electronic drum kit info please

This forum is for anything not Reason related, if you just want to talk about other stuff. Please keep it friendly!
Post Reply
User avatar
littlejam
Posts: 787
Joined: 15 Jan 2015

06 May 2023

hello,

i live in a brooklyn apartment
so getting a real drum set isn't gonna happen
however, i am interested in getting an electronic / midi drum set
i have just started doing research

if anyone has advice / recommendations i would appreciate it

thank you

j
littlejamaicastudios
i7 2.8ghz / 24GB ddr3 / Quadro 4000 x 2 / ProFire 610
reason 10 / reaper / acidpro /akai mpk mini / korg padkontrol / axiom 25 / radium 49
'i get by with a lot of help from my friends'

User avatar
selig
RE Developer
Posts: 11685
Joined: 15 Jan 2015
Location: The NorthWoods, CT, USA

06 May 2023

I was in Manhattan and Queens for a few years, tiny space and close neighbors are not easy to deal with when making music!
I have drummed since 7th grade, and the ONLY electronic kits I have enjoyed (or owned) have been Roland V-Drums. If you’re not used to real drums you may find other options workable especially if space is an issue.
Selig Audio, LLC

Baylo
Posts: 149
Joined: 17 Jan 2015

06 May 2023

In addition to the difference in feel - which may just be a necessary compromise - also bear in mind that electronic drums are not at all silent, though that depends on your playing style / music genre. There are some videos on YouTube that illustrate the actual sound but many of them are quite laid-back players. I can tell you that my Rock- and Heavy Metal-playing son is *loud*. Especially with his double-kick pedal that essentially has him stomping on the ground. Neighbors in the apartment below you will almost certainly notice. Trying out a kit in-store is highly recommended but your kit will sound a lot louder in a small apartment than it does on a concrete floor in a big noisy store.

Baylo
Posts: 149
Joined: 17 Jan 2015

06 May 2023

Quick addition to say: if you have a cheap practice pad, your drums and cymbals will sound a lot like that. But the kick still has you stomping the floor.

User avatar
littlejam
Posts: 787
Joined: 15 Jan 2015

06 May 2023

hello,

the floors of the building are pretty solid

i've had the noise police show up at my door before
and have had letters stuck underneath the door as notification

i'm looking to play stuff like 'let the drummer kick'



i'm looking at the roland electric drums

it's a more for meditation, actually

i've only banged around on a real drum set in the studio
at the high school i used to teach at
never had any real rhythm (i'm getting better at 4 independent rhythms now)
but now, pounding pillows under my feet while listening to music and reading stuff,
my feet and hands are keeping pretty goodgood time

my next question is how to record the electronic drums as 'midi' and not just audio

i know nothing about electronic drums

i am grateful for your help

like 700$ max for a kit

cheers and eat well,

j
littlejamaicastudios
i7 2.8ghz / 24GB ddr3 / Quadro 4000 x 2 / ProFire 610
reason 10 / reaper / acidpro /akai mpk mini / korg padkontrol / axiom 25 / radium 49
'i get by with a lot of help from my friends'

User avatar
jam-s
Posts: 3035
Joined: 17 Apr 2015
Location: Aachen, Germany
Contact:

06 May 2023

littlejam wrote:
06 May 2023
hello,

the floors of the building are pretty solid

[...]

my next question is how to record the electronic drums as 'midi' and not just audio

i know nothing about electronic drums
You can decouple the kit by using some dense decoupling foam panels and a large enough wooden board (+ carpet ontop) to put under your e-drum-kit. That way the kicks should not be all too bad for the neighbours.

Also the e-drum "brain" will automatically output midi events for the pads that you've hit (usually different note number + velocity). Be sure to check the manual of the drum module/kit you're interested in before hitting the buy button.

Baylo
Posts: 149
Joined: 17 Jan 2015

07 May 2023

My son has an old Alesis Nitro kit that he has expanded over the years. The “brain” module can send different midi notes (and velocity) for each pad attached. He has programmed it to trigger the Ryan Greene Alt Drums refill in Reason and uses that on all his cover version recordings. Example here:

User avatar
littlejam
Posts: 787
Joined: 15 Jan 2015

07 May 2023

hello,

@jams-s:
thank you for the info about the midi notes
it is the reason i want to buy in to the electronic drum kit thing
if i can get clean midi, i will be a very happy camper
i play music louder than i stomp on the floor

it'll be fun to see how much harder i stomp on the pedals after i get a kit
i already stomp on pillows
that's what has improved my timing / rhythm and makes me want to get a kit

i like the 'velocity' option

@Baylo: after watching said video, i am interested in the 'alesis nitro kit' set
because it is expandable and the midi notes is most important
will look into the ryan green alt drums refill

would be neat to play drums wit fricktion RE or other synths

my older brother (54) plays better drums than me
so, i'm looking to show him up
the night before his wedding we all went to a bar
and brother rob got on a real drum set and played a garth brooks tune
southern rednecks at their finest
shots of tequila all around
the next day was sheer bliss
they got divorced after two years
but are still best friends
it's funny how relationships turn out, huh...



it's gonna be a shitload of fun just to smakc shit and stomp on stuff
and have a cool song afterwards

i am on windows 7 64 bit os
i have m-audio profire610 interface firewire


cheers and eat well,


j
littlejamaicastudios
i7 2.8ghz / 24GB ddr3 / Quadro 4000 x 2 / ProFire 610
reason 10 / reaper / acidpro /akai mpk mini / korg padkontrol / axiom 25 / radium 49
'i get by with a lot of help from my friends'

Baylo
Posts: 149
Joined: 17 Jan 2015

07 May 2023

It’s a lot of fun but, to return to Selig’s very important point, do not expect the Nitro kit to feel like real drums. It’s a bit better now with their mesh heads, but still a long way short. As long as you know that and are ok with that, it’s all good.

User avatar
littlejam
Posts: 787
Joined: 15 Jan 2015

07 May 2023

hello,

i will check to see if guitar center has a drum set set up to trial
i don't play drums enough to know what a drum set is supposed to feel like
so i think i will be okay

to record the midi notes is really important to me

thank you,

j
littlejamaicastudios
i7 2.8ghz / 24GB ddr3 / Quadro 4000 x 2 / ProFire 610
reason 10 / reaper / acidpro /akai mpk mini / korg padkontrol / axiom 25 / radium 49
'i get by with a lot of help from my friends'

User avatar
littlejam
Posts: 787
Joined: 15 Jan 2015

21 May 2023

hello,

just watched 'air'
and my feet are stomping on the floor
to 'sister christian' by night ranger

a simple, powerful drum beat

i'm collecting a 'reference song' folder of drum songs to play

let the drummer kick
sister christian
in da club
some bob marley songs

looking for good Metallica songs
(don't know if said drum kit will have a double kick drum pedal)

some bob marley songs


looking for more suggestions please

cheers and eat well,

j
littlejamaicastudios
i7 2.8ghz / 24GB ddr3 / Quadro 4000 x 2 / ProFire 610
reason 10 / reaper / acidpro /akai mpk mini / korg padkontrol / axiom 25 / radium 49
'i get by with a lot of help from my friends'

Post Reply
  • Information
  • Who is online

    Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 10 guests