DW sold to Roland?

[dboomer]

Commonly, sellers at the top director level remain at positions for a stated period of time, unusually measured in years.
Stock is released to them on a schedule over that time period that makes up much of the payment that they can turn into cash at those scheduled times. But they have to be employed there, as I understand. They get an initial large cash amount at the front.

Not my experience. When my company was acquired by Yamaha (about 5 years ago) title to my stock was transferred immediately. My payment for that stock was scheduled over a two year period but my title was gone on day one. A lot of upper management received new contracts to work for Yamaha, but they had no other rights to any ownership.

 

[Parcel]

One reason I appreciate older e-kits is the size. They have other limitations, of course.
I understand why people appreciate the acoustic looking e-kits.
I'm not really as interested in those. My acoustic drums are my life-long acoustic kit. The old mesh Vdrum kit downstairs doesn't go out to gigs, but it might sometime.

I took my mesh head kit out for a three day outdoor event this summer. First time its been used outside.
Worked out a treat:
The tennis ball stage went in strait in the back of the Town an Country, with the kit folded down on top.
Here it is set up...

 

[1 hit wonder]

Not my experience. When my company was acquired by Yamaha (about 5 years ago) title to my stock was transferred immediately. My payment for that stock was scheduled over a two year period but my title was gone on day one. A lot of upper management received new contracts to work for Yamaha, but they had no other rights to any ownership.

Which is why I used the phrasing as I did in my first sentence, to say it's not universal. The top people at DW are remaining. So, a person is offered 65 million, oh, but he gets the same buy out and yet still goes to work every day? No. It'll be similar to what I posted originally is my guess.
Rereading your post it shows that you agreed with my statement. You had a 2 year pay out of stock, not a lump. I didn't say people retain their bought-out titles, either. Top directors stay on to keep the acquired company from suffering growth pains, if possible. Those people are only 2, 3, 4 or 5 in number. Employees with some stock options that they can buy through their employment aren't included as the proper owners I'm describing.

Those people and companies that don't command a position wherein their presence, name brand association and/or intellectual property requires their presence at the new company just get paid to close the books. Often, they're better off because stock values can be volatile. I personally know of people that lost millions in realized buyout because of such issues. Ted Turner knows this reality too.

 

[DrumEatDrum]

I am kinda of curious about this "new" DW electronic angle.

While Roland has made numerous minor tweeks hear and there over the last 20 or so years, they haven't made a significant leap forward in drum technology IMHO since the TD-20 all those years ago.

So it will be intereting to see what sort of new e-kit comes out of this deal.

 

[AzHeat]

I'm not sure there's been any major changes since the TD-7 I played on in the early 90s. Mesh pads, yes, but all the same malfunctions are still alive and well in the TD-50.

 

[Juniper]

So the cats out the bag, DW have announced the DWe.

An acoustic & electric hybrid kit that's completely wireless. Apparently triggers are built into the kit that run off AA batteries of which should last for a year before needing to be replaced.

No brain by the looks of it. It'll connect to a laptop via DW's own software Soundworks.

Pretty interesting, I guess no need for mesh heads in some (larger gig) situations if you want to go 'full' electric mode.

DW has unveiled its DWe acoustic/electronic drum set, here’s everything we know about it so far

“It’s a drum set on steroids” says Thomas Lang

www.musicradar.com

 

[Doraemon]

I was just about to post it, too. Looks interesting.

 

[BobC]

I'm a DW endorser, and yes, it's true; Roland has bought DW, but according to my artist relations rep, nothing is going to change. For now.

These acquisitions usually turn out for the worse. I hope that's not the case. Roland has the financial muscle to do great things with DW, as long as they don't meddle and fu** everything up.

 

[Doraemon]

What I don't get is where the sensors attach to. When not using the acoustic heads, is it necessary or optional to switch to mesh, or can just the triggers be turned on? Can both work together or switch between songs? I wonder if there'll be ways to remove them and put inside another kit? I suppose that would be a problem for selling the shells. In any case, more advanced, new triggering systems are long overdue.

 

[DrumEatDrum]

This is the most interesting part:

As a result, the wireless transmission is so short and so fast, that the wireless communication is actually about 10-times faster than MIDI.

Midi is actually quite slow. Midi, for it's power, is based on 30-40 year old technology. I went through a period where I was trying to use an e-kit with acoustic cymbals to simply the recording processes, but all it did was give me headaches. After additional tests, I realized the midi was much slower than a mic going into a computer, and hence everything I recorded sounded off.

And it makes sense that a modern DAW would be faster than 30-old midi technology.

Bypassing midi altogether could be a game-changer.

Though the price is obviously a concern. DW kits are expensive enough. I'd hate to have to buy another top-end DW just to have a top e-kit. But I'm sure something less than buying a full DW kit will be an option at some point.

 

[Doraemon]

This is the most interesting part:


Midi is actually quite slow. Midi, for it's power, is based on 30-40 year old technology. I went through a period where I was trying to use an e-kit with acoustic cymbals to simply the recording processes, but all it did was give me headaches. After additional tests, I realized the midi was much slower than a mic going into a computer, and hence everything I recorded sounded off.

And it makes sense that a modern DAW would be faster than 30-old midi technology.

Bypassing midi altogether could be a game-changer.

Though the price is obviously a concern. DW kits are expensive enough. I'd hate to have to buy another top-end DW just to have a top e-kit. But I'm sure something less than buying a full DW kit will be an option at some point.

It's not clear if they meant the 5-pin cable or USB for comparision. Most latency comes from the analog to digital and then digital to analog conversion anyway and the processing of samples in-between, and since there won't be any module sounds, just a plugin, things could just fail on the users' crappy computers, no matter what, like in most cases today. I find that a bit risky to hang their reputation on some software running on messed up crashy Windows laptops and then listen to people with their broken drivers and blue screens after selling a kit for who knows how many thousands of dollars. I hope the trigger interface box will be at least class compliant and not rely on special apps to work.

I would be surprised if Roland wouldn't use this new wireless technology for their own kits after a while...Although in many cases plugging the wires in once is less hassle than changing dozens of AA batteries. Or future problems like "dam, I forgot to put the china on the charger"...
They should add solar panels to cymbals.

 

[DrumEatDrum]

Or future problems like "dam, I forgot to put the china on the charger"...
They should add solar panels to cymbals.

I can totally see this "I need to leave the drums outside to charge before we take them into a dark club.."

 

[toddmc]

It's not clear if they meant the 5-pin cable or USB for comparision. Most latency comes from the analog to digital and then digital to analog conversion anyway and the processing of samples in-between, and since there won't be any module sounds, just a plugin, things could just fail on the users' crappy computers, no matter what, like in most cases today. I find that a bit risky to hang their reputation on some software running on messed up crashy Windows laptops and then listen to people with their broken drivers and blue screens after selling a kit for who knows how many thousands of dollars. I hope the trigger interface box will be at least class compliant and not rely on special apps to work.

I would be surprised if Roland wouldn't use this new wireless technology for their own kits after a while...Although in many cases plugging the wires in once is less hassle than changing dozens of AA batteries. Or future problems like "dam, I forgot to put the china on the charger"...
They should add solar panels to cymbals.

The AA battery thing was my main concern too (in addition to everything else you mentioned).

I really can't see the batteries lasting for a whole year before needing to be replaced.....