14 DigitalDrummer May2013

Transcription

ddmay2013_Layout 3 10/04/13 7:53 AM Page 1
Edition 14
MAY 2013
The global electronic drumming e-zine
Digital Dirk
Verbeuren goes virtual
DTX400 review Pro choices
Custom builds
©2013 Avedis Zildjian Company
ELECTRIC
MEET ACOUSTIC
CYMBAL
Gen16. The world’s first acoustic electric cymbal.
Play the hi-hat like a hi-hat. Choke cymbals. Roll with mallets. Stack cymbals.
Experience all the dynamics without the latency or audio compression
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sounds with up to 99 presets per cymbal. Choose from an array of cymbal
sizes and types made at the Zildjian factory.
Gavin Harrison of the Porcupine Tree
Gen16 AE Cymbals were featured on his recent Zildjian Asia Clinic Tour
SOUND LEGACY
--from-the-editor-is published by
DigitalDrummer
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Editor & Publisher
Allan Leibowitz
Sub-Editor
Solana da Silva
Contributors
Sebastian Beresford
Philippe Decuyper
John Emrich
Scott Holder
Bob Terry
Cover Photo
Hannah Verbeuren
Design and layout
‘talking business’
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digitalDRUMMER, MAY 2013
Welcome to another jam-packed issue. In this edition,
you’ll find reviews of some of the latest product offerings,
including the entry-level Yamaha DTX450 kit, Roland’s
new BT-1 trigger bar and Drumasonic’s upgraded VST
pack.
Our US-based reviewer, Scott Holder, has been busy, also
providing a review of the Simmons DA200S amp. It’s a
product he has been championing for a couple of years
and despite several attempts by him and me to contact
Guitar Center, the amp’s importer, Scott was forced to
bend one of our review rules and test his own gear. We
usually test loan equipment to which we have no
emotional attachment, but in this case, he already had
the gear and was keen to spread the word.
Scott has several other reviews in the pipeline, some of
which will appear in the next issue along with our road
test of the new KAT Percussion KT2 kit which I am
currently putting through its paces.
There is plenty of artist input this month, not just from
Dirk Verbeuren, our profiled player, but also from a
‘who’s who’ of drumming, sharing their personal
recommendations for headphones and in-ear monitors.
We got great reader response to our last two
headphone/IEM reports and this time decided to take a
different approach. We asked a number of leading
drummers, most of whom have been profiled in
digitalDrummer, to nominate their favourite personal
monitoring devices and tell us what they like about them.
We augment their comments with some specs for the
technically minded.
For those who skipped our home page when accessing
this edition, I’d urge you to visit
www.digitaldrummermag.com. We have just finished
overhauling the site to make it easier to read and
navigate. For example, you’ll now find the top three news
stories and links to the last few back issues right on the
front page. The new back issues page itself is much
more comprehensive, providing details of what’s in each
edition, making it easier to track down particular articles
you may be chasing. Remember that the last three
issues are available through the current edition, but
anything older needs to be accessed through the back
issues page.
We’ve also included a couple of video links on the home
page, and have been changing the featured YouTube
clips every week or so. Since video is such a great
medium to demonstrate gear and technique, there’s a
wealth of material to display. And if readers find
something in their web exploration which they would like
to share, please let us know.
And now, back to the current edition and I hope you enjoy
this offering …
[email protected]
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The global electronic drumming e-zine
Edition 14
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May 2013
GEAR
The first kit
digitalDrummer has tended to overlook the basics of edrumming, but we address that this month with a primer
on choosing your first kit by Bob Terry.
Not so basic
Over the last couple of years, Yamaha has been rolling
out its next generation of e-drums, literally from the top
down. The process has been completed with the release
of an introductory-level kit, the DTX400/430/450, which
Scott Holder has put through its paces.
Just what the doctor ordered
Amateur drummer Tim Reed was not satisfied with one
custom drum kit, so he followed up with a second unique
set and then an acoustic snare conversion. The drumming
doctor shared his experience with digitalDrummer editor
Allan Leibowitz.
Hear, hear
As silent instruments, e-drums require earphones to be
heard – and not all monitoring devices are equal.
digitalDrummer has reviewed a variety of in-ear monitors
and headphones in past issues, but this time we’re taking
a more personal approach. We’ve rounded up an expert
panel of professional drummers to find out what they use.
Big sound at a very small price
Available since 2008, the Simmons DA200S belies the edrum truism of “you get what you pay for” when it comes
to amplifying your e-kit. Scott Holder plugs in and powers
up.
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50
52
55
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gear
More aux triggers
In May 2011, digitalDrummer put eight auxiliary triggers to
the test in the first comprehensive head2head in the
category. Allan Leibowitz follows up with another two
offerings.
profile
Profile: Dirk Verbeuren
While Belgian-born metal drummer Dirk Verbeuren is best
known for his frantic blastbeats and double-kicks, he has
become a master of MIDI and, thanks to e-drums and VST
software, an international collaborator.
How I use e-drums
Sebastian Beresford is one of the breed of new drummers
pushing the boundaries by integrating electronics into
acoustic set-ups – and vice versa.
VST
Product review: Drumasonic 2.0
There are two kinds of VST offerings – the all-in-one megaboxes and the high-quality limited kit offerings. Drumasonic
falls into the second camp.
DIY
Cone or column
Do I have to use a cone for a DIY drum trigger? I see some
popular makes use foam columns instead.
My monster kit
Scott Koopmann from Upstate New York has the advantage
of working as a monitor engineer with rock group Chicago
by day, but when he’s off the clock, he rocks to his
converted acoustic kit.
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--Gear--
PHOTO: KRAFT MUSIC
The first kit
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BEFORE YOU CAN choose the electronic
drum kit that is right for you, you should
consider several things. First, you need to
determine your budget. Electronic drum kits
can range in price from around $500 up to
$10,000. Note: I am not talking about toys here
- there are many toys out on the market. I am
talking about electronic drum kits that can be
purchased at music retail stores. Second, you
must determine what you will need from your
electronic drum kit. There are many uses for
electronic drum kits that we will take a look at
later in this article.
A little background
Electronic drums have been available since
the 1970s. What was once a very crude
instrument has now evolved into a very
sophisticated, easy-to-use tool. This is true for
both the beginner and seasoned professional.
Advantages of e-drums
or “Rhythm Coach” that is able to analyse how
steadily you are playing - alongside a
metronome or sequenced song. Some
advanced modules also feature a sophisticated
”Rhythm Gate” which cancels out (stops the
playback) of any stroke that you play out of
time. Together, these practice tools function as
an on-board drum instructor, which can help
you progress in a systematic (and analytical)
manner.
Instrument options: Electronic drums also
have the ability to produce many different drum
kit sounds. For example, many modules allow
you to choose any shell type used in acoustic
drum manufacturing, such as oak, maple or
birch. Additionally, these kits also utilise
various presets tuned for each music style.
These usually include rock, pop, metal, jazz,
studio, arena and more. Other presets focus
on world percussion instruments, such as
congas, bongos, timbales, triangles, wood
blocks and maracas.
There are many advantages to using a full
electronic drum kit. These include controlling
volume, having multiple drum sound and
instrument options, as well as the ability to
produce high quality recorded drum sounds
(regardless of your studio environment). In
addition, there are many practice tools
included within today’s modules – such as an
on-board metronome and software features
that can analyse the timing of your grooves,
fills and overall beat placement.
Specialised (and often expensive) modules
also offer various chromatically tuned timpanis,
marimbas, xylophones and vibraphones. You
can also add “on-board” effects (compression,
reverb, flange) to each of your drum sounds,
preset kits and percussion instruments. As if
this was not enough, today’s modules allow
you to tweak each sound, re-map any sound to
any pad and save them as your own custom
kits.
Practice tools: Many electronic drum kits are
packaged with an on‐board metronome (click
track) that can help you to practise and play in
time. Not only can you set this to a specific
tempo, but you can also assign it to a wood
block, cowbell, or shaker sound too. Most
models also contain a type of “Groove Check”
Studio replacement: Most of us do not own
(or have regular access to) an expensive and
finely tuned recording studio. With today’s
technology, you do not need one! With today’s
crop of electronic drum kits, you can make a
high quality drum set recording in your
bedroom, garage, living room or basement. All
you will need is your electronic set, a computer
and DAW recording software such as Cubase,
Pro Tools, Logic or Ableton Live. Many pro
drummers have set up this kind of home
studio. They record their electronic kit into the
computer and upload tracks via the Internet to
their clients (who can be anywhere in the
world).
Volume: The most obvious (and popular)
advantage of the electronic kit is the ability to
control the output performance volume. The
ability to play with headphones or “turn down”
an amplifier is a serious plus for practising
drummers who live in apartments. It is even
more critical for performing drummers who
regularly play in volume-controlled venues like
churches, houses of worship, casinos and
restaurants. Furthermore, many high-profile
touring drummers work for leaders who prefer
in-ear monitors and a low stage volume. The
full electronic kit works perfectly in this
situation.
Recording in the module: Many kits allow
you to record your drumming performance
within (and on) the module itself. This is a
great feature for creating loops or patterns.
You can play these back on stage during
performances or use them as entertaining
practice tools.
7
Anatomy of an e-kit
KICK
PAD
CYMBAL
HI-HAT
MODULE
HH
CONTROL
BASS
PEDAL
Components of the e-kit
Just like acoustic drum sets, an electronic
drum kit is comprised of many individual
components. These include pads that
correspond to each acoustic drum voice: the
bass drum, snare drum, toms, hi‐hat and
cymbals. There is also a module that acts as
the central nervous system of the set-up. Each
pad connects to this module by cable. Then
(and when a pad is struck), the module
reproduces the appropriate on-board drum or
percussion sound.
E-drum manufacturers offer kits that include all
the components, module and pads that you
need to get started. Many companies also offer
an electronic kit at each price point – ranging
from beginner (inexpensive) to professional
(very expensive). This allows the consumer to
choose a product based on their individual
budget, desire and overall skill level.
Module: A drum module is an electronic
musical instrument that is similar to a
synthesizer. Instead of generating sounds, it
models sounds or uses recordings (or
samples) of sounds that are recorded into it by
the manufacturer (and often by the user).
Within the context of a full electronic kit, it also
acts as “command central” because it
interprets the incoming signals from each pad,
processes the signal and then plays a
8
DRUM
PAD
RACK
corresponding sound that is stored within its
memory.
Drum trigger pads: Trigger pads are synthetic
drum playing surfaces and they are very
reminiscent of a traditional practice pad, in
both appearance and feel. In a standard kit
configuration, each pad corresponds to a
traditional acoustic drum voice: the bass drum,
snare drum, toms, hi‐hat and cymbals. Each
pad is also connected to the electronic drum
module by a cable and, when struck, sends a
signal to the module to produce the
appropriate drum sound.
Playing surfaces: Trigger pads come in all
shapes, sizes and materials. The three most
common materials used are rubber, mesh and
silicone. Historically, rubber is the most widely
produced because it is a traditional material
used within thousands of practice pads and it
is inexpensive to manufacture. In the
mid‐1990s, Roland introduced the first meshheaded drum pad. This type of pad feels quite
uniform on all surfaces (snare, toms, bass
drum) and it offers a much better rebound than
traditional rubber. In 2010, DTX Drums by
Yamaha introduced a textured cellular silicone
pad. This DTX pad allows for feel and tension
variations – i.e. the snare drum pad has a
tighter rebound and more response than a floor
tom pad.
KAT Digital Drum Sets
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Choose from two models,
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KAT KT1 $749.00 (AUST RRP)*
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KAT_DD_ProMusic_MAY.indd 1
3/22/13 11:10 AM
HEAD-HUNTING: Roland’s mesh, Alesis’ RealHead and Yamaha’s silicone
Cymbal trigger pads: Cymbal pads function
just like drum trigger pads. They are round (or
triangular) in shape and made of rubber or
dampened metal. They can also have one, two
or three zones (bell/bow/edge).
Hardware
Stands and racks: Electronic drum kit
manufacturers place their drum and cymbal
pads on racks. They do this for a couple of
reasons: the kit is completely self‐contained
and modular; and it’s easy to set up, use, and
store.
Drummers come in all shapes and sizes.
Therefore, one size does not fit all when it
comes to racks and stands. Most drummers
set their kits up to suit their height and overall
body type. The racks and stands have
positional settings so that you can raise or
lower and adjust the angles of the different
components. There are no rules, but I strongly
urge new drummers to seek proper instruction
regarding the ergonomics of drumming. You
can develop some bad habits, which can lead
to aches and pains (if you do not pay attention
to your posture when you play).
Additional Items
Now that we have discussed the full electronic
drum kit, let’s take a look at some additional
(and helpful) items that you may need. These
items generally do not come packaged with
your electronic drum kit.
Monitors: Most electronic drum manufacturers
offer monitoring systems that are made for and are compatible with - their electronic drum
kits. They usually offer a good/better/best type
of selection. These monitoring systems are
used for personal monitoring during practice
and they are not usually intended for a live
performance. Here are some things to keep in
mind when choosing a monitor system:
The better the system, the better the quality of
your drum sound. If you are buying a lowerpriced (or introductory) electronic drum kit,
most of the available monitor systems will do
the job. However, when your kit has a higher
MONITOR OPTIONS: Drum amps come in various shapes and sizes
10
sound quality than your monitoring system, you
may miss the low frequency projection within
your kick drum and low tom samples.
For the highest quality reproduction of sound,
your monitor system needs to have a woofer
(for low frequencies) and dual tweeters (for
high frequencies).
Headphones: Again, electronic drums are
acoustically quiet and you can control the
volume. As with all items, price dictates the
quality of the phones. Therefore, you should
study (and compare) the frequency capabilities
from headphone to headphone. The wider the
frequency range, the better the headphones
will reproduce each sound of the drum kit. Try
as many pairs as you can and let your ears
decide which model is for you.
Mixing board: Most electronic modules come
with a small on-board audio mixer that allows
you to achieve a nice balance within each
drum set voice. This mixer is usually intended
for practice or small venue performance
situations. You may also encounter other
playing situations where you need to send
multiple mixes to the house PA, house monitor
system and multiple band members – all at the
same time. This is common within many larger
live venues and, if this is the case, you will
need a mixing board. Professional mixing
boards vary greatly in both price and features.
Therefore (and for more detailed information
on mixers), I encourage you to consult a
mixing professional.
Audio player: If you don’t have one, get one.
You will have a lot of fun playing your
electronic drum kit to songs on your MP3
player. Most kits have an auxiliary input on the
module which will allow you to mix your MP3s
alongside the electronic drum kit voices.
Conclusion
Hopefully, this article will
give you some
things to think
about as you shop
around for the
electronic drum kit
that might be right for
you. There are many to
choose from out on the
market. So, whether
you’re a beginner or a
seasoned pro, there is a kit
out there that is right for
you. You can find more
information in my book, “The Beginner’s Guide
to Electronic Drums”, published by Hal Leonard
Corporation.
--Gear--
Not so basic
Over the last couple of years, Yamaha has been
rolling out its next generation of e-drums, literally
from the top down. The process has been
completed with the release of an introductory-level
kit, the DTX400/430/450, which Scott Holder has
put through its paces.
12
IT’S BEEN OVER seven years since I’ve
played on a non-mesh kit with an entry-level
module. The DTX400/430/450 isn’t aimed at
me, but I put myself in a beginner’s shoes and
also considered how the kit compared to
something more advanced since that is an
indication of how satisfied a user might be in
the long run.
The basics
The differences in kit configuration depend on
snare and kick components. The 450 has a
three-zone snare (TP70S), an upright kick pad
(KP65) and a kick pedal. The 430 loses the
snare, while the 400 loses the snare and the
kick rig which is replaced by an integrated
electronic pedal. All three configurations have
three tom pads and three cymbals (PCY90AT),
one each for a hi-hat, ride and crash. The kick
pad also has an additional pad input, meaning
you can expand the kit and assign it any of the
available sounds. For review purposes, I
hooked up an old Yamaha PCY10 as a second
crash.
A “snake” - actually a bundle of labeled
individual cables - is included. All are a
predetermined length and this assumes you’re
a right-handed drummer; if you’re left-handed,
you need to switch the crash and ride cables
at the module end.
Initial set-up from opening the box to laying
down smooth grooves took about 90 minutes.
The only other thing you need is a throne;
otherwise, the kit is plug and play.
The toms and the module come already
attached to rack components. The rack is
black, light-weight metal. The entire rig, when
fully assembled, is remarkably lightweight.
After years of hauling around my modest (by
many e-drummers’ standards), mesh-based kit
with heftier cymbals (CY-14s, PCY130s,
Concept 1, etc), the portability and lightweight
aspect of the 450 was great.
not the other way around. Finally, the hi-hat
mount kept slipping. I’m a hard hitter and
couldn’t get the L-rod tight enough to keep the
hat from tilting downward toward the snare
over time.
The module
When it dawned on me that the module didn’t
have a display screen, I was very skeptical
about how easy it would be to use. However,
my fears were groundless and the manual is
clear about what you need to do, and the logic
of the navigation is, in some ways, easier to
follow than other modules with far more
developed screen navigation. The downside is
that until you remember what buttons to push
to get into a particular area, you do need to
have the manual handy. But, as it’s a fairly
simple module, there’s not a whole lot of
navigation required.
The sound engine is based on the newgeneration DTX900 module, so for an
introductory system, it has good overall
sounds. There are 10 kits and 169 total
individual sounds (or “voices” as Yamaha calls
them), ranging from rock to jazz to percussion.
The module allows you to do most of the
standard things you expect on any e-kit:
change individual voice assignments to any
given pad, adjust individual pad panning,
overall kit volume and individual pad volume.
Actual sound editing consists of nine types of
preset reverb profiles. That’s very basic, but
again, it’s enough for a beginner. As I played
on the kit via headphones, I never found
myself thinking: “oh, if I could just tweak that
third tom a little bit more”.
Ergonomically, there are two notable
exceptions: module and cymbal locations. The
module’s placement behind the hi-hat makes it
awkward to reach. It also limits to a certain
degree the placement of the hi-hat cymbal
which, in turn, can limit the placement of the
snare.
The ride and crash cymbals are mounted atop
the two vertical rack poles and sit at an angle
you can’t adjust. If you want to slide the
cymbals around, you can’t; thus, the drummer
has to adapt to the component placement and
13
The TP70S snare pad has three zones while the tom pad has one zone
You can change various hi-hat settings, a kick
velocity setting if you use a hi-hat controller as
a second kick drum pedal and 25 velocity
curves. The hi-hat controller as a second kick
drum is an interesting feature, but you give up
having a hi-hat foot pedal. This feature is
aimed at the DTX400; otherwise, if you want
the death metal, double-bass capability, the
KP65 pad can easily handle that with the
appropriate physical kick pedal.
External connections consist of a USB/MIDI
output, a 1⁄8” stereo input and a ¼” stereo
output which doubles as either headphones or
external speakers. You would need a splitter if
wanting to run external sound to an L and R
cabinet and still need some other way to have
a headphone connection.
Finally, the module can act as a MIDI controller
for computer-based VST programs via a USB
cable.I hooked this up to my computer running
Toontrack’s EZdrummer. For the most part, it
was plug and play. The only bug was when
doing a firm heel splash at the hinge point of
the pedal and the pedal’s base, the hi-hat
splashed and the crash crashed on EZD. With
a basic VST like EZD, you can’t change the
MIDI channel to work around that; something
more advanced with MIDI remapping features
will fix this. Otherwise, using the module as a
MIDI controller worked well; in fact, with a third
party MIDI remapping program, you can
significantly increase the hi-hat articulation and
get okay cymbal swells.
The pads
Starting from the ground and working our way
up, the KP65 is a solid upright, rubber kick
pad. Actually, the KP65 was my first upright
kick pad. Since then, Yamaha has slightly
changed the shape and rubber composition of
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the pad so that it doesn’t get a dimple from
constant beating. The pedal (FP6110A) works
fine and I found the response good. There’s
some debate about the relative “bounce” of a
rubber kick pad versus mesh and after
embracing a mesh kick many years ago, I was
surprised at how little difference I noticed with
this trigger.
Next in altitude, the snare. The 7.5” TP70S is
an interesting design in which one half of the
rim produces rim hits while the other half
produces cross-sticking. You can switch them
from one side to the other via a module setting
to accommodate left-handed drummers.
The main area of the pad is velocity sensitive
and sometimes, depending on the snare voice,
a bit too sensitive. I would get rim hits if striking
really hard on the main pad area. Again, this
seemed to be confined to just a couple of
snare voices.
There is some variation, again bordering more
on rim sounds, across the head – but it’s not
nearly what you find on higher-priced modules.
Ghost notes seem to be a big deal in e-snare
evaluations (or a multipad for that matter) and I
found the TP70S/module combination did a
fairly good job in this area - certainly good
enough for a new drummer.
The 7.5” toms are single-zone and made of the
same material as the snare. Yes, it’s rubber,
but it’s not the rock hard, rubber pad most edrummers remember (and many still use). Like
the snare, I found the pads responsive and the
sounds are velocity-produced, albeit with less
pronounced sound variation across the head
than the snare.
I used my cymbal test rig to compare bounce
and found no significant difference from a
Yamaha’s new PCY90AT cymbals and the HH65 hi-hat controller
Roland PD-7. From a feel standpoint, there
wasn’t much difference either.
Comparing stick noise on the tom pads to my
PD-7, the Yamaha pads have a much lighter
sound without the deep resonance of the
Roland pad and were quieter by about 2 dB. All
in all, this will be a fairly quiet kit, well suited for
small spaces.
The PCY90AT cymbals are interchangeable.
An offset-mounted, 10” cymbal, the mounting
is pretty static. Yes, there is just enough play to
keep you from thinking you’re hitting a solid
pad, but not much more. Loosening the wing
nut in the hope of making the cymbals sway
simply results in them drooping downward
since they are offset mounted. How this
impacts a beginning drummer is impossible to
predict since acoustic drummers who’ve made
the switch almost always still complain about
the swing and play of e-cymbals. While
Yamaha hasn’t broken any new ground with
these cymbals, they do look better than the old
“pie wedges”, are softer and thus a bit quieter,
and otherwise work fine.
The cymbals are single-zone and very
responsive across the entire playing area but
they don’t choke. The ride’s bell voice is
velocity-produced, so if you whack the pad
hard enough and in the centre, you get a pretty
reliable bell voice. However, if you beat the ride
hard in general play, you’re apt to get more bell
hits than you want.
Stick noise on the cymbals is identical to a
Roland CY-14 we tested back in February
2011.
Hi-hat articulation is what you would expect
from an introductory level module:
open/closed, half-open, foot close, the closing
hi-hat sound and heel splash (or chick). The
16
latter was a joy to rediscover in that the hi-hat
controller (HH65) was very loose, almost
squishy with some lateral movement, making it
a very forgiving pedal and perfect for a
beginner.
There are also settings on the module to
simulate clutch position, heel splash sensitivity,
foot close position (this changes the virtual
opening between the top and bottom hi-hat
cymbals assuming both are there) and the foot
close velocity.
The big question on any e-kit - no matter the
price point - involves the cymbals: how
“realistic” are they, particularly the crash and
hi-hat? The crashes, understandably, weren’t
nearly as articulate in producing subtle swells
as the newer, higher-priced modules, but I was
surprised at how well they did.
Hi-hat articulation took some getting used to,
again coming from something far more
complex, but putting myself in a beginner’s
shoes, it didn’t take me long to develop a
technique that produced decent hi-hat sounds.
My only gripe is that I wish the cymbals
choked.
The teacher
The module shines as a training tool. I was
most interested in trying this to see just how
lousy a drummer I am. And in many ways, I
lived down to my expectations.
The best thing the module has is 10 complete
practice songs in which you can mute the drum
parts - or lower the volume on the drum parts
so that they’re “kinda there”, to assist in
practising. You can also loop a specific section
of the song so you can drill repeatedly until you
get it right.
The next best thing it does is provide instant
and very visual feedback, aka “the scoring
function”. The number buttons will blink from 1
to 10 as you play in training mode so you can
see exactly how you’re doing while you’re
doing it. Again, a module with no navigation
screen comes up with an incredibly simple, yet
elegant way of showing me that I’m a “good”
drummer but nowhere near great, excellent or
fantastic. Great, eight years of playing in my
basement and all for nothing.
The 10 practice songs are directly connected
to what I call 10 “training profiles”. These range
from jamming “Groove Checks” to pretty
intensive timing checks. For example, one of
the training profiles (Change Up) throws seven
different practice rhythms at you that change
every two measures. Another, Rhythm Gate,
actually has a pad produce no sound if you
don’t strike it in time. It’s brutal, disconcerting
as hell, but an amazing training tool.
Furthermore, all of these profiles have variable
difficulty levels within each pattern and you can
even turn off the “play no sound” feature if that
keeps throwing you.
It also has the basic training tools and ways to
tweak them: metronome with changing
tempos, assigned sound (click, cowbell,
spoken, etc), changing patterns and beats.
How does it play?
I liked it. From the “experienced e-drummer”
perspective, I thought going from a mesh kit
“back” to a rubber pad kit would be jarring and,
yes, the snare feels different, but the toms not
as much. The cymbals don’t swing much, but
are sensitive. The kick is less bouncy than
mesh, but for many people, that’s probably a
good thing.
And for beginners? If an introductory level kit
like this can be fun to play for me, it will be
more than fine for someone new to drumming.
And how does it sound?
My approach to judging module sounds is to
conduct a “real life test” with my fellow band
members. They know the songs we play and
how they should sound. I set up the DTX450
for the first two of our six monthly rehearsals
for our annual Alan Parsons Project tribute gig
and I let them comment on what they heard.
The consensus: for the most part, it sounded
no different than my TD-12. Sure, I could show
them how it wouldn’t do cymbal swells or how
the ride wasn’t as technically dynamic as the
TD-12, but when rehearsing together, they still
SPECIFICATIONS
Drum sound module: DTX400
Max polyphony: 32 notes
Drum pads: 4 x 7.5” single-zone rubber
(with 430/450K, one pad is replaced by a
7.5” rubber three-zone pad)
Cymbals: 3 x 10” single-zone rubber
Kick: Controller pedal for 400K, KP65
upright rubber pad for 430/450K
Expansion: 1 additional pad
No of kits: 10
No of instruments: 169
Instrument parameters: Kit, volume,
reverb, velocity curves, gain
Effect types: Reverb (9 preset types)
Songs: 10
Pad connection: ¼” to 1⁄8” mono/stereo
depending on pad type
Outputs: 1 x USB-to-MIDI, 1 x ¼” stereo
Inputs: 1 x 1⁄8” stereo
Street price: $499-$699
weren’t overwhelmed or underwhelmed by the
difference. I then had another drummer, one
far better than me and whose experience is
based entirely on acoustic kits, sit in for a bit.
He was double-kicking and ghost-noting all
over the place. As I sat about eight feet away
listening to him put the kit through its paces, I
was impressed not only with the sound but with
the ease with which he was able to do nice
grooves.
Overall…
You get a nice sound set for the price. The kit
is responsive, has a great teaching profile, is
fairly quiet and very portable. The module’s
“menu” is simple and elegant – even without a
screen display. Any beginner would be very
satisfied with what the 450K version has to
offer. Downsides are some of the ergonomics
and I really wish the cymbals choked.
17
--Gear--
Just what the
doctor ordered
18
Amateur drummer Tim Reed was not satisfied with
one custom drum kit, so he followed up with a
second unique set and then an acoustic snare
conversion. The drumming doctor shared his
experience with digitalDrummer editor Allan
Leibowitz.
TIM REED’S DW-INSPIRED Diamond
Electronic Drums seven-piece bubinga kit with
gold-plated hardware was a labour of love,
both for the very particular customer and for
the devoted drum builder.
Reed explains that his Roland gigging kit had
“all the usual e-advantages (the ability to turn
the drummer’s volume down, no mics, silent
practice, awesome sound) … but just didn’t
crack it when gigging”.
“In my mind, they just don’t look any good. I
have had some amazing kits, and they have all
had stage presence and beauty which Roland
can’t match.”
Reed thinks the difference is more than
aesthetic: “I think a full-sized kit makes you
play differently. If you watch Roland drummers
on YouTube, there is a similarity in the way
they play – all very technical and often very
accomplished, but quite introverted and similar
in style to each other.
“You need a full-size kit to be a full-size
drummer – open, expressive, innovative.”
After a few attempts at building his own edrums, Reed turned to the professionals and
settled on Diamond Electronic Drums in Stoke
to create his dream e-kit.
Reed was very particular about the build – and
Diamond owner Dave Chetwynd welcomed the
customer’s involvement in the design
specification.
hardware, Reed insisted on 24 carat goldplated trim.
While the materials are impressive, “the icing
on the cake is Diamond Drums’ amazing
triggers and quality assembly”.
And was it just what the doctor ordered? “This
kit is a true masterpiece – design, tradition,
quality and cutting-edge technology come
together to deliver an awesome feel, an open
playing soundstage and, frankly, a beautiful
looking kit,” he says.
Band members and audiences loved the
dream kit, but it was not to be the last kit for
the Lumpy and the Lumpettes drummer, and
not long after its completion, Reed was back
with another challenge for Chetwynd.
“(We) play a lot of smaller venues – wine bars
and pubs around Hastings and the Big Kit was
just too big,” he explains. “With the old Roland
pads, I could cut down the footprint and play
on a small rack, but not so the Diamond kit.”
Inspired by Bellowhead’s stand-up cocktail kit,
Reed returned to Diamond with a new request:
an e-cocktail kit.
Reed purchased a cocktail kit on eBay for
conversion, sending it to Diamond for a red
pearl rewrap for “a more sleazy, 50s, loungelizard” look.
The result is what Reed calls “modro”:
modernity with a bit of retro.
But the real work was under the skin. ”Dave
floated the triggers, and there is no cross-talk
whatsoever through my TD-20. Brilliance again
from Dave and attention to detail that is
Diamond’s hallmark.”
The drums began their life as handmade
birch shells which were veneered in gloss
bubinga. Not satisfied with gold-coloured
Okay, so in the words of the classic, that’s one
for the money, two for the show. So, there has
The kit is inspired by a DW Collector’s Series
kit – with a few added touches.
“It is such fun to play, and sparks conversation
with drummers and non-drummers alike,” he
says.
19
to be a “three to get
ready”, and in this case,
the third project was a
conversion of a Spaun
natural bubinga/clear
acrylic snare which
Reed had ordered as a
custom build from the US.
“It really is a lovely flawless shell, and Spaun
supplied it on time, to the correct spec and
naked of all hardware – maybe they didn’t
realise we were making an e-drum, but then
they never asked,” he notes.
Once received, the snare was sent to
Diamond.
“Dave thought hard about how he would
suspend the triggers to gain the maximum of
visibility and at the same time retain the airy
quality and floating heads visually.”
20
The
result is the ultimate stealth
trigger – scarcely visible, but fully functional.
Three unique projects are not, however,
enough to end Reed’s e-pursuit: “I am thinking
now that I need another kit, probably taking its
design cues from another love of mine –
Bentley motor cars …”
And, of course, Diamond will be his first stop.
“Dave is a real find. My drums work straight out
the box and are simply beautiful.”
--Gear--
HEAR, HEAR
As silent instruments, e-drums require earphones to be
heard – and not all monitoring devices are equal.
digitalDrummer has reviewed a variety of in-ear
monitors and headphones in past issues, but this time
we’re taking a more personal approach. We’ve rounded
up an expert panel of professional drummers to find out
what they use.
21
Danny Gottlieb
I use three different in-ears and vary them:
Ultimate Ears UE 7 Pro, UE 900 and Monster
Turbine Copper.
They’re all used primarily for live performance
with the 12-piece Gary Sinise and Lt Dan Band,
but also for iPod and computer monitoring,
jogging, etc.
All three feel comfortable. The heavier UE 7s
are form-fitted, and I like them very much. The
others are ear buds and I have to insert them
firmly, but they are comfortable.
The UE 7s are made from hard plastic. They eliminate much of the
stage sound, but not all. UE customer service has been fantastic
and they have made adjustments. But for me, I just cannot seem
to fit the plugs in such a way as to eliminate all stage sound 100%.
Click on the images to
find out about the artists.
The others are ear buds, and eliminate quite a bit.
When it comes to sonic performance, all three sound great. It is
really the sound mixer on whom I depend. But for stage
sound, they are all great.
I have used the UE 7s for two years, the UE 900s for a
year, and the Copper for six months. I must clean them
all regularly. And I must get my ears cleaned every six
months. The UE 7s required maintenance, due to a
cable coming loose, and the customer service
people at UE fixed them promptly and returned them
quickly. I have had no further problems.
I have struggled with the in-ear monitor situation
for years. I wish I had a set of plugs with 100%
isolation, but I do not. I have always had a
problem getting the full dynamic spectrum of
the drum set from in-ears. A great Nashville
drummer, Chuck Tilley, who plays with the
band Alabama, recently suggested I use a
sub woofer behind my seat to augment the
in-ears and I think that may be the answer.
Ultimate Ears UE 7 Pro
Input Sensitivity: 124 dB @ 1 MW
Frequency Response: 20 Hz -16 kHz
Impedance: 17.5 Ohm
Drivers: Three proprietary balanced armatures
Noise Isolation: -26 dB
Connector: 3.5 mm gold-plated
Warranty: 1 year
Street price: $850 plus moulds
22
Johnny Rabb
I use Westone ES5 in-ear monitors live
with BioDiesel and Collective Soul, in the
studio for nice isolation and full range EQ
mix and for everything else, including iPod,
iPad and home recording.
My Westones are a harder mould, which I
love. The fit is perfect and I have had no
irritation from wearing them for long shows
or recording sessions.
These in-ears isolate a lot of stage volume
or outside noise. I like the isolation as it means the monitoring
doesn’t have to be extremely loud like a wedge.
The best thing about my IEMs is that they provide an all-round
great mix. They offer a full range of lows, highs and mids. The
low end is completely clear and does not distort at all. I use a
lot of dance bass drum and sub bass with total clarity. In
other words, these in-ears handle all frequencies. You
know they are working right when you don’t think about
them until after the gig. When you have them shorting out
(other brands I have tried in the past) and blowing
drivers, you really can lose focus and get frustrated.
I have used the same pair for an entire year full of live
shows, studio work and clinics. The durability has been the
best I have ever used. I have tried other companies and
ended up having many repair and wire issues. These have
been totally roadworthy. After each use, I use the
included brush/loop cleaner to just get out any loose
wax. We all have wax and it does take very easy
maintenance to keep your IEMs in shape. Since
the ears are so small, the canal from the
drivers (speakers) is very narrow. Cleaning
literally takes a minute.
Westone ES5
Sensitivity: 120 dB @ 1MW
Frequency response: 8 Hz - 20 kHz
Impedance: 20 Ohm
Driver: Five balanced armature drivers with a
passive three-way crossover
Inclusions: Deluxe monitor case, cleaning tool,
desiccant drying compound, cleaning cloth, bottle of
Oto-Ease
Warranty: 2 years
Street price: $900
23
Jonathan
Atkinson
I’m using the ACS T1. I’ve been with ACS for
about five years, having previously used
models by Shure and Ultimate Ears.
I’m using them solely for live work, where I
have to use in-ears for long periods and
comfort is one of the main reasons I use
them. The casing is a soft silicone, rather than the hard plastic used by
other brands, so they have a little bit of give. It means they have a more
consistent closed seal. Because of the softer design, the seal is about as
good as it gets, so isolation is probably the best available. However, that
does mean you’re totally at the mercy of your monitor engineer.
Sound-wise, the ACS are really great. I know that Ultimate now have
something ridiculous like six drivers in their new models, and I’m sure
they sound wonderful, but I really have no complaints at all with
the ACS. I use them in a variety of live settings and they
always sound great - pretty flat and not hyped in the top or
low end. Mids are pretty smooth too.
Sadly, even though they are not cheap, all IEMs should
probably be considered ‘consumables’, like sticks and
heads. Whichever brand you buy, whether cheap or
monstrously expensive, they only have a limited
lifespan. I am super careful with mine, but I usually
reckon on a pair lasting a year to 18 months (that’s
roughly 150-250 gigs). Every time you put a pair on,
you are causing a little stress to the cable and
connections, and because of the size of the connections
(very small), it’s inevitable that over time connections can
become loose. Fortunately, ACS are great at looking after
repairs (I know Ultimate have a great repair policy, too).
I clean my IEMs religiously after each gig. One of the main
problems you’ll get with them is wax build-up and also moisture in
the drivers. Regular cleaning will hugely help the lifespan of your IEMs.
I always carry a couple of spare pairs of IEMs, just in case!
ACS T1 Triple Driver In-Ear Monitor
Frequency Response: 16Hz - 20 KHz
Impedance: 70 Ohm
Active drivers : 3
Connector: 3.5mm gold-plated, with step-up adaptor.
Inclusions: Carry pouch, rugged case, wax pick, icomfort cream
Warranty: 1 year
Street price: $985
24
THE headphone company
Don Dexter Agency ©
www.ultrasone.com
Kenny Aronoff
When I do sessions (recording in the studio),
I use Ultrasone HFI 580s. I like them
because they fit snugly on my head - not too
tight, which is great for isolation.
I want to hear the music in my headphones
but also my drums that are not in my
headphones. These headphones are also
designed so the sound is not directed right
into the ear canal, but toward the other areas of the ear. This is
supposed to help with ear protection.
They have plenty of low end, which is important for me since I play
drums. They capture all the frequencies and make everything sound
amazing. They also sound good at all dynamics, soft to loud and the
speakers can handle real loud volumes without blowing up. I love
them.
I have used them for about 10 years and they keep improving them. I
have no maintenance with them. I play music
really, really loud so sometimes I will blow a
speaker out, but that is very rare these
days.
I also use Ultimate Ears UE 11 inears with four drivers for live music
and occasionally in the studio as
well. The four drivers create an
amazing dynamic and frequency
range.
Also, I use the high-end Klipsch
headphones for travelling on a
plane or when I want 100%
isolation. They fit very, very
snugly to create isolation and
have a little switch on the left side
to isolate out the loud noises.
Ultrasone HFI 580
Frequency range: 10 Hz -22
kHz
Impedance: 32 Ohm
Sound pressure level: 101 dB
Driver: 50 mm
Connector: 3.5/6.3 mm screwable
gold-plated plug
Inclusions: Transportation bag, demo
CD, instruction manual
Warranty: 1 year
Street price: $200
26
Chester
Thompson
I have been using Beyerdynamic DT 770
Pro-80 headphones in the studio and I am
very happy with them. They are extremely
comfortable and sound great. They stay
put, which is a big plus for those times
when emotion kicks in and you start to
move with the music. The covers come off
of the earpieces and can be cleaned,
which is nice.
On the live side of things, I have been using Westone
ES5 in-ear monitors and could not be happier. The
highs and mids are crystal clear and it is really easy
to distinguish multiple guitar and keyboard parts.
The bass is not hyped - but it is not absent
either. I do not get fatigue from working in them
for a long time because the highs and mids
are not harsh. I wish I could get speakers
that sound this good, but I probably could
not afford them if they exist.
I use custom moulds which are fitted to
my ear and they’re very comfortable.
After a show, you wipe them down
with the cloth provided and
occasionally recharge the
desiccant, which is in the case, in
the microwave and they are
trouble-free.
Beyerdynamic DT 770
Pro
Transducer type: Dynamic
Frequency Response: 5 Hz – 35 KHz
Impedance: 80 Ohm
Noise Isolation: 18dB
Connector: 3.5 mm gold-plated with 6.3 mm adaptor
Warranty: 2 years
Street price: $189
27
Bryan Hitt
I use Ultimate Ears UE 11s. These are
custom-moulded monitors with two low
drivers, one midrange driver and one high
frequency tweeter with a three-way
crossover. Each custom mould is handmade to perfectly fit your ear. The fit is one
of the most important considerations. If the
moulds are too big, they will be
uncomfortable. If they’re too small, you will
lose the seal and thus the low end. This will
also allow ambient noise to come in. Since
switching to UE, I haven’t had any of these problems.
Although the durability of professional quality in-ear monitors is
exceptional, we still want to keep up with the best possible
monitoring options. The last set I had for four years. They are still
working fine, but a new model with better bass response came out
and I liked them (coupled with paranoia over accuracy and
longevity).
I primarily use in-ear monitors for live performance but I also use
them in the studio for recording. As a matter of fact, I find them
indispensable for practising! Not only do they protect the
invaluable hearing that I have left, they provide the perfect
environment to practise with my drum machine, click track
or recorded tracks.
I use a small mixer to run the sound sources through
when practising or in a clinic situation and usually mic
the bass drum, high-hat and ride to bring them out in
my mix.
From a comfort standpoint, I find the UE 11s to be very
comfortable for extended use.
The UE 11s offer excellent noise isolation (from the noise
onstage, including my drums). Starting with the drums so quiet,
I’m able to monitor the entire band at a lower volume, thus
protecting my ears from excessive noise levels. The isolation is so
good that I have to pump some of my drum sound back into the mix.
Ultimate Ears 11 Pro
Input Sensitivity: 119 dB @ 1 MW
Frequency Response: 10 Hz – 16.5 kHz
Impedance: 18 Ohm
Speaker Configuration: Four proprietary balanced
armatures with an integrated three-way crossover
Input Connector: 3.5 mm gold-plated
Warranty: 1 year
Street price: $1,150
28
Buddy Gibbons
I discovered Future Sonics at NAMM in
2004 and I’ve been using them exclusively
ever since. I currently use the Atrio line for
my iPod/iPhone, and for all my live gigs
and 90% of my studio sessions, I use the
MG6 Pro.
The MG6 Pros are extremely comfortable
because they are custom-moulded by
Future Sonics. I had a small fitment issue
when they first arrived, but I sent them
back to FS, a correction was made, and I
had them back in my possession within just a few
days.
The MG6 Pro will isolate up to 24 dB, and believe me
when I tell you, they work! Ultimately, the reason that
I went with the MG6 Pros was simple: they just sound
better than everything else on the market. The low
end is very present, but it’s not boomy. There’s a nice
smooth curve through the mids, and the high end
doesn’t ever make my ears tired. They are incredibly
natural sounding, with no annoying boost anywhere
in the frequency spectrum. They’re smooth - very
smooth.
Future Sonics MG6 Pro
Input Sensitivity: 114 dB @ 30Hz
Frequency Response: 18 Hz – 20 kHz
Impedance: 32 Ohm
Internal Speaker Configuration: 13mm
proprietary miniature dynamic transducers
Noise Isolation: +/-20 dB
Fit guarantee: 30 days
Warranty: 1 year
Street Price: $900
29
Russ Miller
I have used two different kinds of IEM over
the years. I had the custom-moulded
Sensaphonics model, but I switched to the
Shure models after about a year or so. The
moulded ones would feel a little
uncomfortable after long usage. Also, I had
them go for repairs too many times. After
the moulded ones, it was the Shure E-5s
for a long time and then I switched to E425s, which I have had for about two years
or more.
I use them all of the time now. I had a few
hearing tests that freaked me out, so I switched to IEMs for everything. I use
them in conjunction with the Porter & Davies Tactile Monitoring systems.
Between the P&D system and the IEMs, I’m really spoiled. It sounds like a
record all of the time - as long as the monitor engineer is on it!
I’m really accustomed to using IEMs now. I don’t have them very loud. I don’t
use the click loud in them either - I usually set the click level to be the same
as the hi-hat in my ear mix.
They actually eliminate about 25-30 dB naturally. But, as soon as you feed
music into them, the acoustic level of the drums is gone. You have to have
the drums fed back through the ear mix.
The Shure E-425s are dual bass drivers. They sound great, like a high
quality pair of studio headphones. The only thing missing is the feeling of the
air getting moved by a 15”-18” woofer from a stage monitor. This is where
the Porter & Davies system comes in. Everything below 100 Hz gets sent to
the “thumper” in the throne. It fools your brain into thinking you are hearing
the 100 Hz frequencies and below. You are not hearing them but only feeling
them. It makes for a complete sonic range experience though. The quality of
the drivers in the Shure IEMs is fantastic.
I have had this pair for over a year or more and I use them
every single day. They are in my stick bag and go to every
session and show that I do. I use them in commercial
studios, even if they have high quality studio headphones
available. The IEMs are a much better “closed field” sound.
They came with a small cleaning tool. It’s gross, but it gets
the ear wax out of them! Also, a dab of Armor All cleans them
really well. Just don’t get it inside of the driver cavity.
Shure E-425
Sensitivity: 109 dB
Frequency Range: 20 Hz – 19 kHz
Impedance: 22 Ohm
Driver: Dual high-definition microdrivers
Connector: 3.5 mm with 6.3 mm converter
Warranty: 2 years
Street price: $299
30
Daniel Schlep
I use the Sennheiser HD 380 Pro
(headphones) and the Sennheiser IE80
(IEMs).
Both models are great for several types of
work.
The HD 380 Pro is a large model, which I
always use for studio work or at some
DJ/drums events.
It’s a comfortable solution and does not
produce any pressure on your head, while
it flattens the external sounds, so I can use it with e-drums
and acoustic drums as well. It reproduces the music
quite realistically since it has been made for
professional studio work. I’ve been using this model
for a year and a half.
The IE80 is a small model, which I use for live
gigs, especially when other headphones are too
large – for aesthetic and practical reasons.
Since this IEM system comes with lots of
accessories, you can customise it to your
special needs and get a comfortable and
professional solution that puts the beats and
bytes right into your ear. It comes with a
number of tips, so you’re sure to find some
that provide a perfect fit. It’s able to boost
sound levels with a special equaliser
adjustment on each side. I’ve been using
these for around a year now.
Sennheiser HD 380 Pro
Frequency response: 8 Hz –27 kHz
Impedance: 54 Ohm
Attenuation: up to 32 dB
Connectors: 3.5 mm straight (6.3 mm jack
adapter included)
Inclusions: Carrying case
Warranty: 2 years
Street price: $199
31
Peter Erskine
For headphones, I use the Shure SRH840
and Audio-Technica ATH-M50 headsets in
my home studio, the Audio-Technica
phones being quite common in studios
around town. For maximum isolation (either
to protect my hearing if hitting the drums
hard, or to prevent any click-track sound
from leaking into the recording
environment, etc), I trust and rely on my
Direct Sound Extreme Isolation EX-29
headset.
For in-ear, I am now using a terrific in-ear
monitor system (Ear Monitors EarStar) designed and made by the
EarBay company in France and I’m very happy with them so far. Their
moulding technique and design technology combine to offer the best fit
I’ve experienced. The in-ears are made of special acrylic resin designed
for reinforcement of low frequencies and there are several driver options
available.
The sound quality is excellent, the construction really great. I also use
their custom-moulded ear plugs for noise suppression (on stage and
when I travel!).
Ear Monitors EarStar
Frequency response: 20 Hz – 18 kHz
Impedance: 35 Ohm
Attenuation: -28 dB
Sound pressure level: 120 dB/MW
Drivers: Three transducers with double bass
Connectors: Gold-plated connectors
Warranty: 1 year
Street price: €900
32
John Mahon
I just started using the new Yamaha Pro 500
and they are pretty smokin! I use them in my
home studio and I started taking them on the
road for working in my hotel room and just
listening to music. They are really heavy and
beautifully made.
They have a very balanced sound, incredible
fidelity - and even have a volume/mic cord
that comes with them.
My stage situation is very tricky. I need to
monitor my vocals very well. That’s easy, but monitoring the soft
percussion bits is difficult. I’m not behind plexi - so my mics will pick up
the nearest loudest thing, which is usually Elton’s monitors or the guitar
rig.
I find myself pulling one IEM out to hear my things like triangles and
shakers, then pop it back in for vocal parts. It’s a little dance, but it’s the
best solution I have come up with so far.
On stage, I have been using Ultimate Ears. I have tried Sensaphonics the new ambient model, too.
With these, I can dial in the amount of ambient stage volume - but it is a
fine line getting them right. The volume knob should be more accessible.
They are perfect for playing percussion but when the band gets too loud
and Elton gets loud, I revert back to my UEs. They have more high-end
fidelity than the Sensaphonics (at least to my ears).
UEs do not have quite the isolation that Sensa does. It’s close, but
Sensaphonics go very deep in the ear too and they are a soft material,
which makes them more comfortable on long gigs.
I am about to upgrade to the new UE 18 Pro for stage and I will get the
ported model if I need to hear more stage volume.
The UEs are very durable - I’ve dropped them and stepped on them still working.
Sensaphonics 3D Active Ambient
Frequency Response: 20 Hz -16 kHz
Maximum SPL: 500 Hz
Isolation: up to -37 dB
Ambient
Microphone Input
Overload: 140 dB (@
500 Hz)
Driver type:
Proprietary
Street price:
$2,000+
33
Janelle Burdell
Before I went out with the national tour of
Little Shop of Horrors, I would have said
Sony MDR-7506 Professional, without a
doubt. With a near flat response, I’ve seen
them worn around the neck of legendary
engineers while mixing some of the greatest
records. As a sound designer, I need true,
accurate and consistent response.
On tour, the environment that we worked in
each week changed dramatically as we were
no longer tied to a pit. For example, in
Austin, Texas, the band was in an entirely
different building. Night after night of being surrounded by
plexiglass and wildly reflective surfaces, volume was
posing a serious threat. Fortunately, everyone
was on Aviom personal monitors. Yet getting
the click up over the wash of sound inside of
my head was rough.
All touring musicians’ ears were ringing.
So the company purchased the
UltraPhones. These are actually Sony
7506 Professionals built into a hearing
protection ear muff and designed by
Steve Miller Band drummer Gordy
Knudtson. This improved the situation,
but they’re actually a bit heavy and
clunky for me.
For IEMs, I have been using the
Sensaphonics 2X-S made of softgel silicone. These allowed me to
lower my master volume.
I can’t wait to try the Sensaphonics
3Ds on tour with Squonk Opera!
UltraPhones
Frequency Response: 10 Hz – 20 kHz
Impedance: 63 Ohm
Driver: 40 mm
Noise Isolation: 29 dB
Plug Size: 3.5 mm (6.3 mm adaptor
Included)
Warranty: 90 days
Street Price: $220
34
Oli Rubow
Although I tried different generations of inear monitors, I always came back to using
headphones. Headphones give me strong
isolation or the option of allowing in some of
the stage/drum atmosphere by slipping off
one ear. I use them for all occasions: live
gigs, studio jobs and travelling
I travel with a small Mackie VLZ3 Mixer with
which I can handle a mono or stereo monitor
mix – always hard-wired - plus a stereo
playback with a separate click track.
Wherever possible, I order a fat subwoofer
behind me, for the air pressure of my kick drum.
My headphones options include a Technics RP-DJ1200,
used for live performance. They feel good, have very good
isolation and sound fat. They’re extremely durable and I
still use a 15-year-old model. (This model has recently
been replaced by the RP-DJ1205.)
I use a Sennheiser HD-25 for live performance and
studio, but they’re not so comfortable with
spectacles. Their isolation is good and the
sonic qualities convey a big picture. Spare
parts are readily available.
Finally, my Ultrasone HFI-680 is
used for live performance and
music listening. They’re very
smooth and comfortable.
Technics RPDJ1205
Frequency response: 5 Hz – 30
kHz
Impedance: 32 Ohm
Sensitivity: 106 dB
Driver: 41mm
Connector: 3.5 mm
Inclusions: Carrying pouch, AIR plug adaptor
Warranty: 1 year
Street price: $179
35
How to use ‘em
ACCORDING TO PRO
drummer Jon Atkinson, clarity
is the key for IEMs. “With all inears for live work, what you are
looking for is accuracy, and no
smearing of frequencies (hence the use of
multiple drivers), so that you get the
highest clarity (particularly in the midrange, where things can get a bit
congested with too many instruments
fighting for the same space) without
needing to push levels too high.”
He points out that this is a completely
different requirement from ‘hi-fi’ sound
reproduction where often the top end and
low end are boosted.
Atkinson stresses that with IEMs and live
performance, “you are totally at the mercy
of the monitor engineer”.
“A great engineer can make the gig a joy,
and a poor one can make it pretty tough.”
Another thing to keep in mind is the
challenge faced by the engineer when
band members have different brands of
IEMs.
“If one of the band members is using
something which hypes certain
frequencies, then you can be in all sorts of
trouble fighting over the EQ of certain
instruments. That’s really worth avoiding if
possible, and actually make your monitor
engineer’s job much easier,, he says.
Russ Miller finds IEMs invaluable when
playing electronic kits. “Acoustic drums
give me back the sound from in front of my
face, (while electronic kits) project the
sound from wherever the speakers are set
up. The IEMs surround me with the sound
of the e-kit. Especially when using the seat
monitor system, the electronic kit comes to
life!
36
“The
biggest
complaint for me with the
pad kit, is that my ‘sound’ is
coming from somewhere other than
from right in front of me.
“The biggest thing with the IEMs is that
they open up new possibilities, both
positive (using a click live on stage without
the audience hearing it) and negative
(removing the ability to ‘mix’ yourself into
the ensemble on a small venue stage). You
can’t just ‘present your part’ to the band
and audience and let the FOH guy ‘mix’ it,
just because you can’t hear the stage
levels. You have to really think about your
presence in the ensemble and play
dynamically.
“It takes a minute to get used to this, (but)
in the long run, it’s worth it. You get real
spoiled, real quick!”
Atkinson advocates a policy of being ready
for disaster with IEMs. “If you’re out of the
country on a longish tour, the last thing you
want to do is try and get your in-ears fixed
and returned to you should the worst
happen.
“I have an elderly pair of Shures which
have custom moulds, but I also have a pair
of Sennheiser generic IEMs (the ones
which get sent out when you rent the
Sennheiser In-Ear system). They are
cheap and cheerful, and have got me out
of a hole on more than one occasion,” he
recalls.
--Gear--
Big sound
at a very small price
Available since 2008, the Simmons DA200S belies
the e-drum truism of “you get what you pay for” when
it comes to amplifying your e-kit. Scott Holder plugs
in and powers up.
38
IN ADDITION TO being great value as an edrum monitor, the DA200S can be used as a
decent PA for small venues. Some people like
it so much, they buy a second one. I know, I’m
one of them.
The outside
The front panel has 6.3 mm left and right
inputs plus a 6.3 mm stereo Aux input. The
result is you can literally amp your entire
rhythm section through a single cabinet; yes,
the DA200S makes a decent practice and
small club bass amp. Sound for these inputs is
controlled by two separate volume knobs, one
for the L/R drum inputs and one for the stereo
Aux input. The sub-woofer has a separate
volume knob and the overall cabinet has a
master volume knob; you will never want for
gain control on the DA200S. A three-band EQ
allows control over frequencies centred at
50Hz/800Hz/10kHz with a +/- sweep of 12dB.
All the knobs have dimples so if you need to
adjust something on the fly, it’s fairly easy to do
with a drum stick. Finally, two 3.5 mm stereo
connectors, one input for audio sources like a
CD or an MP3 player and one output for
headphones (which turns off the internal
speakers) round out the package.
The back panel has yet another volume knob,
this one independent from the front “master”
knob, in that it sends a variable level to a
mixing console rather than the master’s stage
level. A ground lift button helps alleviate
potential 60 hZ buzz problems. Outputs consist
of two pairs, one 6.3 mm and one XLR. The
former sends 30 watts to unpowered, external
speakers; it’s wired in series with the internal
midrange speakers. The latter is controlled by
the aforementioned volume knob and can also
connect to even more external speakers although it’s probably not wise (not to mention
needed) to try and hook four external speakers
up to the DA200S.
The inside
Simmons claims this is a “200 watt” amp and
that’s true, depending on how you determine
wattage. The 12” sub-woofer is driven by a 100
watt amp. The speaker is downward firing
through a slot port. A separate 50 watt amp
drives two L/R mid-ranges while a third 50 watt
amp drives two L/R tweeters. The result is a
cabinet that blasts a surprisingly good, broad
stereo signal. There’s your 200 watts.
The performance
One advantage of waiting, in this case years,
to write a review is that we had plenty of
experience putting the cabinet through its
paces. I’ve used the DA200S in every
conceivable way over the last three years:
single cabinet monitor, double cabinet monitor,
single and double cabinet PA, single cabinet as
a sub-woofer and all of the above with satellite
speakers attached.
The first thing that jumps out at you is … quiet.
I’ve noticed that most powered cabinets in this
price range have some kind of hiss to them;
not the DA200S. I’ve described this in the past
as “quiet at rest”. It’s an important feature that
ews ... Get the latest edrum news at www.digitaldrummermag.com/news ... Get t
contributes to an overall sound quality that is
very crisp. The mids and highs are
exceptionally clear and I don’t even have to
caveat that with an “at this price” statement.
The lows are better than you would expect
from a powered cabinet “at this price”. Yes, it
doesn’t compete with a dedicated sub-woofer
with something like an 18” speaker, but it far
outperforms any other 12” powered cabinet
I’ve listened to for low-end response. You can
tweak this somewhat with the onboard
controls, but I’ve also found you can tweak it
further with a sound board with a dedicated
sub-out control.
Another discovery about low-end is that it can
be very dependent on the kick sound you pick.
When I was reviewing the multipads (dD
November 2012), I hooked up an Alesis
PercPad. One of the kick sounds was
lacklustre but another had a booming bass
response on the DA200S with no change in
settings. The same is true when I’ve run my
TD-12 through the DA200S: some kicks just
boom more than others. Obviously, you can
tweak the settings on the module, but it’s clear
not all kick sounds are created equal from the
factory. Regardless, at some point you will find
a kick sound that has plenty of oomph and
depth; I’ve found my roto-tom settings on the
TD-12 (and a faux profile I used on my old
expanded TD-10) really came alive when
routed into the DA200S.
As mentioned, the stereo field is quite wide for
a single speaker. If you plug in two small
satellite speakers, you get a monitor set-up not
unlike what both Roland or Yamaha offer.
However, particularly for small practice spaces,
this is overkill. The internal speakers provide
such a crisp mid and high-end sound and the
stereo field is so wide already that external
speakers tend to make everything sound
40
harsh, unless you tweak the settings.
On stage, its strong sound makes it perfect as
a personal stage monitor. Depending on
positioning, it can almost act as a drum monitor
for the entire band, mainly so they can feel the
thump of the kick and the depth of the toms.
For large stages, a second one would probably
be needed, one on each side behind the band.
Toss in some possible satellites and it’s hard to
see how such an array couldn’t meet the
needs of any band on a large stage.
I’ve never met an e-drummer who didn’t think
about using his e-drum monitoring system as
an entire PA. Yes, I’m guilty of that.
Surprisingly, the DA200S, or a pair of them,
can work well in this function if you don’t
expect them to fill an outdoor arena with
sound. For one performance, we used a single
DA200S as a sub-woofer alongside two
ancient Peavey 15” cabinets. The difference
with and without the DA200S was striking:
everything had a timbre and depth that was
totally missing from just playing through the
Peaveys.
It was that performance that convinced me to
get a second DA200S and, ever since, that
pair has been used for our rare live
performances. The venue is an old church that
measures about 30 feet wide by 60 feet deep
with a 25 foot tall ceiling (holds about 100
people) and we have no trouble filling that
space with sound. Anything larger and the
DA200S-as-PA won’t handle it, but if you’re
playing in the back yard, you’ve got plenty of
headroom to annoy your neighbours.
Conclusion
I’ll be blunt: I love the DA200S. You get a big
sound for a little price. That’s the key, little
price. Street price is $299, but you can almost
always find it for 5-20% less, depending on
what kind of sale Guitar Center is running that
month.
Yes, something like the venerable Roland
TDA-700 is tougher and pumps out so much
sound that you could use two of them as a
band PA in mid-sized clubs and not embarrass
yourself. But it cost (when it was produced)
three times as much as the DA200S and
weighs almost twice as much. For a personal
e-drum monitor, there’s nothing else made that
does as good a job as the DA200S - whether
on stage, in your garage or downstairs in the
basement. The only complaint is the handle
across the top: it’s designed to ease carrying
the thing, but it’s mostly useless. While there
have been a few reports of faulty units,
problems presented themselves early and
within the warranty period. Otherwise, the
DA200S has been reliable.
The DA200S was unavailable for much of
2012, leading us to believe it had gone out of
production, but it’s again available in 2013. It’s
still only sold in the USA and getting one
shipped overseas is expensive - plus you
would need to provide your own power
converter.
SPECIFICATIONS
Output:
50W @ 8 ohms (x2)—Tweeters, stereo
50W @ 4 ohms (x2)—Midranges, stereo
100W @ 8 ohms –Sub-woofer, mono
Frequency Response:
20 Hz—20 kHz
Hum/Noise:
-60 dBV (Controls turned down)
-55 dBV (Controls turned halfway)
Input Impedence:
10K Ohms
External Outputs:
External speakers (x2), 30W
XLR balanced line outputs
EQ: 50 Hz, 800 Hz, 10 kHz
Power Requirements: 400W at full output,
14W when idle
Speakers: 12” (305mm) Woofer (8 ohms rated
150W RMS), 2x6.5” (165mm) Midrange (4
ohms rated 65W RMS), 2x2.5” (64mm)
Tweeter (8 ohms rated 50W RMS)
Dimensions: 16.5” deep, 17.75” wide, 20” tall
(420cm x 450cm x 508cm)
Weight: 57 lb./25.8 Kg
Street price: $299
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--Gear--
More Aux triggers
In May 2011, digitalDrummer put eight
auxiliary triggers to the test in the first
comprehensive head2head in the category.
Allan Leibowitz follows up with another
two offerings.
The trigger: Drum-tec
Trigger Tube (€45)
Form and size: A 3.5
cm diameter, 16 cm
tube with a 9 cm x 3.5
cm rubber strike
surface on the top.
Zones: Single
Performance: This trigger is an almost
exact clone of the Pintech Nimrod. Set up in almost
any trigger setting on a Roland TD-30 module, the pad needs a slight
sensitivity boost to respond well with good dynamics. It also triggered well
on a 2box module, but again sensitivity needed to be increased. It also
worked well with a DTX700 module.
Response was even across the strike surface, but also triggers along the
entire body, where it is obviously ‘hotter’. The Trigger Tube is relatively silent
on the strike zone, registering just under 70 dB, and has a fairly neutral
tone.
What we liked: Well made, compact, realistic feel, triggers well and quietly.
What we didn’t like: It is supplied without any mounting hardware or cable,
so you’ll need a 3.5 cm mount and a mono patch cord.
42
The trigger: Roland BT-1 ($99)
Form and size: 17 cm curved trigger, 3
cm wide and 5 cm deep. The entire
exposed surface is rubber-coated. The
trigger is designed to fit above a drum
rim, attaching to a tension rod, and a
separate adapter is included for fitting
to an l-rod. Overall, this is the most
comprehensive and versatile mounting
system of all those reviewed to date.
Zones: Single, but to work to full effect, a
stereo input is required.
Performance: This trigger is designed not only to
provide additional sounds, but also to prevent triggering of the
drum on which it is mounted. Roland has included a new trigger setting
in its latest-generation modules for the BT-1 designed to eliminate
crosstalk while allowing maximum sensitivity of the aux trigger. For
example, one can assign a cross-stick sound to the trigger and switch
between head and rim shots on a snare and the additional cross-stick
sound on the bar.
The trigger performed beautifully in BT1 setting on a TD-30, although
some crosstalk adjustment and sensitivity tweaking was required.
Used purely as an aux trigger on a 2box module, it performed flawlessly
on a range of trigger settings. However, crosstalk rendered it almost
useless when mounted on a rim as the slightest hit triggered full-blown rim
sounds on the drum at the same time.
The BT-1 was slightly above average for stick noise, registering around 75
dB, and that was due to some resonance of the drum on which it was
mounted. Mounted on an l-rod, the level dropped slightly and the sound
was a deader ‘thwack’.
What we liked: Fantastic design, excellent build quality, innovative
mounting system, full owner’s manual, supplied with stereo cable. It is
unique in its ability to be used on drum rims without crosstalk (on
appropriate modules with the latest firmware).
What we didn’t like: At $99, it’s clearly at the costly end of the spectrum.
To function properly, the BT-1 requires a stereo input, so reduces the total
number of triggers available. Also, the crosstalk reduction function works
best with latest-generation Roland modules.
PHOTO: WWW.HANNAHVPHOTOGRAPHY.COM
--Profile--
44
k
r
i
D ren
u
e
b
r
e
V
While Belgian-born metal drummer Dirk
Verbeuren is best known for his frantic
blastbeats and double-kicks, he has become a
master of MIDI and, thanks to e-drums and VST
software, an international collaborator.
From his US home, Verbeuren spoke to
digitalDrummer editor Allan Leibowitz.
digitalDrummer: Let’s begin with how you
started. How did you get into drumming?
Dirk Verbeuren: I got into drumming at about
14 or 15 years old. I started listening to metal
around then and I was listening to pop music
and rock when I was growing up – and I had a
hip hop phase as well before that. So I was
always into rhythm. But it really started when I
got into metal and I was fascinated by Slayer
and Metallica and Napalm Death and all those
bands back in the late ‘80s. Then my parents
bought me this old second-hand drum kit and I
just never stopped playing after that. I played
that thing every day. I played on my own for
about two or three years and then when I was
done with high school, I didn’t really want to
continue school, so I convinced my parents to
send me to a music school in France, where I
lived at the time. It was called Music Academy
International (MAI) and it was a bit like the MI
in Los Angeles. It covered all kinds of modern
music from jazz to Afro-Cuban to rock. And
that’s where I took my first drum lessons and
was lucky enough to learn a lot from some
amazing teachers there. And that was the
starting point for becoming a professional
drummer.
dD: So how important is it to have a solid
grounding in theory and music reading for a
drummer?
DV: Thinking back on when I was playing on
my own, knowing the theory and also touching
upon styles of music that I hadn’t been familiar
with really opened my mind. It really showed
me possibilities of the instrument that I wasn’t
aware of. So it was fun starting out by playing
along with songs that I liked. But without the
lessons and the reading and writing, I don’t
think I’d be where I am now. It definitely gave
me an edge over a lot of drummers and gave
me session work. You know, you get session
work where you have to step in at the last
minute and you have to be able to read drum
parts. So really, anything you can get to hone
your craft is a good thing, and taking lessons
and learning different styles is definitely very
helpful.
dD: So how did you transition from studying to
professional playing?
DV: While at the music school, I started my
first band Scarve and I pushed on with that
band for many years, did some demos and it
took us about six or seven years to finally
release an album. In the meantime, I toured
with some other French bands - nothing big,
but it gave me some experience of playing live
and touring. And with Scarve, we pushed on
and ended up releasing four albums between
1999 and 2006. And one of those albums got
the attention of Soilwork who then asked me to
play with them. I was very involved with Scarve
at every level – including the business side,
and I was determined to have that band as
professional as possible and that prepared us
to move ahead and me to move ahead as well.
dD: Was Europe a good place to be starting
out professionally, or do you think you’d have
done better in the US?
45
“The biggest
advantage for me is
the perfect clarity
of sound, perfect
volume control, a
mixing desk,
FX.
DV: We used to joke in Scarve that had we
been Swedish, we would have been bigger. I
do think that certain countries like the southern
European countries don’t have the biggest
reputation when it comes to metal music,
whereas the UK, Sweden and Finland do.
People in general may be weary of metal from
France – probably less so now because there’s
a bunch of cool stuff in France now, but back
then we were suffering from that and things
may have been easier somewhere else, but
who’s to say?
dD: Okay, let’s talk about electronic drums? Do
you use them at all live?
DV: Not really. I’m not a big trigger fan, so I
don’t use triggers live. I have used a trigger
microphone on my snare, but as a mic, not to
replace any sounds on stage. On albums,
sometimes triggers get used on the kick and
the toms, maybe for a bit of extra punch on the
fast parts, but in general when I play acoustic,
it’s fully acoustic and when I play electronic, it’s
fully electronic.
dD: So when do you play electronic?
DV: I moved to the US in 2005 and where I
had had a rehearsal space and an acoustic in
France, I found myself in a situation where that
wasn’t affordable or possible. Obviously, I
wanted to keep on practising, so I bought a
second-hand v-drum kit and started
experimenting with that. At first, I just used it to
keep my chops up and then I did some album
recording. And then a few years later, Fredrick,
46
the guitar player from Meshuggah, told me
Toontrack was working on some metal
software and wanted me to go into the studio
and record some beats. That was my first
experience of Superior Drummer, and it really
changed my whole perspective on electronic
drumming.
dD: And what e-gear are you currently using?
DV: I’m still using the same kit – a TD-10, and I
have Superior Drummer 2.2 on my computer
with a simple MIDI/USB cable. The biggest
advantage for me is the perfect clarity of
sound, perfect volume control, a mixing desk,
FX. You can basically do everything you could
do in a million-dollar studio, pretty much. You
can fine-tune every detail without having the
knowledge of a sound engineer. With just
some rudimentary knowledge of a mixing desk,
you can work it out pretty easily. It’s very useroriented and extremely simple to record
yourself and to build different digital kits and
you can switch between kits in a second. And
of course, because it’s silent, you can play in a
house with neighbours. You just sit down,
switch on your kit, switch on your computer
and you’re good to go.
dD: So are there collaborations where you
work in MIDI or swap sound files?
DV: Absolutely. I’ve recorded a number of MIDI
collections for Toontrack called Library of the
Extreme. There’s three volumes of that and
each one has over a thousand beats and fills
which I created and recorded on e-drums. I’d
also been doing session work, but then I
started pushing the fact that I can add drums if
people just send me the sound files.
Nowadays, bands from all over the world
contact me on a fairly regular basis to record,
and it’s awesome because I don’t have to
leave my house. They send me their stuff, I
record it and send it back to them, make some
changes if needed. I do all my editing too –
sometimes dynamics need to be adjusted or
double triggering removed, so I have total
quality control over the end-result. And then I
just mix down .wav files or sometimes they
want MIDI. It’s really a great business for me
and something that may have been possible
with acoustic drums, but it would have needed
a lot more investment and lot more knowledge
on my part.
dD: When you send a .wav file, is that the final
output that will appear on the recording?
DV: Yeah. When I’m working on the song, I just
mix down MP3s with whatever files they sent
me and the drums are there so they can listen.
You know, some people are sure of what they
want and some will say ‘just keep it like that’,
others will suggest changes or whatever. Then
I can just go back and change those parts and
once it’s final, most of the time I’ll mix down the
files to .wav files. And with Superior Drummer,
you can actually separate out the bleed – and
then they can be mixed just like acoustic drum
tracks in the studio. In some cases, when I’m
working with people I know and who know
Superior Drummer, I’ll send the MIDI files so
they have the option to change, say, the snare
sound or making other adjustments in the
software.
dD: And do you use the software to correct
your playing or would you go back to the kit
and play it again?
DV: When I work on something, whether it’s
Soilwork or an underground band that nobody
knows, I want to be able to listen to it and be
happy with it and if I just edited it to sound
right, I wouldn’t be happy with myself. When
I’m recording, I always work to get the best
possible takes that I can. Sometimes, that can
take a long time for difficult songs, but I will
take that time just for my own pride in the endresult. It would be easy to kind of half-arse
everything and just fix it by editing MIDI, but I
don’t do that.
dD: And you’re not tempted to go back to your
Toontrack MIDI files and copy and paste things
you have done before?
47
DV: No, absolutely not. I actually did use my
own MIDI libraries to work on some demos for
Soilwork because the new album is a double
album and we recorded 26 songs for it. So,
when we were doing all those demos and
preproductions, it was a lot of work and for
certain songs we just used library material
before recording them on acoustic drums. But
other than that, no. Again, it’s that thing that I
want to be able to look back on what I did and
feel proud of that.
dD: Okay, so you don’t cut and paste them, but
do you hear other people using them in their
recordings?
DV: You know some bands have sent songs
they’ve made with them and some have even
hired me to record for them after they’ve used
them in demos and stuff. That’s kind of cool.
But I haven’t heard any big bands use it and
record with it, but I know bands like Nile used
them for doing demos for their latest album. If it
can help people, especially because things like
blast beats and double-kick beats are so hard
to programme, that’s great.
dD: Your story highlights the economic
realities. Drummers need to find multiple
revenue sources, even if they’re successful
recording artists…
48
DV: You know Soilwork is not a huge band.
We’re established and have our fan base, but
we’re by no means millionaires and we have to
record albums and tour. And when we’re not
doing that, it really hurts and we all have to
have alternate ways to make a living. And with
me, that’s the Toontrack stuff and drum clinics,
which I’m very happy to be doing because it
keeps things fresh and I love everything drumrelated.
dD: And what’s next on the schedule for edrums?
DV: I’m working on a new MIDI library for
Toontrack oriented to more basic metal beats.
So, basically anything that’s missing from their
libraries which are death black, thrash metaloriented. This will be more simple stuff that fits
with any style of metal and that you can
combine with the rest to have everything you
need. I’m currently recording for a band from
Japan, a band from Ukraine, a band from
America – all kinds of different things. And I’m
hoping to do some clinics with e-drums. I’ve
been talking to Toontrack because I think it
would be fun to get out there and show people
what Superior Drummer can do.
Missed a review?
Using the search function and the
archive option, you can search the
past three back issues* for any
content, including our reviews and
head-to-head comparisons.
Here is a summary of our reviews to date:
January 2010
Reviews:
Yamaha DTX M-12
Korg Wavedrum
Roland TD-8
Comparatives:
Amps and Powered Speakers
April 2010
Reviews:
Diamond Electronic Drums
12” snare
Crappy Triggers external
triggers
Jman cymbal conversion kit
Comparatives:
Mesh heads
Headphones
July 2010
Comparatives:
External Triggers
Racks
October 2010
Reviews:
Roland HPD-10
JamHub
682Drums e-conversion kit
Comparatives:
Double pedals
Notation software
February 2011
Comparatives:
Drumsticks
E-cymbals (stick noise)
Cymbal VSTs
May 2011
Review:
DrumIt Five 2box kit
Tuﬀ Mesh
Comparatives:
Auxiliary triggers
E-cymbals (crashes)
August 2011
Reviews:
Gen 16 AE cymbals
Native Instruments Abbey
Road IV
The Classic
Addictive Drums
Virtually Erskine
Comparatives:
Drop-in trigger kits
Mesh heads
In-ear monitors
November 2011
Reviews:
Pork Pie thrones
Studio Drummer
Comparatives:
E-snares
February 2012
Reviews:
Midi Knights Pro
Extreme Drum Triggers kit
Comparatives:
E-rides
Mesh heads
May 2012
Reviews:
ddrum Hybrid kit
Korg Wavedrum Mini
BFD Eco 1.5
Platinum Studios Rock
Legends Quick Pack
Comparatives:
Drumsticks
August 2012
Reviews:
Roland TD-30KV
Roland SPD-SX
Steven Slade Drums 4.0
r-drums conversion kit
Comparatives:
Mesh Heads
November 2012
Reviews:
Mark Drum YES kit
trapKAT 5KS
Comparatives:
Multi-pads
February 2013
Reviews:
Hart eCymbal III
Wronka EasyTriggers
Trigerra Krigg
StarDrums
Comparatives:
iPad apps
*For reviews prior to August
2012, click here.
Your definitive guide to e-drum gear
ORDER NOW: The entire digitalDrummer back catalogue on DVD - Only $30*
*including shipping
--PErformance--
How I use e-drums
Sebastian Beresford is one of the breed of new
drummers pushing the boundaries by integrating
electronics into acoustic set-ups – and vice versa.
I FIRST STARTED playing drums when I
was four and began mixing
electronics into my set-up
when I was 15. Things have
certainly come a long way since
those days where you would get
injuries if you played your e-drums
for too long. RSI, tennis elbow and
carpel tunnel were common ailments
from hitting the hard rubber surface
for hours on end.
Thankfully, manufacturers have worked
hard over the years to give us the
equipment that now leaves us injury-free
and allows our creativity to flow
uninterrupted.
I have spent many hours working behind my
kit, re-designing the layout and figuring out
ways to be able to bring ideas into life.
For the past three years, I toured with the
electronic pioneers and revolutionaries
Leftfield, replacing former member Paul Daley.
Their initial conversation with me was to
approach the gig as a percussionist rather than
a drummer.
50
I designed my tour kit as a hybrid,
using mainly ddrum shells with the
ddrum3 module, still considered as
one of the best drum modules ever
made. Its response is fantastic, its
durability unbelievable and the
sound quality fantastic.
I use a Yamaha RH135 hi-hat
pad along with a Dauz 8” pad,
a Korg Wavedrum, a 10”x3”
Pete Erskine snare and an
assortment of Sabian
crashes and a ride. All other
pads and triggers are ddrum.
The snare pads (I have a few) run through a
Kaoss pad, allowing me to ‘effect’ the sound
while the samples/loops/noises are sent
through a Boss GT3 guitar FX pedal which sits
on the right of my kick drum pedal. It is hooked
up to the ddrum module and as I select each kit
using the RD1 controller, it selects the
appropriate FX set up with all delays, reverbs,
phasers or anything else designed for the
relevant track via MIDI. It also allows me to add
to the FX chain, if desired.
In the next issue
Using only four outputs from the ddrum3 keeps
the channels to a minimum, with a lot of the
levels being decided in the rehearsal studio
and then stored within the relevant modules.
The acoustics are mic’d as usual with a
Yamaha sub-woofer on the kick (as well as a
ddrum redshot trigger), the toms as a pair, the
snare top and bottom, along with stereo
overheads and ride mic.
Building the sounds was fun. I would be sent
the samples from the track and assign them
around the kit. Then, in rehearsals, we would
decide between us whether they were working
for the live arena. If not, we would simply make
new ones or begin manipulating what we had.
Once we were happy, I was allowed to start
introducing some of my ideas into the mix. I
began to introduce short musical loops and
samples which I could control using various
parameters within the ddrum3 module such as
velocity sensitivity ‘effecting’ the frequencies of
the sound – basically the harder or softer I hit
a pad, the more or less the frequency of that
sound gets manipulated.
The kit has travelled around the world for three
years and has performed impeccably. Sure,
like any show, there have been those
moments but nothing of any great drama.
With a new album in the making and a new
tour being discussed, I’m sure the kit will
evolve even more but have no doubt it will
remain a simple and reliable design.
I’m also working on a solo project ‘b.i.d’ using
only e-drums triggering audio and video live. It
has been something I have been developing
over many years and now, with the advances
in technology - in not just e-drums, but also in
computer software - a drummer’s input into
any project is blown wide open.
With e-drums such as the Yamaha DTX950K
or the DTX12M, I see drumming heading in a
whole new direction – and not before time!
Profile: John Emrich
Few drummers are as deeply involved in the
art and science of e-drums as John Emrich
who is as comfortable behind the desk as he
is making music with sticks or fingers.
Kick the habit
Lately, there has been a surge of product
development in bass triggers and we line ‘em
up and kick off the first ever head2head.
KAT’s KT2 kit
The first comprehensive review of one of the
offerings from KAT Percussion, a
collaboration bet ween KMC and Alternate
Mode.
Tweaking the 30
To make the most of the advanced
triggering capabilities of Roland’s TD-30, it’s
necessary to move beyond the default
settings. Jeremy Hoyle offers some
pointers.
All that and more in August ...
--VST--
Product review: Drumasonic 2.0
THERE ARE TWO kinds of VST offerings – the
all-in-one mega-boxes and the high-quality
limited kit offerings. Drumasonic falls into the
second camp, although the current offering is
way more generous than the launch pack
which had very limited kit pieces and choices.
I’ll preface this review by repeating the
digitalDrummer VST evaluation criteria: we
look for a plug and play package that allows
drummers to quickly and easily produce
realistic drum sounds from their choice of
triggers. Sure, mixing and sound production
capabilities are nice, but most of our readers
are drummers, not producers, and are looking
for easy to use options.
What’s in the box
As is becoming the norm these days, it’s a
virtual box. Drumasonic is delivered by
download – almost 6 GB worth, which is a bit
of a wait in some places.
Once you’ve got all the data, it’s reasonably
easy to unpack and install, but this VST does
require Kontakt Player to work. Player is free
and also available for download.
Once installed, it should just pop up as a
Kontakt Library, with two options – damped
room and large room.
And for owners of the original Drumasonic, the
two versions can co-exist, so you won’t lose
any of your previous sounds or settings when
you upgrade.
52
The interface
As a plug-and-play guy, I’ll admit a partiality to
VSTs which contain a playable graphic
representation of the kit. I like to click around
the image and hear the sounds of the kit
pieces. Sure, there’s no real ongoing benefit
from this type of graphic interface, but I like
them – and Drumasonic doesn’t have one.
Instead, you see what looks like a mixing desk
– and a complex one at that.
But if you dig in, you’ll find four tabs which
open four screens which are typical of VSTs:
the Instruments Page, the Articulations Page,
the Effects Page and the Groove Page.
The Instruments Page, as you’d expect,
contains the kit set-up. Here you choose from
three bass drums, six snare drums, five toms,
four hi-hats, five rides, nine crashes and
various percussion instruments. You also get to
choose the microphone set-up from a
bewildering array of choices. There are also
some presets which quickly and easily reshape
the kit sounds.
The Articulations Page hints at the huge bank
of samples behind this package. Here you can
do the MIDI tweaking, matching the samples to
your triggers. There are a large number of
preset MIDI maps for the major e-drum
modules – Roland, 2box, Yamaha, etc. - and
the ability to ‘MIDI learn’ your trigger layout. It’s
also easy to adjust velocity, volume, pitch,
panning and other parameters for your triggers
articulation for a Roland module and a 2box kit
used for testing. And when a Zendrum was
connected (with Roland mapping), it was
absolutely plug and play.
and various articulations, including brushes
and rods versions. A useful tip here, especially
when playing live, is to turn off any unwanted
articulations to reduce memory usage.
Drumasonic requires Kontakt Player and can
run as a stand-alone in Kontakt or in a host like
Reaper.
The basic plug-and-play drummer’s eyes will
probably glaze over in the Effects Page – a
myriad of options more familiar to recording
engineers. Thankfully, there are a bunch of
presets that make it easy to change the FX
with a mouse click and avoid all the messing
around.
Because of the large number of samples,
Drumasonic does take a while to load – as do
many complex Kontakt instruments.
There are two kit set-ups in the offering, a
large room and a damped room, each of which
presents as a separate instrument in Kontakt.
That means there’s a bit of a wait if you decide
to switch from one version to the other. But, the
good news is that it’s worth the wait, and once
the “room” is loaded, you can change kit
pieces on the fly.
The last page controls the Grooves, and this
version of the pack includes a bunch of
grooves which, obviously, have little appeal to
real drummers. However, if you have sprained
a wrist and need to grab a groove, there’s lots
of choice – plus the ability to import grooves
from other programmes.
In action
Drumasonic is easy to install and activate once
downloaded. Watch out for the separate
activation email which contains your licence
file. If you overlook that, you’ll find the
programme comes to an abrupt halt as it has a
time-out built in to avoid piracy.
Using the options on the Articulations page, it’s
straightforward to map the MIDI – simply
choose the appropriate map from a drop-down
menu and you’re set. You can tweak it with the
intuitive MIDI learn function and only minor
adjustments were required to dial in the hi-hat
,
€
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The sounds
Drumasonic 2 is testament to the “more is less”
philosophy. There aren’t many instruments or
kit pieces to choose from, but all of them are
terrific.
The large room essentially has one version of
each kit piece – and it’s a good one. And even
with that one kit, there’s some variety through
the various nuances available in the presets.
With names like “In You Face” and “Even
Bigger”, the differences are dramatic – and
effective.
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The damped room has a few choices in the kit
pieces. There are some fantastic maple, birch
and steel snares, a few good hats, rides and
cymbals, but the kick and tom offerings are a
bit meagre. Again, the sounds available are
excellent, but possibly not as varied as some
buyers might like.
That said, there’s a kaleidoscope of sounds
available through the presets. And again, the
damped room collection is far more varied than
the large room set. There’s everything from
pop and rock kits to drum ‘n bass, techno and
hip hop and funk. And I’d venture to say that
the average covers band drummer would find
enough for the most varied set list. And of
course, for those who want to get their hands
dirty, there are more manual tweaks than you
could ever use.
Overall
The collection of sounds out of a few kit pieces
in two basic studio settings is impressive. The
individual kit piece samples are rich and
varied. There are great nuances like
sympathetic snare buzz and the option to
switch between sticks, rods and brushes.
Q&A
VST
with john emrich
While the graphic interface may be no-frills, the
sound-shaping capabilities are enormous and
producers can have a field day crafting the
precise atmosphere they require. And even
those who just want to plug and play can tap
into the huge production capability through the
easy-to-use presets.
54
On the downside, it’s a large download and not
available on disk (and that’s unfortunately
becoming the norm these days). It also
requires Kontakt Player, which some people
dislike, and that means that updates are
somewhat limited by having to fit in with Native
Instruments’ timetable.
The kits are relatively slow to load, even using
some of Drumasonic’s footprint reduction tips,
but once loaded, it is quite quick and easy to
switch from one preset to another.
Sure, you won’t find a Neil Peart kit or a 1960s
Beatles kit and some potential buyers might be
put off by the relatively small number of
instruments included. But after a very short
time, it becomes clear that, through technical
wizardry, not only does Drumasonic produce a
silk purse from a sow’s ear, but that purse can
change colour and shape, if required.
The bottom line: Drumasonic has packed a
huge punch in this offering. While €159 may
seem a bit expensive for a single kit in two
room settings, the package is so much more
expansive and, in reality, you are getting more
than four dozen kits via the presets and an
almost infinite number of user kits, limited only
by your imagination.
I can see this becoming the go-to package for
many e-drummers. And don’t take my word for
that. There’s a free version which shows you
just what Drumasonic 2 is all about. Grab that
and try it for yourself.
Q: I’ve heard horror stories about VSTs for live use. What could I do to
ensure reliable live performance?
Most of the horror stories I hear come from people who won't admit they have
very little experience with computers in a musical situation. What usually happens
is that they get on a gig and instead of concentrating on playing, they are
messing around with settings on the computer. That almost always ends in
disaster. It is better to get a great preset (or two) put together at your home studio
and not mess with it on the gig.
I get this question a lot. As a developer, I have more drum samples than anyone
on the planet, but when I gig, I use one set-up in BFD2 that has most of the 32 kit
pieces loaded. I only have the samples I need on my gigging hard drive. I just
change note numbers on the Zendrum or DTX900 to get a few different sounds
and leave the programme alone. When I turn on my Mac, it automatically boots
up with BFD2 and my gigging preset ready to make music. The second time I
usually touch my Mac on a gig is to shut it off at the end.
When you have great sounds, it changes everything. You do not need to scroll
through 500 bass drums when you have a couple that actually sound great, ready
to go. Same approach as an acoustic set: how many snares do you take to a gig?
○ Send your VST questions to [email protected]
--diy--
Cone or column?
Do you have a DIY question? Philippe Decuyper will solve readers’
problems in each edition of digitalDrummer. Whether repairing
existing equipment or building your own, Philippe will find the
answers. Just email your questions to
[email protected].
This month’s question comes from a subscriber in Ontario, Canada,
who asks: “Do I have to use a cone for a DIY drum trigger? I see
some popular makes use foam columns instead.”
AS MENTIONED IN a previous
article, the active part of most
electronic drum triggers is a
piezo transducer. One
challenge for manufacturers
is to create the perfect
housing for this tiny
electronic component.
The other challenge is
creating an efficient link
between the playing surface
and the transducer. A piezo is
too fragile to be directly hit by a
drum stick.
Back in the ‘80s, triggers were first made
from large, thick metal plates to which piezos
were attached. It was a nice way to protect the
delicate component while enlarging the playing
surface. Most rubber pads are still built this
way.
Later, manufacturers began to design pads that
looked and felt more like “the real thing” by
using a drum head. The mesh head has
emerged as a popular playing surface, but you
can’t just glue a piezo to the head. This is
where another important part of the trigger
comes into play: a piece of foam.
I have experimented with different kinds of
material from rubber to silicone, but nothing
compares to foam. However, you do need to
use the right type of foam. Here’s a tip: if a
block of foam quickly recovers its original
shape after you squeeze it, it may be a good
candidate for a trigger.
So why don’t all manufacturers shape their
pieces of foam the same way?
Mostly, because once a company spends years
getting something to work, there is a good
chance a patent will be registered
to protect the crucial aspects of
the idea.
Roland uses a cone. Hart,
Pintech and some others
opted for a column.
From a DIYer point of view,
shaping a cone from a block
of foam is far from easy.
Some techniques have been
explained on web forums, but
some of them are dangerous for
your fingers. Shaping a cylinder is
easier. You can, for example, slightly
heat a tube of metal (please wear
appropriate gloves!) to cut the foam.
If you want something in between, you can
also cut two cylinders of different sizes and
stick the smaller one on top of the large one.
Basically, a cone or a small cylinder on top of a
large one will easily “push” the centre of the
piezo. If you hit your drum head in its centre
(on the “foam spot”), a precise, strong vibration
will then be transmitted to the piezo.
A column will excite the transducer in a
different manner.
These factors can have an impact on various
things like “hot spot” issues or positional
sensing capabilities.
In summary, the quality of foam and the
assembly which takes place under the piezo
are at least as important as the shape of the
foam element. As a DIYer, you may also get far
better results from a column than from a cone
because a perfect cone is quite difficult to
machine at home.
55
--gear--
MONSTER
My
kit
Scott Koopmann from Upstate New York has the
advantage of working as a monitor engineer with rock
group Chicago by day, but when he’s off the clock, he
rocks to his converted acoustic kit.
The kit: A converted Pearl Export Series
with custom crossbar triggers.
Drums:
Two 8", four 10", two 12", two 14” and two
16”, using Quartz triggers and Humm Drum
three-ply mesh heads.
Cymbals:
Kit-Toys: Three 12" (two-zone, chokeable),
13" (w/choke), three 9" splash and two
Pintech crashes
Roland VH-12 hi-hat
Module: MegaDrum (56 Input)
Dedicated Laptop for drum libraries
Custom voltage divider rack
M-Audio Mobile USB Audio Interface
Custom cabling
56
Scott’s story: I began playing drums at
age 16, after realising I couldn’t play the
guitar and sing at the same time. I then
swapped roles with my brother in a Dave
Matthews cover band.
I have recently built a project studio in my
home, and really wanted to assemble my
own electronic drum kit, as I was not happy
recording drums with a MIDI keyboard.
My plan was to make this as DIY as
possible - without breaking the bank.
Videos of this kit in action can be seen on
YouTube.
Scott with his A2E kit, powered by
a 56-input MegaDrum (below).
PHOTOS: Picture Perfect Photography
WARNING
For their own safety, digitalDrummer advises impulse
purchase-prone readers to avoid this feature.
57
gear Guide
DIY KITS
Simply the best
DIY just got easier thanks to the new Quartz
Percussions harness-mounted trigger system.
The dual-zone model includes a 35mm trigger
mounted on an adjustable
harness and a 35mm piezo
connected to a ¼” female
stereo jack.
Mono versions and column
-type shape triggers are also
available for the easiest
conversion of toms and bass drums.
The harness system builds on the success of the
reliable and popular Quartz
cone triggers, precision-made
for perfect triggering.
See us on YouTube or find out
more and place your orders at
www.quartzpercussions.com
WIRELESS MIDI
Need wireless MIDI that just works?
AUXILIARY TRIGGERS
CUSTOM KITS
Diamond rack Buster
Jazz up your rack with the most
affordable hand-built kit around.
www.midijet.com
58
Five-piece kits from £799 - £1,299.
And they sound
as good as they look!
www.diamondelectronicdrums.com
DEALER
gear G uide
KICK TRIGGERS
BUY AND SELL
.COM
E-KICK
Got gear to sell?
YYOUR
O U R EEXTRA
XTRA
X T R A KIC
KICK
K I C K DDRUM
RUUM
M
K
KICK
ICK
H
ERE
HERE
MESH HEADS
We’ll buy your used e-drum gear for a great
price with no messing around.
Why waste time and money listing on eBay or
your local classifieds when we can seal the deal
with one call?
Whole kits, single triggers, modules, hardware we buy it all.
Sell to someone who knows the market and
guarantees a fair price and prompt payment.
Email us at [email protected]
And if you’re looking to buy, go to
our eBay store, jjdrumz.
E-DRUM STORE
The best heads for electronic drumming, made by
Aquarian Drumheads, are now available in Australia.
Featuring Hart’s proprietary heavy-duty mesh,
providing virtually silent operation.
It’s a noticeable difference that you can feel.
To order in Australia, click here
59
gear G uide
MESH HEADS
E-CYMBALS/E-KICKS
Taking mesh heads
to the next level
The new three-ply
Ballistech II Mesh Heads are
quieter, more responsive and tougher.
Made to fit all acoustic drums in a
wide range of sizes - from 8” to 22”
Unlike any heads you’ve tried before,
the Ballistech II Mesh Heads play
and feel like traditional drum heads.
Perfect for silent practice or e-drumming
Billy Blast Drums
Available only from
www.billyblastdrums.com
DRUM TRAINING
E-CYMBAL KITS
The leading DIY acoustic-to-electronic
cymbal conversion kit is now available
in 2box versions.
Stealth Drums’ popular kits can now
be used for crashes and splashes
and for the most responsive
three-zone ride on the market.
The kit contains all the parts you’ll need
plus easy-to-follow instructions.
60
www.stealthdrums.com

14 DigitalDrummer May2013

Transcription

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