Opinions - Digital / Electronic Drum Kits ?

[Hawk]

I know this topic has been covered before, thought some Rockpagers might have more / new insight. Thanks.

Digital / Electronic Drum Kits... Opinions ?

I'd like some feedback from everyone who has owned, played, used, digital / electronic drums and anyone who has played with a drummer who used an electronic drum kit.

I have a unit in mind because it also has Latin percussion and is playable by hand, like congas and bongos would be played.

[brtgoldtop]

I was in a band with a drummer that has an electronic kit and an acoustic kit. A few years ago we practiced with the elec. kit and loved it and decided to play out with it. It sounded awesome at practice! After one show i have decided that an acoustic kit is the way to go (for us). The whole feel was gone and i was not into it as much on stage with the elec kit. In my opinion elec. kits are good for practice and prefer acoustic for playin out. Thats just my opinion cause i have heard bands sound good with them its just not for me.

[Hawk]

I was in a band with a drummer that has an electronic kit and an acoustic kit. A few years ago we practiced with the elec. kit and loved it and decided to play out with it. It sounded awesome at practice! After one show i have decided that an acoustic kit is the way to go (for us). The whole feel was gone and i was not into it as much on stage with the elec kit. In my opinion elec. kits are good for practice and prefer acoustic for playin out. Thats just my opinion cause i have heard bands sound good with them its just not for me.

Thank you for your reply. It's not an easy decision because I never thought I'd play anything but acoustic kits.

[Jasaoke]

I love electronic kits for many reasons:

1) They are wonderfully consistent. It doesn't matter what the temperature is, what kind of riser they're on, etc., they sound the same ALL the time.

2) They do more to clean up your bands mix than most 'soundguys' can do. I first fell in love with them as an engineer because all it took was one XLR connection and I had GREAT sounding drums. They are ALWAYS tuned, dampened appropriately, 'mic'd', compressed, EQd; all the hard work is already done (yes, many engineers prefer to do all that, but they're not as good at it). Additionally, they can't bleed onto other onstage mics - no cymbals in with the vocals and such. This can keep everybody's stage volume down, which helps both the FOH and monitor mixes even more. It also makes soundcheck a snap.

3) Variety. It's not just 1 kit, it's more like 30. You've got a wide variety of standard kits, plus latin and other exotic percussion, 808s and techno, octo-toms and timpanies. Most decent kits will let you program your own pads/triggers, so you can play double bass with those tablas at the same time, if you like.

4) Small, lightweight, easy hardware.

That being said; Tim has, more than once, likened them to a playstation conroller. I still think he does an outstanding job with them. I think after the initial adjustment, it just becomes another instrument (acoustic vs. electric guitar). And he prefers going home withOUT ringing in is ears, as well as the reasons listed above.

I suppose a big factor would be your bandmates. If you play with a group who is willing and able to play at a reasonable volume, then edrums might be the best thing ever. If you have to comete with a half-stack or two...

[Hawk]

I love electronic kits for many reasons:

1) They are wonderfully consistent. It doesn't matter what the temperature is, what kind of riser they're on, etc., they sound the same ALL the time.

2) They do more to clean up your bands mix than most 'soundguys' can do. I first fell in love with them as an engineer because all it took was one XLR connection and I had GREAT sounding drums. They are ALWAYS tuned, dampened appropriately, 'mic'd', compressed, EQd; all the hard work is already done (yes, many engineers prefer to do all that, but they're not as good at it). Additionally, they can't bleed onto other onstage mics - no cymbals in with the vocals and such. This can keep everybody's stage volume down, which helps both the FOH and monitor mixes even more. It also makes soundcheck a snap.

3) Variety. It's not just 1 kit, it's more like 30. You've got a wide variety of standard kits, plus Latin and other exotic percussion, 808s and techno, octo-toms and timpanies. Most decent kits will let you program your own pads/triggers, so you can play double bass with those tablas at the same time, if you like.

4) Small, lightweight, easy hardware.

That being said; Tim has, more than once, likened them to a playstation conroller. I still think he does an outstanding job with them. I think after the initial adjustment, it just becomes another instrument (acoustic vs. electric guitar). And he prefers going home withOUT ringing in is ears, as well as the reasons listed above.

I suppose a big factor would be your bandmates. If you play with a group who is willing and able to play at a reasonable volume, then edrums might be the best thing ever. If you have to comete with a half-stack or two...

Thank you Jason. The portability, easy set up and tear down, low on stage volume were some of the things I have been thinking about. You've added some positive things to my list !

The House Band is all about low stage volume so I have their blessing. I also like the idea of the Latin samples I can use with Triple Threat.

I've done my on line research and I'm going to Dale's Drum Shop with my buddy / drummer Rob to Check out Yamaha DTX systems this Saturday.

Thanks for taking the time to post. Hope to get out and see you soon !

[Don Hughes]

Speaking for my brother on this one. He has never really cared for them just for the reason that it just doesn't feel like he's playing drums, feels more like playing a video game. I guess just the feel of real drums is what he prefers. I had tried talking him into getting a set for practice purposes so he doesn't have to wake up his one year old, but he won't budge.

[P MAC]

From my perspective as a bass player and old school mucisian in general, I prefer the feel and nuances of an acoustic kit. Feels to me that the subtleties of the snare and the cymbals in particular are lost with a digital kit. I also miss the tactile sensations of the natuaral kit particularly on a small stage. I am not beyond playing with a drum machine out of necessity at times, and digital drums feel more like that to me. Not necessarily bad, just very different.

From my perspective as a tech, it is difficult to get a good mix in FOH unless there are individual sends from each drum. Times when the drummer has sent me a single pre mixed patch it has not been to my taste.

As for ease of set up, digitital drums require an acurate monitor system or at least sonic space in your in ear mixes.

Food for thought and only my humble opinions.

[Hawk]

From my perspective as a bass player and old school mucisian in general, I prefer the feel and nuances of an acoustic kit. Feels to me that the subtleties of the snare and the cymbals in particular are lost with a digital kit. I also miss the tactile sensations of the natuaral kit particularly on a small stage. I am not beyond playing with a drum machine out of necessity at times, and digital drums feel more like that to me. Not necessarily bad, just very different.

From my perspective as a tech, it is difficult to get a good mix in FOH unless there are individual sends from each drum. Times when the drummer has sent me a single pre mixed patch it has not been to my taste.

As for ease of set up, digitital drums require an acurate monitor system or at least sonic space in your in ear mixes.

Food for thought and only my humble opinions.

Thanks Pat, I appreciate your opinion. (BTW I haven't discussed this with Shawn yet. I figured he'd just look at me like I was crazy LOL.)

[hannible]

Hi Bill...My concerns would be the monitor mix..Having the drums in my face is not a good idea...I already have to hear Marks keys too loud, and you guys have me playin thru a hot spot 4 inch speaker for an amp....a seperate monitor mix would be great but would require us to haul a bigger mixer and a stack of 3 amps that are too heavy n big to fit in our truck...along with 2 bass speakers for out front....better think of buying a new truck or trailer to haul everything...plus we are old n just dont want to carry all that....The kit would be great for recording tho...tom r

[Craven Sound]

Hi Bill...My concerns would be the monitor mix..Having the drums in my face is not a good idea...I already have to hear Marks keys too loud, and you guys have me playin thru a hot spot 4 inch speaker for an amp....a seperate monitor mix would be great but would require us to haul a bigger mixer and a stack of 3 amps that are too heavy n big to fit in our truck...along with 2 bass speakers for out front....better think of buying a new truck or trailer to haul everything...plus we are old n just dont want to carry all that....The kit would be great for recording tho...tom r

Sounds like you would benefit from a small format digital mixer!

[hannible]

Since Bill has joined our band, stage volume has dropped dramatacly...Most of our gigs are smal, and volume is critical.....people have to be able to talk to each other at tables.....i can touch the keyboard n cymble from were I stand...most gigs...used to use ear monitors, buds help keep out the drum volume(drums were not in our monitor mix..)..We have a great sound out front, and we are getting close to a good stage volume...Im switching to my little PigNose for stage guitar amp...line out to PA...please dont laugh...lol Its all about trying to save our hearing...my ears ring alot...after 50 years of playin rock n roll, n shootin guns...n Bill tunes pianos by ear..for a living...