Anyone bought an electronic drum kit?
Discussion
I tinkered with drumming when I was a young lad but never really stuck in. I have always fancied having a kit in the house but was averse to the outright racke a "proper" kit makes.
I read a review in stuff mag a while back of the Roland HD-1 V-drums kit and thought one of those would be cool for an occassional thrap. However as usual when I started looking I find more and more options and most of them seem to be superficially more capable than the HD-1's. I am struggling to find any decent resources on the web that shows comparisons between these sub £500 electronic drum kits so as usual thought I'd revert to the collective wisdom of PH!
Any thoughts/steers/good web links welcome....
I read a review in stuff mag a while back of the Roland HD-1 V-drums kit and thought one of those would be cool for an occassional thrap. However as usual when I started looking I find more and more options and most of them seem to be superficially more capable than the HD-1's. I am struggling to find any decent resources on the web that shows comparisons between these sub £500 electronic drum kits so as usual thought I'd revert to the collective wisdom of PH!
Any thoughts/steers/good web links welcome....
As with a lot of consumer electronics, adding features is very cheap, adding quality is expensive!
Don't worry about how many different kits it stores in the memory, the key thing with these is that the apds feel good to play and respond well to different types of hit. Not just rimshots etc but dynamics, rolls and gracenotes. I also found a big difference between the feel of the high hat pedal on different kits.
I actually ended up sticking with my old Premier "proper" kit, as the only electornic ones I liked were too expensive for me. If you're just getting into drumming though you should be able to find something that will work for you around the £500 rtange, but you will have to get out to some music shops and try them!
Don't worry about how many different kits it stores in the memory, the key thing with these is that the apds feel good to play and respond well to different types of hit. Not just rimshots etc but dynamics, rolls and gracenotes. I also found a big difference between the feel of the high hat pedal on different kits.
I actually ended up sticking with my old Premier "proper" kit, as the only electornic ones I liked were too expensive for me. If you're just getting into drumming though you should be able to find something that will work for you around the £500 rtange, but you will have to get out to some music shops and try them!
I fancied some a while back for a bit of home recording because they're quiet and can be plugged straight into the multi-tracker. I hadn't played drums in years and I tried a set in Sound Control. The sound and feel were great but the thing I couldn't get used to was not being able to see the hi-hat move.
steve996 said:
I tinkered with drumming when I was a young lad but never really stuck in. I have always fancied having a kit in the house but was averse to the outright racke a "proper" kit makes.
I read a review in stuff mag a while back of the Roland HD-1 V-drums kit and thought one of those would be cool for an occassional thrap. However as usual when I started looking I find more and more options and most of them seem to be superficially more capable than the HD-1's. I am struggling to find any decent resources on the web that shows comparisons between these sub £500 electronic drum kits so as usual thought I'd revert to the collective wisdom of PH!
Any thoughts/steers/good web links welcome....
I have a kit in my studio - but you're in Aberdeen, which is as far from Surrey as the far thing.... oh, you know.... If you're ever down South come and have a play. I read a review in stuff mag a while back of the Roland HD-1 V-drums kit and thought one of those would be cool for an occassional thrap. However as usual when I started looking I find more and more options and most of them seem to be superficially more capable than the HD-1's. I am struggling to find any decent resources on the web that shows comparisons between these sub £500 electronic drum kits so as usual thought I'd revert to the collective wisdom of PH!
Any thoughts/steers/good web links welcome....
An electronic kit never sounds as good as a properly miked kit, but there are some great samples knocking about - I use this:
http://www.fxpansion.com/index.php?page=1
They are amazing. Ive had a Yamaha explorer for a couple of years now & have loved every minute of it. I first started drumming on ice creme cartons when i was a kid then lost interest in my teens. I'm now 35 & wished I never stopped.
Unless you live in a huge detached house a standard acoustic kit is just to dam loud. Some of the best blasts on the kit i've had have been at 1am, pis#ed as a fart, ear phones on playing along to Queen live magic, you know you are Roger Taylor... & no one can hear a thing!
The HD1 is a great piece of kit if your limited for room, things that let it down are the fixed pedals & it feels small, maybe even toy like. If you can push to a TD6 or even the new Roland TD9 then you will really notice the difference. My Yamaha has been great fun but I miss mesh pads & dual trigger, (you get 2 sounds, the drum pad plus a rim shot so more realistic) but it depends how serious you want to get.
Heres some good forums to have a browse:
http://www.mikedolbear.com/forum/forum.asp?FORUM_I...
Splodge
Unless you live in a huge detached house a standard acoustic kit is just to dam loud. Some of the best blasts on the kit i've had have been at 1am, pis#ed as a fart, ear phones on playing along to Queen live magic, you know you are Roger Taylor... & no one can hear a thing!
The HD1 is a great piece of kit if your limited for room, things that let it down are the fixed pedals & it feels small, maybe even toy like. If you can push to a TD6 or even the new Roland TD9 then you will really notice the difference. My Yamaha has been great fun but I miss mesh pads & dual trigger, (you get 2 sounds, the drum pad plus a rim shot so more realistic) but it depends how serious you want to get.
Heres some good forums to have a browse:
http://www.mikedolbear.com/forum/forum.asp?FORUM_I...
Splodge
Thanks a lot for the replies everyone.
I think the HD-1's are looking favourite and I'll see how I get on before maybe getting a bigger set with more features. Having said that someone mentioned Yamaha ones, I did see some nice looking Yamaha ones at about the same £500 price point as the HD-1's - I will take a wonder into my local music shoppie this week and see if they've got any in I can have a play with.
I haven't played in years, I played side drum initially in a scottish pipe band as a lad and then had a few lessons at school on a kit but then didn't do any more, but have always had a hankering to get a kit. With 3 kids under 7 an acoustic kit isn't really an option so V-drums it is!
I think the HD-1's are looking favourite and I'll see how I get on before maybe getting a bigger set with more features. Having said that someone mentioned Yamaha ones, I did see some nice looking Yamaha ones at about the same £500 price point as the HD-1's - I will take a wonder into my local music shoppie this week and see if they've got any in I can have a play with.
I haven't played in years, I played side drum initially in a scottish pipe band as a lad and then had a few lessons at school on a kit but then didn't do any more, but have always had a hankering to get a kit. With 3 kids under 7 an acoustic kit isn't really an option so V-drums it is!
steve996 said:
Thanks a lot for the replies everyone.
Having said that someone mentioned Yamaha ones, I did see some nice looking Yamaha ones at about the same £500 price point as the HD-1's
I love my Yamaha DT Xplorer, it certainally feels more like a proper size kit than the HD1. After 2 years wacking hell out of it only now do I feel I need a TD9.. or TD12...could I push for a 20??..Having said that someone mentioned Yamaha ones, I did see some nice looking Yamaha ones at about the same £500 price point as the HD-1's
Go play & see mate, have fun.
I'm about to buy a Roland TD-12 for my studio. I'll use it with DFH in Logic pro. A good electronic kit is far more dependable for getting decent sounds for recording and you can record the midi hits and then manipulate these later.
Micing up and recording a real drumkit is a very tricky thing to do.
For rehearsal you can control the volume which means not having everyone playing on 11 in your basement.
I wouldn't buy any other electronic kit than Rolands V-Drums though, they've got it nailed.
Micing up and recording a real drumkit is a very tricky thing to do.
For rehearsal you can control the volume which means not having everyone playing on 11 in your basement.
I wouldn't buy any other electronic kit than Rolands V-Drums though, they've got it nailed.
NDA said:
steve996 said:
I tinkered with drumming when I was a young lad but never really stuck in. I have always fancied having a kit in the house but was averse to the outright racke a "proper" kit makes.
I read a review in stuff mag a while back of the Roland HD-1 V-drums kit and thought one of those would be cool for an occassional thrap. However as usual when I started looking I find more and more options and most of them seem to be superficially more capable than the HD-1's. I am struggling to find any decent resources on the web that shows comparisons between these sub £500 electronic drum kits so as usual thought I'd revert to the collective wisdom of PH!
Any thoughts/steers/good web links welcome....
I have a kit in my studio - but you're in Aberdeen, which is as far from Surrey as the far thing.... oh, you know.... If you're ever down South come and have a play. I read a review in stuff mag a while back of the Roland HD-1 V-drums kit and thought one of those would be cool for an occassional thrap. However as usual when I started looking I find more and more options and most of them seem to be superficially more capable than the HD-1's. I am struggling to find any decent resources on the web that shows comparisons between these sub £500 electronic drum kits so as usual thought I'd revert to the collective wisdom of PH!
Any thoughts/steers/good web links welcome....
An electronic kit never sounds as good as a properly miked kit, but there are some great samples knocking about - I use this:
http://www.fxpansion.com/index.php?page=1
I'm a guitarist by trade but tinkered with drums in rehearsals and random jams. Wanted to do some home recording and while Drumsite was OK, I wanted to be able to slightly alter timing nuances on hi-hats etc that delay/reverb just doesnt get. Same as someone else has said, headed off to Sound Control and tried a few out. More £ doesnt mean better feel or sound though
Cant even remember which ones I bought, they were cheap though, about £250, perfect for what I wanted. They'll never give that Tama/Smashing Pumpkins sound, but with a bit of EQ and some practise they were fine. Agree about the hi-hat though, quite difficult to get the hang of at first.
Cant even remember which ones I bought, they were cheap though, about £250, perfect for what I wanted. They'll never give that Tama/Smashing Pumpkins sound, but with a bit of EQ and some practise they were fine. Agree about the hi-hat though, quite difficult to get the hang of at first.
I very nearly bought a set of V-Drums to replace my acoustic kit. If you're serious about an electronic kit, I really don't think there's much out there to touch Roland at the moment.
Having said that, I did only nearly buy them. The thing that stopped me was that I'd be looking to use them in place of my acoustic in a gig situation and therefore the quality and outright volume of the sound would be limited by the PA system - a complete no-go for me! I went out and spent £2k on new cymbals instead (Sabian Hand-Hammereds..lovely!!).
If I were looking for an electronic kit though, the Roland would be where my money went.
Having said that, I did only nearly buy them. The thing that stopped me was that I'd be looking to use them in place of my acoustic in a gig situation and therefore the quality and outright volume of the sound would be limited by the PA system - a complete no-go for me! I went out and spent £2k on new cymbals instead (Sabian Hand-Hammereds..lovely!!).
If I were looking for an electronic kit though, the Roland would be where my money went.
Edited by Funk on Sunday 24th August 04:52
Driller said:
I'm about to buy a Roland TD-12 for my studio. I'll use it with DFH in Logic pro. A good electronic kit is far more dependable for getting decent sounds for recording and you can record the midi hits and then manipulate these later.
Micing up and recording a real drumkit is a very tricky thing to do.
For rehearsal you can control the volume which means not having everyone playing on 11 in your basement.
I wouldn't buy any other electronic kit than Rolands V-Drums though, they've got it nailed.
These things are great fun but especially with a headphone amp and a good set of 600ohms studio phones so you can really crank it up. For recording though you will never replicate a really well tuned kit properly mic'ed up, properly gated and compressed. So for fun yes, for recording don't get into the habit of recording with them (unless its just for fun) and certainly never turn up to a gig with one but if you have to cheat at a gig triggers are OK Micing up and recording a real drumkit is a very tricky thing to do.
For rehearsal you can control the volume which means not having everyone playing on 11 in your basement.
I wouldn't buy any other electronic kit than Rolands V-Drums though, they've got it nailed.
.For me (as a none musician so no bias to instrument) as a live sound engineer micing up a kit is the most fun and best sounding thing I do. It makes everything else fall into place nicely and i've worked with drummers such as Cozy powell and Steven Adler.
What is it with you drummers and cymbals though?
ETA Actually here is a really good story....... Steven Adler in Belfast (with Adlers Appetite) I was on sound FOH when the guitarist in the band spilt a large amount of beer into a vital power distro on stage which resulted in a 5 min power outage. The crowd were going nuts but Adler launched into an impromptu drum solo and raised the roof with applause and it went down that well it was even reported in the press afterwards that it was all part of the act. Try that with a Roland LOL.
Edited by V8A*ndy on Sunday 24th August 03:29
Edited by V8A*ndy on Sunday 24th August 03:30
V8A*ndy said:
What is it with you drummers and cymbals though?
Simple: cymbals are a drummer's 'voice'. The interplay, pitch, tone, decay and resonance varies with EVERY cymbal - no two sound the same. I spent a lot of time carefully choosing my cymbals!V8*Andy said:
ETA Actually here is a really good story....... Steven Adler in Belfast (with Adlers Appetite) I was on sound FOH when the guitarist in the band spilt a large amount of beer into a vital power distro on stage which resulted in a 5 min power outage. The crowd were going nuts but Adler launched into an impromptu drum solo and raised the roof with applause and it went down that well it was even reported in the press afterwards that it was all part of the act. Try that with a Roland LOL.
We used to have a similar problem on-stage, except the beer kept getting spilled into the bassist with similar performance outages. I preferred my drum kit rather than my electronic one. Didnt feel the same to me - only bonus was for the neighbours as I could "turn the volume down" - but then, this was back in the 90's so I think the electronic kits have advanced a lot since then!!
When I have my detached house hopefylly within the next year, a drum kit is defo on the list of things to get!
When I have my detached house hopefylly within the next year, a drum kit is defo on the list of things to get!
V8A*ndy said:
Driller said:
I'm about to buy a Roland TD-12 for my studio. I'll use it with DFH in Logic pro. A good electronic kit is far more dependable for getting decent sounds for recording and you can record the midi hits and then manipulate these later.
Micing up and recording a real drumkit is a very tricky thing to do.
For rehearsal you can control the volume which means not having everyone playing on 11 in your basement.
I wouldn't buy any other electronic kit than Rolands V-Drums though, they've got it nailed.
These things are great fun but especially with a headphone amp and a good set of 600ohms studio phones so you can really crank it up. For recording though you will never replicate a really well tuned kit properly mic'ed up, properly gated and compressed. So for fun yes, for recording don't get into the habit of recording with them (unless its just for fun) and certainly never turn up to a gig with one but if you have to cheat at a gig triggers are OK Micing up and recording a real drumkit is a very tricky thing to do.
For rehearsal you can control the volume which means not having everyone playing on 11 in your basement.
I wouldn't buy any other electronic kit than Rolands V-Drums though, they've got it nailed.
.For me (as a none musician so no bias to instrument) as a live sound engineer micing up a kit is the most fun and best sounding thing I do. It makes everything else fall into place nicely and i've worked with drummers such as Cozy powell and Steven Adler.
What is it with you drummers and cymbals though?
ETA Actually here is a really good story....... Steven Adler in Belfast (with Adlers Appetite) I was on sound FOH when the guitarist in the band spilt a large amount of beer into a vital power distro on stage which resulted in a 5 min power outage. The crowd were going nuts but Adler launched into an impromptu drum solo and raised the roof with applause and it went down that well it was even reported in the press afterwards that it was all part of the act. Try that with a Roland LOL.
Edited by V8A*ndy on Sunday 24th August 03:29
Edited by V8A*ndy on Sunday 24th August 03:30
I play hard rock/metal so if I thought that the kit I'm getting was in any way a toy I just wouldn't get it.
I'm not a drummer either but for the studio the V-drums are going to save me a lot of headaches.
Have a look at this if you have any doubts about the ability of the Roland stuff (again, there is a lot of kack out there which are basically toys).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RmWzI6wEDXY
ETA Once again I'd say there's nothing worse than being in a rehearsal room with a metal drummer going at it hammer and tongs on a real kit, the guitarists and bass player have to turn up their amps to match and the whole thing turns into painful durge.
Edited by Driller on Sunday 24th August 10:51
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