Your Thoughts On Digital Drums!

[CoffeeLove]

Our new drummer loves his expensive Roland kit. Have played with it, and others in the past, but not feeling the love. He is open to playing acoustic or digital, so not a problem. However, thought my bandmates would be in the same camp as far as disliking the digital kit, but they seem to be indifferent at the moment.

We play about 4 songs that fit the digital kit (Bust A Move, Rappers Delight, etc...) but the rest of the tunes are more classic, or had acoustic drums as part of the original recordings.

Thoughts

 

[Guitalia]

I always insist on drummers using acoustic kits, because I'm not yet sufficiently deaf in my left ear from incessant rim shots and crash cymbal bashing.

 

[two fingers]

Our new drummer loves his expensive Roland kit. Have played with it, and others in the past, but not feeling the love. He is open to playing acoustic or digital, so not a problem. However, thought my bandmates would be in the same camp as far as disliking the digital kit, but they seem to be indifferent at the moment.

We play about 4 songs that fit the digital kit (Bust A Move, Rappers Delight, etc...) but the rest of the tunes are more classic, or had acoustic drums part of the original recordings.

Thoughts

What DON'T you like about it. Aesthetics? Or sound?

I would say try to work with it because...
1) It's coming anyway. Bass players aren't the only ones looking for lighter and easier load in- load out gear.

2) Volume control!

 

[2BitHack]

i cant vote, there is no fire the drummer option

 

[mobeme23]

i voted for partial.
as a drummer, i cannot fathom the idea of playing live shows with only electronic drums. it would be very hard for me to get the proper feel for live sound, even with solid monitors on hand. i've done some home concerts/rehearsals with electronic kits, but i will always prefer acoustic drums for live sound. granted, i've never played those primo e-kits that have better tone and greater sensitivity....still, not the same for me.

and as a newer bass player, i really rely on the resonance of an acoustic kit to lock in rhythmically. could i play out with a drummer on electronic kit? sure, i could make it work. but i will always prefer acoustic drums to hold down the backline.

at some point, i did have a few pads integrated into my acoustic kit. it was fun to have samples and other non-drum sounds available for flavor, but it never became part of my go-to setup...too fussy for me and the sound techs at the venue.

 

[Clark Dark]

@two fingers hit it on the head for me for this reason. My son is in band and he plays tympany, snare, bass and toms. I am getting him an electronic set so I can turn the volume down something not possible with acoustics.

 

[Bodeanly]

We use the Rolands when we use our own PA. I like my IEM mix better when we do. My PTSD gets triggered when I show up to a gig and see the drummer setting up a china cymbal.

My vote: Yes, all the way.

 

[JRA]

Thoughts

- i agree that some music is a perfect fit for digital drums.
- i think certain music is 'hurt' by digital drums (e.g., some jazz styles).
- IME: some drummers can't play them well. (....some drummers can't play well, anyway! )
- for certain types of music (e.g., EDM, some hip hop, etc.) they're the bomb because they record so well/easily.
- volume control is a huge benefit....to those for whom it would benefit.

i'm with the previous posters: give them a chance and exploit their benefits. good luck!

 

[39-Bassist]

I say it depends on the venue. Smaller then yes, bigger, I personally prefer real drums.
I really like some of the sounds they are getting out of the kits now a days.
So if your drummer has the ability to get the sounds you guys want then go for it.
I will say this much, what we do when practicing is record our sound to see if the drums are working with the bands sound or not. We have had slight tweaks to the kit and are now very happy with the sound.

 

[arbiterusa]

As a bassist, I love guys playing electronic kits. As a drummer, I am not a fan - the problem (and it is the only issue I have with them but a big one) is this; you can get an infinite number of sounds out of a real cymbal. The very best electronic kit I've played (the Roland, which is great) you can get maybe four. None of which sound right.

That being said, I'll be getting one in the next year or so. I don't think it's an optional tool in the drummer's toolkit anymore.

 

[arbiterusa]

My PTSD gets triggered when I show up to a gig and see the drummer setting up a china cymbal.

I've quit using them. Even my small one is far too loud in any situation. I find a cheap splash gets close to the same sound and doesn't kill everyone's hearing. If somebody shows up with an 18" china to anything I'm involved in they'd better be playing it with a pillow.

 

[slamsinger]

I’ve been in bands that have used them and I’ve also used them as well
And they were high line kits
Roland TD-30 which was top line back then and it worked for the wedding band because we could dial in any sound for jazz - funk - reggae - percussion etc etc
BUT no matter who I’ve seen with them or how many times I’ve tried myself to use them I hate the sound of them as a drummer myself I tried many many times and just hated the sound and feel of them but I am not a basher on a acoustic kit like some I know so I def understand volume wise wanting a electric kit
Imo there’s NOTHING that comes close to a nice sounding acoustic kit with a drummer who has touch and feel rather than a friggen animal bashing away

 

[akrachanko]

Electric drums, IMO, are one of the best things to happen to music, ever. Here's why I believe this:

• Portability, and ease of hauling. They pack up much smaller than an acoustic kit.
  
• Volume control (this is probably #1 reason for me)
• Flexibility. With more expensive kits, they sound great, and can be programmed to sound however you want. With some of the nicer Roland kits you can set master volumes on each of the drums/pads, you can move the tuning of drums and cymbals, and you can set pads to exotic drum sounds, or in my experience, pitched percussion instruments that would usually require expensive or uncommon instruments.

Again, having played mostly with nice Roland kits, I'm confident you can find some sounds on there that sound as good as, if not better than an acoustic kit. That leads me to the one quirk of I find with electric drum kits. Your sound is only going to be as good as the speakers/sound system you have reproducing it live. If you have a decent quality PA system, or even a nice keyboard amp, you should be good, but poor quality speakers may harm your sound. Drum kits are one of those instruments that covers nearly all of the perceivable frequencies that our ears can hear, so you'll need a PA system that can also produce all of these frequencies, and do it in an accurate and balanced fashion.

 

[flatwound251]

I haven't done a live gig with a drummer using an electronic set, but have recorded with a drummer one and it sounded incredibly close to the acoustic drum sound.

 

[Keger Jupit]

Imo there’s NOTHING that comes close to a nice sounding acoustic kit with a drummer who has touch and feel

^^This, I agree with 100%^^ Having said that, they both have their place & are as musical as the person playing them, makes them.

 

[Wasnex]

They can work really well with some forms of music, but are extremely limited if touch and nuance is required.

 

[hennessybass]

I've seen/heard one band with a digital drum kit that I thought was OK. The band was like an indy-rock band, no amps, lots of processed tones in the guitar, bass and keys. It worked in that context.

Every other experience I've had with digital drums has been not good.

 

[garp]

Drummer here, too (when I'm not on bass). I'm not philosophically opposed to the concept, and have messed around with Roland and Yamaha electronic kits, but I will likely never own one.

I did a gig about two years ago on electric bass with a drummer who used a Roland digital kit. No IEMs, just a wedge for me. For whatever reason, the drummer nor the sound guy could give me enough kick in my monitor – everybody got the same mix – and that really soured me on e-drums. Irrational perhaps, but there it is. I'm accustomed to standing next to a drummer and feeling the kick.

Lastly, I'm a bit old-school, but the look of an acoustic kit on stage is often an important component of performance theatrics. There are genres where an electronic kit just won't cut it visually, no matter how terrific they might sound or how ideal they might be for low-volume situations.

If somebody shows up with an 18" china to anything I'm involved in they'd better be playing it with a pillow.

Then you'd absolutely hate my 19". My only pillow resides inside my kick.

 

[okcrum]

I play a regular jazz standards gig with a drummer who plays atomic drums. I play an EUB, and the keys player uses a synth. We're the Star Wars bar band and no one notices, but everyone likes the music.

 

[Bodeanly]

I've quit using them. Even my small one is far too loud in any situation. I find a cheap splash gets close to the same sound and doesn't kill everyone's hearing. If somebody shows up with an 18" china to anything I'm involved in they'd better be playing it with a pillow.

I have been known to move a china to the other side of the stage during break.