Electronic kits YOUR OPINIONS

[Scaraden]

I live in a block of apartments. I relatively new to drums, but would like to furthur my interest by getting a drum set, but I have my neighbours who probably would not like me to play drums. So I'm not sure what i should do. If a get a drum set, is there any way i can sound-proof the room without turning it into an oven without the air-conditioner on? If not should I get an electric drum set or should i not bother at all?

[aahznightsky]

Soundproofing an apartment room well will cost more itself than most acoustic drumsets honestly. I would stick to an electric set for now

[Fur drummer]

Ever think about renting a house? Get an electronic set. If you want to buy an accoustic set I think there are pads you can buy to put on it for quiet practicing.

[DottedQuarters]

I would agree about getting dampening pads for an acoustic set...they'll cost about $50 or so, but it's better than playing electric drums! They will be a little louder than a practice pad and that probably won't disturb neighbors, and they do have pads for cymbals too. I've never liked electronic drums (not even the Roland V-series) and while they do have good technology etc., they just aren't drums. But definitely give dampening pads a chance...

[patcityrockers]

I'd say just give it up dude. Find a different instrument. Hahaha oh but you know I'm just playin'! There are alternatives, like you said about getting an electronic set. They are fun to play but like they said before, they are not real drums! Plus a good e-set will cost about $3,000. You can also buy a real kit and get silencers for it but make sure you take the set off the ground! By this I mean put some thick carpet under the kit or whatever you can do to stop the vibration since you probably have neihbors below.

[mandion]

I disagree. It's true electric drums aren't the same as real drums, but I think they'd be more fun than playing on practice pads all the time. You could try to play without them, but it's just not fun to have to try to play quietly. Plus, can you even get a silencer for the bass drum?

With electronic drums, you can get headphones so only you hear it, and at least it sounds like you're really playing drums. I mean, what's the point of having an acoustic set if you never actually hear it?

[DottedQuarters]

Well, first, they do have silencers for the bass drum...they attatch with rubber bands. Yeah, it might be lame to play with dampening pads, but the kit still has potential to sound good, and if you gig they'll be fine. With electronic drums they will always feel uncomfortable, sound fake, and you wil be playing on practice pads all the time. My experience with E-kits is they are fun for a while, with all the musical/creative sounds you can use, but it wears off after and hour or two, just like a novelty.

[Smoky_McPot]

I have those silencer pads. One tip - dont bother practicing fast double kick on them. I think you'd do better to buy a practice kick pad (the ones that are just a practice pad on a stand so the pedals can be fixed to it) and do your double kicking there. But for the rest of the kit the silencers are ok, and for single kick stuff theyre good. Thats my experience anyway. I was considering gettin an electric kit so I can move into a unit (apartment) but from reading here I changed my mind. I think the silencers will have to do lol. :D

[WeatherKing]

Scaraden,

I am very familiar with your situation and hope I can help you out here to along with our fellow drummers. I played acoustic drums for several years until I entered the military. I then lived in military dorms on base and eventually moved off base to apartments. There was no way I could play acoustic in those situations. At one point, there was a music center on base which had several studios with a few drumsets, so I took advantage of “renting” those spaces out when I could until they closed down. To make matters worse, I also worked overnight shifts back then so even if I could set up dampening pads, I wouldn’t have been able to practice much anyways. After some research, I bought a Roland set. It worked out fantastic in the dorms…I had it hooked up through the stereo so could play right along to any CD’s or radio. All I had to do was switch off the speakers and play through the headphones. Yes, the pads make a certain amount of noise…I’ve never played dampeners on acoustic so I am not sure of the difference. But for what it’s worth, I could play on my days off (or nights in my case) and not wake a soul in the building—I was on the ground floor which helps. Otherwise people below you may hear the “stomp” of the kick pedal. There were times when I lived above people in other apartments—in those cases, I just didn’t want to chance annoying anyone below with the kick pedal. There were times when the set would be packed up for months at a time! That, was torture.

When I had them set up though, I was still able to keep my chops up even on the pads. True, they’re not the same as acoustic but depending on the situation and your surroundings, there may have to be some compromise to the real thing. I took out a loan and paid them off, built up my credit, and still had a blast with the hundreds of sounds at my disposal. Even now that I’m out of the military and have a house with more “distanced” neighbors, the electric set is still good when my son is sleeping. Besides, he gets a kick out of all the different cartoon sounds. Don’t worry, I’ll work him up to the real sounds soon! I’ll eventually set up my acoustic and incorporate the pads around it and see where that takes me too.

However, they are expensive. You mentioned that you’re relatively new at drums. Whether or not you want to spend that much $ on a new venture is entirely up to you. I felt that an electric set would help me improve what I already knew. Perhaps a set of practice pads/dampeners/whatever would be more suitable for a beginner. Start learning the basics on the basics. When you’re satisfied you are heading in the right direction progression-wise and want to stick with it, then maybe invest in electric.

Again, my situation dictated what I could or could not do with drums and knew that my passion for drumming dictated that I find another way to play…it’s definitely been worth it in my opinion. Besides, you may have some tolerable neighbors and if they don’t mind you turning them up, your friends will also have a blast playing around on them too! There will always be the acoustic/electric debate but you have to do what’s right for you. Go to a store and try them out…ask the music store staff…research more e-drums and see what else other’s may say on this issue. That’s just my side of the issue…good luck! (sorry for the long post)


WeatherKing

[konaboy]

There are mesh heads made by pearl that are designed to replace your stock batter head that gives you the feel of a real head with no volume ( not sure if you have to take of the reso head to acheive the quietness) I saw them and played on some at a local sam ash. Pretty cool if you can't have the volume. Also keep in mind something weatherking mentioned. If you don't live on the ground floor your bass pedal, regardless of the type of kit, will make a "thumping" sound for your neighbors below. Had a friend in your exact situation, he bought the v-drums and loves them but he said the same thing you can hear the thump from the bass pedal. Just something to keep in mind before you make an investment, and possibly get a nasty call from the landlord.


Best of luck,

Kona

[mandion]

Hmmm, maybe there's no easy way around the bass drum situation, but what would you guys think about getting brushes instead of sticks and then playing without mufflers? That's pretty quiet as long as you don't hit as hard as you possibly can, and definitely still sounds cool.

[konaboy]

Problem with playing with brushes all the time is it will really mess up your feel for regular sticks when you go back to them. There's just not an easy answer to this dilemma. Here's a possible solution to the bass drum Bass Drum practice pad (http://www.guitarvision.com/mf/mf_frameset.htm) not sure how it sounds or feels but it looks similar to what most stores have set up to try bass pedals on. Also try checking out these heads Pearl Mesh Practice heads (http://www.guitarvision.com/mf/mf_frameset.htm)

Hope this helps.


Kona

[NUTHA JASON]

look here as well:

http://www.drummerworld.com/forums/showthread.php?t=520

[y0avz]

Hey...mary christmas,or Hnuka, or whatever you celebrate those days (:

So Head line says it all, which one you think feels the most right for you...
I've never had a chance to play an e.kit...hope ill get one some day..
cheerZzZ..

[Wegadrummer]

regular... e kits for practising..

wega

[y0avz]

sorry i wasn't so clear...i meant for practicing

[Wegadrummer]

sorry i wasn't so clear...i meant for practicing

okaai, practise with band = regular .. alone = e. kit..

[gr82bagn]

The eKit I use is a DTXtremeIIs, my acoustic set is a Sonor Force 3003 both sets at this point in my life are equally important, however, if I were a gigging musician then I would lean more towards the acoustic set. As a practicing drummer I lean towards the eKit because it allows me to practice anytime I want. As for playing live I choose the Sonor kit only because of the inherent problems with eKits in loud live settings. Edrums tend to mistrigger due to the trigger responding to loud sound vibrations. I will admit I have seen some very interesting write ups on several discussion boards where people suffering such problems have fine tuned their eKits and minimized if not all together got rid of the mistriggering problems. If I could get that good at configuring the brain to my eKit then I would have no reservations on brining my eKit on stage, the sound and feel of the kit is fantastic.

[Dr. Neaux]

I personally can't stand e-kits. But if there's one good thing about them its that they're great to have at home. You can plug in a set of headphones and play all you want anytime of the day/night. But for gigs/concerts, acoustic all the way.

[Thinshells]

I personally can't stand e-kits. But if there's one good thing about them its that they're great to have at home. You can plug in a set of headphones and play all you want anytime of the day/night. But for gigs/concerts, acoustic all the way.
I saw the movie Dr Neaux, and rambeaux in my chateaux on the bayeaux.

[Ramsh]

I prefer my e kit for everything because I use a normal Pearl Export set with meshheads, muffls and triggers and I have no problem with triggerresponse, but I didn't play live with my set yet, so I don't really know how they work with an loud enviroument? I think because of the meshheads there're less problems with threshold.
I just love the idea to have my sounding set anytime, anywhere with my headphones!

[WeatherKing]

Hey...mary christmas,or Hnuka, or whatever you celebrate those days (:

So Head line says it all, which one you think feels the most right for you...
I've never had a chance to play an e.kit...hope ill get one some day..
cheerZzZ..

There are probably a few more threads about this but here's one...


http://www.drummerworld.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2242

[DrumProgressive]

E-Kits:
Pro: eKit's are great for training your timing, use of fills. They're also very usefull for recording.
Contra: U can't really expand an eKit, unless you're willing to buy several drum modules.

Acoustic Kits:
Pro: U buy what u want and build out the drum u want.
Contra: It's probably gonna cost more than an eKit. Recording is tougher.

I guess it's all up to personal preferences. I still prefer a acoustic kit.
But for playing i would like to have a eKit but i wouldn't pay a lot of money for it.

[BrianW]

i have one of each and i prefer my acoustic kit. you just cant get the same feel as an acoustic kit with and e-kit, even the $6000 roland kits dont feel the same.
i really like my e-kit for recording. its much much easier. but i cant have my 12 cymbals like on my acoustic kit...

[lfdy]

Hmm...depends on your situation...

If your parents (or wife, or whatever) doesn't mind the noise, then definitely a regular accoustic kit. If they do, then an e - kit.

But i would advise everyone an accoustic kit, just for the 'feel' of it.

[NUTHA JASON]

i have both. one day i will go all electric but only when the technology has advanced further...you only have to watch billy ward on accoustic drums to realise how many sounds you can get out of one drum. so when they make triggers that don't only sense dynamics but also where a drum is hit then i will go full electric. dual pads and triggers are the first step but i can get at least 10 distinct sounds out of my real snare drum. so e kits must do the same. perhaps with laser grid triggers or something. in ten years it will be a whole different kettle of fish and we will look back on the TD20k and laugh as hard as we do now when we see those old simmons pentagonal wrist-breakers.
j
ps: but i will always sticj with accoustic cymbals...they are so beautiful.

[Ramsh]

i have both. one day i will go all electric but only when the technology has advanced further...you only have to watch billy ward on accoustic drums to realise how many sounds you can get out of one drum. so when they make triggers that don't only sense dynamics but also where a drum is hit then i will go full electric. dual pads and triggers are the first step but i can get at least 10 distinct sounds out of my real snare drum.

I'm sure that the TD-8, TD-12 and TD-20 have positional sensing for the snare, but only with mesh pads like the PD-100 and PD-120.

[NUTHA JASON]

they do but it is hadly good enough yet. i would rather play a budget snare that is nicely tuned than a top of the line e snare. and that says something. when the e snare is the equivalent of the top of the line snare being made, then i will make the full switch.
j

[Ramsh]

I prefer my e-set without using the positional sensing and dynamics because on the newest and soon be released metal cds the drum sound goes more in the direction of e-sounding if you know what I mean, so I'm not looking to imitate an acoustic sound, I'm looking for a mixture of electronic and acoustic sound without alot of overtones and unwanted sounds.
On Metal cds I like, the drums are on one volume level and I prefer that for that kind of music.
Sure for different styles it requires different sounds, but I think I make a good decision to switch to e-cymbals. Because listen to this samples and I think it would sound better with electronic cymbals because the drums have an more extreme sound and the cymbals are almost in the background.
Live it was the same problem of this band, huge triggered sound and low volume band, that really su**ed.
http://simple.returntothepit.com/view.php?formid=24776
I think you like more the acoustic sounding things and I'm happy that trigger module /can't trigger/can shut them off now.

[gr82bagn]

When I first bought my eKit it was a substitute for my acoustic kit, I was limited to when I could play the acoustic kit due to volume restrictions in my home. The more I use both kits the more I realize they are two different beasts. Watching and listing to people like Akira Jimbo and Neil Peart talk about and play their edrums within the realm of their acoustic set allows you to learn that one does not replace but rather enhances the other. You must learn the capabilities of the eKit and decide for yourself if it allows you to better musically express yourself. I have found that not only does my eKit allow for practice where practicing with an acoustic kit is not possible but it also allows me to create and combine both electric and acoustic sounds and in essence expand my musical pallet.

[WeatherKing]

When I first bought my eKit it was a substitute for my acoustic kit, I was limited to when I could play the acoustic kit due to volume restrictions in my home. The more I use both kits the more I realize they are two different beasts. Watching and listing to people like Akira Jimbo and Neil Peart talk about and play their edrums within the realm of their acoustic set allows you to learn that one does not replace but rather enhances the other. You must learn the capabilities of the eKit and decide for yourself if it allows you to better musically express yourself. I have found that not only does my eKit allow for practice where practicing with an acoustic kit is not possible but it also allows me to create and combine both electric and acoustic sounds and in essence expand my musical pallet.

I love the capability to play my ekit early in the morning or when my son is sleeping. But I really would like to combine them and start composing some decent solos with themes and a variety of sounds. Like you said, expanding your musical pallet is a plus and I can't wait to see where it could take me. I've been cleaning my acoustic after years of storage and will be setting them back up with new heads this weekend. I'm just not sure if I want to combine or keep separate for now. We'll see!

[gr82bagn]

WeatherKing
I recommend Akira Jimbo's DVD titled Fujiyama, combining acoustic and electronic drums. Akira is a master drummer and this DVD is full of some great information about embracing both types of kits and using them together to create a very unique sound.

[WeatherKing]

Sweet, I didn't know he had a DVD out. Thanks!

[DrumProgressive]

but i cant have my 12 cymbals like on my acoustic kit...

Can i get a visual on that ? =)

[rumour control]

Hey...mary christmas,or Hnuka, or whatever you celebrate those days (:

So Head line says it all, which one you think feels the most right for you...
I've never had a chance to play an e.kit...hope ill get one some day..
cheerZzZ..


alright mate ! just got rid of plug in cos it just is not the same at all as a proper kit. take my tip... get a heater for the shed and some practice pads and beat hell out of a real kit !! cheers

[BrianW]

Can i get a visual on that ? =)
Im gonna get some pics up as soon as i get my new digital camera, hopefully within a week.

[The Beatbox]

I think the nuances of an acoustic kit or great .But with a nice module (td-8/td-20) your practicing capabilities go through the roof. You got akit of any sized, perfectly tuned drums made out of what ever you want in what ever setting (auditorium, stage ect..) you choose. Plus I find it great when my bands not around to be able to work up timing and speed with the songs/grooves that come with the module.

[gr82bagn]

The Beatbox,

I think the nuances of an acoustic kit or great .But with a nice module (td-8/td-20) your practicing capabilities go through the roof.

Very well said, also with the ability to control volume during extensive practice sessions drummers that incorporate eKits also protect their hearing, which is very important for longevity. If looked at as an additional resource rather than a substitute the eKit really has no down side.

[Uziono]

I have both and play both. I record and practice with my e kit TD20 and play live with my acoustic kit Pearl masters. The only seet back for me are my e cymbals they just don't have them right for me yet. I will eventually go all e kit once they get the cymbals right, my playing has been and will stay reduced to studio gigs and creating beats. Just my 2.

[gr82bagn]

Scaraden,
Another less expensive option being your new to drums would be to buy a practice pad kit, get a nice one like the practice kit Thomas Lang uses in the Creative Control DVD this way if you decide you don't like the drums (yeah right) then at least your not out a lot of money. Even the less expensive eKits or very expensive when compared to a practice pad kit.

[Icarus]

I'm thinking of using an electronic drumkit just for recording. I have my eye on the Yamaha DTXPRESS III kit.

Only problem is they are expensive, definately more than £8, more than £80 infact, i have found a set for £800 and thats about the cheapest I can find.

So before I go and spend an obscene amount of money on some electronic drums, I thought i'd better ask the collective.

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

p.s. sorry if this thread has appeared more than once, this is my first post...

- Icky -

[beau]

I really can't stand electonic drum sets. I think the "heads" are WAY too small. One snare was like 5 inches. The cymbals are also hard to play.

Acoustic Drums > Electronic Drums

[averypoordrummer]

acoustic drums, no contest. you can't beat that "real" sound.
and also, even the best electric drums sound like a keyboard or synth, and electric cymbals always sound simply horrible.

fantastic technology though, good fun and i suppose it will get better as the years go on.

but i would definitely say acoustic.

oh, welcome to the forum!

[stairway27]

Hi Icarus -

It really depends on what your goals are as far as recording. If you don't have the space or your neighbors don't dig acoustic drums and you want to do some home recording, then the electric is probably the way to go, plus you'll be able to practice pretty much any time you want to and not bother the neighbors.

If you're looking into the kit because you want to do session work or will be using it primarily as a recording kit, you need to think about the drum sounds you're really looking for as well as taking into consideration the "feel" when playing electronic vs. acoustic.

If you like the Mutt Lange sort of Def Leppard, Cars, Shania drum sound, then the electric kit will do it. If you like a more natural, roomy type sound, you might have a hard time getting that with an electric kit. There are ways to make an electric sound more roomy and airy. I once brought in a PA and put electronic drums through that in a studio and put up room mics like I would for an acoustic set and it did add some air/room to the direct sound. Of coures, with today's electronic kits, you can get so many different sounds and configurations, it's like getting multiple kits when you buy one electronic kit.

The feel thing is super important too. A friend of mine has an electric kit and I have an acoustic kit. We both started working on some Stanton Moore 2nd line snare stuff. He's having a real hard time making it swing on the electric kit compared to how it's going with me and a real snare. So, you need to also think about the style(s) of music you plan on playing or using the kit for.

Not sure if that helps or hurts. Good luck!

[brokenhalo]

stairway had a lot of good points. i'd also like to mention that to get a really good drum sound, you'll need a higher end drum module (ie roland td-20) or a computer powerful enough to run something like bfd or drums from hell. if super high quality samples are'nt all that important you can do a decent enough job with a td-6 module and an effects unit. right now i'm running my td-3 through an alesis 300 sumo amp and using one of the on-board room modeling effects to add a nice bit of "oomph" to the sound (the only problem with using the td-3 is that the hi-hat only supports open/closed/in-between. not full range. other than that its really nice).

also you dont need room mics to record using an electric kit. you can send a direct out from your module or mixer right to the recording board, or midi out to a computer.

also, i'd recommend that you check out some of the mesh head kits from hart dynamics. you can get a prodigy kit for about $540 or go a step up and get a virtuoso for $1100.

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product?sku=445449
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Drums/Percussion/Electronic/Drum/Machines?sku=445440

if you'd like to test these kits out in england, contact these guys http://www.edrumonline.co.uk/ they are harts official british dealers. tell simon that brokenhalo sent you :-)

[Bonham 'ilation]

I really somtimes enjoy tyhe sound that one can achive with just the press of a button on a electroninc drumset.... But the question that one might ask is what do you want to sound like?

The best drum sound is still with acoustic, even though the last few years there have come lost of new electric drum sounds and "pads" that respond to "ghost notes" and sound differently if you hit the pad in different ways. As averypoordrummer says it will prolly get better with time.

[brokenhalo]

if you want to get an idea of what electric drums are capable of nowadays check out this video

http://www.hartdynamics.tv/video/QT_HS_VIDEO/drumsets/HART_PRO_6-4_TD12.html

ghost notes have been done, brush work is now possible etc.

[gr82bagn]

Electronic and acoustic drums really are two different instruments. I have and I play both and I consider myself a heavy hitter when it comes to playing. I play a Yamaha DTxtremeIIs and they sound great. They hold up to heavy hitting and they pick up the ghost notes. When I close my eyes and play through the phones I can’t tell their electronic the sound is that good. For recording I prefer the control I can get from the electronic set. For live performances I love the acoustic set. By the way pad technology has come a long way and the feel on the pads on the Yamaha are great. I’ve tried the mesh and I love them as well. Research the different eKits and play on one before you decide. Playing the kit is the only way to tell if you’re really going to like them.

[Drad-dog]

Electronic and acoustic drums really are two different instruments.

I think that sums up the debate pretty well.

[kornslipknot]

Here is my advise

A friend of mine that plays drums had an electric kit. He liked it a lot and sounded great on it. Then he played on a normal kit and sounded horrible. Also i think that a normal kit has more of an organic sound.

[RudimentalDrummer]

To answer to your question - For recording purposes I do not know Acoustic sound better or Electronic - But my opinion and guesswork is Acoustic Drums.

Yes Electronic Drums & Acoustic Drums are indeed different. In my opinion, if you can play an Acoustic Drum, you can play an Electronic Drum ...WELL. BUt if you can play well on an Electronic Kit that doesn't means you can play well on an Acoustic Set - It's not the same.

If you can do Accenting on an E-Kit and all the while you have been playing on an e-kit, try doing the Accenting on an Acoustic Kit - and you probably find - Hey, how come my Accent is so Crappy.

[Stevesmithfan]

Hands down Acoustic drums blow away the E Kits. NO comparison. E. kits are good if your in an apartment or have volume control issues such as churches. I wouldn't record with an E. kit either.
Acoustic well tuned drums with microphones are the best option for recording. IMO

[toxegendrummer]

plus the fact that electric would be making the same noise everytime you hit it so i would suggest using an acoustic, just for the fact that you have a larger amount of variety even though you would be striking the same drum.

not that i know much but it may be a help:)

[brokenhalo]

plus the fact that electric would be making the same noise everytime you hit it so i would suggest using an acoustic, just for the fact that you have a larger amount of variety even though you would be striking the same drum.

not that i know much but it may be a help:)

it doesnt help cause your assumption is false. check the link i posted above.

[drummerstix_au]

Hi,

Im not a huge fan of electronic drum kits as such... however I do use some electronics on my kit so I can mix electronic with acoustic. Im running triggers through a Roland V-Drum module. Im adding some pads to my kit soon too, but I would never go to a full electronic kit.

The acoustics are much better tone wise.

Hope this helps.

Andy

[Spike]

It seems as though the majority of the posters here are acoustic fans (and I can understand why) but there are those few like me who have to use e-kits due to the lack of a soundproof room (and the desire to stay married) - if you have the resources, do try the Roland TD-12S and you won't be disappointed. Of course, if money is no object, then the TD-20S is the top of the line and the mesh pads feel more like acoustic heads than the rubber pads.

I have the TD-12S and the place I take lessons has a couple of acoustic kits... to be honest, I like my e-kit better but probably because those kits get rough treatment from the students.

[Elvis]

I'm thinking of using an electronic drumkit just for recording...

- Icky -



Icky,

Instead of going to all that trouble and expense, have you thought about simply building an E-Kit out of your acoustic?

Simply refit all the batter side heads with mesh heads and use clip-on triggers to pick up the signal.
Then all you'll need is a brain (if your goal is to plug directly into the board).

Price it out and see what you think.
I bet you'd find it's a more affordable way to get into an e-kit and will achieve the same objective...plus, if you ever wanted to go back to acoustic, all you need to do is to change out the batter side heads and unclip the triggers.

...and concerning the comments about electronic vs. Acoustic sound...you could always use samples.
It's becoming quite commonplace in the industry, these days.



Elvis

[RudimentalDrummer]

if you have the resources, do try the Roland TD-12S and you won't be disappointed. Of course, if money is no object, then the TD-20S is the top of the line and the mesh pads feel more like acoustic heads than the rubber pads.

I have the TD-12S and the place I take lessons has a couple of acoustic kits... to be honest, I like my e-kit better but probably because those kits get rough treatment from the students.

Acoustics are expensive and can cost much more than an e-kit many a times.

[Drumitup]

I personally have played E-kits and Acoustic kits and they both have their own unique qualities I know recording wise it might be easier to stay consistent with an acoustic drum kit the with an E-kit and live you can run an E-kit right through the pa system so you get no bleed ins from other instrruments like you get with an acoustic set set up with mics. But it all really broils down to your preference in the end!
Hope this helps

[drumfury]

Now this is something thats Bothered me for ages are electric drum kits better well I want to know so please let me know if you think electric drum kits are better than normal ones, personally I think there are some things you just cant do with an electric one but electric drum kits have loads of different sounds on so which one is best. i want to know

[RudimentalDrummer]

Kekekeke...you can't do a prpoer Rim Shot with an Electronic Drums. But.tttt you can adjust the Bass Drum trigger in such a way that all you need is a gentle touch on the bass-pedal and the Bass goes like this.... - dub,dub,dub,dub,dub,dub (6 beat all in one touch)....kekeke...effortlessly.

I always go to my Music School and play around with the Trigger of the Roland (till my lesson comes), then everyone (customers especially) started comming in to the room to see who is playing the drum and then they saw me ...smiling at them, and I will hit the toms with just one stroke and it goes on forever.....kekekeke. I know what they are thinking by the looks in their eyes - they must be feeling very very dissapointed, and so this is how this guy did it....

Go for a proper drum Kit - Go Acoustic (the normal type)

[burnthehero]

Neither is better than the other. It's all subjective. Some guys like the sounds they can get with an electronic kit, while other guys prefer the sound and feel of an acoustic kit.

I happen to be totally turned off by electronic drums. I don't even really consider them to be drums, just little pads you hit to make drum sounds. I'll always prefer the sound and spirit of acoustic drums.

See what I mean? It depends who you ask.

[Oldie]

I play both on regular basis. There are many myths about E drums. Many of them have origin in the past. The development in this are has been huge.
One such myth is that you can't do rimshots, well I do not agree. It depends on what set you are playing. Mine can, my snare has also position sensing. Shots close to the rim sounds like shots close to the rim..

I like both, but in a live situation I probably would prefere acoustic. Why, it's not so much the sound, but the E drums does not "look right" on the stage, besides I would consider the module as a single point of failure, if the thing goes dead, well no drums..

I must confess, I have not played on a really high end acoustic set.

/Frode

[hookedup]

I've used both, and presently I'm using mainly my Roland because of my living arrangement. I've found that as far as practice goes either one will work fine. There are some challenges when you try to transfer something you've worked on one set to the other, but that's simply a matter of how you arrange and "program" yourself onto a kit.

I will say this: I've played one show with my electronic drums and they didn't work out at all. The levels were all messed up running into the sound board (since I run my Roland set into an SPD-S) including absolutely no drum sound going through the monitors. Just imagine it, playing a show and all you can hear are the other instruments and your sticks hitting rubber.

-Cris

[WeatherKing]

It depends on what you want. If you want a variety of sounds...go electric. In my case, and many others who play electric, it's a matter of surroundings. E-kits are fantastic if you live in apartments (ground floor mainly though) and need to keep quiet. That seems to be the main factor. If noise is not an issue, go acoustic. For me, I have both...

http://www.drummerworld.com/forums/showthread.php?t=8966

There are other threads on e-kits vs. acoustic. Try looking those up too for further info.

[Stu_Strib]

I'll leave the electronic kits up to the keyboard players of the world. Afterall, that's all they reall are, is a keyboard. Push a key, get a note.

That's a bit of a simplification, but they are nowhere near the musical instrument an accoustic drum is (in the right hands of course).

They've been trying to say electronic drums, and drum machines, and electronics in general will replace the drummer for what, 30 years now, and I still don't see it happening. I don't even really see a lot of progress in electronic kits over the past say 15 years!

[shuffle]

Electronic kits are trying very hard to simulate acoustic sounds in a synthetic way. How in the world could they be "better" than the model they are trying to copy ? It is completely different than the electric guitar, which really became an instrument of its own, as opposed to the acoustic guitar.

They are getting better. Dynamic response , position sensing, more accurate sampling, especially for snares and bassdrums.

Cymbal sounds are still struggling.

I use an electronic kit out of necessity. My agenda and surroundings would only allow me something like an hour a week practice on an acoustic kit.... Volume control : that is the main big advantage of e-kits.

Put a volume control on an acoustic kit, and all my Roland stuff is history.

[drumfury]

I'll leave the electronic kits up to the keyboard players of the world. Afterall, that's all they reall are, is a keyboard. Push a key, get a note.

That's a bit of a simplification, but they are nowhere near the musical instrument an accoustic drum is (in the right hands of course).

They've been trying to say electronic drums, and drum machines, and electronics in general will replace the drummer for what, 30 years now, and I still don't see it happening. I don't even really see a lot of progress in electronic kits over the past say 15 years!
i think so to but i hate drum machines because they take away our jobs drummers jobs

[drumfury]

Thanks everyone i personly hate eletric because you just cant do some things

[Anduin]

Both have their uses obviously, but I prefer accoustic because (a) when the power goes out at a club gig it's instant solo time, and (b) there's just something very cool about being able to generate so much volume in such a simple way that all the other instruments need huge amps to keep up.

[tambian89]

There are advantages to both acoustic and electronic kits.

Acoustic: Ability to tune to you liking, takes up more space, lower cost, natural feel and response, produces sound instantly, easy to expand and fix broken parts.

Electronic: Pre-set sounds - no need to tune, saves space, more expensive, unnatural feel and response, cannot produce sound as quickly as an acoustic set, expensive to fix and expand.


If you wish to exapnd on my list, copy and paste it to a new window and add on the new points you make.

- Marc

[Ramsh]

Question: Are electric drum kits better

My answer: If it's the way you want to play music, yes

[beatsMcGee]

there are obvious benifits to both, but you can never replace the acoustic sound and feel. dynamics and its just more fun and loud.... its realer to me.

[harryconway]

It is the cunning barbarian that uses technology to his advantage. Many say "I hate drum machines because they replace real drummers". I have never seen that to be the case. I have seen many jobs, however, go to the drummer who understands both acoustic and electronic drums vs.the guy who only knows how to play an acoustic kit. Also, you really can't call electronic drums "just drum machines". The "drum Machine" is a box a (guitarist) programs a basic beat into so he can jam. It's a writting tool. E-kits are musical instruments and you have to play them. Roland hired Johnny Rabb to demo their e-kits and the cat is total shred. Tony Verderosa and Akira Jimbo both take it to a whole other level. They are both fully "one man bands". Like most things, there are +'s & -'s to both. They can co-exits in the same room very well. You can integrate them to work together. You can leave the e-kit at home to practice on (your neighbors will thank you) and keep your acoustic kit at the rehearsal room. Options, do not turn down options.

[brokenhalo]

the only advantage of playing an acoustic kit imo is the cymbals. even a module like the td-20 cant replicate the way acoustic cymbals play. the sounds are fairly dead-on, but the subtle nuances are lost.

other than that, high end electric kits like a hart dynamics rig with a td-20 can compare to an acoustic kit any day. and the best part is that i've actually got an infinite number of kits and cymbals to play with. just as an example, heres what i can do with my snare.

i can pick wood, brass, or steel. then i can change the depth of the snare from 1"-20". i can pick a clear, coated, or pinstriped head, then i can adjust muffle (add tape) and change the strainer tension. i can adjust the tuning (in the module) and change the micing position. on top of all that i can add ambience, change the room size and wall composition, and add effects if i want them.

and thats just the snare ^__^

and playing on a pad like the hart prosnare is pretty comparable to playing on a real acoustic drumhead (minus the noise. and they are hand-hammered chrome. gorgeous drums). playing a nice high end kit feels like playing a high-end musical instrument as opposed to a toy. the roland pads feel like spongy s**t and it's a shame cause thats really the only kit that people really get to play on at guitar center.

[Meggys_Drummer_Man_Mike]

i don't care for electric lol.. i tried playin on one for the heck of it at a guitar store that had like 5 real drumsets and like 2 electrics.. lol.. i don't like 'em.. they're not.. real to me lol.. i prefer the great sound, feel, and fun from a real drumset.. even though mine isn't all that great... but of course that's my opinon.. there are people out there taht like electrics... i just ain't one of them

[drumfury]

It is the cunning barbarian that uses technology to his advantage. Many say "I hate drum machines because they replace real drummers". I have never seen that to be the case. I have seen many jobs, however, go to the drummer who understands both acoustic and electronic drums vs.the guy who only knows how to play an acoustic kit. Also, you really can't call electronic drums "just drum machines". The "drum Machine" is a box a (guitarist) programs a basic beat into so he can jam. It's a writting tool. E-kits are musical instruments and you have to play them. Roland hired Johnny Rabb to demo their e-kits and the cat is total shred. Tony Verderosa and Akira Jimbo both take it to a whole other level. They are both fully "one man bands". Like most things, there are +'s & -'s to both. They can co-exits in the same room very well. You can integrate them to work together. You can leave the e-kit at home to practice on (your neighbors will thank you) and keep your acoustic kit at the rehearsal room. Options, do not turn down options. good point now that you put it that way it make sence there both just as good

[RudimentalDrummer]

E-Kits are not drum machine - that is correct and I agree.

But, the feel is never the same. Forget about Akira Jimbo (and all these Professional Drummers) playing on e-kits. They already had alot of experience on Acoustic Kit before- It's just for show purposes. They didn't learn drums using that - don't forget SIMMON E-KIT was already in the market at that time. I'm sure they prefer Acoustic, that's where they acquire their drumming skills - Don't forget these Professionals are paid to advertise for these drum companies...tha'ts also part of their job.

Lets look at the majority of the average drummer instead to make a more accurate judgement on this. Playing on an e-kit is never the same as on an Acoustic Kit....and it's true many techniques cannot be master using an e-kit but Acoustic instead.

Take for instance, the Hi-Hat part of the e-kit...Of course you can learn open-closed techniques, but not mastering it and so is Accenting (which doesn't means merely hitting at the rims each time when doing it - at it's loudest). You can be playing very well on e-kit but after playing it everyday on an e-kit, and you switch to an Acoustic Kit when playing in real life (you probably think - Hey I sucks). You cannot apply & transfer what you did & how it sounds exactly from an e-kit to an electronic kit. Proper Drum Techniques as in mastering it takes years unlike (learning how to play with triggers - which literally takes so much shorter time).

Give a new drummer learning how to play the drums and teach him all the techniques on(hands/foot) and compare him with one learning strictly the same techniques on an Acoustic Kit - I bet...given the same time frame - the one learning on the acoustic kit will play better & excel better on techniques & playing.

Technology assists the Drummer not REPLACING them - this will never happens.

This is a trueful answer

[Melvin]

I don't like electronic kits that much, but it is always nice to mix some pads with the acustic drums. Neil Peart and Akira Jimbo use this combination very well.

[averypoordrummer]

NO.

they are tecnically amazing, but can't hold a candle to a real kit at all. the cymbal sounds are especially horrible.

but they are good for quieter practising.

[gr82bagn]

They are two different instruments, I have both, I love both, EKits just like acoustic kits have come a long way in terms of improvements. I get a kick out of people that say EKits don't feel natural, what is so natural about striking a drum head on an acoustic kit? It's not like were born doing this so "really", how natural is it? Striking a polyester film based head is about as natural as striking a rubber or mesh head.

[Harakirie]

Im for accustic kits !
1.They looks much much much better on stage.
2.You can get much more sounds outof a accustic, play louder and i think i have much less feeling with a electric
3.you cant do rimshots or very quiet ghost notes on a electric set , and i ALLWAYS use rimshots , outof on ghostnotes :P just sounds so funky with the shot and bunch of attack !
4.you have much more fun configurating stuff at a accustic drum kit . at en electric you can just move the stupid platforms


AND THE BEST POINT :
What the hell do you do when your house or a whole town maybe has a blockout for like 2 days ?????? That would be pretty bad not being able to play drums for 2 days thats pry the worst part of a electric , the electricity .


well , its ok if you like add 1 or 2 electric pads to a accustic kit , to get some effects you dont wanna buy like Max Stax or maybe a china . Id still go with fully accustic stuff though !
cuz they are the originals = )

[Ramsh]

Im for accustic kits !
1.They looks much much much better on stage.
2.You can get much more sounds outof a accustic, play louder and i think i have much less feeling with a electric
3.you cant do rimshots or very quiet ghost notes on a electric set , and i ALLWAYS use rimshots , outof on ghostnotes :P just sounds so funky with the shot and bunch of attack !
4.you have much more fun configurating stuff at a accustic drum kit . at en electric you can just move the stupid platforms


1. An ekit could look better and much more modern, like mine
2. You can shoot every acoustic set with an ekit and a big PA, but you'd need a PA
but on an ekit you can hear your playing with headphones, this could be louder than the acoustic set
3. You can do rimshots, rimclicks and a dynamic range which is impossible on an acoustic with an ekit, you can do ghostnotes which you can't hear because they're almost silent because on an ekit you can do a lot and also in an extreme which is impossible on an acoustic (machine-gunning for example)
4. You have fun to set your pads, drums and cymbals with an ekit because it's also an instrument and you can change it to your preferences, plus you have much more fun to edit your own sound without changing heads and tune them naturally, you do that on an ekit too, but virtual with parts which are always in stock

My tip, don't talk about edrums if you didn't work with them because they have some nasty secrets!!!


AND THE BEST POINT :
What the hell do you do when your house or a whole town maybe has a blockout for like 2 days ?????? That would be pretty bad not being able to play drums for 2 days thats pry the worst part of a electric , the electricity .


What's if you only have an apartment, you can't play an acoustic set and without electricity you have to look for food and you would need candles to play at night with an acoustic.

[brokenhalo]

great post ramsh. you put down all the points i was going to make.

e-drums CAN do all the things that acoustic kits are capable of, and quite a bit more. there are a lot of ignorant people trashing e-drums who more than likely have never sat behind an e-kit other than the demo unit at guitar center.

the only thing that hasnt been rebutted imo is the perceived cost of a good e-drum kit. look at an acoustic kit.... you buy your kit, cymbals, stands, sticks, replacement heads, more sticks, replacement cymbals, pedals, etc. it all adds up, and at the end of the day if you want a different sound, you've got to buy a new kit. i've got 50 kits at my fingertips that i can edit every single facet of. jazz, metal, big band, orchestral, dance, rave....if i can imagine a kit, i can make it. or i can go to a website like v-expressions and buy kits that they've made. trust me, your acoustic kit is dripping with envy.

and harikirie, if the worst part of an electric kit is the electricity, perhaps you should go join an electric guitar board or a synth board and warn them of the problems with their electric instruments. you might be on to something! (and if your going to give opinions, at least try to have an inkling of the reality of the subject. if you need me, ill be in the other room playing my "stupid platforms")

[drumfury]

thanks everyone
thanks everyone
both are good for there own resons

[MOONCHILD]

its the feeling on normal drums that keeps you going.Im sure that there are lots of things you can do with electric drums(sounds and more punches)but... as more is complicated as more i enjoy.offcourse sound is better on electric drums but with proper sound system you can do miracles with normal drums.It is like you ask whats better:a piano or kiyboard(im not sure did i spell it right)

[Jimothy]

For me live you can never replace an acoustic kit!

But I love my electric kit for a number of reasons. I invested in the cheapest electric I could get (DTExplorer) and have put it in my attic where I have PC and drum practise pads etc. I can now practise at home in my little house without bothering my wife or neighbours at all hours. Having shared a rehearsal room with 2 other bands for years, getting quality practise time has been impossible. Now I can simulate playing a full kit at home every day. It's transforming my playing and is a million times better than having a stick pad.

Plus the nephews have a ball on it when they come round :-)

But for me it is just a luxury practise tool, even with a topp of the range one, I'd always chose acoustic when playing live with them folk that hang around with drummers, you know, them fellows with stings etc....

[Pikey]

hey everybody. i'm new here. well, i have a yamaha DTX electrc kit and i think it's great. i think it's an advantage for you because they're so easy to transport around. not only that but the sound is great, you can play them without annoying neighbours and they're value for money with all the kit sounds you get on there. i wouldn't say they're better then normal kits but i still think that drums are drums and so both are still always great to play.

[D3AN TH3 DRUMM3R BOY]

well they r better for practice because the pads are usually alot bouncier and r good for practicing rudiments but can sometimes be annoying for gigs and recording

[Cabazon]

It depends on what you want really. I'd sit down at an electric and try it out.

I spent 2 hours on a TD-20 (much to the dismay of the other customers, lol) at a local music store. I really loved the thing, it's nice to be able to just change stuff around real cool and all. Also, quiet with headphones. I'd love to have one to practice at night.

It had downsides, however, even being the "top" electric kit: Price. It's like 5000-5500 dollars regularly, unless you convince the seller down (I was able to get two online retailers, through email, to offer it for 4500 + free shipping, but I never bought it.). I really don't think it's worth that price, mainly because I'm not rich. If you're rich, get it and an accoustic.

Cymbals didn't feel right, mesh heads and rubber rims felt slightly different.
I couldn't get a proper cross-stick in, it kept registering it as a ghost on the snare.

[Crazy]

I'm definately electronic but you gotta get the quality........mesh heads and a nice module (ex. Roland TD20) trust me the fun will remain longer than 1 or 2 hours

[hateplow]

I have a Roland TD-12, and love it. Always in tune, tons of different sounds and really makes me want to play more often. I never have to worry about the neighbors, broken sticks, or cracked cymbals. The cymbals don't compare to accoustic ones, though. I miss my Paistes.

[Batera945]

i have a yamaha dtxpress special edition eletronic drums and they are pretty cool but i played on the roland TD-20's and its like ahhh orgasm lol but thats also the top eletronic drumset so if u took the top acustic drumset like a DW for example the Dw would blow the roland away. although i gotta say the roland TD 20 is as close as u are going to get to an acustic set. the yamaha dtxpress III special is not a bad deal either its about 1800 and u get 3 cymbals and the hihat is actually shaped like a real hihat unlike thos little pad things that some e drums have and yaeh they fit any hi hat stand its sweet

[Batera945]

oh yeah i forgot to mention, i like eletronics to practice on or something like that but for gigs acustic is the way to go, it sounds better and its more natural, unless u want to use edrums with acustic cymbals cause e-cymbals are not even close to the feelin of real cymbals

[pearl_floyd]

in my opinion acoustic drums sound much better then e-drums but the guitarist of my band has e-drums set up in his basement for recording so i use those to lay down drum tracks.

[osamasgoat5467]

I live in a block of apartments. I relatively new to drums, but would like to furthur my interest by getting a drum set, but I have my neighbours who probably would not like me to play drums. So I'm not sure what i should do. If a get a drum set, is there any way i can sound-proof the room without turning it into an oven without the air-conditioner on? If not should I get an electric drum set or should i not bother at all?

Definetely go electric. Try to get a set with a mesh pad for the snare and a Roland TD-6. The cool thing with electric drums is that you could do Nine Inch Nails stuff easily.

[SLEEPY BRiGHT EYEZ]

An e-kit is definately different from an acoustic one. That's not a bad thing though. I've used my Roland kit for recording plenty. You're right, it won't sound just like your acoustic kit. The biggest difference is with the cymbals. You lose the air/room sound when you go the electric route. I guess you could mic the monitor the brain is hooked up to, but it's still not the same. Again, this isn't a bad thing. I've found that my e-kit is perfect for some songs, but there are others where my acoustic kit is really needed. I would say go for the e-kit. You will definately have a lot of fun with it. That way you will have more tools at your disposal.

[brokenhalo]

if your paying 2500 for a td-8 kit you're getting ripped off.

[djp132]

I love my v-drums. But they have their downsides. I use mine primarily as a practice tool. I can set up a left foot clave with a few button pushes and then if i want to a few minutes later have a big echoey stadium rock kit. It's great fun playing with all the sounds available to you, also helps get the creative juices going. It's also nice to be able to put the headphones on and play some grooves at midnight without the neighbors calling the cops. Currently I don't play in any bands at all so I'm more than content with this. If I were in a band I would almost definitly use the acoustic setup. Sonically speaking there is no comparison.

[SLEEPY BRiGHT EYEZ]

Well, for what it's worth, the "Jazz" kit on my TD-6 is one of my favorites. Still, it's not going to completely replace a nicely tuned acoustic kit. Using an e-kit is like playing in an acoustically perfect studio with close mics on everything. Again, not a bad thing, but I'm just trying to illustrate the differences. It doesn't really matter what style of music you play. If you want full nuances of the drums and want to take advantage of capturing the air that surrounds the kit, stick with your acoustic. If you're looking to add a new tool to your tool box and want a very easy way to record and sequence, get the e-kit. There are many different samples available in the drum brains for e-kits, and if they have MIDI i/o, you can use any external sampler or sound module for infinate amount of sounds to be used on your e-kit. Depending on the brain, you can also change attributes of the samples such as pitch and decay.

My philosophy is that they are similar but different instruments, and should be treated as such. Both are lots of fun and have their specific place in a mix.

[djp132]

My philosophy is that they are similar but different instruments, and should be treated as such. Both are lots of fun and have their specific place in a mix.

Couldn't have said it better. Experiment with both and keep in mind the applications they will be used for and the kind of sound you are going for.

[spirit]

TD8 is fantastic, I giged mine for 3 years straight, dont get used to it as your technic will be lost, its easy to do some trick stuff on the mesh heads, but go to a normal kit after 3 years and its hell till you get used to the dynamics, bounce and feel again!
I know i have experianced it, I found a normal kit soo hard to play, its bounced less, thats the problem, also you will need some serious sound rigg too, I bought 2 Mackie srm450s and a Mackie 900w sub, it sounded amazing! Anything else would sound poor, I know I tried 7 riggs before I bought the Mackie rigg!
Good luck, its an expensive road you walk on...........My honest advice, dont!
Get a top line kit and stay with it!

[Yogman]

What are peoples views about the pro's and cons of electronic v acoustic ?


This is my background and my current view - and I am now at a bit of a crossroads - hence my starting a new thread. I currently have a Roland TD8 Kit almost 2 years old.

25 years back I played around the clubs of Liverpool for a good few years using a Sonor & then an 8 piece Premier kit - as part of a 5 piece rock and roll band. At that time, due to my job situation when I was between bands - I ended up selling the whole lot - and stopped playing !

About 2 years ago, I wanted to start learning to play the drums again (rather glad I did - as I am hooked again!) - and I ended up buying the Roland TD8k kit. The reason I went for electronic is to keep the noise down in the house. I am married with 2 daughters . . . . . and it made sense when I bought it to keep volumes down. I don't play currently play in a band . . .but would love to.

With the Roland Kit, from quite early on I was never really that satisfied with the hi-hat & cymbals and ended up getting Sabian AAX Studio Hi - Hats beacuse I just couldn't get the feel on the elctronic one. I have the same feeling for the repetative ting ting ting of a ride cymbal with no real colour or variation.

I'm currently looking for an acoustic snare drum (open to recomendations) - beacuse I just don't believe I'm getting any sort 'feel' in terms for volume or for doing rim shots.
I believe it's affecting my practice.

We're having an extension built, and I'm looking to get a full acoustic kit early next year and to be honest I can't wait.

I have pretty well come to the conclusion that you are better off with an acoustic kit, and if you want to keep the volume down, buy mesh heads for the acoustic kit and stick sound off pads on the cymbals if you need to. . . . . . . - and not go for a Roland or a Yamaha set. If need to go through the electronics buy triggers for the acoustic kit ? ? . . . . .

I have come to the conclusion electronic kits are good for practice . . to a limit . . . . .

Am I right in my view?
What does everybody else think ? ?

Thanks . . . Yogman

[ChicagoOldSkool]

I know this is an old thread that has been around but I just want to make a few points.

I'm a guitarist that dabbles with the drums (actually plan on lessons soon).

1) Electronic drums are moving forward very well. With a good setup you wouldn't be able to tell the difference sound wise and have more sounds at your finger tips.

2) The "feel" is a personal opinion - ask a person who has ONLY played electronic drums and they might have a different opinion about feel.

3) People once boo'd at Bob Dylan for using an electric guitar. :)

Times are changing and technology should be welcomed IMO. I do like acoustic drums don't get me wrong... but electronic drums shouldn't be shunned out. They have a place and they are "REAL" drums. The player behind the kit is more important than the tool if you ask me. Put JoJo Mayer behind a mickey mouse set and he'll make it sound good. ;)

[dizkneelande]

I know this is an old thread that has been around but I just want to make a few points.

I'm a guitarist that dabbles with the drums (actually plan on lessons soon).

1) Electronic drums are moving forward very well. With a good setup you wouldn't be able to tell the difference sound wise and have more sounds at your finger tips.

2) The "feel" is a personal opinion - ask a person who has ONLY played electronic drums and they might have a different opinion about feel.

3) People once boo'd at Bob Dylan for using an electric guitar. :)

Times are changing and technology should be welcomed IMO. I do like acoustic drums don't get me wrong... but electronic drums shouldn't be shunned out. They have a place and they are "REAL" drums. The player behind the kit is more important than the tool if you ask me. Put JoJo Mayer behind a mickey mouse set and he'll make it sound good. ;)

well Ive recorded and played out extensivly with vdrums and I disagree with a few points youve made. I disagree about your jojo mayer statement in that electric drums react a lot different than real drums. all the little nuances that makes his playing so great would be cut out because the fact is he's not playing real drums. people who exclusively play regular drums dont have a feel for electric drums and vice versa. the act completly differently. electric drums have great advantages in sound isolation and different sound possiblities but when they dont act right for some reason on a gig you're screwed. this has happened to me. personaly im against electronic drums. I owned a 5,000$ vdrum kit for 6 years to record and practice with and I will tell you that there's a big difference recording and practicing between electric drums and regular ones. On the other side I have a friend who wont play a regular kit and only wants to have his electronic drums when he playes live and he sounds great on them. Im all for technology like triggers and effects cuz that's just cool but I wouldnt bank on your electric drums doing everything you want them to do cuz they just cant. And dont compare electric guitars to electric drums because there's no relation between the two.

[ChicagoOldSkool]

I disagree about your jojo mayer statement in that electric drums react a lot different than real drums. all the little nuances that makes his playing so great would be cut out because the fact is he's not playing real drums.

You have a right to your opinion, but if you are trying to say that jojo couldn't play an electric drum set and make it sound good, you are crazy.

By your age of 21 I'd say your extensive gigging and recording knowledge is limited. I've been playing guitar for YEARS and playing with many different drummers some with electric and some with acoustic and the good drummers I have jammed with could make beating on tin cans sound good.

I wasn't comparing electic guitar to electric drums... the point that went over your head was.... people disliked electric guitar at one point in time and look at where electric guitar is today.

[dizkneelande]

You have a right to your opinion, but if you are trying to say that jojo couldn't play an electric drum set and make it sound good, you are crazy.

By your age of 21 I'd say your extensive gigging and recording knowledge is limited. I've been playing guitar for YEARS and playing with many different drummers some with electric and some with acoustic and the good drummers I have jammed with could make beating on tin cans sound good.

I wasn't comparing electic guitar to electric drums... the point that went over your head was.... people disliked electric guitar at one point in time and look at where electric guitar is today.

nononono man I didnt mean that!! Jojo would tear it up Im just saying that little nuances that are inherant in regular drums is lost on regular drums. that's just how i feel man im not trying to sway you from electronic drums. but, my dad owns milege recording studios in memphis and he's been recording me and teaching me since I was little and with various groups in memphis since I was 11. thanks for insulting me

[kacperivo]

dizkneelande is right that you can't get everything out of electronic drums. i mean, if you're planning to play some straight 2-4 rock beats, yea, you can try electronic kit. well, actually you would even get some interesting nuances out of them, but really forget about playing Bonham, Mayer, or some other stuff, cause they won't manage. why? because they're electric. they're digital, and you, as a guitarist, should know that anything digital can't really compare with analog stuff. same with drums. electronic kits will be better with time, that's for sure, but they'll never reach a level of an acoustic drum.

and (to be a bit mean) about that dylan... electric doesn't equal electronic :P.

[Elvis]

I'm currently looking for an acoustic snare drum (open to recomendations) - beacuse I just don't believe I'm getting any sort 'feel' in terms for volume or for doing rim shots.
I believe it's affecting my practice.

We're having an extension built, and I'm looking to get a full acoustic kit early next year and to be honest I can't wait.

I have pretty well come to the conclusion that you are better off with an acoustic kit, and if you want to keep the volume down, buy mesh heads for the acoustic kit and stick sound off pads on the cymbals if you need to. . . . . . . - and not go for a Roland or a Yamaha set. If need to go through the electronics buy triggers for the acoustic kit ? ? . . . . .

I have come to the conclusion electronic kits are good for practice . . to a limit . . . . .

Am I right in my view?
What does everybody else think ? ?

Thanks . . . Yogman

YOGMAN,

I agree with you 100%.
I've had the opportunity to play on a PDP Chameleon kit, with the mesh head side turned in and big red DDrum triggers attached to each drum, all running through a Roland brain and amp (TD-6, I think was the brain).

It worked perfectly.

I too think that gigging drummers would behoove themselves by getting a set of mesh heads, triggers, brain and amp and fitting them to their current acoustic kit.
Could be used for effects, a total electronic kit, even studio work (think about using the triggers in lieu of close mikes).

The plus is you get to have your cake and eat it too...AND...you'll save yourself quite a bit of money by not having to get pads, stands and all the attaching parts.


BTW, I have a metal snare drum for sale.
E-mail me ( gundorps@yahoo.com), if you're still interested in getting an acoustic snare drum.



Elvis

[neilpscuz]

I've been playing electronics since the mid 80s' and I love my TD-20s ! I even gig on them ! I have played percussion for an international artist, and classic rock with them. With my spds sampler, I can even trigger sampled accoustic drums back up vocals you name it. With them I've found that your imagination is the only limit.

[thepeople'sjay]

i think that many of you are perhaps missing a huge point with electronic drums. they can be an entirely different percussion instrument. their sole purpose, in my mind, is not to emulate acoustic kits, but to expand upon percussive expression. to say that electronic kits suck is like saying congas suck or guiros suck.

and it seems like many of the drummers on this thread are unaware of or just choose to dismiss hip hop and electronic music. open your ears people. drum machines are taking over, you better learn to express yourself with more than one drum if your gonna be a percussionist. or i suppose that you can keep making the same boom boom chick sound that has been done a million times over.

i like to have my dj play a really straight ahead hip hop break, so that i can use my electronic drums to play marimba and effects. then switch over so that i am playing the beat, so he can scratch. the uses are endless. the emulation of acoustic kits is the poorest use imo of these instruments.

[pippystardust]

I have been messing about on electronic kits in shops for the past year... loads of shops have them set up with headphones so that you can have a go...I have had some superb and impressive grooves going on these kits that < quite frankly sounded BETTER than me... My conclusion is that these kits are TOO easy to play therefore giving one the impression that one is better than one actually is.....there is NO way I could get the same impressive sound on an accoustic kit
Then again! the experience has made me realise what I need to work on..MY DEFINITION! ..you see? the definition is perfect on the electric kit even if the hits are inconsistent.. i KNOW that my technique is up to scratch and my rudiments are fine but it sounded better on the electric kit because the Kit cleaned up my hits !!!!!!!!!! so maybe my technique is NOT as good as I thought. so that is what I need to work on!
My conclusion is that if people are learning on electric kits ( and this seems to be a popular trend) then I suspect that they will be totally F****d when they come to play and accoustic one!

[RudimentalDrummer]

i think that many of you are perhaps missing a huge point with electronic drums. they can be an entirely different percussion instrument. their sole purpose, in my mind, is not to emulate acoustic kits, but to expand upon percussive expression. to say that electronic kits suck is like saying congas suck or guiros suck.

and it seems like many of the drummers on this thread are unaware of or just choose to dismiss hip hop and electronic music. open your ears people. drum machines are taking over, you better learn to express yourself with more than one drum if your gonna be a percussionist. or i suppose that you can keep making the same boom boom chick sound that has been done a million times over.

the emulation of acoustic kits is the poorest use imo of these instruments.

Wow.www what a 1st post (but anyway Welcome to DrummerWorld) I think you're the one who is actually missing what drumming is really about. It's about Techniques, Skills not Technology...If it is - then everyone can be a BUDDY RICH. Let the Electronic Drums do everything - sit back and relax, you're a Buddy Rich, and you have more time for yourself on other things, practice is futile you don't need it.

You mean - Electronic Kits can make you a better drummer in just 3 months (cut short all those time) instead of spending 10 years on an Acoustic Kit to get you there. All you need to do is - Press some buttoms & program everything.

Electronic Kit is not here to emulate Acoustic Kit for sure (everyones knows that) but to expand upon percussive expression yes true - without having to put in any effort at all maybe..

We do not dismiss Hip-Hop cause we can likewise do it using an Acoustic Kit.

You should be the one opening your ears, eyes and the horizon. Wake-up don't be lazy and thinks there's an easy way out for drumming.

Drums machine are not taking over and never never will. Yamaha is offering it's drum machine on the cheap now...so is Electronic Drums prices going down including Roland.

Look - If Electronic Drums is such a Huge Success compare to Acoustic Kit....SIMMON DRUMS will be the market leader now.....this are like Fades & Fashion...and you buy them high.....Like HandPhones, Computers...all those electronic stuffs ...what happens?....Your Model will depreciate and becomes obselete in no time, as new models are being introduced....luckily that's not the same for a Drummer - cause a Drummer need Skills, Stamina, Disclipine to play well after a number of years, there is no short-cut to it.

How long do you think an Electronic Drums can last - 50 years? then becomes "Collectible"...when it comes to electronics, it de-value. Would you want to buy my Notebook Toshiba 386 (I tell you - it's Brand New in perfect condition)..Would you think it justify similar or higher price then an XP...kekeke...Do your maths .

The majority of Professional Drummers plays on an Acoustic Kit, so does many Drummers prefer an Acoustic Kit....Kekekeke that's a fact.

And ...to add - you are such a funny guy. You mentioned above "Electronic kits are not to emulate Acouctic kit" ..that fine....but you ended up saying --- "the emulation of acoustic kits is the poorest use imo of these instruments" - what are you driving at????

[thepeople'sjay]

thanks for the welcome, i really like this website, and am glad to finally, officially be a part of it. on to business:

i got really worked up about this thread because i have been playing percussion for 18 years. i have owned several acoustic kits, including an extensive percussion kit. i am not a thrasher. i have studied every facet of percussion that i have been able to. i can play finger palm techniques on congas, i can rip a guiro in just about any groove, timbale technique, including cascara and finger taps, not just pounding out fills. timpani, marimba, xlyo, chimes, love to play and have studied them all. marching percussion? orchestral percussion? latin percussion? you bet. programming drums and percussion? composing songs? playing new and original music live? believe it. my personal favorite way to express myself musically is behind a drumset, which i can play very well and have done so for a long time, but i got tired of 5 drums and 4 cymbals which dont change signifcantly throughout a set and everyother drummer has. lets make something new, shall we? i really like hip hop, and electronic music, as well as legends such as bonham, carey, beuford, moon, roach, and others, and the bands that they were a part of. i am not saying that acoustic drums have no place in music, but i, having studied percussion extensively, am wanting to push the boundries of what percussion is and can do. a drummer is almost non existant in hip hop, with the exception of a few, such as ?uestlove, who is a hero of mine, but not because he sounds like a drum machine, but because he is a geniouse, in demand producer and composer for all kinds of rad stuff, and the drummer. that is a musician, not a drummer. dj shadow has amazing drum parts, but ive never seen him sit behind a kit. but with my electronic kit and a laptop, i can have 10 percussion parts rockin at the same time, a cool drum beat, and still get to jam, without having a billion "drummers" wailing away and trying to outdo themselves.

and next, of course all musical instruments are an investment, and of course, wood instruments gain value over time as the resin hardens, and electronic instruments devalue over time as new electronics are released. is that the real reason that you stick with acoustic? so that you can sell them at a good price later? i have no response to that. good luck.

jay

p.s. if you want to know what im talking about, you can listen on my website. www.deepsleepnarcotics.com listen to the track called "dog dreams". the kung fu sound effects are my dj, and the synth voice sound is my computer, but the rest, the marimba and percussion, is all my electronic drumset. let me know if you think its lazy.

[RudimentalDrummer]

thanks for the welcome, i really like this website, and am glad to finally, officially be a part of it. on to business:

p.s. if you want to know what im talking about, you can listen on my website. www.deepsleepnarcotics.com listen to the track called "dog dreams". the kung fu sound effects are my dj, and the synth voice sound is my computer, but the rest, the marimba and percussion, is all my electronic drumset. let me know if you think its lazy.

I see what you mean...I have to pay 0.99 to listen to dog dreams har?....I didn't.

[thepeople'sjay]

no, you dont,

it is streaming on the website. you can click through the songs until you find that one. you have to pay .99 to own it. you can listen to it for free.

[NeddyRules]

if you can afford it man, go with the tour SX vdrums kit, its got the mesh pads and v cymbals, but only preset sounds in the brain. if its a noise issue, this kit will do fine, but if ya anal about changin the drums ul have to pay more.

stay away from the dtxtreme yamaha stuff itl break down in 1 year from purcahse!

[Elvis]

RudimentalDrummer & People'sJay,

It seems that you guys are expressing two halves of a single point.

Playing a musical instrument, ANY musical instrument is about expression.
Whether that be an emotion, and idea, or a combinationi of things.

Integrating fully electronic hardware into your medium won't "instantly make you Buddy Rich", because there's no replacement for strapping down and putting in the time and effort to achieve technique...

...HOWEVER...

There are sounds that can be made electronically, that don't happen with an acoustic instrument.

You CAN imitate the acoustic sound with an electronic drum, if you wish.
However, you could also expand your sonic palette and use the electronics in a different way.




Elvis

[badlydubbedsean]

Very much true. There are things you can do on an electric kit, and ways on an electric kit that you can improve your technique, but, particularyly on stage, nothing will replace the beauty of an acoustic.

[Elvis]

Sean,

Please don't go twisting my meaning.
I clearly stated that introducing electronics into your drumming "repetoire" is NOT a substitute for putting in the time and effort to gain technique.
You could enable a gated reverb effect and make your drumming sound "faster" (Stewert Copeland encorporated this very effect during his time with The Police), but that would actually require enhanced technique on your part, because now your timing has to be more accurate, otherwise the whole thing can turn into a big muddy mess.

There's no replacement for buckling down and learning to do it.

Electronics can, however, make a wonderful augmenting device to the amount of medium available to a drummer.



Elvis

[RudimentalDrummer]

Peace my Bros...I give an example

I knows very little about guitar...but someone (a very professional guitarist) told me a few days ago, Guitar had so many gimmick, sound effect things, delays nowadays...etc...stc...so much so Guitarist can cover-up alot of their fault/imperfection and make it sound perfect..tttt.

He told me...that a non-guitarist will not know it - unless I'm an experience guitarist then I will be able to tell if it's his true skill or a cover-up by gimmicks....of course they can do a Jimmy Hendrix kinda lead...but give them the same guitar as Jimmy Hendrix had used during those days - - - and he will sucks like hell...The skill is literally not there....but there are still very good guitarists who can play like Jimmy using the older guitars without those fancyful gimmicks..but far few today.....But whether E-kit will oneday or had already been ale to do all this and moving into something like the above example - I do not know....but sure they can if they want it.

[nhzoso]

thanks for the welcome, i really like this website, and am glad to finally, officially be a part of it. on to business:

i got really worked up about this thread because i have been playing percussion for 18 years. i have owned several acoustic kits, including an extensive percussion kit. i am not a thrasher. i have studied every facet of percussion that i have been able to. i can play finger palm techniques on congas, i can rip a guiro in just about any groove, timbale technique, including cascara and finger taps, not just pounding out fills. timpani, marimba, xlyo, chimes, love to play and have studied them all. marching percussion? orchestral percussion? latin percussion? you bet. programming drums and percussion? composing songs? playing new and original music live? believe it. my personal favorite way to express myself musically is behind a drumset, which i can play very well and have done so for a long time, but i got tired of 5 drums and 4 cymbals which dont change signifcantly throughout a set and everyother drummer has. lets make something new, shall we? i really like hip hop, and electronic music, as well as legends such as bonham, carey, beuford, moon, roach, and others, and the bands that they were a part of. i am not saying that acoustic drums have no place in music, but i, having studied percussion extensively, am wanting to push the boundries of what percussion is and can do. a drummer is almost non existant in hip hop, with the exception of a few, such as ?uestlove, who is a hero of mine, but not because he sounds like a drum machine, but because he is a geniouse, in demand producer and composer for all kinds of rad stuff, and the drummer. that is a musician, not a drummer. dj shadow has amazing drum parts, but ive never seen him sit behind a kit. but with my electronic kit and a laptop, i can have 10 percussion parts rockin at the same time, a cool drum beat, and still get to jam, without having a billion "drummers" wailing away and trying to outdo themselves.

and next, of course all musical instruments are an investment, and of course, wood instruments gain value over time as the resin hardens, and electronic instruments devalue over time as new electronics are released. is that the real reason that you stick with acoustic? so that you can sell them at a good price later? i have no response to that. good luck.

jay

p.s. if you want to know what im talking about, you can listen on my website. www.deepsleepnarcotics.com listen to the track called "dog dreams". the kung fu sound effects are my dj, and the synth voice sound is my computer, but the rest, the marimba and percussion, is all my electronic drumset. let me know if you think its lazy.


Well I don't agree with arguing over the merits of an E-kit. If you like it then who cares what others say. I am sure the same was said and to some extent still is about using a double bass pedal when it 1st came out. Ya still have to hit the pad, ya still have to pull off a trip-let or paradiddle when it is called for.

I am actually entertaining the idea of buying an e-kit, mostly because I work nights and days and cant always practice when I want to, thatway I can practice and not disturb anyone else in the house. I will however say that when I have a choice I will play my acoustic kit because I absolutely love it.

By the way I love all the songs on your site, very impressive. I have them playing in the background here at work and so far 2 people have come in and asked who it was I was listening too. Keep on rockin bro.

Not taking sides here just think it's a little silly is all.

[Skacatz]

I only have a little experience on e-drums. How do you get a "rim click" sound the way you would by cross sticking a regular snare drum? The last set I played had what looked like a rubber rim on the snare.

[Elvis]

I only have a little experience on e-drums. How do you get a "rim click" sound the way you would by cross sticking a regular snare drum? The last set I played had what looked like a rubber rim on the snare.
You need to use a dual zone pad to do that.

There are two kinds of pads - single zone and dual zone.
The "zone" is where the signal is read from.
On a single zone pad, the signal is only read from the "head".
On a dual zone pad, the signal is read from both the "head" and the "rim".
Anyone who makes e-drums offers both kinds of pads.


Elvis