Calling drummers: Electronic drumkits & the SOTA?
Posted by: Top Cat on 16 December 2003
Hi folks.
After a bit of domestic wrangling, my lovely cherry-wood finish drumkit is to be banished. I'm not selling it, as I would regret it, but due to volume restrictions and also space restrictions I am now in the market for something new (and crucially, available on 0% finance, but that's another matter ;-)
I'm interested in what the current 'State of the Art' is with electronic drumkits, and how much is reasonable to spend. I already own an electronic drumkit (an old Simmons SDS from the mid to late eighties - you know, 'exploding sheep' and hexagonal pads) and a nineties vintage Alesis D4 trigger unit with built in sounds. However, the Simmons is crap and the Alesis is probably old hat as well by now.
What I'm looking for is something with as close to the feel and nuance of a real drumkit, that offers mixer facilities (for practise, etc.) and built in sounds, and preferably programmable patch loops, so that successive hits on the same pad can trigger different sounds.
The names I remember from my semi-pro days in the early to mid-nineties are:
ddrum - seemed to be the best back then
Yamaha - vaguely recall trying on out in '97
Simmons (SDX, probably old hat and cost a small fortune)
???
So, does anyone know what would be right for me? Use of the drums will be 80% practise, and initially 20% recording duties (playing sampled real drums, etc., into Logic Audio Platinum). However, I'd love these drums to be giggable!
John
TC '..'
"Sun went down in honey. Moon came up in wine. Stars were spinnin' dizzy, Lord, the band kept us so busy we forgot about the time."
After a bit of domestic wrangling, my lovely cherry-wood finish drumkit is to be banished. I'm not selling it, as I would regret it, but due to volume restrictions and also space restrictions I am now in the market for something new (and crucially, available on 0% finance, but that's another matter ;-)
I'm interested in what the current 'State of the Art' is with electronic drumkits, and how much is reasonable to spend. I already own an electronic drumkit (an old Simmons SDS from the mid to late eighties - you know, 'exploding sheep' and hexagonal pads) and a nineties vintage Alesis D4 trigger unit with built in sounds. However, the Simmons is crap and the Alesis is probably old hat as well by now.
What I'm looking for is something with as close to the feel and nuance of a real drumkit, that offers mixer facilities (for practise, etc.) and built in sounds, and preferably programmable patch loops, so that successive hits on the same pad can trigger different sounds.
The names I remember from my semi-pro days in the early to mid-nineties are:
ddrum - seemed to be the best back then
Yamaha - vaguely recall trying on out in '97
Simmons (SDX, probably old hat and cost a small fortune)
???
So, does anyone know what would be right for me? Use of the drums will be 80% practise, and initially 20% recording duties (playing sampled real drums, etc., into Logic Audio Platinum). However, I'd love these drums to be giggable!
John
TC '..'
"Sun went down in honey. Moon came up in wine. Stars were spinnin' dizzy, Lord, the band kept us so busy we forgot about the time."
Ah, me old Simmonds kit!
Both Yamaha and Roland pads are pretty good - get yourself down to the local shoppe & give them a bash.
I'd also recommend this if you are going to record to a PC, TC
www.fxpansion.com
BFD Acoustic drum plug-in.
It's very good!
regards
Stephen
Both Yamaha and Roland pads are pretty good - get yourself down to the local shoppe & give them a bash.
I'd also recommend this if you are going to record to a PC, TC
www.fxpansion.com
BFD Acoustic drum plug-in.
It's very good!
regards
Stephen