DRUM SET AND PERCUSSION MEGATHREAD: Wait, there's more than just drums?

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Bonzo: Mar 11, 2004; Just like Mama used to make it!

So I've been playing for nearly 30 years. In the last 5 or 6 years I took a break from playing because I was burned out with the band I was in and wanted to learn some new instruments.

I'd like to get back into playing but the house I live in now isn't really drum friendly. I tend to play kinda loud and I don't want to be that guy in the subdivision.

I've had a look around at a few electronic kits and they seem ok but I was wondering if anyone here at any experience.

# ¿ Jul 28, 2014 15:55

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# ¿ Apr 27, 2024 09:40

Bonzo: Mar 11, 2004; Just like Mama used to make it!

Thanks for the comments so far. I've played on a few kits in store and found the mesh heads felt much better. The hard rubber ones make me think I'll end up with some kind of stress injury because they don't have the same give as a drum head.

One function that will be essential is plugging in my phone or running it through a Mac book so I can play along with MP3s or Songza and still hear my playing along with the music in my headphones.

I'm also curious about how cymbals are handled. The hi hat would take some getting used to but there doesn't seem to be any option to get the effect of playing the bell or base of a ride cymbal.

# ¿ Jul 29, 2014 14:09

Bonzo: Mar 11, 2004; Just like Mama used to make it!

I Might Be Adam posted:

You'd think drum manufacturers would team up with a head manufacturer and do a partnership but then that would probably screw up endorsement deals and some other dumb poo poo. Why hasn't Ludwig/DW/Tama invested money into a drum head line that is worth a poo poo? Then those people that have matching drum and hardware manufacturers could complete the holy trinity.

Which brings me to a stupid question. Do people really care about matching drums and hardware brands? I had a guy ask me at an audition why I had pearl hardware mixed with my Yamaha kit and hardware.

Mixing cymbal brands on the other hand

how old was the guy? I remember it being a big thing in the 80s and early 90s but then people stopped caring. For me, the LP stuff was just as durable and way cheaper than the brad name offering.

# ¿ Jan 21, 2015 20:49

Bonzo: Mar 11, 2004; Just like Mama used to make it!

has anyone had any experience with Pearl's ePro kits?
http://www.e-prolive.com/#/videos

I picked up a used one and its not that bad.

# ¿ May 12, 2015 00:21

Bonzo: Mar 11, 2004; Just like Mama used to make it!

Octatonic posted:

So I'm currently in the process of getting an electronic kit, because I see myself in apartments for the near future, but I've come to realize I know gently caress all about kick pedals, and especially how they react to trigger pads. I can't imagine that beater head types are gonna matter a whole lot, nor would I need a lot of "power" from something like a double chain drive. Does anyone have any feedback or recommendations? Yamaha, Roland, and Alesis's advertising copy all say more or less that you can use whatever kick pedals you're already used to, but is that really true?

Yes. However you may be limited to a single bass pedal depending on what model you go with. I have a Pearl ePro kit which has a full size bass drum but I still use my DW 5000 double pedal because its just what I'm used to.

# ¿ Sep 8, 2015 21:40

Bonzo: Mar 11, 2004; Just like Mama used to make it!

I've played for almost 30 years.

Lessons are worth it if you find a good teacher. Try to stay away from the "rock school" type lessons where they teach for 4 to 6 weeks and send you on your way.

Before you even touch a drum set you should be taught the proper way to hold the stick, basic rudiments, and how to read music. Reading music for drums is a bit easier because you don't need to know if the note is an A D or F#, you just need to know if it's a quarter note, eighth note, etc. There are plenty of sites that should teach you this. If you plan on learning Jazz drumming knowing how to read music is pretty much a requirement if you expect to play with other musicians.

Electronic drums are quieter than real drums obviously but they are not silent. My advice is to try a few at a music store and see how the noise level is for you. If you're in the basement and someone is asleep on the 2nd floor I'd be surprised if they hear anything.

The Rolland kits are preferred but the really good ones can get expensive. You're best bet is to try and find a set on Craigslist because it will save you money.

Are they just like playing a real set? No. I had a hell of a time trying to get used to them and gave up. The feel is a little different and the position of the pads was different.

I ended up getting a Pearl ePro kit because it's kind of a hybrid set; real drums shells with electronic heads.

# ¿ Dec 13, 2015 19:12

Bonzo: Mar 11, 2004; Just like Mama used to make it!

this guy's YouTube channel includes him paying a few popular songs as if Lars Ulrich had recorded them.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_GAK39PHFAk

# ¿ Jul 14, 2016 03:48

Bonzo: Mar 11, 2004; Just like Mama used to make it!

Try to stay away from matched pairs. I prefer when music stores put all the sticks in a bin, sorted by weight, and let you pick your own. It sounds silly but as you start playing it will be obvious that one stick is slightly lighter than the other. You can also tap them on a surface and hear the difference.

# ¿ Jul 22, 2016 16:56

Bonzo: Mar 11, 2004; Just like Mama used to make it!

I still swear by this. http://www.musiciansfriend.com/drum-practice-pads/remo-practice-pad/442966

put it on a table, chair, couch, toilet lid, car seat, etc. Hell, back in the the day I used to use to mount and attach triggers to them.

# ¿ Jul 28, 2016 05:39

Bonzo: Mar 11, 2004; Just like Mama used to make it!

Takes No Damage posted:

Now go try and do some 'Oldies' music from the '60s and realize even nondescript guys like the drummers for the Zombies or the Monkees were loving monsters by modern standards. Can we lay off the one-handed 16th notes guys? No? OK

edit:
I mean just look at this bullshit
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5A-4VGfx5lU

Not taking away from Hugh Grundy, but albums like the Monkees had Hal Blaine, Jim Gordon, or Earl Palmer playing for the studio recordings.

# ¿ Dec 1, 2016 02:15

Bonzo: Mar 11, 2004; Just like Mama used to make it!

I bought a used Pearl ePro kit a few years ago and I like it. Pearl seems to have changed gears a bit and it now just selling the "Tur Trac" heads which lets you convert any acoustic kit into an electronic one.

http://pearldrum.com/products/kits/electronic-drumsets/tru-trac-drumheads/

I've done some additional muffling but they are still louder than a Roland kit but you can't hear them outside the house which is the important part to me. There is a new brain unit due out this year, the Mimic Pro, which will replace the Red Box brain unit.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JSDJEMTiptw

I personally find this kit easier to play because I'm using actual drums and not four 8" pads.

EDIT: For anyone that is interested, the Mimc Pro will work with any eDrum kit, not just Pearl

# ¿ Jan 15, 2017 22:37

Bonzo: Mar 11, 2004; Just like Mama used to make it!

Immolat1on posted:

To continue with the discussion of electric kits, how loud are they in terms of smacking the rubber pads?

I've played on an acoustic kit for years when I lived with my parents but I live in a city now and not playing drums makes me sad. It's a pretty small apartment and I can hear my neighbors sneeze so I'm wondering if an electric kit will still become a problem for the people below and next to me.

Since I'm used to an acoustic kit I know I'm gonna want a decent electric kit with mesh pads but don't want to splurge (especially on a used kit I can't return) if I'm going to piss people off still.

I use the Pearl Tru Trac heads.
http://pearldrum.com/products/kits/electronic-drumsets/tru-trac-drumheads/

They are not as quiet as a Rolland kit but you can't hear them outside the house at all. You can hear me playing through out the house but that may be due to the fact that my kit is right below some duct work in the basement. It's still not as loud as another kit. I also have the rubber/plastic cymbals.

I have played on the Zildjian low volume cymbals they are quite nice. These seem to be the Gen16 module without the electronics

https://zildjian.com/l80-low-volume/gen16

For me is a price issue. I've been playing for over 25 years and I'm so used to the feel of an acoustic kit and no other electronic kit ever felt right. On top of that, I wanted something that didn't sound like a toy and had decent pads. I was worried that playing on cheaper pads may cause hand/wrist issues over time. Rolland kits with the pads I liked were in the $5,000 range.

I picked up the Peal kit out of the local classifieds for around $2000 CAD. The included the drum shells, hardware, drum rack, heads, etc.

# ¿ Feb 8, 2017 19:38

Bonzo: Mar 11, 2004; Just like Mama used to make it!

I've heard of some pros doing this now when playing live with acoustic drums.

# ¿ Feb 24, 2017 16:59

Bonzo: Mar 11, 2004; Just like Mama used to make it!

Gym Leader Barack posted:

Alesis aren't bad but they are a peg down from Yamaha and Roland, I've always seen them as a premium budget brand, they make stuff that works decently enough but placed beside a "proper" brand it's clear which one is the loser. That being said, that kit looks fine. For a thousand dollars that's actually a really good deal, I bought my TD9KX in 2008 for nearly $4000AU and apart from the toms being mesh and a better ride there's really not much that makes my kit superior to this one, it actually looks like a more modern version of the TD-9. The mesh kick is a good improvement for that price too (it looks like it could handle a double kick pedal fine, I use eliminators on a much smaller KD8), and kick/snare are easily the two most important surfaces so the toms being rubber isn't a big deal, the size of them almost seems luxurious compared to the 8" mesh pads I use which have a fairly small butter zone for hitting the surface without clipping the rims. Being able to load your own samples into the brain is a big plus, the td-9 can only modify existing internal sounds or use external midi with slight latency so this could extend the useful life of your kit significantly, you could find samples for any kit in the world.

The only real negative I would say the Command has is it doesn't seem expandable at all, there's nothing in the specs that mentions adding extra drums so you're stuck with one crash and one floor tom, still not a deal breaker though. Also only has a two-zone ride cymbal so no bell, the cymbals are probably the most limited part of the kit overall, but that style of hi-hat is fine (same as mine) and you can use each zone on the crash as a different cymbal and even the tom rims could be cymbals too. Still enough flexibility to not limit your playing in any real way but I do like a second crash.

Alternatives are really the second hand market, a td-9 at this price does happen occasionally and you could probably get a decent yamaha but they'll all be decade-old technology soon, my td-9 couldn't even play mp3 files until a(n easily pirated) $99 firmware upgrade came out and like I said can't load any more internal sounds which is something I long for on my kit so having that poo poo natively is still a comparative luxury in the world of e-drums. I don't think you'll find anything better than the Alesis kit with your budget, and it will be in vastly better condition than anything you could find second hand.

The brain unit does have a MIDI out do you could plug it into a PC or Mac running Garage Band or similar software to open up a world of possible drum sounds.

# ¿ Apr 13, 2017 14:10

Bonzo: Mar 11, 2004; Just like Mama used to make it!

Two things I did to build up my left foot and coordination (I'm right handed btw).

Play a simple *bass snare bass bass snare* 4/4 beat but have your right hand on the ride either playing eight or quarter notes. Now play eighth notes with your left foot, opening and and closing the high hat pedal. When that feels comfortable, switch to quarter notes

If you have a double pedal, start playing songs (simple 4/4 stuff) with your left foot instead of your right to build up strength.

# ¿ May 8, 2017 21:42

Bonzo: Mar 11, 2004; Just like Mama used to make it!

So this is interesting. Rolland has mesh heads that you can put on any existing drum set to turn it into an electronic kit.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MroONulN7rM

# ¿ Aug 7, 2017 16:23

Bonzo: Mar 11, 2004; Just like Mama used to make it!

AndrewP posted:

The Alesis Strike Pro is $2300 bucks and comes with 11 pieces, including a huge fuckin 14" snare, 14" floor toms and four big cymbals. This is like a third of the list price to the comparable Roland TD-50 (comparable in pads, if not module).

The module isn't the absolute greatest but it's almost as good as the top Roland's, and sounds pretty decent compared to the Pearl Mimic.

Anyone every try this kit? It seems like an incredible value. For me pad size/quality trumps module sounds - I'm not trying to gig or professionally record with this thing, I just want a good feeling kit that won't make my neighbors kill me.

I have a Pearl ePro set which has Red Box which is the father of the Mimic and I really prefer it. The heads aren't mesh but all the drum sizes are normal and I don't feel like I'm playing Rock Band. I wouldn't use the brain to record or perform at an important gig but you can always just run everything through a MacBook and use better sounds.

I think with Roland you are really paying for the brain unit. I think the Mimc is around 5k which is why I've not bothered with it yet.

# ¿ Oct 21, 2017 01:50

Bonzo: Mar 11, 2004; Just like Mama used to make it!

AndrewP posted:

Interesting, I hadn't really considered these acoustic-conversion type electronic kits before. Also looking at the Nfuzd Nspire, too.

I'm a little concerned about the noise level, though. It may be a pad but you're still hitting it through an acoustic drum, which must be kind of loud, right?

I honestly think the kit would sound like poo poo if you put regular heads on it. It does make more noise than a traditional Roland kit but you can't hear me outside the house which is important to me. I use noise cancelling headphones when I play and I can't hear the kit then either. ymmv

EDIT: I don't know that I would get this kit again if I had the choice. I bought it off Kijiji ( :canada:

Craigslist) in 2014 and it was my first foray into electronic drums. The fact that it looked like an acoustic kit made me interested. But I don't hate it either.

Bonzo fucked around with this message at 15:06 on Oct 21, 2017

# ¿ Oct 21, 2017 14:33

Bonzo: Mar 11, 2004; Just like Mama used to make it!

I think most popular bands are triggering acoustic drums these days. Most setups I see have acoustic drums mic'ed up but the cables are fed into sequencers or Pro Tools where the triggers sound are then sent to the house PA.

I know for a fact that Rush did this on their last few tours.

# ¿ Nov 21, 2017 04:18

Bonzo: Mar 11, 2004; Just like Mama used to make it!

He's a hard hitter anyway but I could tell he was pulling a few punches on the R40 tour. His drum tech does switch the sounds around a bit but he also has pedals and triggers hidden around the kit plus the drumKAT which replaces all of his bells and xylophone. And yeah, they are playing 20,000 seat arenas which have horrible acoustics.

This is an old video but it gives you an idea of where the triggers are and also what he sounds like raw.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CBNfDggYVlw

# ¿ Nov 22, 2017 01:29

Bonzo: Mar 11, 2004; Just like Mama used to make it!

cbehnen9 posted:

Hi everyone,

I don't post often so I hope this is in the right spot. Anyway, I am looking to buy some electronics to supplement my live gigs, and so far it seems a lot of drummers I know are fans of the Roland SPD-SX Sampling Pad.

Any other recommendations?

And I know I am not giving you much to go on. At this point I'm a pretty typical luddite of a drummer, so I don't really even know exactly what I want/need. I'm just getting started with looking into this stuff.

Thanks!

I think they are a good start but they are pretty basic with the presets, kinda remind me of early consumer model synths like the Casio SK1. What are you looking to trigger? You can get things like DrumKat which really open up your world. https://www.alternatemode.com/cart/index.php?app=ecom&ns=catshow&ref=drumkat

# ¿ Dec 13, 2017 19:22

Bonzo: Mar 11, 2004; Just like Mama used to make it!

fartzone_42069 posted:

This video is a gem. They should always have war planes flying above him that he has to play over. That's intense hard-hitting drumming meeting perfect precision, creativity, and enough thinking to make us all look good. And apparently they make electronic pads and triggers that can withstand getting smacked that loving hard!

I'm a hard hitter and love the drums to be big and open. This is great. I love how high up his heel is. He's crushing that bass drum. Awesome.

Like it's the kind of bass drum smashing that breaks your shell before busting through a 2-ply head.

I know, right? That bass drum must be nailed down. I like that when he opens the hats his foot comes completely off the pedal, not just raised a little. I'm a hard hitter too and it stems from being in my first bands in the 80s, with no drum mics, and everyone around me has 100 watt Marshall stacks.

I seems to remember pads back being not that sensitive so you almost had to smack the poo poo out of them to make sure that they triggered.

# ¿ Jan 13, 2018 17:12

Bonzo: Mar 11, 2004; Just like Mama used to make it!

I'm toying with the idea of getting a new acoustic kit. Since I'm no longer 20 years old, I have no desire to have 457 toms and cymbals. I really like the single rack tom, two floor tom config but it seems that most 5 piece kits are still using two rack toms.

Is there a name to the two floor tom configuration that I could search for or do you usually need a custom kit for that?

# ¿ Jan 29, 2018 17:49

Bonzo: Mar 11, 2004; Just like Mama used to make it!

Something like this actually

https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/RS525WFC-BM

I just find that with lower sounding toms work better when playing blues or rock.

# ¿ Jan 29, 2018 19:53

Bonzo: Mar 11, 2004; Just like Mama used to make it!

blorpy posted:

I finally got my e-kit hooked up to a computer. I'm pretty stoked to not be practicing to the stock Yamaha sounds anymore. As a side note, the Intel NUC is basically perfect to mount to an e-kit, and it's cheaper than the Mimic, and then you can just run whatever DAW/VST you like.

I asked in the VST thread but I'll ask here too. Do any of you have preferred VSTs for drum sounds? What about saturation/distortion? I have no idea how to process/mix drums.

Holy poo poo I didn't know that was possible. The mimic is like, 5k and I had been looking into it. Do you mind telling me details about the setup or link to the thread?

# ¿ Feb 7, 2018 01:49

Bonzo: Mar 11, 2004; Just like Mama used to make it!

I have the redBox now, which is ok but I've outgrown it. My only concern with the Mimic is that if it fails, there won't be anymore updates or even if its successful there will just be a newer model released every few years. I like the idea of the NUC better because I can get more storage and upgrade the some of the hardware without buying a whole new unit.

I've tried connecting to the brain to my Macbook but its cumbersome. I'm guess you've just installed Windows 10 on the NUC?

# ¿ Feb 7, 2018 15:47

Bonzo: Mar 11, 2004; Just like Mama used to make it!

wtf
Maybe I was too stoned to see it back then but does he have four bass drums tied together?

# ¿ Feb 21, 2018 04:55

Bonzo: Mar 11, 2004; Just like Mama used to make it!

BAD: Drum tech for Neil Peart
WORSE: Drum tech for Terry Bozzio
WORST: Drum tech for Alex Van Halen

# ¿ Feb 21, 2018 22:58

Bonzo: Mar 11, 2004; Just like Mama used to make it!

Racks are great for home setup but as others have mentioned, are a nightmare to transport and setup. Unless you have lots of stage room you're not going to be able to fit everything.

Also for some reason I had a loving drum cage back in the 80s and required me to hire someone to help me set it up anytime I played out. And yes I had 4 or 5 rack toms, roto toms, a poo poo ton of cymbals (two chinas for gently caress's sake) and all the other crap that went along with 80s metal.

# ¿ May 31, 2018 18:36

Bonzo: Mar 11, 2004; Just like Mama used to make it!

timp posted:

Here's some crazy poo poo: When I played timpani for Carolina Crown Drum & Bugle Corps back in 2005, I had a drum rack with a couple toms, 2-3 cymbals, and a sound plate. So in additional to having to lug around 5 big rear end drums all summer, I was also responsible for this goddamned drum rack that could only be setup AFTER the drums were perfectly positioned. No roadies or pit crew, just me and the rest of the front ensemble members, who also had all their own big heavy poo poo to lug around (4.6 octave marimbas, vibraphones, a loving set of chimes, a sound system, the list goes on and on) And we moved locations anywhere from 1-4 times a day.

It gets worse: we had TWO timpanists, and the other timpanist also had 5 drums and a drum rack.

That summer was a logistical nightmare and, if I'm being honest, I hardly got to play the drum rack during the show at all ;_;

this is why I love sampling and I don't get all the "b...b..But you're using MACHINES!!" mentality comes from. Bands have been using backing tracks since the early 80s so they can sound decent on stage. Except now you don't have to have numerous keyboards back stage to trigger everything. Even Rush, who most drummers consider a pinnacle group, have been using so many tricks to play live they might as well include board ops and techs as members of the band.

# ¿ Jun 1, 2018 15:51

Bonzo: Mar 11, 2004; Just like Mama used to make it!

fzA455 posted:

I bet you had a hell of a lot of fun though! That sounds awesome.

I like how it was the standard to have a crazy set like that. Now when I bring 3 toms to a show the sound guy is scrambling to find another mic

yeah I did. I'd hit the pawn shops around the end of each month to find more stuff to add to it. A friend of mine worked in a studio and they had some thrash band come in with a drum set that would make Terry Bozzio shake his head. I think it took them almost 3 days and 30+ mics to prep for recording.

I was kinda revealed though when Nirvana hit and everyone decided that a four piece, hi-hat, ride and a crash was enough and I'm glad to see that trend has stuck.

But yeah, for a while no one would look at you unless you had a massive kit. I was soooooooooo glad when double bass pedals became a thing because tuning two bass drums to sound the same is not easy. If you look back at concert footage from that era you'll see that most kits only have one bass drum mic in use.

# ¿ Jun 7, 2018 16:19

Bonzo: Mar 11, 2004; Just like Mama used to make it!

I love songs like this. You hear them often and think the part is really simple but when you actually play it, or see someone play, you can really see how intricate it is.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bRM2Gn9nU7Q

# ¿ Dec 15, 2018 01:38

Bonzo: Mar 11, 2004; Just like Mama used to make it!

And I've been making fun of guitar plays for adding more strings

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i70BF8fgUEQ

# ¿ Dec 24, 2018 21:05

Bonzo: Mar 11, 2004; Just like Mama used to make it!

Careful Drums posted:

Hi drum goons is OP accurate with respect to books?

Very.

I started in the early 80s and Stick Control was really old then. IMHO, this book should come with every kit or snare drum purchase. The other books are older too but technique is technique and there's a reason they are still around.

# ¿ Jan 4, 2019 20:10

Bonzo: Mar 11, 2004; Just like Mama used to make it!

I usually just go by ear, personally.

What kind of sound do you want? Not sure how old those drums are but if you want a more open, classic sound, then look on eBay/Craigslist for some old rims. Modern rims are a bit thicker and weigh down the head slightly. Older rims are lighter and allow the head to resonate a little more. If you're triggering it won't matter though.

# ¿ Jan 7, 2019 15:56

Bonzo: Mar 11, 2004; Just like Mama used to make it!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FMEx8CkRDiM

Maybe for demo purposes he's doing it slower and maybe I'm old but I can more or less do the same by tapping and head with my finger and turning the key as needed.

# ¿ Jan 7, 2019 19:45

Bonzo: Mar 11, 2004; Just like Mama used to make it!

Duke Chin posted:

yeah but then you're not disrupting the paradigm

Yeah.

Here's another method from back in the day.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oU7Tbw7K-vc

# ¿ Jan 7, 2019 21:31

Bonzo: Mar 11, 2004; Just like Mama used to make it!

Well for $500 you'll have to get an acoustic kit and even then you may be limited. If you can wait a month or two you should see a flood of kits on Craigslist from people who got them for Christmas but found out practice is hard (this works for all instruments) so they'll want to unload them.

Now if you can find an electronic kit for under $500, awesome.As long as there's a MIDI or AUX out on the brain you can trigger in software of your choice but the feel and response from the pads won't be great. Things like ghost notes or even rolls may sound...well, like a cheap rear end electronics drum kit.

# ¿ Jan 22, 2019 22:31

Bonzo: Mar 11, 2004; Just like Mama used to make it!

You can always try running old school ads in the classified section of your local paper. I know a collector that does this and he'll get calls from old people who have poo poo like this that's been siting in the attic for 30 years.

# ¿ Jan 22, 2019 23:59

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# ¿ Apr 27, 2024 09:40

Bonzo: Mar 11, 2004; Just like Mama used to make it!

MrSargent posted:

Thanks for all of the advice. I have had some decent luck with used music gear in my area so I am hoping I can pick up something decent for that price by just giving it some time.

And literally while typing this I see a 8-piece Pearl Soundcheck Series Drum Kit with Sabian Hat/Cymbals for $280 including stands and cases. That seems like a pretty good price? It's about an hour out of the way but that seems really cheap when I look at prices online.

A new set of those goes for about $500 US so yeah, that sounds good.

# ¿ Jan 23, 2019 00:51

The Something Awful Forums > The Finer Arts > No Music Discussion > Musician's Lounge > DRUM SET AND PERCUSSION MEGATHREAD: Wait, there's more than just drums?

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