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Evil Bob posted:I will definitely check these out. Still interested in electronic kit insight too! I'm an acoustic player for over 30 years who went electronic almost 10 years ago. I find the high end Roland kits "feel" good but you're going to pay a high price. it will also depend on if you are comfortable with all the pads the same size (cheaper) or real size drums with a real shell and mesh heads (expensive). The main cost will be the brain unit but (to me anyway) the pre-programmed kits always sound like machine guns. Ok for a small gigs or practice but for larger gigs or recording you're better to run it all though Garageband or similar software discussed in other subs here. There's a new MIDI version about that allows bi-directional communication which: quote:re-imagines the role of performance controllers, the aspect of MIDI that translates human performance gestures to data computers can understand. Controllers are now easier to use, and there are more of them: over 32,000 controllers, including controls for individual notes. Enhanced, 32-bit resolution gives controls a smooth, continuous, “analog” feel. New Note-On options were added for articulation control and precise note pitch. In addition, dynamic response (velocity) has been upgraded. What’s more, major timing improvements in MIDI 2.0 can apply to MIDI 1.0 devices—in fact, some MIDI 1.0 gear can even “retrofit” certain MIDI 2.0 features. https://www.midi.org/midi-articles/details-about-midi-2-0-midi-ci-profiles-and-property-exchange So I'm hoping this gets us past the machine gun sound and actually allows for ghost notes and dynamics/accents to sound like a real kit. Bonzo fucked around with this message at 01:17 on Sep 30, 2020 |
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Sep 29, 2020 22:43
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I would definitely recommend Roland - superior build quality and feel. Alesis is tempting because they're big sets for half the price, but I spent $2k on an Alesis Strike Pro and the pads failed on me one by one. They're just crappy. Rolands don't have the greatest samples out there, but they *feel* great, trigger perfectly and have great dynamics. I am of the opinion that feel, dynamics and lack of latency is more important than super convincing sounds when it comes to edrums. It really depends on your budget, but the TD-17 ($1,800) has been super popular. If you can bump it up to $2500 look at the VAD 306, which comes with bigger shells and frankly looks like a lot more fun to play than the normal TD-17. I got a VAD 503 and I've been super happy with it, but if I'm 100% honest with myself I probably would have been okay with the 306. I did a lot of research into these recently before I bought mine, and have always been interested in edrums so feel free to ask if you want to know anything else. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jI-nNoqklAU
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Sep 30, 2020 00:42
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Really appreciating the insight here guys, The VAD 306 looks SICK! A bit out of my price range for a hobby I am trying to get back into, but I'm going to look a bit deeper into the Roland kits. I'll definitely pick your brain AndrewP if/when I'm getting closer to purchasing a kit. I will give DIY soundproofing a look as well. I struggle to believe it will do enough, even with a low volume set up to keep from waking up a sleeping toddler, but who knows. I just know I need to do something to start drumming again.
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Sep 30, 2020 01:15
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I have had an Alesis DM10X with their ProX hihat and it's nice for daily practice and occasional jam sessions. I've had it for 5 years with no issues. I put some mesh heads on it recently and they are way nicer that way. I just play for a hobby and haven't really spent serious time on an acoustic kit so take all of this with a huge grain of salt.
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Sep 30, 2020 02:53
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Bonzo posted:The main cost will be the brain unit but (to me anyway) the pre-programmed kits always sound like machine guns. Ok for a small gigs or practice but for larger gigs or recording you're better to run it all though Garageband or similar software discussed in other subs here. okay, but why is this? MIDI keyboards have functionally the full range of dynamics and can sound pretty decent at every dynamic, but e-drums pretty universally sound like rear end and it just doesn’t make sense
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Sep 30, 2020 08:30
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Evil Bob posted:Really appreciating the insight here guys, I don't know the layout of your basement, but if your practice area is divided off from the rest of the basement and not directly under the kid's room, I bet it would be good. Not trying to dissuade you from getting an electric kit, I just know that I went from acoustic to electric and back trying to find that balance between suppressing the volume and maintaining the feel.
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Sep 30, 2020 14:31
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Jazz Marimba posted:okay, but why is this? MIDI keyboards have functionally the full range of dynamics and can sound pretty decent at every dynamic, but e-drums pretty universally sound like rear end and it just doesn’t make sense edrums sound amazing when they're hooked up to a VST, and people have been hooking their edrums up to their computers to trigger VSTs for over a decade. When it comes to the modules Roland's kind of been the only game in town for professional-quality edrums for a while and are only now starting to get pushed. Roland's main priority has always been triggering and responsiveness, but now that the Pearl Mimic Pro module is out (which literally uses Steven Slate Drums) it's tough to sell a TD-50 that sounds worse for more money. Will be interesting to see what the next flagship sounds like, because it sure seems like they can't just do the same old thing.
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Sep 30, 2020 14:33
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I'm at a crossroads with my bass drum technique. I generally have always played heel up, because I like being able to deliver that power. Recently I've been working on developing double strokes on the kick drum and I'm having some real difficulty getting them consistent. Hard to explain but some double strokes are easier than others. Part of it is I'm literally losing balance - I tend to bury the beater after the second stroke and kinda lean on it but this feels awkward on some beats. Ideally I could stay totally neutral on my throne but I just don't have that kind of balance. So earlier I was practicing on a part that has a very troublesome (to me) bass beat and I tried it heel-down, and was basically able to get through it no problem. Didn't have the power that you can bring heel-up, though. Anyway what say you, heel-up or heel-down bass drumming? When do you use which? (This is that part that I was working on https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wIv0LzDpTCM&t=35s) AndrewP fucked around with this message at 17:22 on Sep 30, 2020 |
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Sep 30, 2020 17:18
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a mysterious cloak posted:I don't know the layout of your basement, but if your practice area is divided off from the rest of the basement and not directly under the kid's room, I bet it would be good. Yeah, basement is wide open, and currently there is no door at the top of the stairs because it was massively inconvenient. I'm gonna see if I can check out a LV set in person, but I think if I want to be able to jam whenever I have free time - which is 99% in the evenings - I'll need to go with E-drums and keep my acoustics for if/when I ever jam with human beings
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Sep 30, 2020 17:42
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Jazz Marimba posted:okay, but why is this? MIDI keyboards have functionally the full range of dynamics and can sound pretty decent at every dynamic, but e-drums pretty universally sound like rear end and it just doesn’t make sense https://www.vdrums.com/forum/general/the-lounge/35681-machine-gunning-my-explanation quote:
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Oct 1, 2020 01:25
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So what's keeping them from just having 10 or 20 different samples of each drum and cymbal at each dynamic level and having the brain randomly play one each time that 'group' is triggered? Even at high quality that can't be more than a couple mb of flac files right?
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Oct 1, 2020 22:49
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Takes No Damage posted:So what's keeping them from just having 10 or 20 different samples of each drum and cymbal at each dynamic level and having the brain randomly play one each time that 'group' is triggered? Even at high quality that can't be more than a couple mb of flac files right? I don't know but if I had to guess, I'd say the processing power in those brain units. You always hear about slight delays in the cheaper models as it is. I suppose its really the fact this an acoustic instrument that has not really sounded any different over the years. A synth is a synth and was created to sound like a synth. Guitar/Bass have evolved to use amplification (pick ups) which lead to is changing the style of music (jazz and blues) and then effects pedals gave you fuzz and distortion that helped Rock. Drum technology haS always been the same. You hit a head, you hear noise. Can't hear it? Put a microphone in front of it. Make it electronic, and it sounds like machine. I've known guitarist for years that have performed at small pubs and backed up by a small, low budget drum machine. I've yet to see a drummer perform solo with a "guitar machine". I mean, there's probably some YouTube guy that does but you know what I mean.
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Oct 1, 2020 23:24
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Bonzo posted:I've yet to see a drummer perform solo with a "guitar machine". Shelter Red when they were a 2 piece
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Oct 2, 2020 10:15
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Alright, well I'm set on E drums now. My plan is to continue researching and pull the trigger around black friday, hoping for some significant discounts. Price range capping out at about 2K. Right now I'm basically hoping that I can get a sweet discount on the TD17-KVX kit to get back into the hobby, But would go for something nicer if it dips toward the 2k range. Ah, I am excited. Need to go try some out.
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Oct 6, 2020 19:01
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Yeah I'd definitely try before you buy, since (I assume) you can't adjust as many things surrounding how each kit feels VS an acoustic set. I've only bought one ekit as my very first drum set and only the snare was mesh, but if you get something Roland brand with all mesh heads that should at least be 'pretty good' and let you practice back up for a few years while you wrap your basement in mattress foam and egg cartons to soundproof it for an acoustic kit 
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Oct 10, 2020 07:49
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I've been watching way too many acoustic set reviews on Youtube. My next house has to be drum friendly.
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Oct 10, 2020 15:53
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Evil Bob posted:Alright, well I'm set on E drums now. My plan is to continue researching and pull the trigger around black friday, hoping for some significant discounts. Price range capping out at about 2K. I have a TD-17KV and wish I would have bought the KVX. As it is, I've bought new cymbals that would have come with the KVX, I don't have the hihat, and I don't have the better drums that the KVX has but I've spent as much to get to the point where I'm at that I would have spent on the KVX at the start.
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Oct 12, 2020 18:01
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Takes No Damage posted:Yeah I'd definitely try before you buy, since (I assume) you can't adjust as many things surrounding how each kit feels VS an acoustic set. I've only bought one ekit as my very first drum set and only the snare was mesh, but if you get something Roland brand with all mesh heads that should at least be 'pretty good' and let you practice back up for a few years while you wrap your basement in mattress foam and egg cartons to soundproof it for an acoustic kit Yep, I think this is plan. If I'm gonna do it, I want to get a kit that feels good and eventually get an acoustic kit again when I've got the right space for it. shortspecialbus posted:I have a TD-17KV and wish I would have bought the KVX. As it is, I've bought new cymbals that would have come with the KVX, I don't have the hihat, and I don't have the better drums that the KVX has but I've spent as much to get to the point where I'm at that I would have spent on the KVX at the start. Appreciate the input here. At minimum I will be going TD-17KVX, but I am hoping there will be a silly sale on VAD-306 or a higher range TD kit over the next couple months. Hoping to get out this weekend and try some sets, I want to make sure that I don't get something I am underwhelmed by.
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Oct 15, 2020 21:11
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Hello! After many many years of wanting one, I'm finally going to treat myself to my first kit. I've read the OP, and while I agree that a used kit would be ideal to get started, the pickings here are slim. Before I spend the best part of a grand getting started, I thought I'd drop in to see if you had any advice on where to focus that initial money. Given that I'm likely to want to change things out a bit as I go, what parts of a kit are most consistent? Is it the shells? Fixings? Heads? I'd much rather spend £100 on a part that I'm going to keep than £50 on a part I'll soon replace, and vice versa.
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Oct 17, 2020 21:06
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Jaded Burnout posted:Hello! Any of the entry level kits from Pearl, Ludwig, Tama, etc is more than fine. The stock heads are find but you may want to change them out eventually, if anything just to learn how and what differences different heads make. Cymbals I would try to upgrade if a you can. There are "student/starter" pack type but I find they sound like garbage can lids. Shells you aren't going to change out unless you decide to upgrade. All the other accessories can be added and adjusted to make you sound better.
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Oct 17, 2020 21:24
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Bonzo posted:Any of the entry level kits from Pearl, Ludwig, Tama, etc is more than fine. The stock heads are find but you may want to change them out eventually, if anything just to learn how and what differences different heads make. Cymbals I would try to upgrade if a you can. There are "student/starter" pack type but I find they sound like garbage can lids. Shells you aren't going to change out unless you decide to upgrade. All the other accessories can be added and adjusted to make you sound better. Cool. Sounds like maybe I should try to find something without cymbals and buy them separately?
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Oct 17, 2020 21:51
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I picked up a "Pearl Export American Fusion" set open-box (maybe ex-demo) for 25% off, which will do me. Thanks for the advice 
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Oct 18, 2020 18:32
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Jaded Burnout posted:I picked up a "Pearl Export American Fusion" set open-box (maybe ex-demo) for 25% off, which will do me. Thanks for the advice  Now you get to do the endless tinkering to get everything in the right spot, which is weirdly something I have fun with.
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Oct 18, 2020 19:55
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Jaded Burnout posted:I picked up a "Pearl Export American Fusion" set open-box (maybe ex-demo) for 25% off, which will do me. Thanks for the advice hell yeah! make sure you take time to tune them correctly - lots of resources on Youtube for that but it makes all the difference on how they sound.
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Oct 20, 2020 17:12
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Hah, so, I've just discovered that this kit doesn't come with any cymbals, and if I add on the cost of the set that comes with the boxed-new set, buying open-box is actually costing MORE money. I have written a polite but annoyed email to the retailer, and I'll return them if I have to. It's never easy, is it?
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Oct 20, 2020 21:16
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Jaded Burnout posted:Hah, so, I've just discovered that this kit doesn't come with any cymbals, and if I add on the cost of the set that comes with the boxed-new set, buying open-box is actually costing MORE money. I have written a polite but annoyed email to the retailer, and I'll return them if I have to. What retailer, so I remember to never buy used stuff from them? That's flat out obnoxious.
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Oct 22, 2020 16:32
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shortspecialbus posted:What retailer, so I remember to never buy used stuff from them? drumshack.co.uk quote:The opened box model we advertise does have the bundled in version of the SBR cymbals removed, this to give the option of a great value shell pack for customers looking for this. So basically, "we're putting new kits into the used/ex-demo section of the site with the exact cost discount of parts we've removed, so you're paying for a new kit but don't get to choose the colour, we just don't tell you that", said in a condescending way. It looks like (while they didn't do it in my case) that they actually also do this with actual used kits, just with new heads. quote:Our Open box kits are sent with unplayed brand new heads and I believe in your case it was an Unopened brand new set. I chose to buy different cymbals from somewhere else.
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Oct 22, 2020 17:33
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Cripes. I probably would have returned that, except I guarantee they'd have charged some exorbitant restocking fee claiming it was your fault for not reading the product description with a fine tooth comb. I'm in the US and I have my complaints about Guitar Center and Sweetwater but I've never had any issues like that with them. Even the overpriced local stores never did any shady poo poo like that, the worst I ever see is just really flattering photos of used stuff in dim lighting to hide the massive gouges from the time Jeff got really drunk and knocked the speaker cabinet onto his bass
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Oct 23, 2020 18:35
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Somewhat protected by distance selling laws, I think, but I just could not be hosed dealing with it. Got nicer cymbs anyway
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Oct 23, 2020 19:08
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Jaded Burnout posted:Somewhat protected by distance selling laws, I think, but I just could not be hosed dealing with it. Got nicer cymbs anyway nice, how do you like your new Meinl Custom Darks
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Oct 23, 2020 20:00
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AndrewP posted:nice, how do you like your new Meinl Custom Darks Not quite that much budget. I did do a bit of research, discovered there's 4 big manufacturers, which are German, Armenian-American, Armenian-Canadian, and Swiss-Estonian, so ruling out the north american ones I wound up going for Paiste since they had what seemed like a reasonable intermediate neutral-ish set available. Specifically I went for the Paiste PST5 Rock set, and I'll make changes if and when.
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Oct 23, 2020 21:15
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All set up. Now I just need to get a baseline of competence so I can stop being embarrassed to play it in my own home. 
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Oct 24, 2020 21:30
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I can't get an actual drum set (apartment) but I want to pick up drums again, I used to play through elementary school->high school and I missed playing in band class. I was looking at this: https://www.guitarcenter.com/Alesis/Nitro-Mesh-8-Piece-Electronic-Drum-Set.gc?rNtt=nitro&index=1 And it seems good. seems like mesh is the way to go and this is a price point I can afford I saw this too: https://maine.craigslist.org/msg/d/westbrook-alesis-nitro-electronic-drum/7219787965.html which seems decemt? but he got himself another cymbal lol
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Oct 25, 2020 04:08
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I don't think I'd recommend used Alesis. You could also look for a used Roland, it'll sound better. A quick search found this and it's a nice little kit, I had one. https://maine.craigslist.org/msg/d/cumberland-center-roland-td-4k-upgrade/7209751718.html
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Oct 25, 2020 19:53
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i've had an alesis kit for several years and while it's fine to use for something like rock band, standalone it leaves a lot to be desired and i'd highly suggest for something better if at all possible
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Oct 25, 2020 19:59
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I got fed up with my floppy Roland all-digital bass pedal (the stock pedal from the TD-1K set) and rolled the dice on a Millennium Bass Pad and Millennium kick pedal. Turns out they are in fact fully compatible and worked just by plugging them in, so that's great. However, now I need to get some kind of anti-slip solution preferably with some kind of sound deadening effect, because I don't want that 10 pound monstrosity sliding around on my apartment's wooden floors, or driving my downstairs neighbour insane. So some kind of heavy duty rubber mat or something? Help?  I also need to figure out how to properly adjust the spring tension etc on this new pedal, because surprisingly the one sheet instructions that came with it don't help a whole hell of a lot! But a big thumbs up to every part in that bass pedal being adjustable with a drum key, that's something I very much appreciate in drum gear.
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Oct 26, 2020 09:15
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Der Shovel posted:However, now I need to get some kind of anti-slip solution preferably with some kind of sound deadening effect, because I don't want that 10 pound monstrosity sliding around on my apartment's wooden floors, or driving my downstairs neighbour insane. So some kind of heavy duty rubber mat or something? Help? Ideas: What I Use For This Purpose: Non-Slip Drum Mat. I have effectively the same thing you do with my TD-17K and that mat works great at keeping anything from sliding around, including the bass pedal/kick thingy. Alternative thoughts: Sticky Nanomats. I used these to stop some stuff on a desk from sliding around and it worked great. Cannot promise 100% they would not damage hardwood floor, but at worst I suspect they'd maybe leave some slightly sticky residue on them. furniture pad thingies. These are maybe the wrong form factor, but they also may work. I got some on my couch and it stopped sliding around. Edit: reworked post.
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Oct 26, 2020 16:59
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I just got a cheap rug at Walmart but I bet that non-slip drum mat would work better. I have two kick pads on my Yamaha e-kit and it takes the spikes on both the pads and the pedals extended quite a bit to keep everything from crawling forward as I play.
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Oct 26, 2020 23:08
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Try tool chest shelf liner. https://www.homedepot.com/p/Husky-1...-306136147-_-N&
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Oct 26, 2020 23:24
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shortspecialbus posted:Ideas: Wow, that's reasonable. The drum mats I've seen here locally cost 3+ times that. For now I just got my old balcony rug in. The kick pedal had these little spike legs that dig into the rug and keep the pedal stationary pretty well. I still need to figure out something for my drum kit though, because the TD-1K is so lightweight it kinda keeps moving during normal play. Maybe that mat, or maybe I need to buy some sand bags or something.
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Oct 27, 2020 10:14
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