Tabletop drum kit for recording / apartment use (portable) ?

[sparcly]

Was looking at https://www.amazon.com/dp/B016KNIJG2/ or https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01H4VG35I/ for basic drum tracking against bass riffs. I'm in an apartment so need electronic and as easy to hide later as possible. Prefer something I can bang on like this rather than a keyboard or programming a drum machine. Basically as good as you can get as small as you can get, and still have some real-time beat control.

Anyway, are these kind of things workable or garbage? What's your experience like, or do you have any recommendations? I'm planning on interfacing with GarageBand or maybe even a Tascam DP-006 6-Track Digital Pocketstudio Multi-Track Audio Recorder (I'm old school, and miss the 4-track days.) I realize it's gonna be pretty lo-fi no matter what but... oh well. Can bring my Pearl kit here :/

cheers

 

[Mcgiver69]

I use a Yamaha DD65 and it works very well specially if you hook it to something like EzDrummer. I wouldn't recommend using their sounds as the tend to be difficult to process, unless your goal is not to mix those sounds for semi-pro to professional results.

 

[sparcly]

I use a Yamaha DD65 and it works very well specially if you hook it to something like EzDrummer. I wouldn't recommend using their sounds as the tend to be difficult to process, unless your goal is not to mix those sounds for semi-pro to professional results.

Awesome, thanks @Mcgiver69 ! I will check that one out.

cheers

 

[ofajen]

I’ve used a couple of devices. I used an Alternate Mode TrapKat in the 90’s. That was pretty cool, but a lot bigger. Also a version of their DrumKat. My experience is that those are very well thought out. However, I did not have great luck with the force sensing resistor FSR pads. They would develop dead cells and have to be replaced every few years.

These days I have an Alesis ControlPad, which is a basic 8 pad controller. I think it may be discontinued but I’m sure they have something similar. I’ve had better luck with the pad function. No issues at all.

Not sure about the Alesis model you linked, in general the pad controllers are a lot of fun and you can create your own tracks pretty quickly. You can also clean up your playing as much as you like.

The only thing I miss from the Alternate Mode controllers is the hi-hat function where the same hihat pad can produce multiple note values based on the state of the hihat pedal.

Otto

 

[sparcly]

I’ve used a couple of devices. I used an Alternate Mode TrapKat in the 90’s. That was pretty cool, but a lot bigger. Also a version of their DrumKat. My experience is that those are very well thought out. However, I did not have great luck with the force sensing resistor FSR pads. They would develop dead cells and have to be replaced every few years.

These days I have an Alesis ControlPad, which is a basic 8 pad controller. I think it may be discontinued but I’m sure they have something similar. I’ve had better luck with the pad function. No issues at all.

Not sure about the Alesis model you linked, in general the pad controllers are a lot of fun and you can create you own tracks pretty quickly. You can also clean up your playing as much as you like.

The only thing I miss from the Alternate Mode controllers is the hi-hat function where the same hihat pad can produce multiple note values based on the state of the hihat pedal.

Otto

hey, thanks for your insight otto. those alternate mode products do look pretty cool but yeah maybe a little too big. and thanks for your experience on alesis. i was concerned that brand may be more of a toy than roland or yamaha. really what i need to do i think is watch a few clips of these devices on youtube.

does the controller work with a separate device or map to sounds on your computer? i'd love something that could just say, control garageband drums. thanks again for your help @ofajen !


cheers

 

[ofajen]

does the controller work with a separate device or map to sounds on your computer? i'd love something that could just say, control garageband drums. thanks again for your help @ofajen !

The ControlPad is MIDI only, no built in sound module. It has both 5 pin DIN and USB MIDI outs. You can program each of 20 different kit memories and for each one, each pad can select its own note value and MIDI channel. In recent years, I have not used it with a computer in the studio, just to trigger drum machines and/or synthesizers. But it could easily control whatever drum plugins you use, once you have it plugged into the computer.

Otto

 

[seamonkey]

Home - Aerodrums

Quietest yet

 

[sparcly]

Home - Aerodrums

Quietest yet

WOW I love it. Thanks so much for sharing @seamonkey! If I can record with that, I'm sold. $200 and sounds great!

 

[guts]

It is much more difficult to drum when there is nothing for your drumstick to bounce off of. Are you an experienced drummer? You would need to be for something like that to be viable.

 

[sparcly]

It is much more difficult to drum when there is nothing for your drumstick to bounce off of. Are you an experienced drummer? You would need to be for something like that to be viable.

good point @guts - i played drums in a few bands back in the day, but i'm definitely rusty. can hold my own tapping on my desk though LOL. that said, i'd probably miss the tactile element, though they do sound good and are certainly convenient, at least from what i can tell (the camera / lighting thing might be a challenge.) i'll probably end up with an alesis or yamaha multi-pad, whichever looks easier to use with a DAW

 

[Mcgiver69]

Something more challenging and that occupies even less space are drumpads. You could take the Xpresspads (Finger drumming). If you are already a drummer, this could be for you.

Invalid Link Removed

The course costs something like $35 and a second hand pad is like $40 and only take desktop space.

 

[sparcly]

Something more challenging and that occupies even less space are drumpads. You could take the Xpresspads (Finger drumming). If you are already a drummer, this could be for you.

Invalid Link Removed

The course costs something like $35 and a second hand pad is like $40 and only take desktop space.

Really cool. Definitely impressed. thanks @Mcgiver69 !

 

[sparcly]

any idea what software to use? or do you just need the pad and their course?

 

[Mcgiver69]

There's a totally free drum vst called MT Powerdrummkit that works great.
MT Power Drum Kit AU VST Drums Sampler Plugin Instrument FREE

There's a donation button so it'll be nice if you buy them a cup of coffee.

 

[sparcly]

There's a totally free drum vst called MT Powerdrummkit that works great.
MT Power Drum Kit AU VST Drums Sampler Plugin Instrument FREE

There's a donation button so it'll be nice if you buy them a cup of coffee.

that's amazing! thanks for sharing @Mcgiver69 - and i would definitely donate!

 

[Mcgiver69]

Another choice would be to download Sforzando (free SFZ player) and then download a free drum package from Analogue Drums (Big Mono).

Sforzando
Invalid Link Removed

Big Mono
Analogue Drums - Free Drum Samples for Kontakt

Big Mono SFZ file
[This invalid link has been removed]

Use:
- Install Sforzando
- Download the Big Mono package and the SFZ file into a folder.
- Load Sfozando in Garage Band
- Load the Big Mono SFZ file

Now you can play your drums (Table top or Drumpad)

Hope this helps.

 

[sparcly]

Another choice would be to download Sforzando (free SFZ player) and then download a free drum package from Analogue Drums (Big Mono).

Sforzando
Invalid Link Removed

Big Mono
Analogue Drums - Free Drum Samples for Kontakt

Big Mono SFZ file
[This invalid link has been removed]

Use:
- Install Sforzando
- Download the Big Mono package and the SFZ file into a folder.
- Load Sfozando in Garage Band
- Load the Big Mono SFZ file

Now you can play your drums (Table top or Drumpad)

Hope this helps.

that's amazing! thanks for sharing @Mcgiver69 - and i would definitely donate!

It definitely does! Thanks @Mcgiver69 !

I really miss my real drums. And some of the electronic kits look like a good tactile stand-in but I don't have room. The table top thing seemed like a good compromise, but looks more appropriate for a toddler and is big enough that I'd still have to find somewhere to set it up. Then those Aerodrums looked interesting - like a pro version of the "Hit Stix" I had as a kid (remember those?) - but definitely would feel weird not making contact.

I finger drum on my desk all the time. This solution is not far off from typing. I love it! Thanks so much.

 

[Mcgiver69]

If you go for the table top drums you should consider the Yamaha DD65, they are made so you can place them on a snare stand. That makes away the child like feeling and make them more practical.

BTW you can use the pedals used in Xbox or PS4 Band Hero or other pedal used in any other edrum kit.

Invalid Link Removed

 

[DirtDog]

I’m looking at the Presonus Atom. I had rented a set of V drums in January - that was a lot of fun - but took up a lot of room. Since that point I’ve gone back to my keyboard controller for tapping in drum beats. It’s OK but the keyboard interface is not ideal for drumming. I use a variety of drum software (Slate, EZ Drummer, Addictive).

I looked at the Novation Launchpad but the 8x8 grid was a bit too fussy for my stumpy fingers. The 4x4 grid of the Atom seems more useable (for virtual drums) to me. I have a bunch of other Presonus stuff that I’ve been very happy with, so there’s that. At under $200 it’s worth a shot.

 

[sparcly]

I’m looking at the Presonus Atom. I had rented a set of V drums in January - that was a lot of fun - but took up a lot of room. Since that point I’ve gone back to my keyboard controller for tapping in drum beats. It’s OK but the keyboard interface is not ideal for drumming. I use a variety of drum software (Slate, EZ Drummer, Addictive).

I looked at the Novation Launchpad but the 8x8 grid was a bit too fussy for my stumpy fingers. The 4x4 grid of the Atom seems more useable (for virtual drums) to me. I have a bunch of other Presonus stuff that I’ve been very happy with, so there’s that. At under $200 it’s worth a shot.

thanks @DirtDog - i was looking at the Akai MPD218 that I saw linked from the Invalid Link Removed site @Mcgiver69 shared. Have you looked at that also? How do you think it compares with the Atom? They both look pretty similar to me, with the Akai being less expensive and a simpler interface.