Happy Jack Posted January 30, 2015 Author Share Posted January 30, 2015 [quote name='Kevin Dean' timestamp='1422630675' post='2674886'] The only thing I don't like about it is that I would have expected the wires to be built into the frame & it takes longer to set up than it should . [/quote] Understood, but having them externally means that repairs & upgrades are far easier. I also notice that some of the drummers who use my Roland prefer to have different pads in different places, and at least one of them likes to remove two of the pads! Where the kit is used repeatedly by Paul (i.e. no one else fiddles with it) we usually move it around fully-plugged (except the two pedals of course) so there's very little actual setting up involved. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Dean Posted January 30, 2015 Share Posted January 30, 2015 It's enabled us to get a stadium type sound in a pub , with an acoustic kit we would of had to mic every drum & use gated reverbs etc . Plus we could turn the whole band up & down via a couple of sliders if required . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monckyman Posted January 30, 2015 Share Posted January 30, 2015 The "listening with their eyes" is a very interesting point, because I believe people will always do that, and are generally looking for the image they are most comfortable with and can reference most easily. I just know that however it sounds, some folk will always be happier seeing a big shiny thing in the middle of the stage. Same with a double bass, I take mine to some gigs and play about 5 songs, and the mere look of the thing adds massively to the perception of the audience to those songs. My current drummer did use the damped kit and triggers method 15 years ago before going fully electronic, I'm now persuading him to return to something similar. We are all, basically magpies, and we like shiny things to gaze at. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stingrayPete1977 Posted January 30, 2015 Share Posted January 30, 2015 Our drummer uses a Jobecky kit with a Roland module, it's a bit weird to get used to but we have got gigs bands without won't get because of the volume, it doesn't matter how good YOUR drummer is at playing quietly because the majority of drummers knocking up a shed before have stopped the venue taking a chance! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monckyman Posted January 30, 2015 Share Posted January 30, 2015 Good point. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
essexbasscat Posted January 30, 2015 Share Posted January 30, 2015 Electronic drums have really worked well in the recent past. The decrease of on stage volume made harmonising vocals so much easier. Overall, it led to better individual performances and improved real time communication between musicians. That's on stage. Off stage- volume was more appropriate to the circumstances. Reality is, it led to more bookings for the band Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dad3353 Posted January 30, 2015 Share Posted January 30, 2015 [size=4]Well, I'm a drummer, and for once feel (slightly...) qualified to contribute modestly...[/size] [size=4]I think part of the reply involves this: "...[color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]really nice set of Roland V-Drums...". There are 'good' and there are 'less good' systems out there; a budget kit may well prove to be a disappointment, with all the standard criticisms incorporated (bad pad 'feel', lousy cymbal response, tacky hardware...). A young friend brought his starter-model Roland kit to our rehearsal room a couple of years ago, and within a very few months it was in shreds and tatters (admittedly he was a thrash-metal double-pedal fiend...). Whilst a good drummer can make a modest kit sound well, and maintain it for decades, I don't think that's so with a bottom-range leccy kit. If one can pay the price, they are, indeed, excellent, but they're not cheap.[/font][/color][/size] [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Would I play one myself..? Certainly, like a shot, if my budget [/font][/color][color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]could stretch to a higher-end one. Until then, I control the volume with my head, arms and feet, and have not, over several decades, ever been told or asked to turn it down, either in practise, rehearsal or in bars and pubs. (I did, once, have a biddy, owner of the pizzeria, wince when I cracked a shot on the snare whilst setting up, but nothing was said during the blues/rock concert...).[/font][/color] [font="helvetica, arial, sans-serif"][color="#282828"]I do find it rather comical when folks swap instruments, pedals and settings when going through a variety repertoire; the poor old drummer can't swap out his maple kit for a Vistalite, or tune into 'disco' mode for a number or two. All has to be done with stick control. In that respect, leccy kits are wonderful; we can, at last, have concert timpani rolls, and Roto Toms, and handclaps, all at the flick of a switch. Gotta love progress..! [/color][/font] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted January 30, 2015 Share Posted January 30, 2015 A couple more observations from my days of being in bands using electronic kits. The damped shells method was not only visually reassuring for the audience (although as the band sound was fairly "hi-tech" IMO the pads fitted the look at least as well) but provided an extra level of on-stage "drum" sound which mean purely for timing purposes we didn't need to have the drum sounds as loud in the monitors. IME higher technical spec doesn't always mean better or more realistic drum sounds. As I said previously much of getting convincing drums from electronic kits is down to the skill of the drummer in programming the "brain" of the kit to respond to their style of playing. Of the various kits I was working with 15 years ago the most "realistic" sounding was the Clavia D-Drum which on paper had the lowest spec, but because of the way it reacted to the person playing it had far more "life" in the sounds - especially the hi-hat and cymbals - than systems with higher quality drum sounds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dad3353 Posted January 30, 2015 Share Posted January 30, 2015 [quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1422650181' post='2675276'] A couple more observations from my days of being in bands using electronic kits. The damped shells method was not only visually reassuring for the audience (although as the band sound was fairly "hi-tech" IMO the pads fitted the look at least as well) but provided an extra level of on-stage "drum" sound which mean purely for timing purposes we didn't need to have the drum sounds as loud in the monitors. IME higher technical spec doesn't always mean better or more realistic drum sounds. As I said previously much of getting convincing drums from electronic kits is down to the skill of the drummer in programming the "brain" of the kit to respond to their style of playing. Of the various kits I was working with 15 years ago the most "realistic" sounding was the Clavia D-Drum which on paper had the lowest spec, but because of the way it reacted to the person playing it had far more "life" in the sounds - especially the hi-hat and cymbals - than systems with higher quality drum sounds. [/quote] Whilst true, the raw sounds are not really the problem these days. The samples used, even in modest kits, are far better than many badly-tuned acoustic kits out there. No, the 'personalisation', or 'tuning to the player' is highly dependant on the facilities offered by the 'brain' on one side and the element on the other. A multi-zone brain won't help a single-zone pad, for instance. A brain with limited sensitivity ranges will not be as adaptable as a more sophisticated one. Price is a key point; rubber pads versus mesh heads..? Realistic hi-hats..? N° of additional cymbals one may add..? These all come at a price. Starter, or practise kits come in at £200-500. Decent sets are around £1500-2500. DDrums are listed at £4500. Excellent stuff, surely, but not 'budget' at all. The technical spec is very important, imo; more so even than the sounds. After all, one may always ( well, mostly..!) upload completely different samples, if one wishes. One cannot (easily...) add extra elements to many kits, though, so an extra low tom, or a secondary piccolo snare have to go by the board. Maybe I should save all this for Drumchat.co.uk, though... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pqs Posted January 31, 2015 Share Posted January 31, 2015 Happy Jack, did you use the electronic kit in The Ash Tree? I have seen a couple of bands in there and the limiter kicks in way to quickly. Regards Peter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Jack Posted January 31, 2015 Author Share Posted January 31, 2015 Yup. We played there in late Nov and got through the whole three sets without triggering it once. Landlord was so impressed that he booked us for NYE on the spot. We started that gig using exactly the same rig and same settings as before, got 20 minutes into Set #1 and bosh! Complete silence. Oh sh*t oh dear. That limiter is truly savage. In this case, I'm guessing the difference was the exact direction that the PA cab was pointing, or the number of punters close to the band at that moment, or what colour the month was. Despite all that, we've still been booked for another three gigs there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pqs Posted February 1, 2015 Share Posted February 1, 2015 I think the problem is the position of the limiter it would be better placed on the other side of the pub. I saw one of the barmaid's, Dad's band play and it went off all night not good. Next time you play there I'll say hello. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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