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Need Help With Electronic Drum Sets

by Steven Wagenheim
10 replies
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ThomM particularly, I know you're a drummer so maybe you know something
about how these work. Anybody else though who has info, please feel free
to chime in.

I am thinking of getting an electronic drum set to use for my recordings
instead of using drum modules, which I use by tapping keys on my electronic
keyboard. Certainly this is nothing like the feel and dynamics of a real drum
set.

I don't want to get acoustic drums because of the nightmare of having to
microphone them, so I figure the next best option is electronic drums but I'm
not quite sure how they work.

I'm guessing that they're essentially pressure sensitive pads that, when you
strike them, they send a MIDI signal to a synth module and then this module
in turn transmits the sound out the audio outputs through the audio cables
and either to your speakers or directly into your digital recorder.

Am I pretty much in the ball park?

I realize no electronic drums can duplicate the feel of real drums but they
certainly have to be a better solution than tapping on a keyboard. And since
I hate how mechanical drum machines are, I figure this is my best option.

Anybody who wants to chime in with any advice on getting an electronic
drum set or correct any of my assumptions on how they work, please feel
free to do so.
  • Profile picture of the author ThomM
    I've been thinking about getting a set myself for a long time now.
    I've only played on them once, but other then the cymbals being weird to me I loved them.
    The set I played the pads where like drum practice pads, just a little thinner and wider. The response to the sticks was the same and maybe a little better then a regular drum. What I liked was there isn't any edge loading on the electronic pads.
    Your pretty spot on in how they work.
    Naturally you can adjust and play with the sounds on each drum which is a lot of fun They will also sound as good as regular drums. I can always tell when a drum machine is used, they have that machine produced sound.
    With the electronic drums you hear the stick hit the head and if you scrape the stick or slap it or use any other technique of hitting the drum, you will hear it.
    As an added plus, you don't have to turn them on to practice quietly on them.
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    • Profile picture of the author John Durham
      I think you can get GREAT tones from them, but I cant stand to play them... because it feels strange hitting rubber, but I suppose one could get used to it. The myriad of tones are endless if you can manage the same "delivery". Plus you can rig each head to a seperate track nicely without worrying about mic placement as you said and overtones, particularly without getting the bleeding "wall of sound" effect... which can be bad if you dont want it... Much more isolated.

      I have recorded with them before using someone else on the drums and they were a heck of alot better than a drum machine!

      Agree with Thom, the cymbols are the wierd part and the snare a little... but they SOUND great.

      I have an old metallic orange yamaha kit Im thinking of trading for some electrics maybe... The guy who lived here before left them up in the attic and said "Keep em". I still havent even put them together yet but its all there from what I have seen, in cases even. Im afraid to bust them out because of the kids, lol. Maybe when one really wants to play drums but I hate to see drums beat on like toys. End up with sticks through snares...and bent high hats... Its okay if one becomes a drummer , but if you give a kid an instrument before he is ready to really appreciate it, then you will set the "toy" precedent and he wont grow to honor it from my observance...

      We really want most what is just out of our reach... then when we get it we appreciate it.

      I dont mind buying toys out the ying yang, LOVE to... but an INSTRUMENT... I expect you to honor if you are given it.
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      • Profile picture of the author ThomM
        Originally Posted by John Durham View Post

        I think you can get GREAT tones from them, but I cant stand to play them... because it feels strange hitting rubber, but I suppose one could get used to it. The myriad of tones are endless if you can manage the same "delivery". Plus you can rig each head to a seperate track nicely without worrying about mic placement as you said and overtones, particularly without getting the bleeding "wall of sound" effect... which can be bad if you dont want it... Much more isolated.

        I have recorded with them before using someone else on the drums and they were a heck of alot better than a drum machine!

        Agree with Thom, the cymbols are the wierd part and the snare a little... but they SOUND great.

        I have an old metallic orange yamaha kit Im thinking of trading for some electrics maybe... The guy who lived here before left them up in the attic and said "Keep em". I still havent even put them together yet but its all there from what I have seen, in cases even. Im afraid to bust them out because of the kids, lol. Maybe when one really wants to play drums but I hate to see drums beat on like toys. End up with sticks through snares...and bent high hats... Its okay if one becomes a drummer , but if you give a kid an instrument before he is ready to really appreciate it, then you will set the "toy" precedent and he wont grow to honor it from my observance...

        We really want most what is just out of our reach... then when we get it we appreciate it.

        I dont mind buying toys out the ying yang, LOVE to... but an INSTRUMENT... I expect you to honor if you are given it.
        John, no offense to the guy who lived there before you, but what an idiot
        The last kit I owned was a 69 Ludwig with double bass in the Citrus Mod color. I sold them in 96 to a private collector and they now sit in his drum museum. Even so, selling them was one of the two stupidest things I've ever done in my life Selling my Indian was the other.
        I don't know if I mentioned this before, but the first instrument I 'tried' to learn was guitar when I was 5. At that time I didn't want to learn guitar, I wanted to play guitar. Needless to say that didn't work out to well. After that it took me 5 years to convince my parents that I wanted to learn drums. I went from 96 till this year not playing and they where the hardest years of my life. I'm not saying the rest of my life wasn't hard, but playing an instrument helps you get through things. But you and Steve know that
        Sorry for the hijack Steve, now I've got to go beat the goat (Bodhran).
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        Life: Nature's way of keeping meat fresh
        Getting old ain't for sissy's
        As you are I was, as I am you will be
        You can't fix stupid, but you can always out smart it.

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        • Profile picture of the author Steven Wagenheim
          Originally Posted by ThomM View Post

          John, no offense to the guy who lived there before you, but what an idiot
          The last kit I owned was a 69 Ludwig with double bass in the Citrus Mod color. I sold them in 96 to a private collector and they now sit in his drum museum. Even so, selling them was one of the two stupidest things I've ever done in my life Selling my Indian was the other.
          I don't know if I mentioned this before, but the first instrument I 'tried' to learn was guitar when I was 5. At that time I didn't want to learn guitar, I wanted to play guitar. Needless to say that didn't work out to well. After that it took me 5 years to convince my parents that I wanted to learn drums. I went from 96 till this year not playing and they where the hardest years of my life. I'm not saying the rest of my life wasn't hard, but playing an instrument helps you get through things. But you and Steve know that
          Sorry for the hijack Steve, now I've got to go beat the goat (Bodhran).
          Thom, if it wasn't for music, I'd go nuts...literally.

          I play piano, guitar and drums and wouldn't give up any of them.

          Learned piano starting at age 5
          Learned drums starting at about age 20 (can't remember the exact year)
          Learned guitar starting at about age ??? (this was an on and off thing for
          years, starting as a young kid and continuing all the way until a few years
          ago when I FINALLY started taking it seriously)

          The culmination of all that?

          I can now do stuff like this.

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          • Profile picture of the author ThomM
            Originally Posted by KimW View Post

            I haven't played in years and am wanting to start again. Its been so long my kids thought I was BSing them when I was telling them I used to play.
            I had to bring out my Jr High and High School yearbooks and show them the band pictures to prove I really did play back in the day.
            What instrument did you play Kim?
            Originally Posted by Steven Wagenheim View Post

            Thom, if it wasn't for music, I'd go nuts...literally.

            I play piano, guitar and drums and wouldn't give up any of them.

            Learned piano starting at age 5
            Learned drums starting at about age 20 (can't remember the exact year)
            Learned guitar starting at about age ??? (this was an on and off thing for
            years, starting as a young kid and continuing all the way until a few years
            ago when I FINALLY started taking it seriously)

            The culmination of all that?

            I can now do stuff like this.

            YouTube - ‪Puppet On A String‬‏
            From 96 till this year where the hardest years of my life. Mainly because I wasn't playing.
            I imagine it's the same for other instruments, but I know with drums they can save your life.
            We all know the power of music, but those who don't play an instrument don't have a clue on how powerful that is.
            Good song Steve, I liked that one a lot.
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            Life: Nature's way of keeping meat fresh
            Getting old ain't for sissy's
            As you are I was, as I am you will be
            You can't fix stupid, but you can always out smart it.

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            • Profile picture of the author Steven Wagenheim
              Originally Posted by ThomM View Post

              What instrument did you play Kim?

              From 96 till this year where the hardest years of my life. Mainly because I wasn't playing.
              I imagine it's the same for other instruments, but I know with drums they can save your life.
              We all know the power of music, but those who don't play an instrument don't have a clue on how powerful that is.
              Good song Steve, I liked that one a lot.
              Thanks Thom. I like it a lot too. In fact, it's my personal favorite of my tunes.

              I tried to play the guitar lead the way I imagined George Harrison doing it,
              though I'm nowhere near a George Harrison, rest his soul.

              In fact, the whole piece is right out of the 60s with a big influence from
              1967 - 1968 Beatles.
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  • Profile picture of the author KimW
    I haven't played in years and am wanting to start again. Its been so long my kids thought I was BSing them when I was telling them I used to play.
    I had to bring out my Jr High and High School yearbooks and show them the band pictures to prove I really did play back in the day.
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  • Profile picture of the author KimW
    Brain fart Thom? I'm pretty sure we have discussed this before. I played drums.I can chord out a few songs on the guitar,but I played drums. The thing is,I wanted to learn the sax,but I can't remember what a sax costs to buy/rent,but somehow my mother learned for drums all you had to buy was a practice pad,which is almost noiseless,and a pair of sticks.
    So that is how I came to learning drums.
    Of course once I became a teenager,it was ok,but it was really hard getting over not playing the sexy sax!
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    • Profile picture of the author Steven Wagenheim
      Originally Posted by KimW View Post

      Brain fart Thom? I'm pretty sure we have discussed this before. I played drums.I can chord out a few songs on the guitar,but I played drums. The thing is,I wanted to learn the sax,but I can't remember what a sax costs to buy/rent,but somehow my mother learned for drums all you had to buy was a practice pad,which is almost noiseless,and a pair of sticks.
      So that is how I came to learning drums.
      Of course once I became a teenager,it was ok,but it was really hard getting over not playing the sexy sax!
      I tried blowing into a trumpet once and almost died. That's when I figured
      out that horns, saxes and stuff like that were best for me to keep away from.
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    • Profile picture of the author ThomM
      Originally Posted by KimW View Post

      Brain fart Thom? I'm pretty sure we have discussed this before. I played drums.I can chord out a few songs on the guitar,but I played drums. The thing is,I wanted to learn the sax,but I can't remember what a sax costs to buy/rent,but somehow my mother learned for drums all you had to buy was a practice pad,which is almost noiseless,and a pair of sticks.
      So that is how I came to learning drums.
      Of course once I became a teenager,it was ok,but it was really hard getting over not playing the sexy sax!
      Geez Kim, I'd need a brain for that
      I don't remember talking about that.
      My first instructor was big on learning on a practice pad.
      Before I get another kit I'll probably get a pad first to practice on.
      I tried blowing into a trumpet once and almost died. That's when I figured
      out that horns, saxes and stuff like that were best for me to keep away from.
      Same here Steve. I've got a few tin whistles now, much easier to play
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      Life: Nature's way of keeping meat fresh
      Getting old ain't for sissy's
      As you are I was, as I am you will be
      You can't fix stupid, but you can always out smart it.

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