Making the transition from accoustic to electric, who's done it?

LarryJ said:
Mesh heads. They are going to be more "bouncy" and not "feel like acoustic", but I got used to it quickly and that became a non issue. Generally, more plies = less bounce. I use 3-ply Real Feels on the toms, Dolby 3-ply on the snare (better response for quiet 2 stroke rolls), and a single ply Silent Stroke on the bass. I suspect the choice of heads, as long as multi-ply, is not crucial when starting out since you have to get used to them anyway and the rebound is dictated by head tension.



Triggers are all over the place on technology and price. I did my conversion not knowing whether I would like it, so I went cheap and easy. DDrum single zone Red Shots, mount under a tension rod and <$100 for a set, for bass and toms. DDrum dual zone Acoustic Pro for head and rim pickup on the snare, mounts on hoop and $60. I am a jazz guy and have been happy with their sensitivity and dynamic range. Missing is the positional sensing available on a digital snare, but that really doesn't bother me.

I used a Roland TD-17 for a couple of years which was fine. Upgraded to a TD-27 for better kit samples and some nicer setup options and it is finer. Used Td-17s run around $450, I bought my TD-27 for $850.

I am not an ekit expert. I don't do recording, midi, or hybrids. I am just an experienced drummer who converted a kit for at home practice and playing and who is satisfied with the results. So I won't claim my choices are better than any others, only that they work for me.
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Yeah I see what you're saying I watched that video Riggsy put up and you use the same heads as the guy in it. I did a quick google and found the heads. I saw a comment in regards to them saying dont use side triggers. Do you have any problems using side triggers on those particular heads?
 
I appreaciate the comments guys. I think I will go down the converting route, I really don't want to get rid of my kit. From my intial investigation into what equipment I'd need it could be quite pricely initially but I can just upgrade a small portion of my kit and expand on it later on.
 
Just_dan87 said:
Do you have any problems using side triggers on those particular heads?
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Not on the 12" tom or 14" snare when I had the Real Feel on it. Some inconsistency with off-center hits on the 14" floor tom when I had the trigger at the 12 o'clock position relative to me. Worked fine after I moved it to the 9 o'clock position (closer to where I usually hit). A 16" might be more problematic depending on where you put the trigger.

I think it is dependent on the mass of the head, the tension of the head, and the distance from the strike point to the trigger and suspect you could find a combination that works.
 
John B said:
The hyper rebound surfaces of the e-kit aren't like real drums so I found that to be an issue.
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...THIS!...and how the dynamics/tone changes with dynamic playing do not reflect what you can do on an acoustic instrument without applying more layers of tech.

I really agree with your observations re; dynamic representation restrictions on e-kits when you don't add a sample catalog/trigger sample based on matching 'velocity ranges' (which reflect how the acoustic instrument handles at discreet velocity ranges)between the original sample set and the sensed strike.

This is an expensive and time consuming thing to do and manage.

if anyone decides to go the e-kit route, make a good friend who loves e-keys and understands the tech...including amplification.
 
I bit the bullet last year. A lot of the wedding and corporate venues I play aren't suitable for a band with drums and usually guitar amps.

Got a Yamaha electric kit and in ears. It's made gigging a lot less hassle for these pain in the arse small venues. If I know it's an outdoor gig or a big venue, I'll bring the acoustic kit.

I know there's nothing like the real thing but look at it as a tool for work and you get a sound that's very consistent and easy to control
 
Been gigging edrums since 1986. "Transition"? Nope - I'll still play acoustic gear if I want. Totally different instrument.
(albeit there's a high chance I'll have some triggering going on somewhere on my acoustics... ;) )
 
I got my dream Ludwig classic maple kit a few years back, only to be replaced last year by an even dreamier kit I got right from the factory. After a few months of too much noise, messing with heads and tuning, I just converted it. I run it off a Roland TD-17 module with Xtreme triggers and mesh heads. My ears thank me, my family thanks me, and I still have a Ludwig beauty. I'm sure some acoustic purists will loathe me, but I'm happy with everything.
 
Riggsy said:
This! Spoiler alert: This guy has unlimited funds, so consider the source. But I was inspired to consider the hybrid route after watching his kit walkthrough.
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I reviewed these exact triggers on my Youtube channel. Anyone can buy the same triggers and mesh heads that the drummer from REO Speedwagon has and they are pretty inexpensive!

Newer version for Pearl Mimic Pro and Efnote, etc:

Older version:
 
ric drumm said:
I got my dream Ludwig classic maple kit a few years back, only to be replaced last year by an even dreamier kit I got right from the factory. After a few months of too much noise, messing with heads and tuning, I just converted it. I run it off a Roland TD-17 module with Xtreme triggers and mesh heads. My ears thank me, my family thanks me, and I still have a Ludwig beauty. I'm sure some acoustic purists will loathe me, but I'm happy with everything.
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You did the right thing converting it. Golden rules of drumming at home. Keep your family and neighbours sweet.

That's the thing with drums, unless you have somewhere to play them properly they're a bit on the noisy side.
 
The technology has come along so well in recent years. I play in bands and do a fair amount of depping too. I have an electric kit at home which I use to practice on, and then I go out and play an acoustic kit live. I have had some gigs come along where I have used the electric kit as it's a more controllable sound (and it's saved me from having to play a cajon a few times too!).

I find this gives me the best of both worlds in terms of giving me the opportunity to practice and warm up before a gig, but without annoying my family and neighbours.

I started on a Carlsbro CSD35M as I was still a bit tentative about how good an electric kit would be in terms of sound and feel. The lessons I learned from this are:
  • If you can, choose a mesh head over those rubber head versions. Mesh is a little more similar in feel to an acoustic drum skin.
  • That being said, you need to treat e-drums and acoustic drums as two separate instruments. As soon as I understood that I needed to adjust my technique slightly to get the best out of the electric kit things seemed to click with my playing. You don't get as much nuance in your playing as you would on an acoustic kit, especially on some of these cheaper kits, but you don't need to hit as hard to get a clear sound.
  • Use nylon-tipped drumsticks and turn the kick drum beater around to use the plastic part instead of the felt part of the beater as apparently these help to preserve the mesh heads.
  • If possible, choose a kit with a hi-hat stand and a kick drum pedal if you're used to playing an acoustic kit. The small things like hihat pedal control is a lot more realistic when the pad is mounted to an actual hihat stand.
I then upgraded to a Roland TD-17KV and compared to the entry-level kit I can hear the difference when I play but for anyone that's new to it or kids etc, I don't think you'd notice an awful lot of difference.

Personally, I'd say go for it, if it is going to keep you playing and enjoying music (but make sure you keep that beautiful acoustic kit of yours!).
 
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