How to make aftertouch sensitivity lower?

[anttipi]

I'm reconfiguring my Megadrum now that I got it back encrypted & updated to latest FW (thanks Dmitri!)

I have good separation between zones on the 3-zone Yamaha cymbal pads and aftertouch works OK except every now and then aftertouch is activated more easily than I wish during playing. I started configuring by setting DynTime, DynLevel and Retrigger to the lowest possible value, working upwards from there.

1) I think these settings affect aftertouch sensitivity in some way, as aftertouch seems to be triggered easier when these settings are low. Am I (even partly) correct or is it my imagination? As I wrote, my threshold settings seem to be right.
2) Is there any way I could disable aftertouch messages from Megadrum (my guess is 'no')? I can disable aftertouch from BFD2 though so I don't think that's a problem.

[dmitri]

I don't quite get what "aftertouch is activated more easily than I wish during playing" means. When do you get false aftertouch signals? Aftertouch is sent only if the edge switch is pressed for some period of time and maybe I need to re-adjust this period without affecting aftertouch latency.

[anttipi]

I don't quite get what "aftertouch is activated more easily than I wish during playing" means. When do you get false aftertouch signals? Aftertouch is sent only if the edge switch is pressed for some period of time and maybe I need to re-adjust this period without affecting aftertouch latency.

I mean when playing I sometimes accidentally keep the switch pressed for too long so that aftertouch is triggered. Happens with both edge and bell. So in that sense it's too "easily triggered" for my purposes. Plus I don't know what settings affect aftertouch sensitivity - is it only the threshold values or something else too?

As I wrote, my threshold values seem alright now; I raised the edge threshold gradually to the exact value when I started to see aftertouch messages. Zone separation is great (perhaps better than before?) but my only problem is the too-easily-triggered aftertouch. I'd like to know if there's a way to "suppress" aftertouch sensitivity without ruining zone separation.

[dmitri]

I mean when playing I sometimes accidentally keep the switch pressed for too long so that aftertouch is triggered. Happens with both edge and bell.

If you press it, doesn't it mean you choke it?

So in that sense it's too "easily triggered" for my purposes. Plus I don't know what settings affect aftertouch sensitivity - is it only the threshold values or something else too?

Threshold is only used to determine if an edge/bell switch is shorted or not. Aftertouch is detected when the switch is shorted for more than ~2ms which should not happen if you hit it. The Threshold on the switch should be set as low as possible but so that the edge/bell hits/choke are detected reliably. If Threshold is set too high it may cause both false edge/bell triggering and false choking. The quality of the switch (very much so) and of the cables (unlikely) will also have positive/negative impact on the reliability of zones separation and false triggering/choking.

As I wrote, my threshold values seem alright now; I raised the edge threshold gradually to the exact value when I started to see aftertouch messages. Zone separation is great (perhaps better than before?) but my only problem is the too-easily-triggered aftertouch. I'd like to know if there's a way to "suppress" aftertouch sensitivity without ruining zone separation.

Do you want an option to enable/disable choke(aftertouch)?

[anttipi]

If you press it, doesn't it mean you choke it?

Sure does, I just have this feeling the pads weren't this "sensitive" before. I have fiddled with the pots on the pads (lowering them) and raised gain settings for them in Megadrum but I have no idea if these affect aftertouch or not. In fact, if I understand you right, aftertouch sensitivity is just a "mechanical thing" (via the switch) and has nothing to do with Megadrum's settings other than threshold value?

Aftertouch is detected when the switch is shorted for more than ~2ms which should not happen if you hit it.

It seems to happen most when hitting in rapid succession (like a roll on the bell). Sometimes it also seems the stick maybe isn't rebounded quick enough from the edge of the rubber pad that is swinging slightly from the previous hit (don't know if I can explain that clearly).

The Threshold on the switch should be set as low as possible but so that the edge/bell hits/choke are detected reliably. If Threshold is set too high it may cause both false edge/bell triggering and false choking.

Yes, it is at the lowest possible value and zone/choke detection works great. I only get occasional problems when actually playing the set. Maybe I'll just have to adjust my playing style to suit e-drums better...

Do you want an option to enable/disable choke(aftertouch)?

If it can be done, then yes, it would be nice! There's an option for that in BFD2 but it would be more useful to have it in Megadrum.