Do any drummers actually enjoy performing on e-kits?

This is my Alesi Surge (when I first got it)-I played through a small Fender bass amp and recorded with my single mic Zoom. The snare and toms sound fine-but the cymbals just have a funky sound to them. It's still fun to play and I thought about adding real cymbals to it.
 

Attachments

  • Alesi alone.mp3
    1.9 MB
I only like using trigger pads live for percussion or synthetic sound effects, a la Bill Bruford.
For practising or rehearsal OTOH, a well-maintained e-kit plays better if the room acoustics isn't well-suited for acoustic drumming. They'll sound better and have more dynamics than house drums with poorly-tuned Pinstripe heads and Sabian B8 cymbals, too.
 
Ironjim55 said:
I have done a couple of gigs with e-drums. I own the Yamaha DTX 900, Yamaha DTX 500 and Yamaha DTX Multipad with a an electronic h-ihat, snare pad and cymbals connected to it. Almost all of my practice at home is on the electronic pads. I have also tried the new Roland kits and the digital hi-hat is nice. The Roland digital snare and ride are also nice but not a huge leap from the three zone pads on the Yamaha. (IMO with only limited use of the kits)

I much prefer acoustic drums for all the reasons stated above. In addition, I have an entrapped nerve in my right forearm and the rubber cymbal pads and hi-hat when used for an entire gig cause a lot of pain that takes days or weeks to subside.

However, there is a lot you can do with an electronic set. Yes, it is different from an acoustic set but it offers a new palette of sounds and can be a lot of fun to play. Give it a try, you just might find that it meets the bands requirements and allows you to express yourself in new and fun ways.

That said, here are my suggestions to help minimize the issues with gigging with e-drums:

1. If you are using in ear monitors it is best to have a separate monitor mix that allows you to have the drums at the volume you want, otherwise you may end up hitting too hard just to hear yourself properly.
2. Always have spare cables. I have had a cable go at the beginning of a gig and it is much easier to identify the problem (pad vs cable) if you have have extra cables.
3. Always have an extra power supply. They are usually not very expensive and if it goes the drums won't work without it.
4. If you are gigging a lot and for good money, an extra electronic brain should be considered, which would also cover the need for an extra power supply. I have used my DT900 for 12 years and never had a problem, but it is always in the studio. If the brain doesn't work then there are no options for drums. Not like an acoustic set where you can change heads, MacGyver a hardware fix or just use the pieces that are not broken. Second brains can be expensive and also need to be configured the same as the original brain so a lot depends on whether missing a gig with drums would be catastrophic or just an inconvenience. Of note, I also play Cajon in a trio/duo and would be fine using a mic on a Cajon with my classic rock band in a pinch (as a backup).
5. The other issue not mentioned is that there is no low rumble, like you get from the bass drum. (Same problem with in ear monitors). While it does not bother me, some people find it distracting not having that immediate feed back from the bass drum and add something like a butt kicker to add that vibration. I am not suggesting adding a butt kicker, just pointing out what I have heard from some other drummers online.
Jim
Click to expand...
Jim, thanks for the practical suggestions, I’ll definitely be considering them.
 
I’ve been using an E-kit for quite some time, in the last year, it’s one night of gigging. The other day’s practice in the garage. I started with Roland TD-9 and good VST’s. I adapted to most of the nuances quickly. Then I built my own A2E kit (with a TD-30) much like the one your band leader got. Like I said, adapting was not a problem. I’ve dialed in some great kits. Once tweaked and understand the ins and outs of the brains, it is a lot of fun sitting behind the kit and playing.

Buy some quality kit sounds, install and I’m pretty sure there will be a couple/few that will impress.
Just might open some new doors (ideas).
 
theyre decent once dialled in for you, the cheaper ones dont have options like cymbal grabs/muting, but that one yuor bandleader bought should do the job very nicely :)

my advice would be try it and get the setting dialled in for you and how you like them :) i love playing electronic kits when im playing genres like DNB, electro, dance, etc :)
 
opentune said:
No.
No dynamics, no mojo, no fun.
Click to expand...
That some up my experience from this weekends gig on the new Roland kit. Before the gig, I spent about three hours tinkering around along with sound crew, which actually helped a lot. After the gigs, some of the musicians in the band said it sounded kind of empty. The whole band uses in ear monitors, ear bud type. I wonder if it would helps to have the drums going through regular stage monitors to beef up the sound a little bit? Maybe more stage volume from the drums would defeat the purpose of having an electronic drums? Or perhaps regular head phones ? I was told it sounds better in from the audience perspective. I heard a lot of thumps coming from the pads, especially the cymbal.

anyways, it’s hard to believe he spent 8K on this kit. But I won’t complain, and do my best to get it to sound good as good as possible. If the band leader/ management is happy, I’m good.
 
Last edited:
Here’s some short clips of Jason Bohnham playing e- drums with Sammy Hagar. It looks like it was some kind of live streaming interview type situation, which is one of the applications my band leader thinks e-drums will excel at.

 
Paul Blood said:
Here’s some short clips of Jason Bohnham playing e- drums with Sammy Hagar. It looks like it was some kind of live streaming interview type situation, which is one of the applications my band leader thinks e-drums will excel at.

Click to expand...

OK - whilst we're doing drummer sons of drummers, here's Zac Starkey doing arenas with The Who on e-drums....

zac.jpg
 
I for one really don't like playing e-kits.

Perhaps it's a lack of open mindedness or the adaptability to play them confidently......but yeah, they really don't float my tugboat.
 
The transition is as different as acoustic piano to electric piano.
I have hung out with a few guys who get incredible dynamics and detail out of their v-drums, but they are playing them every week.
I think the main advantages for gigging is that you achieve a consistent sound, from venue to venue, room to room. Stage volume is much reduced or eliminated. You can dial in sounds that emulate the drums on the record.
I don't know anyone who gigs with software like Superior, even at the highest level. It's just too fragile to insert laptops and software. Properly dialled in an electronic set can sound fantastic in concert.
In the studio or at home - drum software like Superior - all the way!
 
Paul Blood said:
Here’s some short clips of Jason Bohnham playing e- drums with Sammy Hagar. It looks like it was some kind of live streaming interview type situation, which is one of the applications my band leader thinks e-drums will excel at.

Click to expand...

I suppose for certain situations and space concerns, edrums might be the only option….but that does not sound “right” at all….and it’s not Jason bonhams fault. Baby Alex VH is crying
 
My only real criticism is when I transitioned to an ekit-because of a complaining neighbor-after a year of just ekit when I went back to acoustic I lost a lot of my improvement in jazz cymbal technique I had made over a year of effort. It's a way different dynamic on real cymbals-rest of kit I didn't note much difference. Now I mix it up playing both, but the feel is so different-the mesh heads are so bouncy and cymbals just don't play with same feel and touch. It's always comes down to cymbals on an ekit with me.
 
Last edited:
Chris Whitten said:
The transition is as different as acoustic piano to electric piano.
I have hung out with a few guys who get incredible dynamics and detail out of their v-drums, but they are playing them every week.
I think the main advantages for gigging is that you achieve a consistent sound, from venue to venue, room to room. Stage volume is much reduced or eliminated. You can dial in sounds that emulate the drums on the record.
I don't know anyone who gigs with software like Superior, even at the highest level. It's just too fragile to insert laptops and software. Properly dialled in an electronic set can sound fantastic in concert.
In the studio or at home - drum software like Superior - all the way!
Click to expand...
Brandon Buckley (Shakira's drummer) does.


I personally would not hesitate to use VSTs at a gig, I have never once had my computer crash because of a VSt, As a matter of fact I think in my whole computer life, I have only had a computer crash on me about 4 times ever. If the laptop thing scares you still, then Pearl Mimic pro would be the way to go.
 
GetAgrippa said:
My only real criticism is when I transitioned to an ekit-because of a complaining neighbor-after a year of just ekit when I went back to acoustic I lost a lot of my improvement in jazz cymbal technique I had made over a year of effort. It's a way different dynamic on real cymbals-rest of kit I didn't note much difference. Now I mix it up playing both, but the feel is so different-the mesh heads are so bouncy and cymbals just don't play with same feel and touch. It's always comes down to cymbals on an ekit with me.
Click to expand...
You could get 3 ply mesh heads to make them less bouncy or the Rtom (I believe those feel much closer to acoustic). As for the cymbals you could build your own with a set of silent metal cymbals and a couple of Piezos (they sell the kit in Amazon to make them even chockeable).





and for your hi hats:


finally for your bass drum:


or you can go cheaper with these:

https://footblaster.com/ (the actual footblaster triggers not the other things).
 
A bit of a tangent, I'm afraid- I recently bought a Roland SPD-SX Pro percussion pad, primarily for a few effects & to trigger samples as & when the band requires.... Long story short, I've noodled with it for a couple of hours at home, quickly got bored, so have lent it to our lead guitarist, who's younger, smarter & much more tech-savvy than I'll ever be.

The idea was that he'd load on some samples, etc., etc., & let me have it back in due course.
The reality is that his 8-year old daughter is having so much fun with it (& is already FAR better with it than I amo_O) I might not see it for a while.

So no, electronic drums & grumpy old technophobes are not a good match....:cry:
 
You don't have to be a grumpy technophobe to dislike e-kits. I'm far from a technophobe and tweak those things as far as they can go and they still sound and feel like crap. I'm settled in with my EAD10 because it's actually picking up real drum sounds and digitizing them. I still get dynamics and feel or acoustic drums and only add a bit of trigger sounds to improve punch, something which is lost with low volume mesh heads.
 
doggyd69b said:
Brandon Buckley (Shakira's drummer) does.
Click to expand...
First, that was 5 years ago. Second, he's using battery not Superior, he also has two set ups one as complete redundancy. How many forumites want to carry that?
Battery is much more electronica focussed than Superior. That's what you want on a show like Shakira. It isn't generally deeply multi-sampled kits.
2022 video (Morrisey), no computers, no VST's, just a multi-pad triggering samples (not particularly drum related).
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top