Like the main components of the drum kit, each part of the rack is assigned a letter.

The diameter and length is listed next to each piece. The rack includes the following:

Putting It All Together

Step 1: Building the base

Lay the rack’s “G” section on the ground and connect

the two “F” sections as shown in the picture. Each

“F” section should have an open socket that faces up.

Tighten all thumb screws to be finger-tight.

Step 2: Building the rack

First, connect the “J” and “K” cross sections to the

“H” side section. Now connect the other ends of “J”

and “K” to the “I” section. Tighten all thumb screws

to be finger tight.

The “H” bar on the left should have two connectors

free and the “I” section on the right should have one

connector free. Also, the endcaps on sections “H” and

“I” should be facing upwards.

Step 3: Connecting the rack to the base

Now connect the main rack assembled in step 2 to the

base assembled in step 1. There are two open

connectors facing up on the base. The bottom of

sections “H” and “I” on the rack should fit nicely into

the two connectors on the base.

Step 4: Attaching the arms

Attach the two arms as illustrated in the diagram to the

left. Both arms are identical. The arm on the left

attaches to the open connector at the top of section

“H”. The arm on the right attaches to the open

connector on section “I”. Make sure that the endcaps

of both arms are facing outward.

Step 5: Attaching the extension poles

Now we need to add the “M,” “N,” and “O” extension

poles to the appropriate mounting points on the rack.

The locations of these poles are shown in the picture to

the left.

Step 6: Attaching the rest of the hardware

Finally, add the drum hardware (pads, pedals, cymbals,

and DM5 module) to the rack. You can mount the

DM5 module either above the main pole (as shown) or

below the main pole. Connect the kick drum pedal to

the bottom pole.

Your DM5 Drum Kit is now assembled and should look like the one below. At this point

you can adjust the height and position of the various components to suit your playing style.

If you wish, you can even re-arrange the drum pads differently from what is shown below.

Hooking Everything Up

The pads, cymbals, and hi-hat pedal each have a 1/8” plug that connects to the ¼” jacks on

the rear of the DM5 module. The inputs on the rear of the DM5 module are labeled (hi hat,

kick, snare, etc.) Connect each pad to its corresponding input. If you have additional drum

pads or cymbals you’d like to use, feel free to connect them to the remaining 5 inputs on the

DM5 module.

If you’re using headphones to monitor the drums, you can plug them into the “phones” jack

on the front of the DM5 module. If you’re not using headphones, you’ll need some speakers

to hear the output of the DM5 module. The speakers can be hooked up to the “Main

Output” jacks on the module.

If you have a MIDI keyboard, sound module, or MIDI sequencing computer, you can hook

it up to the DM5 module using standard 5-pin MIDI cables.

Finally, use the included Velcro straps to neatly fasten all cables to the poles.

Refer to the DM5’s reference manual for how to configure the module itself.

Adjusting the Hi-Hat Pedal

The DM5 Drum Kit’s hi-hat pedal can be adjusted to give you varying amounts of tension.

This is done through a small screw found on the bottom of the pedal. Use a Phillips-head

screwdriver to adjust the tension on the pedal.

Turning the screw clockwise will make the pedal stiffer whereas turning counterclockwise

will loosen the pedal.

Expanding Your Kit

Extra pads and cymbals are sold separately. See your authorized Alesis dealer for details.

For Further Assistance

See the Safety/Warranty booklet for Alesis contact information. In the U.S., call the Alesis

service phone number for spare parts, missing parts, or for answers to any questions you

may have.

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