Adrums and Edrums together? Who's done it successfully?

parisdrums

Junior Member
Hello everyone, I'm new to this forum, and would really appreciate any advice that someone has on combining Edrums with acoustics. In particular I'm thinking about adding a cymbal just because I don't like the feel, nor the sound of the ride cymbal offered. I'm currently using a Roland TD9.
Is this a good idea? What are the problems? I can imagine that I'll have some sound issues, but I'm willing to risk it.

Thanks!
 
First off, welcome to Drummerworld. I've been known to dabble ... just a bit, with the hybrid kit ...​
the February issue of Modern Drummer, with Keith Harris, on the cover ... is all about acoustic and electronics co-existing ...​
I'm with you on the "real cymbal" thang ... just 'cause I love 'em so much.​
As far as problems ... as long as you don't ask your equipment to do something it wasn't designed to do in the first place, no problems.​
 

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It's no problem to integrate live cymbals with e-pads. E-cymbals have always been the weakest link in the electronics chain, so the results with real cymbals will please you.

You may need to watch your technique somewhat, as it's easy to get carried away playing real cymbals and start hitting the pads harder, which will cause damage over time. But in the studio (for example) where you can relax a bit and not beat the heck out of everything, pads with med or thin cymbals works very well and should feel natural to you.

Bermuda
 
I used to do this a lot, I used 3 custom made pads with my kit, here's a photo:

07_kit.jpg


I'm thinking of doing this again with a group I am going to be working with soon. But I'm going to just use a few pads from my DTX kit this time to save space. I may even ditch my acoustic toms all-together and use only a kick, snare, cymbals and Yamaha pads, but I'm not sure yet.
 
I currently play on a 4pc hybrid kit. Because of the already mentioned most common shortcummings of electronic kits, mainly the cymbals and hi-hat but also the subtleties of a real snare, my kit consists of acoustic cymbals, hi-hat and snare with Roland pads for the toms and kick which are controlled by a TD-12 using 3rd party VexExpressions LTD sounds. The cymbals, Hi-hat and snare are mic'd and everything is run through a mixer and into IEM's.

I'm very pleased with the results. Great sound and feel. However, even though I've adjusted the pad head tensions to try to match their acoustic counterparts as best I can, I keep in mind that the relative ease of playing on them is very different from actual acoustic toms or kick.
 
I've done an entire album with e-drums but micing acoustic cymbals.

It can work.

The only issue is there can be a slight delay with midi that there is not with cymbals.
It's not really an issue if you just record the audio out of your module. But if you decide to record the midi info and use that to trigger other sounds, it can start to be an issue (as I've found out the hard way).
 
I had some success with my own developped systems. It all started with a discussion with Mino Cinelu, after a sound check where Mino explained he was concerned - though got used to - the delays of the electronic gears (korg wavedrums 1st version!!) vs acoustic instruments, because of the distance from the PA.

I then tried to integrate the sound sources (speakers) as close to the drums, and came out with my "roomboom" systems that I patented, then presented in some french magazines and to the "la baguetterie" (french major dealer) "Bag show" where I had the pleasure to get tests, comments and intention letters from the all stars invited for the show (Omar Hakim, John Blackwell, Mike Terranna...).

The goal is to get a sound field out of the system as close as possible to what a drum can make - the filtering and position of all transducer is made in this regard, and the result is fairly esthetic (i never thought a E-kit was neat on stage).

I had then to move to other thing, and kept the development of my own systems, I use now a 5 way amp system with Roland V drums and acosutic cymbals - the results are very good.
 
I think the others have provided some great information for you in their replies here already, but I just wanted to note that I stepped into my local Long & McQuade store and saw a beautiful (and expensive) hybrid kit from Pearl (I think?) that was essentially an acoustic kit with these additional drum heads that could go over top to trigger a drum brain, thus converting the kit to an e-kit. It seems like people have been doing this on their own for a while, but now, Hybrid kits are being advertised and sold as such right from the manufacturer.
 
I think the others have provided some great information for you in their replies here already, but I just wanted to note that I stepped into my local Long & McQuade store and saw a beautiful (and expensive) hybrid kit from Pearl (I think?) that was essentially an acoustic kit with these additional drum heads that could go over top to trigger a drum brain, thus converting the kit to an e-kit. It seems like people have been doing this on their own for a while, but now, Hybrid kits are being advertised and sold as such right from the manufacturer.

The Kit your speaking of is the E-Pro Live. Pearl put it out last year. The Kick drum feels right, but the snare and toms are like playing a kit made of practice pads. They sell it in two versions, one with rubber-coated cymbal pads, much like Rolands, and one with real brass cymbals that are deadend by a plastic cymbal glued to the underside. They are the same as the "Surge" cymbals by Alessis and are JUNK!!! The sound of your stick hitting those cymbals is so loud it kills drounds out the amp or headphones your playing with. All your get is this CLICK CLICK CLICK of your sticks hitting those cymbals.

In addition, the brain on the E-Pro live is also just an Alesis DM10. And I mean it, it's a DM10, Pearl called up Alessis and said, "hey we want the DM10 with our name on it and a red cover"... So the sounds on the brain are also not that wonderful.

More and more companies are doing this....

This year at NAMM, Peace drums was showing off a Hybrid kit, it was just like the Pearl, but instead of rubber pads it had real head with triggers mounted inside. So the whole kit was like playing a Remo Practice Pad set. They also used the Alesis "surge" cymbals, but I'll give'em this... instead of a DM10 brain, they used a Trigger to Midi IO and a laptop with ToonTracks.
 
Surge cymbals are meant to be played in a live setting, where the stage and FOH volume will easily over power the stick sound. I know Roland and Yamaha are top e kits;however, even today I notice alot of pro druers using the DM5 as an A kit trigger source. There may be issues with teh Alesis DM10 kits, but the sounds are one of them (at least when comparing to other modules that far far exceed the price )
 
Guys tried something like Jobeky (probably wrong spelling) drums? They do electro acoustic drums, so you could just put some mesh heads on and drum brain, there you go, electro acoustic drum kit. There are also quite a few more companies who do this, so just google it :)

But currently I use a Roland td4kx with a cy12 cymbal, and a set of sabian HHX evolutions, works well n the practice environment, not tried it live yet though!
 
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