Drummers, this looks awesome

[hicksjd9]

http://drums-percussion.musiciansfriend ... sku=712529

Pearl hybrid electronic/acoustic kit.

Anyone hear anything about this yet? Played one somehow?

Thoughts?

[RobTheDrummer]

Wow that thing is overpriced! Neat concept, but I'm not shelling out 3,000 plus on poplar shells and some electronics....

[Jasaoke]

A good friend of mine, thoroughly accomplished musician, and current band mate bought a set of Roland V-Drums several years ago. He had been a hardcore analog guy his whole life (he played keys in several bands and insisted on lugging around his Rhodes; not the little, stage-friendly one; the giant 300lb monster). He hated MIDI and anything synthesized. After playing a friends V-Drums, and then watching him pack the whole rig into 2 Rubbermaid totes, he hasn't played "real" drums since.

The state of the digital technology has now reached the point where it just doesn't make sense to cling to analog. His V-Drums are dynamic, the velocity sensors are great, quiet is quiet, loud is loud, each virtual drum head sounds differntly depending on where it's hit. He can do rimshots, the rubber cymbals sound differently whether struck on the edge, bell, or full on.
They play like real drums.

The soundbank is hard to argue with. He actually has access to 60 drums kits or so. Tablas, 808s, there is even a marching band patch.

Our entire band has gone direct. V-Drums and PODs for guitars. Our live sound is phenomenal! Without drums or amps on stage, the monitors and mains don't have to fight against anything. There are no cymbals or snares on the vocal mics, no booming, 100watt anything interfering at all. We run our monitors quiet enough that we can talk to each other on stage.

An important question to ask yourself is: "Who cares?" Seriously, do the people who come to the show, or buy the album really care what kind of guitar you use, or what wood it's made of? Do they really notice any difference at all when you switch drum heads? The simulated sounds delivere a polished, controlled sound to the engineer, who then has much more freedom to mix you well. That's my 2 cents.

[Hawk]

A good friend of mine, thoroughly accomplished musician, and current band mate bought a set of Roland V-Drums several years ago. He had been a hardcore analog guy his whole life (he played keys in several bands and insisted on lugging around his Rhodes; not the little, stage-friendly one; the giant 300lb monster). He hated MIDI and anything synthesized. After playing a friends V-Drums, and then watching him pack the whole rig into 2 Rubbermaid totes, he hasn't played "real" drums since.

The state of the digital technology has now reached the point where it just doesn't make sense to cling to analog. His V-Drums are dynamic, the velocity sensors are great, quiet is quiet, loud is loud, each virtual drum head sounds differntly depending on where it's hit. He can do rimshots, the rubber cymbals sound differently whether struck on the edge, bell, or full on.
They play like real drums.

The soundbank is hard to argue with. He actually has access to 60 drums kits or so. Tablas, 808s, there is even a marching band patch.

Our entire band has gone direct. V-Drums and PODs for guitars. Our live sound is phenomenal! Without drums or amps on stage, the monitors and mains don't have to fight against anything. There are no cymbals or snares on the vocal mics, no booming, 100watt anything interfering at all. We run our monitors quiet enough that we can talk to each other on stage.

An important question to ask yourself is: "Who cares?" Seriously, do the people who come to the show, or buy the album really care what kind of guitar you use, or what wood it's made of? Do they really notice any difference at all when you switch drum heads? The simulated sounds delivere a polished, controlled sound to the engineer, who then has much more freedom to mix you well. That's my 2 cents.

I like your 2 cents.

[RobTheDrummer]

I definitely dig v-drums, they have their place, but they do not feel like an acoustic set. I've played quite a few gigs on v-drums, and I never really cared much for them on stage. Give me a set at home and I'd have fun all night though.

[f.sciarrillo]

Yeah, the V-Drums kit is pretty cool. When I was at Mars Music in Atlanta, I played for a about an hour. I like the Pearl set there also because it gives that classic look. I also agree that it is too over priced, though ...

I just did some looking and you can't do rims shots or cross sticking with it.

http://www.pearldrum.com/Products/Elect ... -Live.aspx

[hicksjd9]

My main complaint with my TD-3 v-drum kit is that you can't do cymbal swells and the snare sounds "machinegunny." I've gotten around that using superior drummer, which makes it sound pretty awesome. I like it, but I like the acoustic drums better.

The Pearl kit looked like a cool crossover. I agree with pretty much everything you guys have said so far. Plus pearl has that new warranty on all their drums which, from what I've read about it, seems GREAT. It's really a novelty kit, but if I had 3000 bones to put down on a kit, it would be a yamaha phoenix kit (they retail at 4700, but I've heard of people getting them in the low 3s).

Doesn't matter because I can't come close to affording either kit anyway.

[RobTheDrummer]

There is just so much more things you can do with an acoustic kit that you can't with an electronic. The feel, the rebound, rim shots, the many different ways to hit a cymbal. All of the little nuances that you do with an acoustic, you just can't do with an electronic.

[HurricaneBob]

There is just so much more things you can do with an acoustic kit that you can't with an electronic. The feel, the rebound, rim shots, the many different ways to hit a cymbal. All of the little nuances that you do with an acoustic, you just can't do with an electronic.

This....but want it for home.

[hicksjd9]

My Roland kit does rim shots and it's only a td-3. Electronic cymbals now almost all have 2 to 3 positions that you can hit them to make different sounds. On the TD-3, you can do a bell and a normal hit on the same cymbals. Some of the nicer ones have three locations to hit. As for rebound, almost all of the kits now have mesh style tops which rebound very similarly to regular drum heads. The cool thing about this Pearl kit is that it has regular tom heads on it, so all the feel of an acoustic kit is in this one. That's why I thought it was so cool. I'm def. not arguing that electronic kits are better than acoustic, but I will say that they do have their place and as they get better, they will probably begin to outshine acoustics. It may be several years from now, but I think it's coming.

Think of the transition between old film cameras and digital cameras. When I worked at the paper, the photographers used to laugh at the crappy quality of the digitals, now, it's all they will use. I'm not saying digital is better than film either, but there are major conveniences to using digital and the quality is def. comparable.

[RobTheDrummer]

I see your point, but I don't think any electronics will ever outdo the class of a good old acoustic kit. They will never replace them either. Your analogy doesn't quite work with drums. Cameras changed because of the PC. Drums are a primitive instrument and they have evolved, but will never be completely outdone. Nothing quite like the feel of a good acoustic drum set.....good topic!

[Another-Drummer]

Playing drums is awesome! Being able to play your drums at midnight, while the kids are in bed, is even more awesome!

I just bought this kit a couple of months ago. It's the best purchase I've ever made.

click here

[f.sciarrillo]

Brother, that looks sweet ...

[hicksjd9]

I love those mesh heads. What are the hi-hats like? My kit just has a single cymbal pad with pedal and I've always been curious about those dual high hats on electronic kits. Do they actually open and close?

[Another-Drummer]

Yeah, I'm really digging the mesh heads too. When I bought this kit, I asked the guys at Dale's Drum Shop about the durability of these heads. They told me that if I properly tension the heads they would never need replaced. Also, in the seven years that they've been selling the V Drum kits no one has ever purchased replacement heads! I'm not naive enough to believe that they'll last forever, but I'm glad to know that they'll last much longer than acoustic heads.

The hi hats are two seperate cymbals. They do open and close.

[RobTheDrummer]

Mesh heads are pretty sweet. You can fly on them things because the rebound is insane! Randy, I wanna come over.

[Another-Drummer]

Mesh heads are pretty sweet. You can fly on them things because the rebound is insane! Randy, I wanna come over.

Sure, give me a ring sometime. I'm home most evenings.