The Alesis Crimson III Kit is a Nine-piece electronic drum kit featuring exclusive Alesis mesh drum heads that deliver the perfect feel and expression. This article answers some popular questions about the features and functionality of the Alesis Crimson III kit.


TABLE OF CONTENTS


What are the differences between the Alesis Crimson III and Crimson II Kit?


The Crimson Kit III module features a revamped sound library with a mix of BFD, Classic and Modern sounds equalling 80 preset kits with 471 built-in sounds. In addition, the Crimson III module includes Bluetooth® audio input for streaming tracks to play along to and, and Bluetooth® MIDI Output for recording wirelessly to your computer. Finally, the interface itself has been revamped to include a 1/4 studio headphone output, physical faders for control over each pad's level along 2 banks, and individual knobs to control the Main Outs, Headphones Outs as well as the Aux In and Click levels.



What is included with the Crimson III Kit?


The Crimson III Kit comes with everything you need to start playing right away! This includes:

  • Crimson III Drum Module
  • 8" Mesh Kick Pad
  • 12" Dual-Zone Mesh Snare Pad
  • (2) 8" Dual-Zone Mesh Tom Pads
  • 10" Dual-Zone Mesh Tom Pad
  • DMPad 12" Hi-Hat
  • (2) DMPad 12" Crashes with Choke
  • DMPad 14" Triple-Zone Ride
  • DMHat Pedal
  • Premium 4-Post Quick Lock Steel Rack
  • Snare Stand
  • Cable Snake
  • Cable for Crash 2
  • Cable Wrap Strips
  • Drumsticks
  • Drum Key
  • Power Supply
  • Module User Guide
  • Kit Assembly Guide



How many sounds are included with the Crimson III Kit?


Crimson III Drum Module features 80 drum kits (40 factory + 40 user) with 471 sounds/voices and 100 play-along tracks built-in. Also, you can save as many user kits as you like to your USB flash drive as well.


Can I use my own audio files and create my own kits?


Absolutely!

The Crimson III Kit allows you to add any WAV file up to 16-bit/48kHz to a USB drive and create your own unique kit. USB drives can be anywhere between 4GB and 64GB and should be formatted to FAT32. Each sample must be a 16-bit mono WAV file with a maximum size of 15 MB. It can have a sampling rate of 48, 44.1, 32, 22.05, or 11.025 kHz.

To load your own samples from a USB flash drive to use as voices within a kit:

  1. Press Kit to enter the Kit Selection page (if you are not already viewing it).
  2. Press Menu to enter the Kit Menu.
  3. Use the Down and Up buttons to select SD Card, and then press Enter(F3).
  4. Use the Down and Up buttons to select Load Sound, and then press Enter. A list of your samples will appear in the display.
  5. Use the Down and Up buttons to select a sample, and then press Enter.



Can I save and load an entire kit from my USB flash drive?


Yes!

To save a kit to an SD Card:

  1. Press Kit to enter the Kit Selection page (if you are not already viewing it).
  2. Use the dial or Left and Right buttons to select the kit you want to save. To switch between the preset kits (001–050) and user kits (051–070), Press Kit.
  3. Press Menu to enter the Kit Menu.
  4. Use the Selection ∧ / ∨ buttons to select SD Card, and then press Enter(F3).
  5. Use the Selection ∧ / ∨ buttons to select Save Kit, and then press Enter(F3).
  6. Use the Selection ∧ / ∨ buttons to select a kit number (00–99). A number with no name next to it indicates an empty kit. A number with a name next to it indicates a saved kit.
  7. To save the kit to the selected number, press Enter. If the number already has a kit saved to it, Overwrite the Kit File? Exit/F3 Enter? will appear in the display. Press Enter(F3) to overwrite the kit or Exit to return to the list of kits. To cancel, press Exit.

To load a kit from a USB flash drive:

  1. Press Kit to enter the Kit Selection page (if you are not already viewing it).
  2. Press Menu to enter the Kit Menu.
  3. Use the Selection ∧ / ∨ buttons to select SD Card, and then press Enter(F3).
  4. Use the Selection ∧ / ∨ buttons to select Load Kit, and then press Enter(F3).
  5. Use the Selection ∧ / ∨ buttons to select a kit number (00–99). A number with no name next to it indicates an empty kit. A number with a name next to it indicates a saved kit.
  6. To load the selected kit, press Enter(F3).
  7. Press Enter to load the kit. You will see waiting... appear on the display, this process may take a few minutes.



Are you able to adjust the sensitivity of the mesh head trigger?


As a drummer you may want to set the drum triggers to fit your playing style, to make your performance

more accurate. You can adjust the Trigger sensitivity and many other settings within the Crimson III module in the Trigger menu.


1. Press the Kit button, then press the Menu button.

2. Use the Selection ∧ / ∨ buttons or the F1/F2 button to select “Trigger”, then press the F3 (Enter) button

to enter.

3. Use the Selection ∧ / ∨ buttons or the F1/F2 button to select the Head (Bow) Sensi, Rim (Edge) Sensi*, Pedal Sensi, Splash Sensi,  or Bell Sensi, depending on what trigger sensitivity you would like to edit, then use the data dial or -/+

buttons to change the setting. After editing, press the F3 (Save) button to save the setting, otherwise

the edited data will be lost after powering off.

You can also adjust the Curve settings in the Trigger menu, as well as the tuning the individual heads to improve “feel” of the kit. Tuning of the heads should be done seasonally so as to avoid damage.


Can you record your own performance on the module?


Yes, with the record mode you can record up to 30 minutes of your own playing within the module directly to a .WAV file. 


Can I add triggers for more pads or cymbals?


The Crimson III Kit comes with an available 1/4" Dual-zone connection on the rear which allows you to increase the amount of available single or dual-zone triggers on your kit. Although the input is labeled Tom 4, you can assign any sound you like to this trigger inputs.



Is the hi-hat pedal a continuous or a switch-type pedal?


The Hi-Hat pedal included with the Crimson III Kit is a continuous variable type pedal. This pedal allows for open, half-open, and closed hi-hat sounds, and will also allow for "chick" and "splash" sounds when the pedal is pressed down and released without striking the hi-hat cymbal pad.



Can the Crimson III Kit be used with a computer? How?


The Crimson Mesh Kit module comes with a USB connection allowing you to connect the module to a computer and send MIDI messages over this connection. It is class-compliant which means that it will work with any modern Mac or PC without the need to download any software or drivers.

You may need to adjust some settings in the drum module to ensure all MIDI communication can be properly sent or received. To adjust the MIDI settings:

  1. Press Kit to enter the Kit Selection page (if you are not already viewing it).
  2. Press Menu to enter the Kit Menu.
  3. Use the Selection ∧ / ∨  buttons to select Midi Setup, and then press Enter. The display will show the MIDI Setup menu.
  4. Use the Selection ∧ / ∨  buttons to select GM Mode.
  5. Use the dial or Left and Right buttons to select On or Off.
  6. On: MIDI messages sent into the drum module’s MIDI In will trigger sounds from the General MIDI (GM) specification.
  7. Off: MIDI messages sent into the drum module’s MIDI In will trigger the module's internal sounds (the ones played by each kit).
  8. Use the Selection ∧ / ∨  buttons to select Local Ctrl.
  9. Use the dial or Left and Right buttons to select On or Off.
  10. On: Playing the pads connected to the drum module will trigger the drum module’s internal sounds.
  11. Off: Playing the pads will send MIDI notes from the drum module to a connected computer (connected to the USB MIDI port) or MIDI device (connected to the MIDI Out). See Trigger Settings to learn how to set the MIDI notes.
  12. Press Exit to return to the Kit Menu. Press it once more to return to the Kit Selection page.

The default Trigger MIDI Note assignments are as follows:




As it is, these factory settings are what you will use when playing with the included BFD Player software through the Crimson III keymap and the Melodics software.


Can I reset the module to its factory default settings? How?


Yes. To return the drum module to its original default settings:

  1. Press Kit to enter the Kit Selection page (if you are not already viewing it).
  2. Press Menu to enter the Kit Menu.
  3. Use the Selection ∧ / ∨  buttons to select Factory Reset, and then press Enter.
  4. Use the Selection ∧ / ∨  buttons to select which settings you want to return to the defaults.
  5. Kit (only the user kits)
  6. Song (only the user songs)
  7. Voice (only the user voices)
  8. Trigger Settings (all trigger settings)
  9. All (all of the above).
  10. Wait a minute while the module restores its default settings. 
  11. Press Exit to return to the previous page


Are the outputs Instrument Level or Line Level?


Both outputs are individually Balanced, Mono 1/4" TRS Line Level outputs, though they will be compatible with instrument amplifiers when using a 1/4" TS cable.  Please note when connecting to an amplifier only one output need be connected to the amp to avoid phase cancellation unless the user chooses to pan the sounds to one side and the other.