I was originally an acoustic player for 10 years and then I got an electric drum set in 2000 (Roland to-10) and I’ve never looked back. The silent practicing, all the different sounds of toms, snares, bass, drums, and fact that they’re always in tune is perfection. My only gripe is the rubber symbols and hihat. My solution was and is gen 16”s, they make the electric feel like an acoustic.
So, I teach music in a very small school and we had a proper acoustic drum kit but it was hardly ever played because the volume was so loud. We bought an e-kit and the take up of kids playing was amazing, at least 10 times as many. I miss not have rim shots and cross sticks but the trade off is well worth it. I was genuinely surprised at how playable the e-kit was. It was a Donner DED-80 which is a very low budget kit. We will definitely have more kids deciding to move on to real drums. That makes them totally worth buying.
That’s actually really cool. I wasn’t ever able to learn drums when I was younger because the cost and loudness which my family couldn’t tolerate. Now that I’m an adult I was able to pay for my drums and with decent electronic drums that are fun to play- im able to have it in my apartment and enjoy learning. Seriously the one of the best things I’ve ever done for myself was to buy a nice Roland drum kit.
What I am missing: a small footprint, high-end edrum kit. The small kits often are crap: very basic modules, cheap pads and cymbals. I would like a ‚TD1‘ with a compact metal rack, a high end module and few but premium components. Small but excellent.
The Yamaha DTX6K3-X is exactly what you're looking for. They have their own specialized TCS Silicone pads that feel much more realistic to play, and they give you great cymbal quality for the price. The module is also very good as well.
I have to say I bought a dm10 MK2 Pro, and two years later I've only had one issue with my snare drum which I fix myself, and I've grown the kit and integrated it with my FL Studio setup and I couldn't be happier with the results I get. That fucking Alesis kit kicks ass
@@hanovergreen4091 Bought the new Strike Pro SE a year ago. I sometimes get carried away and hit hard, not always. No complaints and everything still works. They make decent kits now.
I play a Roland TD11KV, but I've listened to the DM10 and the DM10 MK2 and they're great kits, the modules have some great sounds. 👍🏻 BIG Edit: I bought a used DM 10 after posting the above comment and I was wrong. I had it for a week and it's up for sale. I went back to some of those vdos and all the kits I listened to were using drum software! It doesn't come close to my TD 11. Even my old TD 3 I had, had better sounds. Really.
I just switched from TD 10 TWD-1 Expanded 2 a DM10 MKII Pro and I use Addictive Drums 2 but I also downloaded custom sounds that I put on a USB... But mostly I'm using AD2. And I built my own kit. A lot of the drum pads I bought off eBay and repaired them which I still buy a broken electronic pads and repair them and resell them Alesis has a bad habit of using really thin wire I'm really stiff weather stripping glue that dries really hard and has no give so overtime those wires will break from constant beating... Especially the way that I hid them. I hit really hard. So I use thicker gauge wire with custom sheathing and clear silicone.. most the time I will change out the piezo's too
@@Tony-fx9ky Hey bud! I was jonesing for the Strike Pro but the DM 10 hasn't failed me, borked, or anything and couldn't justify it. I use AD and EZD. Funny thing is that in Mainstage on MacOS the drum kits are surprisingly good and I often find myself using those kits exclusively. Do you have ay experience with the DM 10 control module and if so, can you comment on whether the Strike Pro module makes enough of a difference to use? Even if the samples are not native? Either way, Best Regards and Best Wishes! and hope you have a great weekend!
Thanks for the great video. I've had several E Kits over the years, and my biggest issues have always been machine gun triggering and the weird feel of rubber/plastic cymbals. I'm hopeful that the manufacturers will up their game over the next few years.
Looks really professional. Also just realized he has over 100k subs. Seems like there was a huge increase in subs recently. Nice to see all his work paying off.
I'm still using my TD9 drum module. I bought back in 2008. I'm also still using rolling mesh heads with RT30 triggers on my acoustic kit. Haven't seen the need to upgrade
Great video! Just what I needed to hear as I purchase a current-gen kit. Don't obsess that something twice as good will drop a week after you invest. The cycle is too long for the kind of niche product e-drums are. And a reminder that as we have different priorities ( stage aesthetics, build quality, brand, sound quality, playing surfaces, form factor, room noise, footprint, customizability, price ) there is no one BEST kit, but rather a set of features that makes a given kit the best one FOR YOU.
I appreciate your full coverage of hands-on experience, the changes in technology and how that factors into the mix in practical terms. I could use some info on various drum brands and their reputations in the electronic drum markets.
Saw The Who last year with Zak Starky on an Electronic Kit and not only did they (and he) sound great but the lower volume that they performed at was great and bearable.
My fully upgraded all mesh TD9 is 15 years old and still works perfect after at least 6000hrs of play. If you learn how to use all the features its fantastic. Plus the midi on the td9 makes more pads almost infinite.
Love my TD9 mesh, still going strong too. I've added an extra pad and cymbal but never played with the Midi. Is it easy enough to get into? Would love some new, proper good sounds
@@stickybuds05 I just started learning how to use my Pc for sounds via Ableteon, its the way to go. But I'm still just in the learning phase. Midi works great on it and is quite easy to learn.
All great points as always! I also think people fail to think about the trickle down affect. All of the great new pieces of tech and feature slowly trickle down to the more budget units. A company is not going to pour loads of money into making the best possible $400 drum set, it just wouldn't make sense. I remember thinking how cool e kits were in the early 2000's, but they were really expensive. I think now a $1000 more budget E kit is miles past what multi thousand dollar e kits used to be.
Good video, I agree that they need to focus on cutting costs since most people will care about price more than anything else. I myself had a TD-17 KVX that I enjoyed a lot, but ended up swapping everything out with triggers, and real shells for a quarter of the price. As you said, the kick drum takes up the most space, and with that replaced, and all regular size shells attached to the rack hit all the marks you'd want in an electric kit. Taking up less space, but still having shell sizes that are authentic.
Coming from A Roland TD-20x to a VAD-706, I can say massive progression but that is a big jump. So incrementally I could see small changes, but for me MASSIVE change. The VAD-706 is on a different planet.
Good points made here. Back in the 90's I had the ALESIS D4/D5 and soon moved on to the Yamaha DTX1.0 and v.2.0. Those modules by YAMAHA had SO MANY features derived from the keyboards they'd made to that point and most drummer never even maximized the potential those modules had. 9-layers per pad in sequence/succession. It was a first in a portable module. The "GUTS" of drum modules have had more to offer than most drummers have been made aware of. We HAVE made it to the point where the emphasis has been crazily-shifted toward 'gimmicks' unfortunately. I really don't care about "wireless drums" that eDW is going to offer. Who cares. I'd rather be hardwired up and running without concerns that my snare won't work due to a flawed battery! LOL! REALLY! I'd rather focus on performing than place a weak link between myself and my audience. ;). There ARE moments...SEVERAL...where I wish companies would simply make analog drum kits again...with memory banks so settings are saved. There IS room for cool/artistic-looking pad shapes around a drum kit. Last Summer I purchased my FIRST-EVER 3D-printed dual-zone drum. I'd love to see some 3D-printed shapes with silicone striking surfaces. I believe it's coming.
My biggest problems with high-end electronic drums, well, it's a me problem. I'm fine with the Alesis pro kit with stage-size diameter drums, that are more shallow, and allow different placement without the depth getting in the way. But I just wish that these pro kits allowed for more drums and cymbals without having to buy new modules and linking systems.
Ive been using a roland/yamaha hybrid for a longtime that I upgrade here and there. I think its time for a full roland upgrade. Love your vids for the info.
Great video Justin, some really good points being made. Aside from waiting to see how these wireless DWe kits are going to be, I don't think much has improved other than more companies are entering the market. I bought my DTX700 in 2012, and aside from adding an extra pad and cymbal, the only change I've made is ditching the module for an eDrumin 10. I'm in the space saving pads camp and really like the Efnote 3x kit. I really like the mounting stands, but would love to shave a few inches off the thickness of the pads and get a Drumtec half size kick drum. More products like the Pearl Mimic that can run SD3 and the like will be the next step I think. As a dj, I've ditched the laptop for a standalone controller, and look forward to the day I can do the same with my EDrums.
I have the eFnote 3x. I only use the module to communicate to a bargain mac book pro with 2tb sdd I scored off the bay. I paid under 400 IIRC for that mac, who needs a mimic pro?
I just bought a Yamaha DTX6K3-X kit and am extremely impressed. It sounds great. I’m coming from a guitar background and bought it to learn a little drums, but more so to have a kit that my drummer friends could play at my house and also integrate well with my digital piano and neural DSP Quad Cortex. My only problem I’m having is, I can’t find the adjustment to prevent the hi-hat cymbal from spinning. There are so few videos about assembly, that I was pretty much on my own and had to figure it out. That said, I would love to make it not spin.
I agree about losing the rim zones on the dtx pads. but I might take the crash cymbal inputs and used my xp80 pads and see if I can get them back. I don't need three zones on a crash cymbal
Yeah, I'm still on my TD-30. I see all the cool stuff in Software, but I don't have the time to learn it all. I see how cool the TD-50 digital pads is, but as a hobbyist that doesn't do anything serious I've been able to exercise self control. That, and the fact is, I've gone through 3 E-Kits in my life. 4 if you count my friend's TD-5 that convinced me Edrums were worth looking at. Each time it was an amazing experience for about 3 to 6 months. Then I'd hit the limits of the kit and feel like maybe I spent too much money. So yeah, I'm just holding off for a couple more generations to pass me by. And even then I suspect I'll not upgrade until something breaks on my TD-30 and it's cheaper to buy new than fix.
Honestly with you already having a td30. Unless you want a digital ride, snare or hihat? There's nothing you can upgrade too. Unless you just want pads that look like real drum sizes
Agree. Hitting the 'limits' - yeah, that sounds nice, great even, but then the little, gnawing drawbacks of the e-experience seem to highlight diminishing returns on the sheer enjoyment of playing something---"cooler"?
Got a Td-8 when it came out. Maxed out inputs & Combined with SD3 when that came out. Can't imagine why I would need anything else. New ones are too big and can't see or feel sounding better than my current rig. Having said that, I couldn't live without positional sensing pads which td-8 has considering is so old.
I drive a 20 year old Tacoma & I like it because it's a warhorse... my choice (as a regular apartment player) would be something that works strong & won't break down for years
Thanks again for the informative video. I splurged on the Roland VAD 706. I think the samples are pretty incredible. What I like about the TD50X is how I can tune in to any sound I want that emulates what I always wanted my acoustic drums to sound like: from the open live stage/stadium sound to a fine-tuned studio kit. And when I dial in some African drum sounds, I find myself just jamming away for an hour or so. So much fun! Just can't do that with acoustic. I'm impressed with the feel and sensitivity of the mesh pads and the thin cymbals.
I was using e drums in the 80s with the Pearl Drum X, using a Dixon rack set Then I went back to acoustic drums, also using a rack set up with 2 snares an a cable hat mounted above the to small toms on the left. In 1990 I gotta an e drum pad machine the Yammy DD11 followed by a DD12. In 2001, I got a Yammy DTX v2 full size e kit with rubber pads. Sold that an got cheap rubber pad kit which I converted to mesh heads. Then upgraded the kit to a Millenium MPS 400P, mesh head kit (also converted) eventually adding a Roland FD 8 hat an a Roland TD 8 module. So along with 3 Yammy DD55's, a roll up e kit, I also use a Medeli DD 309. That's all I need....
Great great video! One of the best I have seen on eDrums ! So under $1k where should I be looking? New to drums at 50. Played in school decades ago but it was orchestra snare - bass - etc. I am open to drum software if that’s the best way to get accurate sounds - so module sounds may not be THAT important I believe I like the idea of a kick pedal /pad to simulate an acoustic bass Is the Nitro mesh kit where it’s at?
As a pianist, I love my Kawai MP11. It does one huge thing better than anyone else.....sounds and feels like a real 9' grand piano. And, they've changed the instrument very little. Now, I'm thinking about my next e-drum kit....and looking into the Alesis Crimson II. I haven't played one yet, but it looks like they've gotten a lot of things right. Any suggestions from drummers out there? Thanks
Been rocking a TD-25 triggering Superior Drummer 3 for about 2 years now. It’s amazing in so many ways. Definitely room for improvement but it’s come along way since I played the first electronic kit I ever messed around on back in about 2000.
@@chipforlong3317 I believe SD3 has windows support. I wouldn't see why it wouldn't. I use an M1 14 inch MacBook Pro aswell as an old 2015 MacBook Pro 13 inch
@@BOMBPHONICS Thanks for the reply. I've been looking at the new MacBook Pro m2 chip and 1T drive. I'm concerned about how much space I will need with SD3 plus add on packs . It's a BIG investment for sure.
Is Alesis coming out with anything new this year? Was thinking about getting the strike pro se. Can you add anything to that set, like another cymbal or drum pad? Great videos
I just got this set a month ago. For me (former professional-current hobbyist) it’s a killer set. Make sure you buy a good speaker with it tho. Hi hat is a little rough but that is my only complaint. You can add/subtract whatever you want using cable splitters. 9/10 kit.
@@jakefriedrich9260 No! No speaker...! A good headphone amp and awesome in ears ...awww. You talking about using it with a drum module? I use my kit with SD3 and the head phone amp together with in.ears and butt kicker ... feels like on a huge stage!
@@roberthudson9923 do it man. It ads positional sensing for the snare it knows if you hit center or to the side/off center and articulates the sound acordingly and it ads mic position for instruments plus some size settings for instruments
E Drums have so much going for them, but the manufacturers are not marketing or developing them in the right way. EDrums should ABSOLUTELY be app based and end the the module idea. And the app should be easy to use and offer great sounds. The increase in price shouldn't be as much about the pyhisical drum and more about the sounds you get access too.
it doesn't seem like there are any advancements to me, because there is still no Tama CocktailJam-Mini E- shell pack yet. of course i am still working on saving for a deluxe multi-pad, with 8 trigger inputs, to plug the shell pack, ( and whatever hat and cymbal triggers ), into. but Yes...some of the multi-pads got better....in fact, the one's with 8 external trigger inputs would blow most modules completely out of the water.
I've been using my TD6KV for like 16 years, apart from a bit of wobbly triggering on the cymbals (poor old things), I can't complain. Using EZ Drummer 3 really was what I needed sound-wise though, the integrated samples tend to sound much more robotic much faster
I started with the Td-7 paying thousands for a new one, combined that later with the Td-10 so I had lots of toms and cymbals and two modules. My bedroom was full of this absolutely oversized monster with meshhead drums everywhere, using the old rubber pads as cymbals. Now I went to the Td-1 for a few bucks with 3 toms, two crashes and absolutely love it . It's minimalistic, cleaned up and small but sounds amazing compared to the old stuff where I had thousand options to mess my sound up. Not much to adjust (threshold only), 15 kits (6-7 useful for me) and I'm happy with it. Up to now I still haven't hooked it to the computer. Somehow I downgraded but for me it's a big upgrade.
You said something very important that has made my search for my first ekit difficult. I plan to upload my own sounds or find better software than a module can offer. Problem is idk which kit to get to get. What is the highest quality, customizable, best bang for my buck kit under $1k? I care about the realism (multi zone technology, dual mesh, realistic drumming)
The last module i bought was a TD-25. It became clear to me after upgrading and *losing* features like having multiple sounds on the same pad that Roland had reached their "peak" in terms of making e-drums a real, unique instrument and not just an afterthought for practice.. and had started stripping features out in an effort to sell their latest module. I could buy an older roland module and plug it into a PC and get the features i want for almost nothing. Meanwhile If I pay $1000-1500 for a new module now, i wont get those features because their modern product line has labelled them "flagship". Ignore the hardware: E-drum manufacturers have been stripping features out on a purely software level simply to upsell. I'm not buying into any manufacturer that does that.
You're totally right, I saw to my amazement the other day, that thr TD - 3 module had inputs for two crashes AND a ride! Most entry and even mod spec modules nowadays have only one crash. (some of them have the option to ad a second crash, but spare me their generosity!) Its criminal not to give us more inputs.
I have a TD-27kv -2 and the digital experience has been great for me. I only use the snare, HH, and Ride. The rest is still in the boxes. I probably should sell some of this stuff. I made my own triggers about 6 years ago (This kid on the internet named Justin turned me on to making my own.) Hehehe no lie! and I never looked back. But modules are the issue in the industry. Roland TD-27 sounds pretty good. No question it is powerful. Then you use SD3 and it is like night and day sound wise and options. Using the TD-27 as a trigger interphase is a shame. All we need is a interphase to a PC or Mac with Roland digital tech. Lowering the cost and giving more people the technology. Roland also locks the industry down and we have to wait 20 years for things like mesh heads. Piezos where invented in the 1940's and frankly almost free to buy in bulk. I think I have 20 of them in a box because I thought I would "need them". Yet I own 3 Roland modules and an Alesis DM-10. I am not a Roland hater at all. But I would just want to buy the drums. My computer doesn't say "You can only have 200 mb's for this sound". Keep the modules of course because some people love them in a quick small gigging solution. But for the love of god don't force me to by this hugely expensive module that I don't use it's features.
Did you hear already about the Audiofront eDRUMin devices? I started with a Millenium/Alesis/FAME like ekit for 600$. But I was already flashed by connecting even this thing to EZDrummer2 Xmas 2019. Now, I still use these Alesis like pads for the toms but with the eDRUMin10 and I am more than satisfied with the dynamic range and overall performance of these pads (drum-tec design heads). Snare is a drum-tec style DIY, and lot of LEMON cymbals. Together with Superior Drummer 3... Dude, I am able to use more articulations than I've ever used on my real drum set. I am a hobby musician metal drummer. 🙂 You are damn right. I was on that point a few month after getting the first ekit, when the gear addiction started. And I found only two trigger2MIDI interfaces: DDRUM and that stinky 2 input Roland thing. And this guy from Audiofront made my day, life ... whatever. These devices use a software to be configured and no tiny screens. There is a review @TheeDrumWorkshop . Together with my DIY snare I got nice positional sensing on the snare and a basic functionality of the pos sense on the LEMON cymbals. Ah, and I use a Hall-effect DIY hihat controller on a real hihat stand. If you like, check out my profile. And please contact me, if you wanna know some details.
@fartpoobox ohyeah I am 100% e-kit trained started playing 6 years ago. I have a converted acoustic kit. I don't know any better so that is good for me. I did not treat my ears with respect in the 80's and 90's. I lost my right ear for 2 weeks at a Ted Nugent show. Friggen Ted shot a speaker with a bow and arrow and it exploded and I never fully recovered. Also Sebastian Bach from Skid row. Didn't help before Ted and Kiss after that I lost it all on the right. I regret nothing but don't sit near a speaker. LOL! I have hearing loss and ringing. I will probably never own an acoustic kit "probably". I also cannot make noise like that I have a tenant up stairs. Maybe someday with the right hearing protection. I am a guitar player and own both acoustic and electric but not the same game at all. I love it all! And at my age I am afraid of the cymbal and snare obsession! I am too immature not to have a wall of snares and cymbals. Hehehe
I agree.. .I ended up buying Alesis Surge cause it was the one I could afford (one entire month of my salary= and there was NOWHERE near neither online to buy Alesis Strike Pro.
For me, it's all about sound quality, which acoustics don't come close to, but ea to their own - if an acoustic kit has been worked on you can make it sound ok, but you'll still go half deaf. But ea to their own.
I'm not sure what you mean by "win". You can't objectively say that acoustic drums "feel" better than electronic. I think it's all about what you're used to playing.
I used to have a TD-20 kit, then needed to sell it as I was eyeballing an acoustic kit that I'd been gunning for. The downside to that those kits really went up into the price ionosphere..... I'm just not willing to buy a 7500-8000USD v-drum kit. And then there's me wanting to split hairs even further :). Fast forward to now - I need to be able to live in both worlds. Yet I want to keep things in a one-stop shop. Ok great, so I build out an A to E conversion. What I'm less clear about is, with the variety of 3rd party internal triggers available today, what can I possibly combine in a single 'Maxi-Superior-Drummer' sort of interface? For example, we have a couple of rather decent 1 and 2 zone externals that would be simple to add, but limited in scope . Then there's Sunhouse Sensory percussion which solves the zoning issue, but to my knowledge I can 't use say, Roland or efnote, hihats/cymbals with their software. Ok noted. But is there a way to combine triggers (i.e. sunhouse with roland cymbals as a more trivial example) from different parties into a pc drum engine, or at least route them between their respective software (i.e. sunhouse software 'trained' trigger output to superior/other-drummer inputs) to get that 'all inputs into one engine' type of streamlining?
Can you share your views (if possible) on milleniums? I totally agree that no one (or almost no one) is saving to shell out 8k for an e-drum set. Hell, if I could splurge 8k on a drum kit, that would be only after setting myself up before that to be able to get a proper acoustic! Anyway: I'm on the market for an e-drum set, in the 500eur ballpark. Milleniums seem the best bang for buck, but I'd like to have more insight into it.
here is what I want in e drums 1) a universal trigger system so anything can be used by anything 2) a brain that can have tones swapped out 3) a universal tone format 4) pads that are VERY light weing and compact, not small diameter, but VERY easy to fold up and put away, 5) if possible a mesh like symbol, I would rather hit something mesh and quiet than rubber/silicone pads I effectively live in about a 12x12 foot area I need to fold up my drum kit when i'm not using it for space. something very light weight, that is made to fold up, but can still not feel like crap to play on, with pads that are as big as the acoustic counterpart (if desired) along with a kick that is mesh... there you go, there is my dream drum kit. I don't care about it being wireless or wired, I just want a nice compact kit now from a company side, if you made a brain that had swappable tones/samples, you would make something that lasts a long time, while you may not be able to sell upgrades for it you could still sell higher end stands built for it, higher end kits with bigger pads, and if you sell standardized parts and support them all then its on everyone else to make it you compatible, especially if you make good parts. from here you could make acoustic shell mod kits for people who want to have an acoustic look This would probably be the best thing that anyone can do, cater to everyone and let people who want to more pay more, get the price of performance to come down, hell imagine if the brain was good enough that it wasn't made for just the current trigger, but a better one comes out and you can dial it in near perfect without the need for a new brain hell treat it like a custom computer in this way, you go onto the site and customize your kit, how many pads you want, how many cymbals you want, what style of mount, do you want the acustic look, how big are the pads, and they just boxed it all up and shipped it to you, no severe mark up no paying half the price for a full kit for 1 more pad, you get what you want. I see no reason why my kit when folded up needs to take up a 2x3 foot section of space.
Pearl Mimic Pro smashed it out of the park with the last update, by uploading your own or paid sample libraries onto the beast was a game changer! only wish it had more inputs now (moan,moan) cool vid justin.
I'm playing a 10 year old TD-30K and other than switching over to EZdrummer for the sounds (which you should absolutely do because it blows any module off the map) I have no desire to upgrade. Yes, the new VAD and digital pads from Roland look nice but is it really that much of a difference to spend several thousand on upgrades?
I once tried a bunch of edrums right after each other in an almost empty music store: Roland HD-1, HD-3, Vdrums, TD-8, TD-11, TD-30 and 2 Yamaha DTX flagship and DTXpress…. I was underwhelmed with the high end Roland models and also the Yamaha DTXpress was the almost the same as the one I played 15years prior…. Confusingly I didn’t like the Roland HD-1 but the HD-3 was sounding good and felt the best…. I had the most fun with that (and just wished for a laptop with a plug-in for more sounds)
I feel like the software and hardware have evolved to a point where it is so good that only minor improvements/tweaks will be the norm into the future. Just like you said Justin! They need to pass it down to the cheaper kits.
@@mikestein1024 I get you, but that's where the solid (higher end) tech should be put into the lower end kits. When a young person has a play on an affordable ekit in a music store and they can say.... wow! This plays as good as that acoustic kit but I get to do so much more with it.
Dumb question, but I have an Alesis NM and want to add some pads. Of course they only have 2 extra cable ports. But what if I used a dual stereo cable, I mean why wouldn’t that work? Someone please help🙃🙃
If you are on a budget, you can get a great sounding electronic kit for under a grand. It;s purely the sound I am talking about. You can get that thumping bass drum and snare, loud as f if you have that monitor cranked up.
When I moved out of my parents house and got my own apartment (NYC metro area) in 2012, i stopped playing drums for a decade because I didnt think budget e drums were worth getting. I feel like such an idiot. Now i have a house, wife, 3 kids, and my accoustic drums are just a hassle between tuning and finding the right time to play. Im about to get an efnote 7x.
Hi Justin. I've been watching your videos for a while. They are truly getting more and more polished with great content. How would you compare the TD-12 and TD-17? Also, would software help with my hi-hat triggering?
Great overview. IMO a lot of the features adding sensitivity and nuance and positional triggering they are trying to add into these pads to make them more realistic is going the opposite way of what years of playing style and recording techniques were trying to compensate for. For example in any pop/rock/funk/metal or any music basically other than a jazz trio or a drum solo the drummer is trying to crack that snare dead center, at the identical volume and amount of rim shot for every hit, then the engineer is compressing the crap out of it to make it as consistent sounding as possible. I love that the nuance is there if I want it for ghost notes but technique wise I'm always looking for that perfect center hit so adding in new technology to allow the module to render a pingy sounding hit near the rim is kind of pointless.
It is inconceivable that with today's technological advances, with the many reductions that have occurred with certain materials, we still have electronic drums that look like they are from the 90s. I think they do it on purpose, I hope a new company comes along one day and kicks them all in the butt, with round robins, displays and systems like mobiles, integration as audio interface to handle low latencies, etc.
I'm surprised you didn't mention anything about the newer digital connections that seem to have the most realistic feel and also seem to be the next step in e-drums. I see roland making kits with only 3 components connecting this way. But I think the whole kit is going to have these digital connections eventually. What is it? Cat-5, ethernet connections, fiber optic cables? I'm not even sure, I for forgot. 😆 Update: Just looked it up. I forgot it was just a USB cable for 3 components, snare, hi-hat, and ride, I believe. Could have sworn I saw an e-drum with a cat-5 type connection. 🤷♂️
wondering : do we really want electronic drums which don't have any module ? You see this also with keyboards ( all the functionality is in some app ,making me wonder what happens if they "discontinue " support for that app ) . I think the direction this is going is not at all good . Next step is a monthly subscription to be able to keep using the software or app ...i.e. : " I'll have your monthly fee if you want to keep using your expensive instrument , thank you very much "
I was originally an acoustic player for 10 years and then I got an electric drum set in 2000 (Roland to-10) and I’ve never looked back. The silent practicing, all the different sounds of toms, snares, bass, drums, and fact that they’re always in tune is perfection. My only gripe is the rubber symbols and hihat. My solution was and is gen 16”s, they make the electric feel like an acoustic.
Do you use the Gen16 module sounds?
I like to combine acoustic and electronic drums.
I built my own 7pc A2E with Tama and all new Roland components in 2020 and run SD3...amazing results.
So, I teach music in a very small school and we had a proper acoustic drum kit but it was hardly ever played because the volume was so loud. We bought an e-kit and the take up of kids playing was amazing, at least 10 times as many. I miss not have rim shots and cross sticks but the trade off is well worth it. I was genuinely surprised at how playable the e-kit was. It was a Donner DED-80 which is a very low budget kit. We will definitely have more kids deciding to move on to real drums. That makes them totally worth buying.
How long did the Donner last with all the kids beating up on them, or are the drums still usable?
@@scottfossil7731 it's still operating brilliantly, no damage at all
Reason to teach drummers to play with dynamics
That’s actually really cool. I wasn’t ever able to learn drums when I was younger because the cost and loudness which my family couldn’t tolerate. Now that I’m an adult I was able to pay for my drums and with decent electronic drums that are fun to play- im able to have it in my apartment and enjoy learning. Seriously the one of the best things I’ve ever done for myself was to buy a nice Roland drum kit.
@@cronkitepercussioninspiration > dynamics
What I am missing: a small footprint, high-end edrum kit. The small kits often are crap: very basic modules, cheap pads and cymbals. I would like a ‚TD1‘ with a compact metal rack, a high end module and few but premium components. Small but excellent.
Roland SPD-sx PRO with triggers coupe be a small drum kit
The Yamaha DTX6K3-X is exactly what you're looking for. They have their own specialized TCS Silicone pads that feel much more realistic to play, and they give you great cymbal quality for the price. The module is also very good as well.
Watching from Trinidad and Tobago 🇹🇹
Great content!
I have to say I bought a dm10 MK2 Pro, and two years later I've only had one issue with my snare drum which I fix myself, and I've grown the kit and integrated it with my FL Studio setup and I couldn't be happier with the results I get. That fucking Alesis kit kicks ass
Agreed. I've had mine since 2019. Bulletproof. I think the days of being "bad" are over...
@@hanovergreen4091 Bought the new Strike Pro SE a year ago. I sometimes get carried away and hit hard, not always. No complaints and everything still works. They make decent kits now.
I play a Roland TD11KV, but I've listened to the DM10 and the DM10 MK2 and they're great kits, the modules have some great sounds. 👍🏻
BIG Edit: I bought a used DM 10 after posting the above comment and I was wrong. I had it for a week and it's up for sale. I went back to some of those vdos and all the kits I listened to were using drum software! It doesn't come close to my TD 11. Even my old TD 3 I had, had better sounds. Really.
I just switched from TD 10 TWD-1 Expanded 2 a DM10 MKII Pro and I use Addictive Drums 2 but I also downloaded custom sounds that I put on a USB... But mostly I'm using AD2. And I built my own kit. A lot of the drum pads I bought off eBay and repaired them which I still buy a broken electronic pads and repair them and resell them Alesis has a bad habit of using really thin wire I'm really stiff weather stripping glue that dries really hard and has no give so overtime those wires will break from constant beating... Especially the way that I hid them. I hit really hard. So I use thicker gauge wire with custom sheathing and clear silicone.. most the time I will change out the piezo's too
@@Tony-fx9ky Hey bud! I was jonesing for the Strike Pro but the DM 10 hasn't failed me, borked, or anything and couldn't justify it. I use AD and EZD. Funny thing is that in Mainstage on MacOS the drum kits are surprisingly good and I often find myself using those kits exclusively. Do you have ay experience with the DM 10 control module and if so, can you comment on whether the Strike Pro module makes enough of a difference to use? Even if the samples are not native? Either way, Best Regards and Best Wishes! and hope you have a great weekend!
the hi hats are still the tough one for me
That's the only thing that bugs me a bit on my td11
Thanks for the great video. I've had several E Kits over the years, and my biggest issues have always been machine gun triggering and the weird feel of rubber/plastic cymbals. I'm hopeful that the manufacturers will up their game over the next few years.
oof that backdrop looks gorgeous haha
Looks really professional. Also just realized he has over 100k subs. Seems like there was a huge increase in subs recently. Nice to see all his work paying off.
What a really good video....and you're right, I'm scared to buy a current Roland kit in case something better gets released the week after! :)
I'm still using my TD9 drum module. I bought back in 2008. I'm also still using rolling mesh heads with RT30 triggers on my acoustic kit. Haven't seen the need to upgrade
Great module.
I still play on My complete renovated TD08 Kitt.
Great video! Just what I needed to hear as I purchase a current-gen kit. Don't obsess that something twice as good will drop a week after you invest. The cycle is too long for the kind of niche product e-drums are. And a reminder that as we have different priorities ( stage aesthetics, build quality, brand, sound quality, playing surfaces, form factor, room noise, footprint, customizability, price ) there is no one BEST kit, but rather a set of features that makes a given kit the best one FOR YOU.
I appreciate your full coverage of hands-on experience, the changes in technology and how that factors into the mix in practical terms. I could use some info on various drum brands and their reputations in the electronic drum markets.
Saw The Who last year with Zak Starky on an Electronic Kit and not only did they (and he) sound great but the lower volume that they performed at was great and bearable.
My fully upgraded all mesh TD9 is 15 years old and still works perfect after at least 6000hrs of play. If you learn how to use all the features its fantastic. Plus the midi on the td9 makes more pads almost infinite.
IMHO TD-9 is the best E-Kit ever. Underrated. I have it and love it. Have no intention of upgrading.
The TD 9 and TD 11 are great kits with awesome sounds. I have a TD11KV and I don't think I'll ever sell it.
Love my TD9 mesh, still going strong too. I've added an extra pad and cymbal but never played with the Midi. Is it easy enough to get into? Would love some new, proper good sounds
@@stickybuds05 I just started learning how to use my Pc for sounds via Ableteon, its the way to go. But I'm still just in the learning phase. Midi works great on it and is quite easy to learn.
Great insights as usual Justin.
Thanks for all the research !
Im still using the td20 module on my conversion kit and I like it. Ive made some nice sounding kits and it has alot of splittable inputs.
I'll buy my first noob drum set this year and this channel helped me a lot choosing between Yamaha and Roland. ❤
Your videos are all great thanks for doing what you do
As always, great thorough work!
All great points as always! I also think people fail to think about the trickle down affect. All of the great new pieces of tech and feature slowly trickle down to the more budget units. A company is not going to pour loads of money into making the best possible $400 drum set, it just wouldn't make sense. I remember thinking how cool e kits were in the early 2000's, but they were really expensive. I think now a $1000 more budget E kit is miles past what multi thousand dollar e kits used to be.
Good video, I agree that they need to focus on cutting costs since most people will care about price more than anything else. I myself had a TD-17 KVX that I enjoyed a lot, but ended up swapping everything out with triggers, and real shells for a quarter of the price. As you said, the kick drum takes up the most space, and with that replaced, and all regular size shells attached to the rack hit all the marks you'd want in an electric kit. Taking up less space, but still having shell sizes that are authentic.
Awesome video!!!
I still have my dtxtreme 3 special.The pads are hard but they are strong and the hex rack is the very best.
Coming from A Roland TD-20x to a VAD-706, I can say massive progression but that is a big jump. So incrementally I could see small changes, but for me MASSIVE change. The VAD-706 is on a different planet.
Excellent Video and Content! Keep up the great work Justin.
Good points made here. Back in the 90's I had the ALESIS D4/D5 and soon moved on to the Yamaha DTX1.0 and v.2.0. Those modules by YAMAHA had SO MANY features derived from the keyboards they'd made to that point and most drummer never even maximized the potential those modules had. 9-layers per pad in sequence/succession. It was a first in a portable module. The "GUTS" of drum modules have had more to offer than most drummers have been made aware of. We HAVE made it to the point where the emphasis has been crazily-shifted toward 'gimmicks' unfortunately. I really don't care about "wireless drums" that eDW is going to offer. Who cares. I'd rather be hardwired up and running without concerns that my snare won't work due to a flawed battery! LOL! REALLY! I'd rather focus on performing than place a weak link between myself and my audience. ;). There ARE moments...SEVERAL...where I wish companies would simply make analog drum kits again...with memory banks so settings are saved. There IS room for cool/artistic-looking pad shapes around a drum kit. Last Summer I purchased my FIRST-EVER 3D-printed dual-zone drum. I'd love to see some 3D-printed shapes with silicone striking surfaces. I believe it's coming.
My biggest problems with high-end electronic drums, well, it's a me problem. I'm fine with the Alesis pro kit with stage-size diameter drums, that are more shallow, and allow different placement without the depth getting in the way. But I just wish that these pro kits allowed for more drums and cymbals without having to buy new modules and linking systems.
Please make more informational videos such as this! Excellent video thank you
Ive been using a roland/yamaha hybrid for a longtime that I upgrade here and there. I think its time for a full roland upgrade. Love your vids for the info.
Great video Justin, some really good points being made.
Aside from waiting to see how these wireless DWe kits are going to be, I don't think much has improved other than more companies are entering the market.
I bought my DTX700 in 2012, and aside from adding an extra pad and cymbal, the only change I've made is ditching the module for an eDrumin 10.
I'm in the space saving pads camp and really like the Efnote 3x kit. I really like the mounting stands, but would love to shave a few inches off the thickness of the pads and get a Drumtec half size kick drum.
More products like the Pearl Mimic that can run SD3 and the like will be the next step I think.
As a dj, I've ditched the laptop for a standalone controller, and look forward to the day I can do the same with my EDrums.
I have the eFnote 3x. I only use the module to communicate to a bargain mac book pro with 2tb sdd I scored off the bay. I paid under 400 IIRC for that mac, who needs a mimic pro?
Love my TD-27 so easy to practice music and record, I upgraded from a alesis nitro tho lol. Imma try that drum software everyone is talking about.
Great video, Justin. Thanks for the content.
That was good information, thx
Thanks so much Tony!
Great video man!
65 Drums
Electronic Drums are getting much better every year because they're improving the design to make them feel like their Acoustic Counterparts.
Yes, I'm planning to get the VAD506
Good video Justin! I bought my Roland TD-17KV last year. I like it very much.
That's the one I have. I bought it used for $650, but it was in brand new condition.
I just bought a Yamaha DTX6K3-X kit and am extremely impressed. It sounds great. I’m coming from a guitar background and bought it to learn a little drums, but more so to have a kit that my drummer friends could play at my house and also integrate well with my digital piano and neural DSP Quad Cortex. My only problem I’m having is, I can’t find the adjustment to prevent the hi-hat cymbal from spinning. There are so few videos about assembly, that I was pretty much on my own and had to figure it out. That said, I would love to make it not spin.
I agree about losing the rim zones on the dtx pads. but I might take the crash cymbal inputs and used my xp80 pads and see if I can get them back. I don't need three zones on a crash cymbal
Namm 2023 DW e ? ( Make it affordable not exotic furniture)-- w SD3-- could be the game changer. Good stuff Justin!!!
Thanks for the heads up on the NAMM possibility, I see it’s April 13-15 so not long to wait for hopefully some new info… 🤞
Yeah, I'm still on my TD-30. I see all the cool stuff in Software, but I don't have the time to learn it all. I see how cool the TD-50 digital pads is, but as a hobbyist that doesn't do anything serious I've been able to exercise self control. That, and the fact is, I've gone through 3 E-Kits in my life. 4 if you count my friend's TD-5 that convinced me Edrums were worth looking at. Each time it was an amazing experience for about 3 to 6 months. Then I'd hit the limits of the kit and feel like maybe I spent too much money. So yeah, I'm just holding off for a couple more generations to pass me by. And even then I suspect I'll not upgrade until something breaks on my TD-30 and it's cheaper to buy new than fix.
Honestly with you already having a td30. Unless you want a digital ride, snare or hihat? There's nothing you can upgrade too. Unless you just want pads that look like real drum sizes
Agree. Hitting the 'limits' - yeah, that sounds nice, great even, but then the little, gnawing drawbacks of the e-experience seem to highlight diminishing returns on the sheer enjoyment of playing something---"cooler"?
Got a Td-8 when it came out. Maxed out inputs & Combined with SD3 when that came out. Can't imagine why I would need anything else. New ones are too big and can't see or feel sounding better than my current rig. Having said that, I couldn't live without positional sensing pads which td-8 has considering is so old.
Great vid with some very good points Justin
I drive a 20 year old Tacoma & I like it because it's a warhorse... my choice (as a regular apartment player) would be something that works strong & won't break down for years
Im still amazed by my mimic pro with roland pads. I dont want anything else right now.
Thanks again for the informative video. I splurged on the Roland VAD 706. I think the samples are pretty incredible. What I like about the TD50X is how I can tune in to any sound I want that emulates what I always wanted my acoustic drums to sound like: from the open live stage/stadium sound to a fine-tuned studio kit. And when I dial in some African drum sounds, I find myself just jamming away for an hour or so. So much fun! Just can't do that with acoustic. I'm impressed with the feel and sensitivity of the mesh pads and the thin cymbals.
I was using e drums in the 80s with the Pearl Drum X, using a Dixon rack set
Then I went back to acoustic drums, also using a rack set up with 2 snares an a cable hat mounted above the to small toms on the left.
In 1990 I gotta an e drum pad machine the Yammy DD11 followed by a DD12.
In 2001, I got a Yammy DTX v2 full size e kit with rubber pads.
Sold that an got cheap rubber pad kit which I converted to mesh heads.
Then upgraded the kit to a Millenium MPS 400P, mesh head kit (also converted) eventually adding a Roland FD 8 hat an a Roland TD 8 module.
So along with 3 Yammy DD55's, a roll up e kit, I also use a Medeli DD 309.
That's all I need....
I actually bought an older 2007 Alexis module for a kit 10 years more modern and it's exactly the same apart from some new programmed kits
Great video.Thanks!
Great great video! One of the best I have seen on eDrums !
So under $1k where should I be looking? New to drums at 50. Played in school decades ago but it was orchestra snare - bass - etc.
I am open to drum software if that’s the best way to get accurate sounds - so module sounds may not be THAT important
I believe I like the idea of a kick pedal /pad to simulate an acoustic bass
Is the Nitro mesh kit where it’s at?
As a pianist, I love my Kawai MP11. It does one huge thing better than anyone else.....sounds and feels like a real 9' grand piano. And, they've changed the instrument very little. Now, I'm thinking about my next e-drum kit....and looking into the Alesis Crimson II. I haven't played one yet, but it looks like they've gotten a lot of things right. Any suggestions from drummers out there? Thanks
Is it still all based around a piezo? Surely there's a better sensor out there?
again, a great video!!! 😃👌
judgin from my recent additions from roland…I say yes indeed
Been rocking a TD-25 triggering Superior Drummer 3 for about 2 years now. It’s amazing in so many ways. Definitely room for improvement but it’s come along way since I played the first electronic kit I ever messed around on back in about 2000.
Ive being wanting to get SD3 , but was told to use Apple laptop and I’m a windows guy. What are you using?
@CreepyStones thanks 😊
@@chipforlong3317 I believe SD3 has windows support. I wouldn't see why it wouldn't. I use an M1 14 inch MacBook Pro aswell as an old 2015 MacBook Pro 13 inch
@@BOMBPHONICS Thanks for the reply. I've been looking at the new MacBook Pro m2 chip and 1T drive. I'm concerned about how much space I will need with SD3 plus add on packs . It's a BIG investment for sure.
@@chipforlong3317 looks like 236G, worth every gig. Ive got the full version of the default library, no expansions yet.
Thank you. Very interesting
Yamaha is going a good way with improving its sounds. They are really good and useful even for live I would say.
Is Alesis coming out with anything new this year? Was thinking about getting the strike pro se. Can you add anything to that set, like another cymbal or drum pad? Great videos
I just got this set a month ago. For me (former professional-current hobbyist) it’s a killer set. Make sure you buy a good speaker with it tho. Hi hat is a little rough but that is my only complaint. You can add/subtract whatever you want using cable splitters. 9/10 kit.
@@jakefriedrich9260 No! No speaker...! A good headphone amp and awesome in ears ...awww. You talking about using it with a drum module?
I use my kit with SD3 and the head phone amp together with in.ears and butt kicker ... feels like on a huge stage!
Alesis strike pro se is kick ass. I use it with the Alesis drum amp and a pair of Yamaha HS8 studio monitors. You wont regret buying this kit.
I still play and love my roland td12. I LOVE IT! LOL
Loving my td12 too, especially after the update to latest version
@@botelucian I didn't even know you could update it lol
@@roberthudson9923 do it man. It ads positional sensing for the snare it knows if you hit center or to the side/off center and articulates the sound acordingly and it ads mic position for instruments plus some size settings for instruments
How do you do it?? Is there a link?
E Drums have so much going for them, but the manufacturers are not marketing or developing them in the right way. EDrums should ABSOLUTELY be app based and end the the module idea. And the app should be easy to use and offer great sounds. The increase in price shouldn't be as much about the pyhisical drum and more about the sounds you get access too.
it doesn't seem like there are any advancements to me, because there is still no Tama CocktailJam-Mini E- shell pack yet.
of course i am still working on saving for a deluxe multi-pad, with 8 trigger inputs, to plug the shell pack, ( and whatever hat and cymbal triggers ), into.
but Yes...some of the multi-pads got better....in fact, the one's with 8 external trigger inputs would blow most modules completely out of the water.
I've been using my TD6KV for like 16 years, apart from a bit of wobbly triggering on the cymbals (poor old things), I can't complain. Using EZ Drummer 3 really was what I needed sound-wise though, the integrated samples tend to sound much more robotic much faster
Would love to see your review of the 'Ahead Spinal G' split design throne.
I started with the Td-7 paying thousands for a new one, combined that later with the Td-10 so I had lots of toms and cymbals and two modules.
My bedroom was full of this absolutely oversized monster with meshhead drums everywhere, using the old rubber pads as cymbals.
Now I went to the Td-1 for a few bucks with 3 toms, two crashes and absolutely love it .
It's minimalistic, cleaned up and small but sounds amazing compared to the old stuff where I had thousand options to mess my sound up.
Not much to adjust (threshold only), 15 kits (6-7 useful for me) and I'm happy with it.
Up to now I still haven't hooked it to the computer.
Somehow I downgraded but for me it's a big upgrade.
Can only recommend efnote drums. They made me change my mind about edrums and i love the one i got.
You said something very important that has made my search for my first ekit difficult. I plan to upload my own sounds or find better software than a module can offer. Problem is idk which kit to get to get. What is the highest quality, customizable, best bang for my buck kit under $1k? I care about the realism (multi zone technology, dual mesh, realistic drumming)
Good video Justin
Excellent
The last module i bought was a TD-25. It became clear to me after upgrading and *losing* features like having multiple sounds on the same pad that Roland had reached their "peak" in terms of making e-drums a real, unique instrument and not just an afterthought for practice.. and had started stripping features out in an effort to sell their latest module. I could buy an older roland module and plug it into a PC and get the features i want for almost nothing. Meanwhile If I pay $1000-1500 for a new module now, i wont get those features because their modern product line has labelled them "flagship".
Ignore the hardware: E-drum manufacturers have been stripping features out on a purely software level simply to upsell. I'm not buying into any manufacturer that does that.
You're totally right, I saw to my amazement the other day, that thr TD - 3 module had inputs for two crashes AND a ride! Most entry and even mod spec modules nowadays have only one crash. (some of them have the option to ad a second crash, but spare me their generosity!) Its criminal not to give us more inputs.
I have a TD-27kv -2 and the digital experience has been great for me. I only use the snare, HH, and Ride. The rest is still in the boxes. I probably should sell some of this stuff. I made my own triggers about 6 years ago (This kid on the internet named Justin turned me on to making my own.) Hehehe no lie! and I never looked back. But modules are the issue in the industry. Roland TD-27 sounds pretty good. No question it is powerful. Then you use SD3 and it is like night and day sound wise and options. Using the TD-27 as a trigger interphase is a shame. All we need is a interphase to a PC or Mac with Roland digital tech. Lowering the cost and giving more people the technology. Roland also locks the industry down and we have to wait 20 years for things like mesh heads. Piezos where invented in the 1940's and frankly almost free to buy in bulk. I think I have 20 of them in a box because I thought I would "need them". Yet I own 3 Roland modules and an Alesis DM-10. I am not a Roland hater at all. But I would just want to buy the drums. My computer doesn't say "You can only have 200 mb's for this sound". Keep the modules of course because some people love them in a quick small gigging solution. But for the love of god don't force me to by this hugely expensive module that I don't use it's features.
Did you hear already about the Audiofront eDRUMin devices?
I started with a Millenium/Alesis/FAME like ekit for 600$. But I was already flashed by connecting even this thing to EZDrummer2 Xmas 2019.
Now, I still use these Alesis like pads for the toms but with the eDRUMin10 and I am more than satisfied with the dynamic range and overall performance of these pads (drum-tec design heads). Snare is a drum-tec style DIY, and lot of LEMON cymbals. Together with Superior Drummer 3... Dude, I am able to use more articulations than I've ever used on my real drum set.
I am a hobby musician metal drummer. 🙂
You are damn right. I was on that point a few month after getting the first ekit, when the gear addiction started. And I found only two trigger2MIDI interfaces: DDRUM and that stinky 2 input Roland thing. And this guy from Audiofront made my day, life ... whatever. These devices use a software to be configured and no tiny screens.
There is a review @TheeDrumWorkshop .
Together with my DIY snare I got nice positional sensing on the snare and a basic functionality of the pos sense on the LEMON cymbals.
Ah, and I use a Hall-effect DIY hihat controller on a real hihat stand. If you like, check out my profile. And please contact me, if you wanna know some details.
@fartpoobox ohyeah I am 100% e-kit trained started playing 6 years ago. I have a converted acoustic kit. I don't know any better so that is good for me. I did not treat my ears with respect in the 80's and 90's. I lost my right ear for 2 weeks at a Ted Nugent show. Friggen Ted shot a speaker with a bow and arrow and it exploded and I never fully recovered. Also Sebastian Bach from Skid row. Didn't help before Ted and Kiss after that I lost it all on the right. I regret nothing but don't sit near a speaker. LOL! I have hearing loss and ringing. I will probably never own an acoustic kit "probably". I also cannot make noise like that I have a tenant up stairs. Maybe someday with the right hearing protection. I am a guitar player and own both acoustic and electric but not the same game at all.
I love it all! And at my age I am afraid of the cymbal and snare obsession! I am too immature not to have a wall of snares and cymbals. Hehehe
I agree.. .I ended up buying Alesis Surge cause it was the one I could afford (one entire month of my salary= and there was NOWHERE near neither online to buy Alesis Strike Pro.
Could you say which software you refer to at 6:53 that controls a video wall? I assume by drum hits. Thanks
Great video
As a newbie drummer (lessons on acoustic), so my hands and feet are not developed. For me it's the feel. This is where acoustic still wins by miles.
Acoustic will always win in that regard.
For me, it's all about sound quality, which acoustics don't come close to, but ea to their own - if an acoustic kit has been worked on you can make it sound ok, but you'll still go half deaf. But ea to their own.
I'm not sure what you mean by "win". You can't objectively say that acoustic drums "feel" better than electronic. I think it's all about what you're used to playing.
@@Durwood71 I think acoustic drums feel terrible in comparison to edrums - not to forget that terrible din they create.
I've been playing for 30 years and I agree 💯
I'm still waiting for the magical electronic drum kit that makes me a better player.
I used to have a TD-20 kit, then needed to sell it as I was eyeballing an acoustic kit that I'd been gunning for. The downside to that those kits really went up into the price ionosphere..... I'm just not willing to buy a 7500-8000USD v-drum kit.
And then there's me wanting to split hairs even further :).
Fast forward to now - I need to be able to live in both worlds. Yet I want to keep things in a one-stop shop. Ok great, so I build out an A to E conversion. What I'm less clear about is, with the variety of 3rd party internal triggers available today, what can I possibly combine in a single 'Maxi-Superior-Drummer' sort of interface?
For example, we have a couple of rather decent 1 and 2 zone externals that would be simple to add, but limited in scope . Then there's Sunhouse Sensory percussion which solves the zoning issue, but to my knowledge I can 't use say, Roland or efnote, hihats/cymbals with their software. Ok noted.
But is there a way to combine triggers (i.e. sunhouse with roland cymbals as a more trivial example) from different parties into a pc drum engine, or at least route them between their respective software (i.e. sunhouse software 'trained' trigger output to superior/other-drummer inputs) to get that 'all inputs into one engine' type of streamlining?
Can you share your views (if possible) on milleniums? I totally agree that no one (or almost no one) is saving to shell out 8k for an e-drum set. Hell, if I could splurge 8k on a drum kit, that would be only after setting myself up before that to be able to get a proper acoustic!
Anyway: I'm on the market for an e-drum set, in the 500eur ballpark. Milleniums seem the best bang for buck, but I'd like to have more insight into it.
Need to pass this video to new hires at Sweetwater, what a great overview of the current e-drum market
here is what I want in e drums
1) a universal trigger system so anything can be used by anything
2) a brain that can have tones swapped out
3) a universal tone format
4) pads that are VERY light weing and compact, not small diameter, but VERY easy to fold up and put away,
5) if possible a mesh like symbol, I would rather hit something mesh and quiet than rubber/silicone pads
I effectively live in about a 12x12 foot area I need to fold up my drum kit when i'm not using it for space. something very light weight, that is made to fold up, but can still not feel like crap to play on, with pads that are as big as the acoustic counterpart (if desired) along with a kick that is mesh... there you go, there is my dream drum kit. I don't care about it being wireless or wired, I just want a nice compact kit
now from a company side, if you made a brain that had swappable tones/samples, you would make something that lasts a long time, while you may not be able to sell upgrades for it you could still sell higher end stands built for it, higher end kits with bigger pads, and if you sell standardized parts and support them all then its on everyone else to make it you compatible, especially if you make good parts. from here you could make acoustic shell mod kits for people who want to have an acoustic look
This would probably be the best thing that anyone can do, cater to everyone and let people who want to more pay more, get the price of performance to come down, hell imagine if the brain was good enough that it wasn't made for just the current trigger, but a better one comes out and you can dial it in near perfect without the need for a new brain
hell treat it like a custom computer in this way, you go onto the site and customize your kit, how many pads you want, how many cymbals you want, what style of mount, do you want the acustic look, how big are the pads, and they just boxed it all up and shipped it to you, no severe mark up no paying half the price for a full kit for 1 more pad, you get what you want. I see no reason why my kit when folded up needs to take up a 2x3 foot section of space.
Pearl Mimic Pro smashed it out of the park with the last update, by uploading your own or paid sample libraries onto the beast was a game changer!
only wish it had more inputs now (moan,moan) cool vid justin.
Hi mate. Have you tried the Nux DM8? I wonder if it would be easy for you to make a review?
I'm playing a 10 year old TD-30K and other than switching over to EZdrummer for the sounds (which you should absolutely do because it blows any module off the map) I have no desire to upgrade. Yes, the new VAD and digital pads from Roland look nice but is it really that much of a difference to spend several thousand on upgrades?
I once tried a bunch of edrums right after each other in an almost empty music store: Roland HD-1, HD-3, Vdrums, TD-8, TD-11, TD-30 and 2 Yamaha DTX flagship and DTXpress…. I was underwhelmed with the high end Roland models and also the Yamaha DTXpress was the almost the same as the one I played 15years prior…. Confusingly I didn’t like the Roland HD-1 but the HD-3 was sounding good and felt the best…. I had the most fun with that (and just wished for a laptop with a plug-in for more sounds)
Are they appearing in more live bands?
I feel like the software and hardware have evolved to a point where it is so good that only minor improvements/tweaks will be the norm into the future.
Just like you said Justin! They need to pass it down to the cheaper kits.
Well none of them get the high hat right and that’s just for starters want me to expand on the bigger issues?
@@mikestein1024 I get you, but that's where the solid (higher end) tech should be put into the lower end kits. When a young person has a play on an affordable ekit in a music store and they can say.... wow! This plays as good as that acoustic kit but I get to do so much more with it.
Dumb question, but I have an Alesis NM and want to add some pads. Of course they only have 2 extra cable ports. But what if I used a dual stereo cable, I mean why wouldn’t that work? Someone please help🙃🙃
Roland VAD706 to buy or not to buy? 🤔
If you are on a budget, you can get a great sounding electronic kit for under a grand. It;s purely the sound I am talking about. You can get that thumping bass drum and snare, loud as f if you have that monitor cranked up.
When I moved out of my parents house and got my own apartment (NYC metro area) in 2012, i stopped playing drums for a decade because I didnt think budget e drums were worth getting. I feel like such an idiot. Now i have a house, wife, 3 kids, and my accoustic drums are just a hassle between tuning and finding the right time to play. Im about to get an efnote 7x.
Get a good computer with sd3 and a td-27kv2 and you are set for awhile. It’s a great combo
have to say the design of the 80's yamaha pad looked amazing to the boring design of 2023
Hi Justin. I've been watching your videos for a while. They are truly getting more and more polished with great content. How would you compare the TD-12 and TD-17? Also, would software help with my hi-hat triggering?
I would say we hit a wall with piezoelectric triggers I think they need something that’s more dynamic
In Canada the TD27 is $200 more than the Yamaha.
Great overview. IMO a lot of the features adding sensitivity and nuance and positional triggering they are trying to add into these pads to make them more realistic is going the opposite way of what years of playing style and recording techniques were trying to compensate for. For example in any pop/rock/funk/metal or any music basically other than a jazz trio or a drum solo the drummer is trying to crack that snare dead center, at the identical volume and amount of rim shot for every hit, then the engineer is compressing the crap out of it to make it as consistent sounding as possible. I love that the nuance is there if I want it for ghost notes but technique wise I'm always looking for that perfect center hit so adding in new technology to allow the module to render a pingy sounding hit near the rim is kind of pointless.
It is inconceivable that with today's technological advances, with the many reductions that have occurred with certain materials, we still have electronic drums that look like they are from the 90s. I think they do it on purpose, I hope a new company comes along one day and kicks them all in the butt, with round robins, displays and systems like mobiles, integration as audio interface to handle low latencies, etc.
I'm surprised you didn't mention anything about the newer digital connections that seem to have the most realistic feel and also seem to be the next step in e-drums. I see roland making kits with only 3 components connecting this way. But I think the whole kit is going to have these digital connections eventually.
What is it? Cat-5, ethernet connections, fiber optic cables? I'm not even sure, I for forgot. 😆
Update: Just looked it up. I forgot it was just a USB cable for 3 components, snare, hi-hat, and ride, I believe.
Could have sworn I saw an e-drum with a cat-5 type connection. 🤷♂️
Good to know which edrums offer Cat-5 or Ethernet instead of a big cable snake.
@Maj Hoop Yeah, that would be cool. But it's just a USB cable. 😄 I just looked it up.
wondering : do we really want electronic drums which don't have any module ? You see this also with keyboards ( all the functionality is in some app ,making me wonder what happens if they "discontinue " support for that app ) . I think the direction this is going is not at all good . Next step is a monthly subscription to be able to keep using the software or app ...i.e. : " I'll have your monthly fee if you want to keep using your expensive instrument , thank you very much "