I've seen a few threads around here about guitars but can't recall anything ever about drums...

Anyway, after playing guitar for about 15 years, I decided a few years ago to still play but to broaden my musical horizons some more. I got back into piano and learned the bass, cello and drums. I had a pretty beat up Tama set from years ago that I putzed around on but was never very serious about it.

Until recently. I just picked up this new kit:



I went electronic for a couple of reasons.

* Noise (I'm in a townhouse and trying to find time when neighbors aren't around to play an acoustic kit was frustrating!) and
* Recording capability (did NOT want to go through mic'ing a kit again!).

It sounds awesome - I have no complaints about it other than the price tag. Will probably pick up another cymbal trigger and maybe a double-kick pedal.

So, do any of you play drums? And if so, post your kit!

[DigitalEl]

I've always wished I could play a musical instrument. My brother-in-law is a concert pianist in Miami. Talented guy. My mom is a talented pianist, as well. These days she probably would've landed a scholarship, but nobody was encouraging Black folks to go to university in 60s rural Mississippi.

Me... I've tried piano and drums. Was never much good at either. I can still play the first few bars of "One Night in Bangkok" on the piano, for some reason.

Hard work and dedication is one thing, but it's really incredible to me when people can just pick up an instrument and play by ear. That's wild!

Nice drum kit, BTW.

[ReggieX]

Yep! I also picked up a set of V-Drums recently, though they're an older kit bought used. Here's the new set combined with the old Frankenstein kit I put together about 11 years ago.



I don't have enough inputs on the TD-7 brain, so I'll still use the Alesis D4 for the extra triggers and mix & match the sounds.

I've been playing drums off and on since 1986 or so.

Don't forget to join the VDrums.com forums!

[Oisín]

Damn you, I was going to put an “In before ReggieX” post here!

[Nodnarb]

I play drums, but have only played electronic drums in music stores. A couple reasons I don't have an electronic set is because of, as you mentioned, the price tag, but also it allows you to become a sloppy drummer. Those reasons aside, they are extremely fun to play and great for recording. I have a pearl export set that I've had for years, but expanded it with different shells/cymbals/etc. I love it.

[angelmb]

I play… -cough cough- the Donkey Konga bongos, does that count?

[ReggieX]

Originally Posted by screamingFit

* Noise (I'm in a townhouse and trying to find time when neighbors aren't around to play an acoustic kit was frustrating!)

Did you ever try the noise damper pads?

[Oneota]

I play percussion for an orchestra and a wind ensemble, but I don't do much set playing, except for the occasional community theater pit. So yeah, I play, but I can't really post pics, unless you wanna see a nice set of timpani.

[macroy]

used to.... - Ludwig Super Classics 2 x 24" Bass, 12/13/14/15 toms, 16/18 floors and about 9 cymbals splash, 16", 3x 18", 2x20" crash, 20" china, 22 ride (A Zildjians), and 15" new beat HH.

Yea, that was back in my heavy metal days....

Never triggerd pads before... but if I was gonna get back into it... that'll probably be the route I take (easier on the ears). Not sure if I'd get used to not having real cymbals though... there's something about "swinging" through a crash.....

[Nodnarb]

Originally Posted by macroy

there's something about "swinging" through a crash.....

If you look in Reggie's pic, you can see the new kind of electronic cymbals. I agree with you that the old ones didn't feel like real playing but these kind act just like a regular cymbal.

[Railroader]

I used to play something like this in high school.



I like the guitar better these days because you can play nearly anywhere and it travels easier.

[ReggieX]

Originally Posted by Nodnarb

If you look in Reggie's pic, you can see the new kind of electronic cymbals. I agree with you that the old ones didn't feel like real playing but these kind act just like a regular cymbal.

Actually, screamingFit's picture shows the much newer one, they look like actual cymbals. Otherwise, you can get these trigger pads that fit over your real cymbals that also dampen their sound, for the best of both worlds.

[wdlove]

I never played drums.

Very nice looking set drums posted above. Thinking of drums remind me of Ricky Ricardo and his "Baba Loo."

[Kevin]

SWEET! I took drum lessons for 3 years... and because of that I am a better guitar player.

But yeah.. drums are cool.. esp the tribal rhythm stuff.

Love the drum set pics too.

MacNN should form a band.

[mojo2]

My experiences are more along the lines of Oneonta's and Railroader's. HS stage band and orchestras and a drum & bugle corps. I regret having never really picked up the knack of playing a set, just the individual pieces. I count rests really well, however.

And I can play cowbell with the BEST of 'em!

[Nodnarb]

Originally Posted by ReggieX

Actually, screamingFit's picture shows the much newer one, they look like actual cymbals. Otherwise, you can get these trigger pads that fit over your real cymbals that also dampen their sound, for the best of both worlds.

Whoops, I meant screamingFit's, not your pic, sorry. Your picture shows the old kind of electronic cymbals that macroy was talking about "not being able to swing through".

Damn the drums! Spent a total of eight hours playing over the past two days...and hurt like hell. I find beating the crap out of something with sticks to be a good stress reliever!

Reminds me of the conversation I had with the clerk when I was buying them. Normally, I don't buy extended warranties on stuff but as he said, and I can't blame his logic, "You're hitting something electronic. With sticks." So yeah, I bought it.

I went and MIDI'd the kit into the studio and rerecorded some songs I had done before with a drum machine. Added a whole new dimension to the tracks and don't think I'll ever go back to drum programming again.

Glad to see there's some other skin bangers around here. Was beginning to think that all there was were axe grinders.

[Nodnarb]

I got a question for the guys who play electric kits: do you ever miss the real feel of playing a regular set? I've heard that this was the major drawback of playing electronic drums, but these newer kits with the mesh heads play so much better than the old ones. Does it ever get boring or do you find yourself wishing you had a regular set once in a while?

[scottiB]

Been playing for 27 years. I still use the kit I got when I was 11: Premier (thought it's funny when I play in local rock clubs, the sound guy usually says that it's a great vintage kit--gee I'm old). Most of my hardware is Yamaha from the 80s and mostly Zildjian cymbals (22" med ride, 14" new beat, 18" medium and medium thin crashes, 17" medium and medium thin crashes--and an 18" Paiste 505 China that sounds like so much a$$ it's great).

[ReggieX]

Originally Posted by Nodnarb

I got a question for the guys who play electric kits: do you ever miss the real feel of playing a regular set?

Sure; and when it gets too much, I'll book a rehearsal room and bash around one of their kits with some friends.

The mesh heads are a bit bouncy, which may lead to what you called "sloppiness" since it takes nothing to get a roll going (though the triggers aren't going to produce a sound for each hit when you go to fast, so as long as you're listening to the brain and not the heads, you'll be fine ), but beat the hard plastic heads of the past. The Tama ones in my kit are better than the hard plastic ones, and you can adjust the tension a bit through the head screws.

Nothing beats real hi-hats though!

[Doofy]

Originally Posted by ReggieX

Nothing beats real hi-hats though!

...except drum sticks.

[CMYKid]

i'd be lying if i said i hadnt noticed a significant evolution in the quality and sound of electronic sets, but from the standpoint of the engineer that hasta mix them I'd almost rather die.

[ReggieX]

Originally Posted by Doofy

...except drum sticks.

My brushes beg to differ!

[Doofy]

Originally Posted by CMYKid

i'd be lying if i said i hadnt noticed a significant evolution in the quality and sound of electronic sets, but from the standpoint of the engineer that hasta mix them I'd almost rather die.

Really? I'd much rather mix electronic drums than live ones.