So what happened to electronic drums

I have small Roland kit in my garage that I play every day to work out songs. I've never performed with it, it's purely a rehearsal tool for
me alone. I rehearse with my band and gig only with acoustics.
The e-drums are convenient because I can learn the music and not worry about disturbing people. It's a minor
adjustment to translate what I learn to the the acoustic kit but not much.
 
roncadillac said:
Well said! We don't say guitar players aren't playing a "real" guitar because it's elecric and not acoustic. We don't condemn key players for gigging a keyboard and not a baby grand... So why all the hate for e drums? I mean I totally understand... Acoustic drums look cool, feel cool, are loud and fun but edrums are a "real" instrument just the same.
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I have played several gigs with E-kits ( I didn't own one at the time) but if you stick with simple sounds a simple effects the kits that I had worked well for most of the music we played and most people never even noticed that it was not an acoustic kit save for actually looking at it. it sounded great on the PA with the rest of the band. By itself you do notice a lot more, it still sounded bad ass, the toms were thundering, the bass was clear and the snare cut through just perfectly... I still hate electronic cymbals...
 
toddmc said:
What happened to electronic drums? They went nuclear (price-wise that is) ?


Have to say Roland has inched ever so closer to acoustic capabilty (they'll never acheive it fully of course) with the electrostatic sensors built into their new digital snares and cymbals.

Still not willing to pay 8K (US) for it though!
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This is kind of like vegans eating beyond beef. Why pretend it is an acoustic kit?

Electronic drums are a different instrument and are played differently than acoustic drums. In my mind, they are not a direct substitute or replacement for acoustic drums. It is far easier to sound like a pro on a decent electronic kit than an acoustic kit.
 
doggyd69b said:
I have played several gigs with E-kits ( I didn't own one at the time) but if you stick with simple sounds a simple effects the kits that I had worked well for most of the music we played and most people never even noticed that it was not an acoustic kit save for actually looking at it. it sounded great on the PA with the rest of the band. By itself you do notice a lot more, it still sounded bad ass, the toms were thundering, the bass was clear and the snare cut through just perfectly... I still hate electronic cymbals...
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That's cool! I already in one week figured out a ton of nuance with the nitro mesh (like cross sticking and getting two sounds from a single zone ride) so I could see a higher end ekit being a serviceable live rig, especially if your music calls for mostly simple time keeping and accents. I am jamming with a buddy tomorrow night and I'm going to use the ekit. He plays piano, synth, and violin and is bringing his loop pedal. We are going to run all of that and the ekit into his board then into a keyboard amp and jam on some lofi stuff.
 
Capital D said:
This is kind of like vegans eating beyond beef. Why pretend it is an acoustic kit?

Electronic drums are a different instrument and are played differently than acoustic drums. In my mind, they are not a direct substitute or replacement for acoustic drums. It is far easier to sound like a pro on a decent electronic kit than an acoustic kit.
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Not all, but most e-drummers (and e-drum companies) are trying their level best to make their kits look, sound and function just like acoustics so "pretending" is kind of the whole point.

I assume you mean "not a replacement for acoustics" because nothing will ever replace the real thing (which is true) but they certainly are a direct substitute for the real thing if your personal circumstances demand it (usually due to the noise factor).
 
toddmc said:
Not all, but most e-drummers (and e-drum companies) are trying their level best to make their kits look, sound and function just like acoustics so "pretending" is kind of the whole point.

I assume you mean "not a replacement for acoustics" because nothing will ever replace the real thing (which is true) but they certainly are a direct substitute for the real thing if your personal circumstances demand it (usually due to the noise factor).
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I agree, if it is a noise or practice space situation, then electronic drums certainly fill the void when you can't practice on an acoustic kit.

What I meant by replacement for acoustic is where I think the electronic drums argument falls apart, if you will. In a live setting, I approach electronic drums in a way that they are not making acoustic sounds, but processed sounds or even not drum sounds at all, maybe samples of other sounds. That is where I think electronic drums could and do really shine.

But making them look like acoustic drums for sometimes quadruple the price is not necessary to me.
 
Capital D said:
I agree, if it is a noise or practice space situation, then electronic drums certainly fill the void when you can't practice on an acoustic kit.

What I meant by replacement for acoustic is where I think the electronic drums argument falls apart, if you will. In a live setting, I approach electronic drums in a way that they are not making acoustic sounds, but processed sounds or even not drum sounds at all, maybe samples of other sounds. That is where I think electronic drums could and do really shine.

But making them look like acoustic drums for sometimes quadruple the price is not necessary to me.
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It's pretty crazy when you think about it- we're paying exorbitant amounts of money to replicate functions which are standard with the cheapest A-kit.

For example, the new sensors allow you to play rim shots, cross-stick (and of course the normal head strike) just like you would on an acoustic snare since they allow the module to know your hand is placed on the head.
This is amazing in the e-drum field but all the acoustic drummers are going- "What's the big deal"? ?

Roland resisted the change for YEARS but even they had to fold eventually and go with what the customers wanted.
 
roncadillac said:
So why all the hate for e drums? I mean I totally understand... Acoustic drums look cool, feel cool, are loud and fun but edrums are a "real" instrument just the same.
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I think because there's a lot more physics going on with playing drums, as it is with all percussive instruments. The same probably applies to horn players. I've never seen a sax player playing an electronic sax, if there is such a thing, at least not in a jazz setting.
 
There's a good reason my Alesis surge is in a storage bin under the house and there's a set of Premiers in my guest room.
 
doggyd69b said:
66 Samus plays a Pearl kit with Mylar heads and Ddrum Triggers... I don't think it sounds bad but nothing beats a properly recorded acoustic kit..
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I did this in the studio once. It was more for ease of recording than anything. Had to stuff my entire kit with pillow stuffing and make it real dead. The snare was the only non-triggered drum.

The recordings sound fine, but I can tell.
 
rhumbagirl said:
I think because there's a lot more physics going on with playing drums, as it is with all percussive instruments. The same probably applies to horn players. I've never seen a sax player playing an electronic sax, if there is such a thing, at least not in a jazz setting.
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As someone who is also a sax player, yes a lot of them do. There are many guys who play EWIs (Electronic Wind Instruments), though it depends on the exact style of music. Most guys playing straight-up traditional jazz won't because it isn't traditional but a lot of other styles you might. I think more people would probably play EWIs but they aren't as easy of a switch as going from Acoustic to Electric drums or Piano to Keyboard or anything like that. It is even more different to play an EWI being a Sax player than playing Electric Drums is to a drummer.
 
BertTheDrummer said:
As someone who is also a sax player, yes a lot of them do. There are many guys who play EWIs (Electronic Wind Instruments), though it depends on the exact style of music. Most guys playing straight-up traditional jazz won't because it isn't traditional but a lot of other styles you might. I think more people would probably play EWIs but they aren't as easy of a switch as going from Acoustic to Electric drums or Piano to Keyboard or anything like that. It is even more different to play an EWI being a Sax player than playing Electric Drums is to a drummer.
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Same thing as melodica. I know three different proficient key players who bought a melodica thinking "it's like a piano you blow into, it can't be that hard" who all quickly learned it's a totally different animal.
 
MrInsanePolack said:
Because it's still a guitar with strings that can be played without electricity. E-drums require electricity, use samples, and are only shaped like drumsets because people want to play drums, not sample boxes.

Nobody considers this a drum kit:
View attachment 103406

But this is:
View attachment 103407

I just cant do it, just my thoughts.

Oh yeah, not a real guitar lol:
View attachment 103408
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I've played my Drum Kat at coffee shop gigs before. I still have it in my home studio along with a Kick Kat and Hat Kat. It doesn't get played much anymore.
I remember liking Allen Holdsworth's Synthaxe stuff. I think it suited his playing well.

allan.jpg
 
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