2009 Summer NAMM Show: Alesis introduced its new flagship drum set, the DM10 Pro Kit.

Based around the completely new DM10 sound module, the DM10 Pro Kit features Alesis’ RealHead drum pads, SURGE Cymbals made of real cymbal alloy and an ErgoRack mounting system.

“The DM10 Pro Kit is a giant leap forward for us,” said Jim Norman, Product Manager, Alesis. “We’ve taken everything we’ve learned about electronic percussion, and built the DM10 Pro Kit from the ground up to deliver an incredible playing experience at a breakthrough price point.”

The DM10 Pro Kit will be available in Q3 2009. Pricing is to be announced.

Description:

The DM10 drum sound module contains true drum, cymbal and percussion sounds built from real samples of classic studio drums and prized cymbals. Drummers will find some of the most in-demand acoustic drum sounds from legendary drum brands, a huge arsenal of top producers’ go-to snare drums, real American, Canadian, Chinese, and Turkish cymbals, and electronic beat-machine sounds that have fueled the biggest hit records.

Each sound is actually a series of different samples: multiple dynamic-level samples and articulations are all built in so as the drummer plays harder and softer, the drum or cymbal changes its timbre, not just its dynamics. This engineered realism is known as Dynamic Articulation, an Alesis exclusive. Drummers can play with or without reverb for different room sounds and enjoy a wide variety of rimshots, rim clicks and different stick-placement sounds on the cymbals. For example, a hi-hat’s sound depends on a number of factors: how open or closed the pedal is, how hard it is struck, and other variables resulting in 40 different sounds – plus foot chick and heel splash.

The DM10 module not only has a collection of sounds on board, it is also the world’s first drum-sound module that enables players to load new sound sets via USB connection to their computer. This means that owners’ sounds will always stay fresh, current and cutting edge. Drummers can also use the DM10 as a trigger-to-MIDI interface for performing and tracking with software drum modules such as BFD, Toontrack and Reason. Drummers can play along with the tracks in the DM10’s internal sequencer, mix in an iPod or other MP3 player and play along.

The DM10 module has 12 TRS inputs, enabling drummers to create custom configurations with up to 24 different pads. Its top-panel mixer gives drummers easy access to creating custom mixes.

The DM10 Pro Kit has acoustic-feeling RealHead pads in eight-inch and 10-inch sizes. The dual-zone pads feature real mylar drumheads and real triple-flanged counterhoops for the feel professional drummers demand. The snare and tom pads are dual zone, enabling players to perform rimshots, rim clicks or assign other sounds such as wind chimes, cymbals, gongs and cowbells on the tom rims.

The DM10 Pro Kit comes with premium SURGE Cymbals, the only serious choice in electronic cymbals. The kit comes with a 12” SURGE Hi-Hat Cymbal, a 13” SURGE Crash Cymbal with choke and a 16” SURGE triple-zone Ride Cymbal with choke. Based around a genuine alloy cymbal and coated with a clear sound-dampening layer, SURGE Cymbals feel like acoustic cymbals because they begin life as just that. The Crash and Ride cymbals feature large choke strips on the undersides for even more attention to accurate cymbal control. The SURGE Ride also features multiple-zone triggering on the bell, face and edge. The SURGE Hi-Hat Cymbal is continuously controllable using the included pedal.

Drummers will appreciate the DM10 Pro Kit’s ergonomically curved, chrome-plated ErgoRack. It is heavy gauge, heavy duty, and supremely adjustable. The ErgoRack is large enough to enable drummers to add on additional drum pads and SURGE Cymbals. They can even mount acoustic drums, cymbals, and percussion instruments on this roadworthy system. It employs standard one and one-half-inch tubing for compatibility with virtually all drum manufacturers’ rack hardware. The rack features quick-release, metal clamps for fast setup and tear down. The Crash and Ride cymbals mount on large, knurled boom cymbal arms that are height adjustable right in the rack down tubes. The DM10 Pro Kit comes with tom mounts that enable freely adjustable mounting. Drummer-friendly wing-screws are present on all important rack clamps and pads for ease of adjustment without reaching for a drum key. The drum pads mount on standard 10.5mm L-rods with low-slip, knurled mounting surfaces.