digitalDrummer November 2014

Edition 20 - NOVEMBER 2014 US$10

Hailto theQueen

The global electronic drumming e-zine

DM Dock OCD Adam EZdrummer 2

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©2014 Avedis Zildjian Com

pany

SOUND LEGACYVisit zildjian.com for more information.

OF rEDUCED vOLUmE CYmbALSTHE NEXT GENErATION

Introducing the NEW Gen16 Buffed Bronze series Zildjian has created the next generation of reduced volume cymbals. Zildjian craftsman used their expertise to make subtle but important changes to the Gen16 cymbal which increases the lower fundamental overtone structure. The most noticeable change is the stunning, buffed bronze finish that produces a warmer tone.

WELCOME TO OUR 20th edition, marking the culmination offive years of publishing.

And what a ride it has been so far.

Since our first edition, we have seen the arrival of some newbrands like 2box, Mark Drum and XM and the disappearanceof at least one big name, Hart Dynamics.

We’ve witnessed some significant cross-over activity, withZildjian moving into the e-cymbal space, first via a collection ofits cymbal sounds as a VST collection, and then with the Gen-16 AE cymbals - already in their third iteration.

Pearl made the jump into electronics with its drop-in triggersand module, produced by Hong Kong-based Medeli, one of thesilent achievers of electronic percussion.

Our five-year timeline has seen a complete overhaul of theranges of both major players, with Yamaha introducing itsDTX 500, 700 and 900 modules and its DTX M12 multipad,while Roland’s module range has been refreshed with the TD-30, TD-15 and TD-11 brains, and new multi-pad variants.

What’s the biggest trend we’ve seen? Without a doubt, it’shybrid.

Initially, that meant adding triggers to acoustic kits, and wesaw the proliferation of acoustic-looking kits together with anew generation of manufacturers like Diamond ElectronicDrums in the UK and ddt and Drum-tec in Germany – alongwith an ever-growing choice of internal and external triggeradd-ons.

More recently, however, hybrid has evolved intoacoustic+electronic solutions in which electronic sounds andeffects are added to and mixed with acoustic percussion.Sure, it’s not new, but its popularity is unprecedented. Andthere are also a range of products aimed squarely at thehybrid market, like Aquarian’s inHEAD and Roland’s TM-2module reviewed last edition.

Perhaps the biggest change we have witnessed in the pasthalf-decade is the pervasiveness of the most unlikelycomputing device, the Apple iPad. Initially a novelty for readingelectronic books and playing games, the iPad has rapidlymatured into a serious musical instrument. Backed by anarmy of developers flooding the market with free or dirt-cheapapps, the iPad is being seen on stages and in studios aroundthe world, not just replacing music books and lyrics sheets,but acting as fully fledged amplifiers, mixers, DAWs and soundprocessors. And as we show in this edition, when paired withan Alesis DM Dock, the iPad now becomes one of the mostversatile and portable drum modules around.

So, as we learn to make the most of the technology aroundnow, the big question is where we’ll be in five years’ time. Stickaround and we’ll find out together.

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Editor & PublisherAllan Leibowitz

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ContributorsOCD Adam

Jonathan AtkinsonPeter ErskineScott Holder Pat Kennedy Russ Miller

Stanton Moore Johnny Rabb

Michael SchackWolfgang StolzleDirk VerbeurenCover PhotoNeil Zlozower

Design and layout‘talking business’

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Copyright or wrong:Forget the legalese and justplay fair! We work hard toproduce digitalDrummer.Please respect that and don’trip off our content. In this ageof electronic publishing, it’sobviously tempting to “borrow”other people’s work, and weare happy to share our stuff —but please ask first and besure to include a link back toour website on anythingpublished elsewhere.

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Edition 20 November 2014

What’s up Dock?Much to the surprise of a large army of naysayers, thefirst iPad-powered drum module is now available. AllanLeibowitz has been testing the Alesis DM Dock.

Stepping up ito the middleYamaha has a new line of kits built around the updatedDTX502, and Scott Holder checked out the changes.

Sure-footedRoland’s KT-10 bass drum solution made its debut earlierthis year, and Allan Leibowitz has been putting his footdown.

Stand and deliverThe growing popularity of two-piece electronic hi-hats andof hybrids means that hi-hat stands are becoming moreimportant to e-drummers. digitalDrummer spoke to anumber of professionals to find out about their weapons ofchoice.

Hybrid on showThe hybrid wave has hit Germany, with a variety ofsolutions on show at this year’s Electronic DrummerMeeting in Langenfeld.

Way to GoProWe generally deal with the sounds, but now it’s time totake a closer look at capturing e-drum video, as AllanLeibowitz explains.

GEAR

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The global electronic drumming e-zine

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ws ... Get the latest e-drum news at www.digitaldrummermag.com/news ...

Hail to the QueenA music store competition kick-started a career which hasincluded stints with Prince and Beyoncé. Queen CoraDunham shares her story with digitalDrummer editor AllanLeibowitz.

How I use e-drumsOriginally a solo side project for drummer OCD Adam,Tenth Amendment combines heavy metal and electronics innew ways to create something refreshingly new.

Hybrid is happeningIn the last edition, Michael Schack explained that althoughhybrid drumming is hardly new, there is fresh interest incombining acoustic and electronic drums.

EZer for non-drummersToontrack’s EZdrummer has long been an industry stalwart,and Allan Leibowitz checked out the newest version to seeif it still has its edge.

My Monster KitThis month’s kit, assembled by Eric Linder fromSpartanburg, SC, is a real monster. Check out this hugearray of pads and cymbals.

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PERFORMANCE

profile

VST

MONSTER


Much to the surprise of a large army ofnaysayers, the first iPad-powered drum moduleis now available. Allan Leibowitz has beentesting the Alesis DM Dock.


--Gear--

DOCK?

What’s up



I FIRST SAW the DM Dock at NAMM fouryears ago and was told it was a few monthsaway from release. My persistent enquirieswere generally answered by “in another threemonths” until the winter 2014 NAMM Show,when it was suggested that the product wasactually a ‘proof of concept’ rather than acommercial product. So no-one was moresurprised than me when I was offered a reviewopportunity.

The backgroundThe iPad is increasingly being adopted as aprofessional performance tool in a variety ofguises, and it was only a matter of time beforeit was transformed from a drumming toy to afull-blown instrument.

The thinking behind the DM Dock is simple:many drummers already have in their iPad thecore element of an electronic drum module – acompact, powerful controller that handles MIDIand a range of other applications.

There were two missing links: a triggerinterface and a decent sample set. Alesis isoffering both in the form of the DM Dock andthe accompanying DM Touch app.

What’s in the boxThe DM Dock is a housing whichaccommodates a full-size iPad of almost anygeneration and a bunch of trigger inputs viastandard 6.5 mm jacks.

The iPad slides into the unit (with an adaptorplate for newer, thinner models), but unlikeother iPad docks, the connection is made via acable rather than a click-in mount. Thisapproach was adopted to accommodate any

changes in the main connector, so the devicecan currently work with both the 30-pin andApple Lightning iPad connectors.

The back panel has 12 stereo trigger inputsand a slot for a variable hi-hat controller as wellas the usual MIDI In and Out and separate Leftand Right Outs.

There’s also a footswitch input and, of course,full-size headphone jack.

Finally, the unit is also equipped with a USBport that provides audio and USB MIDI.

There are only two dials on the face of the unit– a headphone volume level and a main outputlevel adjustment - as all the other controls aredone on the iPad screen. At last, atouchscreen module! Well, not quite anindustry first as the high-end XM modulesactually have touchscreen controls – butnowhere near as cool as the 10” iPad display.

The dock is a two-tone affair, made of grey andblack plastic with nice bevelled edgesreminiscent of the iPad itself. It seems sturdyand well built and comes with slots to attach toa regular module mount. I used a Rolandmount and the screw holes matched upperfectly.

The Dock is powered by an external 6 voltadaptor which also charges your iPad when it’spowered up.

Besides the physical ‘box’, the DM Dockoffering includes an app download – currentlyfree (grab it while you can) – dedicated to theiPad. You can’t load it on an iPhone andthere’s no Android version.


Plugged inOne of the measures of a module’s capabilityis its ability to accommodate input triggers. Thesystem is clearly designed for Alesis triggers,but the manufacturer claims it works with“nearly any other trigger pads”. We tested theDM Dock with a range of drum, cymbal andaux triggers including a Roland PD-128, aPadtech TR-12D 12” kit, a Hart 10” Accupad, aQuartz harness trigger, an Aquarian onHEAD,a 682Drum t-Rigg and various Roland, XM,2box and Triggera cymbals.

There are a variety of parameters that can betweaked for each trigger. You can set them aseither two- or three-zone, select from piezo orswitch input types and then adjust thesensitivity, threshold, retrigger cancel time andXtalk (both send and receive) and select fromfive velocity curves.

Those basic controls provide an arsenal ofadjustment which accommodated all of our testtriggers – admittedly, with different degrees ofsuccess. Some triggers, like the PD-128, wererelatively easy to dial in. Others, like the QuartzDIY drum, were fiddlier. But I’m confident thatwith enough time, patience and trial and error,good responses can be obtained with almostanything. The exception was the hi-hatcontroller, where there are no editing optionsand I was not able to get any variation – just aclosed hat. Perhaps this would work better withan Alesis control pedal.

Overall, sensitivity was good – but not great.But I believe that more tweaking time may wellhave provided further improvements.

Rim/head and edge/bow detection wasexcellent and the cymbal chokes worked well.Bell triggering on the ride was good when thesensitivity was pushed way up, but I struggled

with edge sensing – possibly because thetested ride cymbal has a combination of dualpiezos and a switch.

Interestingly, there’s no “save” function on thetrigger settings but the device appears to retainits settings after being shut down.

I also tested the Dock as a MIDI interface,playing a Zendrum through it. This producedgood results, with a reasonable velocity range– although there was nowhere near the sampledepth of my usual VSTs.

Finally, the onscreen mixer is a joy. Eachtrigger has its own slider as well as reverb andpanning and there are a few general kit reverbglobal settings – all of which are tweakable.

And the soundsThis is where the app comes in. It provides 10drum kits that include rock, jazz, electronic andpercussion (alas, no brushes!) and aninstrument library of 145 sounds fromSONiVOX. Interestingly, the pre-launchscreenshots showed some of the instrumentsas locked add-ons requiring in-app purchase,but the app was initially published with all thesounds available for free. Perhaps anyadditional samples added later will be behindthe paywall.

All kits are editable and you can mix and matchinstruments from the sound library and eithersave or rename them. There doesn’t appear tobe a limit on the number of kits you can create,and presumably, the only barrier will be thesize of your device’s memory.

The sounds are certainly good enough formost applications and I used the app withanother interface for some time before theDock arrived. In fact, I even did a couple ofZendrum gigs using the DM Touch app.



Each instrument sound is also editable, withthe ability to alter the pitch (up or down), panand reverb.

One obstacle I encountered early on is limitedpolyphony which became especially evident incymbal swells. When the triggering is too fast,the engine seems to simply give up and emitsa noise instead. This was also the case withsome of the tom rolls – although I couldn’treplicate the problem with the snare trigger.

In actionYou’ll notice that there is no Audio In socketand nor are there any play-along tracks withthe DM Dock. That’s because you should beable to access other apps on the iPad forrecording and play-alongs, especially since thelatest iOS versions have vastly improved Inter-App Audio which shares audio betweenapplications. In theory, you should be able toaccess sounds from GarageBand, SampleTankor other drum apps, but in reality, I was notable to do that without a third-party app suchas n-Track Pro. However, using that DAW, Iwas able to trigger sounds in apps like

DrumJam, while playing along to songs frommy iPad library. n-Track also allowed me toadd FX from a variety of other apps as well asenabling recording.

Latency was a bit of an issue with DM Touch,but not much more than with a laptop drivingVSTs via USB. And apps like n-Track Pro dohave a low-latency mode which seemed toimprove performance slightly.

So, the playing experience was good, but notfantastic. It was certainly adequate for practiceand perhaps as an emergency fall-back for agigging drummer facing hardware failure onstage.

OverallI firmly believe that iPad drumming will be theway of the future – and very soon. So thissolution is timely, even if it’s not perfect.

So, here’s what I like …The design, layout and connectivity areexcellent – and will only get better since theiPad is so easy to connect to other devices andthe Internet.



The onscreen controls are fantastic – just whatdrummers have been asking for. It’s wonderfulto be able to tune a snare with a touch of afinger in real time.

The trigger tweaking options are solid – andwill no doubt improve with firmware updatesdown the track.

The sound library is a good starting point.Some of the kits, like the percussion kit, arereally good. Overall, the sounds are not VSTstandard, but certainly no worse than many ofthe module sounds. But there are gaps in theoffering (for example, no brushes sounds, novintage drums, no Latin kit), and no doubtthese will be filled down the track with in-apppurchase options – either fromAlesis/SONiVOX or third-party sources.

What I didn’t like …Some triggers were hard to dial in and all non-Alesis pads and cymbals required at leastsome parameter tweaking.

Overall, triggering needs to be tweaked, bothin terms of reducing latency and providingmore finesse. This is especially true of the hi-hat controller which needs to be editable,rather than defaulting to the Alesis model.

Polyphony needs to be boosted so that cymbalswells and tom rolls are improved.

DM Touch needs more sound options – moreinstruments, more layers, more articulations.

The ability to interface with other apps needsto be improved. There are some excellentdrum samples in other programs such asGarageBand, SampleTank and DrumJam –and it would be great to be able to accessthem without having to buy and run a third-party app. Similarly, DM Touch needs tointegrate better with the iPad’s music playerand recording apps.

And overall …The concept is fantastic and the potentialenormous. But there are a few modificationsrequired before the DM Dock can be takenseriously as a professional instrument. Luckily,these are mostly software-related, and theyshould be easy to fix.

For potential buyers, the DM Dock is certainlysomething you can take home and use out ofthe box. If you don’t already own a module, thissolution will definitely get you up and runningfor home practice.

I am not privy to Alesis’ long-term plans, but Isuspect the hardware will not undergo anychanges for a while, so buyers need not worryabout obsolescence in the short term. I wouldexpect some firmware upgrades reasonablysoon – as well as the launch of an onlinemarketplace for sound samples.

And while Alesis may not do anything toimprove inter-app sharing, there have beenstrong hints that Apple will in its next OSupdate, which is believed to support multipleapps running at the same time. Provided theiPad has the grunt to run them all, there’s noreason to doubt that you’ll be able to select asong in your music player and run it in thebackground while you trigger the DM Dock andperhaps run a recording app at the same time.In the meanwhile, you can achieve this usingone of the VST host apps which sell foranything from $10 to $60 or more.

The future is here with a device that combinesthe trigger connectivity of a module, thecomputing power of an iPad, the easy andimmediate control of a touch screen and theversatility of a VST, and while the DM Dock isnot perfect, it’s a lot of fun and a lot of potentialfor less than $300 (if you already own an iPad).

Specifications12 TRS 1⁄4” dual-zone inputs1 TRS 1⁄4” variable input for hi-hat pedalcontrollers2 TRS 1⁄4” balanced outputsStereo 1⁄4” headphone outputClass Compliant USB 1.1 MIDI I/OMIDI In jack; MIDI Out jackAssignable 1/4” MIDI footswitch inputIncluded kits: 10Included sounds: 145Street price: $250

Click above to watch ourvideo review or on the audioicon to hear sound samples.



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Steppingup to the

middleYamaha has a new line of kits built around theupdated DTX502, and Scott Holder checkedout the changes.

--Gear--



AS YAMAHA DOES with the DTX line, the 502range has three configurations: the 522K,532K and 562K. Each kit has an upright KP65kick, an XP80 three-zone textured cellularsilicone (TCS) snare, a PCY135 three-zonecymbal and a RS502 rack. The 522K has twoadditional cymbals (Yamaha’s newer PCY100,also a three-zoner - one for a crash and onefor the hi-hat), three TP70 rubber pads for thetoms and a HH65 hi-hat controller. The 532Kreplaces the hi-hat controller with a HS650A hi-hat stand and both PCY100 cymbals with aPCY135 for a crash and a RHH135 for the hi-hat. The 562K also swaps out the rubber tomsfor XP70 TCS pads.

The KP65 has an additional single-zone padinput so you can expand the kit and assign anyavailable sound. I hooked up just about everysingle-zone pad I own, ranging from an oldYamaha PCY10 to a new Triggera D14 china,and they all worked fine when assigned as aPCY90 in the pad type settings.

All cabling is included and there’s plenty offlexibility placing each component. It’s not

unlike any other kit with a similar rack andindividual ¼” cables.

Set-up, from opening the box to playing, took acouple of hours – some of that spent on gettingit fine-tuned to my playing style.

The rack is black, lightweight metal and stable.The entire rig (DTX652K) isn’t as light as the450K, but the toms are easy enough to removeand the rack’s wings folded in pretty well.Overall, it’s still far more portable than my oldmesh-based kits.

The ModuleThe box is feather-light and compact, due, inpart, to not having conventional MIDIconnections; instead, it has a USB-to-computeroutput that does MIDI OUT and is also used toimport samples onto the module itself. Thereare also “only” seven pad inputs (not countingthe hi-hat controller input). This seems limitinguntil you realise you have an eighth input viathe KP65 kick pad. Plus, each of the three tominputs can be expanded via a splitter/Y-cable,thus expanding the kit to 11 inputs.



The snare, ride, crash and hi-hat inputssupport Yamaha’s three-zone pads. Since oneinput does bell, bow and edge for a ridecymbal, the 502 doesn’t “need” the 12th inputrequired on Roland modules.

The sound engine is an upgrade from theDTX900 sound library. Yamaha used “lasertechnology” to analyse and refine strokes andtrigger settings.

There are 50 preset kits and 691 individualsounds (or “voices” as Yamaha calls them).The preset kits are what you would expect:rock, jazz, oak, maple, etc., but there’s also anice dose of World Music, orchestral and retroelectronica. You can copy any of them into anopen user kit slot that allows you to edit them.In fact, that’s how you keep changes you maketo a kit: either copy and edit or edit the presetand then save it to an open kit slot.

About a third of the voices are percussion andeffects voices. That seems like too many “onlythree people on the planet will want this”voices, but I never found myself feeling thetraditional drum sounds were left wanting.While there might only be two chinas and twosplashes, the module has an additional settingto change cymbal size, so with a little effort,you should be able to dial in any cymbal youwant. Plus, with Yamaha’s three-zone cymbalsand the potential to layer sounds on any givenpad, you get a lot of variability with any givenvoice/sound depending on the pad.

The DTX502 module includes two featuresfound on much more expensive boxes:layering and the ability to store and playsamples. The layering function is similar to thatfound on the 700/900 series modules as wellas the Multi-12 multi-pad, albeit at two layers(as opposed to four, for example, on the Multi-12).

To load samples, you need to download aseparate program from Yamaha andinstructions for that also require the downloadof the separate Reference Manual. Once setup, loading sampled .wav or .aiff onto themodule itself is easy. The howls you’ll hearonline, however, concern the 1Mb storagelimit. There were similar howls over the 64 Mbstorage limitation on Yamaha’s M-12 unit.

Realistically, you can put around eight sampleson the DTX502. Nonetheless, I found eventhat little capability was very nice to have.

Additional voice tweaking includes the usual:panning, kit volume and pad volume. Like theDTX450, there are nine preset reverb profiles,



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but here you can change the degree to whichthose are applied. The master equalizer hasjust two bands, Lo and Hi; that could be limitingto some but I’ve never had to massively tweaka module’s EQ.

There are a fair amount of adjustments youcan do to the snare - tighten the wires andmuffling (which can also be applied to kick andtom voices). Cymbals have adjustable sustain,while percussion is also editable.

Adjustable parameters for individual triggersinclude sensitivity, threshold, velocity curveassignment, retrigger cancel, crosstalk andsome technical settings like minimumlevel/velocity, etc.

There’s also a metronome and click track,standard features for any intermediate-levelmodule.

Hi-hat settings include splash sensitivity forheel chics/splashes, the foot close position andclutch position.

Overall, the module has a robust technical setof features that should satisfy an e-drummer ofany experience level.

The ability to adjust MIDI settings is veryimpressive. You can set note numbers andchannel numbers in any combination, aproblem I’ve found in other products that canmake using them as an effective MIDIcontroller problematic. There are no concernsabout that with the DTX502. As I do with everypotential MIDI controller, I hooked this up to mycomputer running Toontrack’s EZdrummer. Itwas plug and play.

Navigation is, well, Yamaha. It takes gettingused to and many things don’t seem intuitive.

The DTX502 carries over all of theteaching/training functions from the DTX400,meaning this kit is a fantastic training tool. Youcan turn off individual pads, watch how you’replaying on the screen and there’s a scoringsystem so you can keep track of how you’reprogressing. I still suck.

Finally, you can record your performance or“song” as Yamaha calls it. What’s easy (andhere the navigation sequence is quite good) isyou can pre-record backing songs, set them toloop, then play over them. Store half a dozenof these and you can potentially add a layer ofdrums or percussion to a live performance. Youcan also play over the array of fantastic kitsincluded with the module, assign them to padsand even trigger them in parts by striking thepad repeatedly. This is similar to what Yamahadid on the Multi-12 and it’s still addictive toplay.

The Sounds Of SilenceWe can’t talk about this kit without focusing onthe incredibly quiet, silicone TCS pads thatcomprise the snare and toms. But first, we’lllook at the more conventional, rubber pads.

The KP65 kick pad performs no differently thanwhen we reviewed it (dD May 2013) as part ofthe DTX450K kit. You can always “upgrade” toYamaha’s mesh KP125W which also has theinput for an extra pad.

The PCY135 cymbals for the crash and rideare quiet, three-zone, and respond nicely.



Nothing’s changed since we first reviewedthem back in May 2011. Swells out of the boxaren’t quite as seamless as I was expecting;they’re good but not perfect. However, you canlayer two cymbal voices, set the “xfade”parameter and the result is every bit as smoothfrom one zone to another as I find on myRoland TD-12 or how I remember them on theDTX900 module.

The RHH135 hi-hat has a virtually identicalresponse as the PCY135, although the moduleitself only has open/closed, half-open, footclose, the closing HH sound, and heelsplash/chic. Some online users have reportedgetting what they describe as a 3⁄4 open/closedsound.

The hat stand, while basic, worked fine. Ifyou’re using this as a MIDI controller, themodule/RHH135 combo will send full HH rangeto the VST program.

Although the PCY100 didn’t come with thereview kit, I put one on the module along with aHH65 controller pedal. It has the same sticknoise characteristics of the PCY135 (quiet) andis responsive across all the zones to include athird “cup zone” not found on the RHH135.

The toms and snare are the XP series TCShead pads: the toms XP70 single zones andthe snare an XP80 three-zone. I alsoextensively tested the kit with an XP100SDpad.

Either snare has a head and two rim zones.The rim is divided in half, like the rubberTP70S previously reviewed, with one halfproducing rim shots and the other cross-sticking. The XP80 does not have a separategain control found on the XP100SD, nor acontrol knob on the top that allows the user tochange certain aspects of the snare like tuning,head tensioning, etc., although thatmechanism only works on the 700/900 seriesmodules. The main reason for getting theXP100/120SD for use here would be for sizeonly.

The attraction of the XP series of pads is theTCS head. The surface texture is not unlike myold Zildjian cymbal mutes or the strike pads onVisulite cymbals; some have even likened thefeel to coated acoustic heads. The pad itself issurprisingly firm, there’s no squishiness as onmy mutes. However, the pads aren’t rock hardlike a rubber pad or even a severely tightenedmesh head.

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How the pad plays is the big question and onethat generates a healthy amount of “pad wars”with online comments ranging from “plays likea wet kitchen sponge” to “the closest thing toacoustic!”

The first thing I did was set up rebound/bouncetests with equipment and methodology firstused back during our cymbal review(digitalDrummer Feb 2011). I would drop astick and start measuring the time from whenthe tip first struck the pad head to when itstopped bouncing.

Hard rubber pads like the PD-7 or TP70S hadthe least rebound. The XP100SD (and anyother TCS pad) were noticeably bouncier,followed by mesh pads which were thebounciest.

The second thing I did was to play variouspads side by side. I played fast singlerolls on each and didn’t have any troubleadapting to each surface; each isdifferent, obviously, but nothing anydecent drummer can’t handle. I’vehad a harder time on rubberpads doing fast singleroll fills over three tomswhen simulating mymonster ‘70s drum solo; it’s easierfor me to do on mesh, with the TCSpads somewhere in between. Then Idid fast single rolls but had one stickplaying on one surface, the second stickon another. That’s when you reallynotice the bounce difference across thesurfaces.

What I can say is that the TCS padswere sensitive, ghost notes were easyto play and there was no dreaded “hotspot”.

When Yamaha tells you how quiet theTCS pads are, they’re notoverstating the claim. A formal sticknoise test confirmed those findings.At 2’ with a controlled hit, the TCSregistered just 60 dB. That’s a full10 dB quieter than our tests ona PD-7 pad and 4-5 dB quieterthan my Diamond Drums padwith the single-ply Drum Tecmesh head. At 2’ with a fullhit, the TCS registered 74dB. However, the type ofsound generated by eachand how they propagate makethe TCS pad far quieter. Stick

hits on the TCS have a softness to the tone,whereas mesh has a boingy, tennis racketsound. I let two sticks drop simultaneously oneach pad and while I could hear the TCS pad(my ears were about 3’ away), the mesh pad’ssound cut through and drowned out theYamaha. So, they are that quiet.

To conclude, you’ll either love the TCS padtechnology or hate it, there doesn’t seem to beany middle ground. Regardless of where youfall on “pad wars”, these pads (XP70/80s thatcame with the kit or the larger XP100/120SD)are sensitive, dynamic and have no hot spots.

The Sound Of VoicesI’ve been playing the Oak Custom kit either onthe DTX400 or now on the DTX502 module foralmost two years. It’s one of many preset kitsthat carried over. Obviously, Yamaha did someadditional fine-tuning of the individual modulevoices based on the data they collected. Inheadphones and out of the box, I’d say thedifferences are subtle. Cymbal voices havealways been a strong point in the DTX900’s

sound engine, so I heard lessdifference there. The tom voices,however, are now on par with the

cymbal quality.

What really stood out was how everythingsounded through a PA. Here’s where I felt therefinements that went into the DTX502 arenoticeable. The kick and toms have a deepresonance and, for the first time to my un-snare-tuned ear, I was getting a realistic“crack” sound that I’ve not had in any of mybeginner modules and definitely not in moduleswith an older sound engine.

These refinements also have resulted in all thekits being created equal. Unlike what bothAllan Leibowitz and I have found testingbeginner and intermediate-level modules over

the last couple of years, there aren’t any kitsin the DTX502 that are significantly poorer

sounding than the others.

It bears repeating that judging onboardmodule voices/sounds remains

incredibly subjective. However,Yamaha has tried to take some of

the variability out of what goesinto 600+ voices on a module

and the results are consistentand a marked difference towhat I’m used to hearing atjust about any module/kit

price point.



Overall…The module alone makes this kit attractive. Youget a sound set that’s at least comparable to - ifnot better in quality than - Yamaha’s far moreexpensive DTX700/900 modules, with enoughediting capability to suit just about any drummer.If you opt for the higher-end DTX562K with theTCS pads, you’ll have the quietest e-drum kitout there. The cymbals will make you rethinkwhat it’s like to play “only” two-zone pads. Thedownside is that the additional input you getthrough the kick drum is limited to a single-zonepad: thus, if you want two three-zone crashes,you’re out of luck.

The module has the excellent teaching toolsfrom the DTX450 with the added capability ofrecording. The ability to load samples is veryuseful although the 1 Mb space limit restrictswhat you can do. If Yamaha could just squeezeanother couple of Mb of sample storage spaceonto the thing…

SPECIFICATIONSDrum Sound Module: DTX502Max Polyphony: 32 notesExpansion: 1 additional padNo of kits: 50 preset; 50 user-definedNo of voices (instruments/sounds): 691 Instrument Parameters: Kit, volume, reverb,velocity curves, gain, layers, crosstalk, decay,panning, tuning, double-kick, min level/veloc-ity, reject/wait times, Effect Types: Reverb (9 preset types; 2-bandEQ)Songs: 60Wave memory: 1Mb storage (imported.wav/aiff files + user-defined kits)Wave memory Sample Rate: 16bit/44.1kHz(but can be changed)Sequencer Capacity: 104K notesNote Resolution: Quarter Note/96ppqRecording Method: Real-time overdubbingClick Tempo Range: 30-300bpmPad Connection: ¼” to ¼” mono/stereo de-pending on pad typeInterfaces: MIDI USBOutputs: 1 x ¼” stereo (headphones), L/R ¼”mono (TS unbalanced)Inputs: 1 x 1⁄8” stereoDrum Pads: 1 x 8” three-zone XP80 TCS, 3x 7.5” TP70 single-zone rubber (if 562K, re-place with 3 x 7” XP70 TCS)Cymbals: 2 x 13” three-zone rubber; 1 x 10”single-zone (if 522K) or 13” two-zone rubber(if 532/562K)Kick: KP65 upright rubber padHi-hat: HH65 controller pedal (if 522K) orHS650A stand (if 532/562K)

Now you can find all the digitalDrummer Head2Head reviews in one place. Mesh heads? All in one PDF. Looking for information on internal, externaland aux triggers? Again, one click and youget it all. And the same with e-cymbals.And much more...

Everything you need

Just a click away


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2laVl4iNrOY

https://www.distribly.com/user/18353/store


Sure-footed

--Gear--

Roland’s KT-10 bass drum solution made itsdebut earlier this year, and Allan Leibowitzhas been putting his foot down.



DRUMAGINATION OWNER MARK Steelequestioned the “traditional” approach to e-drums in an article in digitalDrummer acouple of years ago, knocking the approach ofsimply adding a trigger to the established drumdesign techniques.

At last, we’re seeing one of the mainstreammanufacturers thinking outside the box withRoland’s new kick trigger. The new thinking,which results in a beaterless solution, isevidenced by the new “KT” designation inplace of the “KD” nomenclature (kick trigger, asopposed to ‘kick drum’).

On the outsideThe KT-10 is a sturdy, solid and well-built pieceof gear that looks like it’ll be beating for manyyears to come. It consists of a reverse-actiontrigger which emulates the feel of a regularpedal without the need for a beater. The pedalactivates a metal hammer which strikes avertical pad in which the trigger sensor ismounted. It’s an elegant solution and certainlylooks the business.

In actionUnder foot, the KT-10 feels like an upmarketkick pedal. Weighing in at 1.4 Kg, it is asubstantial pedal, with a full-size base plate.

The unit is designed as a stand-alone anddoes not need a drum surface of any type. It’sperfect for rack set-ups or even behind a fullsize drum for an acoustic/electronic hybrid.The footprint is reasonably compact – around18 cm x 40 cm.

The KT-10 is adjustable, with a couple ofweights that can be moved to different slots inthe beater mechanism to alter the profile andfeel. It’s also possible – but a bit fiddlier – toadjust the pedal tension by moving the springto different hook positions.

The unit has two audio jacks – a monooutput for the module connection andan input for daisy-chaining pedalstogether, for example, if youneeded two units for a doublepedal set-up.

The pedal required nophysical tweaking atall. It felt totallynatural andbalanced and Ihave beenusing it forsome weeks in

stock set-up with no need to adjust my style inany way.

Sounds like The first observation is the lack of acousticnoise. Most of my strikes registered just above65 dB and I had to stomp with all my force toget much above 75 dB. Most of the solutionstested in our last e-kick line-up scored in the80s, with the exception of the Triggera Krigg(71-73 dB).

Triggering was exceptional on all modules, withno need to adjust any parameters on my testarray of Roland, Yamaha, and 2box modules. Iteven worked out of the box with Alesis’ DMDock.

OverallWith a US street price of around $230, the KT-10 is certainly not the cheapest kick drumsolution out there. But it is a stand-alone unit,so you don’t need an additional pedal, norwould there be a need to replace heads orother parts. So it’s a one-time, fully inclusiveprice.

And I’d venture to say that it’s a sturdy, well-built and durable trigger that performsflawlessly to produce excellent performance –almost silently. For that kind of performance,it’s well worth the investment.

I can see this pedal appealing not only tomainstream e-drummers tired of the thump of

their mesh or rubber kick drums orlooking for an extra kick

trigger alongside theirexisting one, but

also to the newgeneration ofhybrid drummersadding e-drums

to theiracoustic rigs.This triggeris a perfectadd-on to

the Roland TM-2 module, or any of

the multi-pad solutions outthere.

In the interests of balance, we like toinclude any negatives, but the KT-10 had us

floored: there simply weren’t any.

So, the KT-10 is a hands-down winner – orshould that be feet-down?


StandStand&&

deliverdeliver

--Gear--

The growing popularity of two-piece electronic hi-hatsand of hybrids means that hi-hat stands are becomingmore important to e-drummers. digitalDrummer spoketo a number of professionals to find out about theirweapons of choice.



Daniel SchlepPreferred stand: Stock 2box or Ludwig Atlas

Hi-hats are, of course, the Achilles heel of e-drums.In my book, I talk about the common use of“simulation” in e-drums – where the instrumentoften not only tries to simulate sounds, but also arealistic physical feeling while beating on surfaceslike mesh or rubber. The hi-hat is often recognisedas a weak spot of this procedure, but manyadvances have been made. The best solution forthe user is to find a mix of software and hardwarethat fits his or her needs - a module that is capableof producing the right sounds, a responsive hi-hatpad and the right stand for it.

I use a combination of products from the electronicand the acoustic scene. 2box is my choice for the

electronic part. I really like the quality of the sounds and the new kind of opentechnology that powers this module, especially for the fair price it’s sold at. Withthe MK2 rack, you already get a great lightweight hi-hat stand. When a more solidversion is needed, I combine my e-drums with a product from Ludwig’s Atlashardware range. There is a choice of a Standard, a Classic and a Pro version.While the first one offers great features for its price, the last two meet theneeds of a professional. The Pro version has a two-leg design, but theClassic combines modern ideas like the Aerodisc bottom cymbal tilterwith traditional Acculite sustain feet.

Pat KennedyPreferred stand: DW 9000

For my Roland TD-30KV set-up, I prefer the DW 9000 series hi-hat stand. Thechain-drive features and smoothness of the action allow for a consistent triggeringresponse from the V hi-hat pads featured on the TD-30KV drum kits. Conversely,the release of the pads is equally consistent with the DW 9000 hardware, which canoften be overlooked when dealing with electronic pads. Both the onset and releaseof sonic signals are vital in the production of digital sounds, and this hi-hat standaccomplishes both goals extremely well.

As far as set-up is concerned, I have found that theproper clearance between the pads is very important.I usually keep about a 1” gap between the top and

bottom hi-hat, to allow for complete separation of thepads. Similarly, I also tighten the clutch to the top hi-hat pad to reduce the rocking of the cymbal, whichmay result in additional and unwanted contactbetween the pads. To ensure their continued qualityand function, I maintain a clean surface by wiping

with a dry, soft cloth. Also, when transporting thepads, I place them both "bell up" on a flat paddedsurface inside a protective bag or case to preventdamage to the pad and to protect the electroniccomponents and triggers inside.



Johnny RabbPreferred stand: Gibraltar 9607DL-LD

I use the Gibraltar two-legged hi-hat stand to allow roomfor a double pedal. I usually use lightweight models tosave on taking up a lot of room on the road.

I have really gone back to a basic design that simplyworks and is simple to transport. Of course, it is veryreliable and well made, too.

I feel it is important to keep the hi-hat rod inside the tubewhen transporting. It helps to keep it straight and avoidbeing bent. It is also important to prevent metal-to-metalcontact with your hardware. The life of your hardwarereally depends on how you treat it between gigs.

When choosing, I look for a sturdy set-up. It should not wobble or rockat all. It can be frustrating when the stand moves or has a springy

feeling to it. Sometimes, this is due to the legs being extended too muchand the base plate not being on the floor. Also, try out different models tosee if you like the action of the pedal and chain/strap. This is the key thingto look for. You want the open and closing motion to feel good.

All hi-hat stands are different. Be sure to test drive them at your localstore.

Russ MillerPreferred stand: Mapex Falcon

I use the new Mapex Falcon hi-hat stand. A couple of thestandouts are that it is a two-legged stand with a supportplate. Some other cool features include legs that can becompletely removed to tie into a rack or a second kick drum.There is a pedal board clip, which allows you to clip the pedalboard to the stand when you put it in your case so it won’t bedamaged when transferred. The thing that I like the most is ithas a very smooth and quick feel.

Besides the pedal board clip, other care tips include alwaysremoving the hi-hat rod with the clutch attached for transportso it won’t get bent, and we place a small rubber bandaround the bottom cymbal seat for transport. This holds thecup washer and felt in place.

Of course, the most important thing to look for in a stand is theplayability and how quickly and smoothly it reacts. I also look forstability of the stand so it won’t rock or move. Proper tilting of thebottom cymbal on the hi-hat cup is also important. Some stands onthe market don’t allow you to tilt the bottom cymbals and this cancause an odd vacuum sound when closing the hats. The otherthing is mobility of the bottom cymbal. I actually remove the “Tri”rubber seat that ships with the Falcon and replace it with astandard seat felt for better cymbal movement.



MDD Direct Drive Ad 2 - 2014 (Digital Drummer).indd 1 10/7/14 1:52 PM

Jonathan AtkinsonPreferred stand: DW 9000

I mainly use the DW 9000 series three-leg hi-hat stand,although I also have a couple of Yamahas and a DW 5000, butthe 9000 is the one which I use most and is my favourite.

The DW 9000 hats stand, like the 9000 series bass drumpedal, is beautifully made, and has a wonderfully smoothaction. It needs very little tinkering to make it perform brilliantly,whereas with some other stands I have found that I need toreally adjust the spring tension to make it feel smooth.

I use the three-leg version over the two-leg version purelybecause I've always found that the stability of the two-leggedversions (particularly on a riser which might have a bit more'flex' in it than a solid floor) is sometimes not up to it. The only two-leggedversion which I've found works really well is the Yamaha HS1200T. I'm notsure what they did with the design of this that works so well, but it doesn'tseem to suffer from the wobble which plagues other two-leg stands. If youneed the two legs because you are fitting in a double pedal, this is a greatoption and worth checking out.

The most important things to protect on your hi-hat stand are the pedallinkages and also the pull rod. The linkages on the DW 9000 are prettybomb-proof, so I feel confident that they'll survive even the most caveman-like drum tech. The pull rod on any hi-hat stand is the weak point as it'snecessarily pretty thin metal, and in amongst a traps case of very heavystands, it's definitely vulnerable. To counter this, I always make sure that theclutch is attached at the very top of the rod, and the rod is inserted inside thetop tube of the stand so that the rod is fully protected. They do bend quiteeasily, and if a traps case is upended (to be put on a truck or whatever), thenthe rod can be bent by the weight of other stands in the case.

Otherwise, just keeping the stand clean of dirt and stick sawdust by wiping itdown every so often, you should get a lifetime's use out of a stand if it's ofdecent quality.

Peter ErskinePreferred stand: DW 6500

I love the DW 6500 flush-base hi-hat stand. It’s lightweight,dependable, sounds great, and it simply works!

I’m not a fan of the two-legged hi-hat stand (they tend towobble in my experience), and I prefer lighter-weighthardware to heavier-duty in general. That said, all of the DWthree-legged stands work great.

The DW hi-hat clutch is terrific. I also like the Remo hi-hatclutch which is so simple to use and works on any make ormodel of hi-hat stand.



Dirk VerbeurenPreferred stand: Tama Speed Cobra HH915N

I’m very happy with my Tama Speed CobraHH915N hi-hat stand. It’s strong enough to resistroad roughness and Tama’s lever glide systemmakes for a super smooth, lightning-fast response.Most of all, you want your hi-hat stand to feel goodand this one certainly does! The longer footboardallows me to use the sliding technique, just like onmy Speed Cobra double pedal bass rig.

I usually play with the hats half-open, so maximumtension is ideal and easy to adjust using therotating slider. The spring seat allows me to raise

one end of the lower cymbal, adjusting the widthof the sound to my liking.

To position the stand comfortably next to myleft kick pedal, I turn the stand’s dual legs to the left, which isalso very quick and easy. Each leg has a sliding spike, sothe stand stays firmly in place, even on a wobbly stage.

All in all, setting up the Speed Cobra takes just a fewminutes, and I honestly couldn’t imagine a sturdier, morepractical hi-hat stand!

Stanton MoorePreferred stand: DW 7000

For jazz gigs and gigs around New Orleans, I use athree-legged DW 7000. For touring and festival/clinicbackline, I use a two-legged DW 9000

The 7000 is relatively light, while remaining verystable. The 9000 is rugged and even the two-legconfiguration is stable.

On the road, my traps case is big enough so we don'ttake the hi-hat apart; we just fold up the legs. Thathelps minimise wear and tear. Also, be careful withthe rod - don't let it get bent, don't lay it by itself...and don't let your band mates step on it!

When choosing a hi-hat stand, the action of thepedal must feel comfortable to you. Look for aweight that is heavy enough to be stable, butnot too heavy to carry around. A good clutchthat won't come apart while you're playingis essential!

digitalDrummer, NOVEMBER 2014 27


WHEN CHOOSING, FIND a hi-hat stand that you feelsuits you. If you're carrying your own gear, then maybe

a heavyweight stand like the DW 9000 isn't for you, butmaybe try something lighter. There are so many great

options out there (the DW flush-base stands are greatlightweight options, as are the lighter Yamaha models).

The worst problem you'll ever find with a hat stand is that itdoesn't stay where you put it. The DWs deal with this by

having industrial strength velcro on the bottom. Others usespikes. Some work better than others, so if you're checking them

out in the shop, make sure it doesn't go walking away from youeasily. If it does, buy something else!!

Also, make sure you check out the stand with the weight of cymbalsyou're actually going to be using.

As a general rule, if you put the cymbals on the stand and pressthe top cymbal down and it moves freely and bounces up and

down a few times, then it's probably well made with a smoothaction. Same as if you check out a good quality kick pedal, you're

looking for the least amount of friction in the action.

Buy the best quality you can afford without breaking the bank. As I say, ifyou buy quality, you'll only need to buy it once.

When setting up a hi-hat stand for the first time, the only two things Iever change are the cymbal height and the spring tension. There are noright or wrong ways to do this, but pay attention to how comfortable youfeel on the gig. A stand set too low or high for you can play hell with yourposture as you try to get your hands out of the way to play the snare.

Only you can decide where is best, but good posture is vital to a longcareer in drumming, so pay attention to how you hold your body whileplaying. If you're twisting your shoulders or lower back, your hats aren’tset right.

Spring tension is a matter of personal taste. I like mine so I don't have topush down too hard to close the hats really tightly, but they also openeasily and quickly. Finding that balance is very easy if you have the rightstand.

Jonathan Atkinson

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"Triggering was superb across theentire surface of the head .... Thehead picks up every nuance – butonly the intended hits. There’s nofalse triggering or crosstalk."

digitalDrummer, August 2014

dd_nov2014_Layout 3 9/10/14 9:13 PM Page 29

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=64jJP_A7HWc&list=UUNP0wozD8ExSoBOAcLzg5jA

THE THEME OF the third edrumtreffen (e-drum meeting) was Hybrid Set-ups and theevent offered a rare opportunity to play andtest those kits which are harder to find onthe floors of local music stores. Exhibitorsthis year included Wronka Drums, drum-tec, 2box, Mark Drum and Nord.

Dennis Brzoszka, drummer of the Germanelectro pop band Susanne Blech,demonstrated his minimalistic kit featuringa Wronka metal bass drum pad with aDMX-controlled illuminated band logo. Theduo Step Beyond from Koblenz did a greatDrum&Bass performance using customsamples and Ableton.

Ludwig and 2box endorser Daniel Schlepdemonstrated the brand new 2box externaltrigger and shared his philosophy ofcombining modern communication devicessuch as smartphones or tablets withelectronic drums.

Mark Drum endorser Markus Ostfeldbrought his band, Groove Elation, andperformed on a kit consisting of Mark Drum

toms and bass drum with an acousticsnare and cymbals which sounded great .

Marcel Bach accompanied his Sakaeacoustic kit with a Nord Drum 2 and NordPad. He demonstrated the Nord gear’slooping capability, layering tracks on top ofeach other using chromatic percussionsounds or effects and then he startedjamming along on his acoustic kit in areally musical solo performance.

The last demonstration saw ThomasPanthel of Hyperactive/2box showing how“the drum module (acts) as a whole toolboxfor the working drummer“.

Besides the live performances, visitors alsogot to put some of the solutions throughtheir paces on a test kit loaded with arange of VST plugins from Toontrack, XLNand Native Instruments.

For the vintage fans, there was the originalBriefcase of Saga's former drummer, SteveNegus, plus a complete working SimmonsSDX system, the most expensive e-drumsystem ever built.

Hybrid on showThe hybrid wave has hit Germany, with avariety of solutions on show at this year’sElectronic Drummer Meeting in Langenfeld,as organiser Wolfgang Stölzle reports.



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Hail to the

QUEEN


--Profile--

A music store competition kick-started a careerwhich has included stints with Prince and Beyoncé.Queen Cora Dunham shares her story withdigitalDrummer editor Allan Leibowitz.

PHO

TO: N

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for VATER


digitalDrummer: Did you start at a youngage and how important is formal musictraining for a drummer?Queen Cora Dunham: Actually, I think Istarted fairly late compared to a lot ofmusicians that we know. I started playingdrums in the marching band in ninth grade anddidn’t actually start on the drum set until 11thgrade in high school. You know, Allan, I thinkformal music training can be very important.Although everything that is taught in schoolcan be developed in an informal environment,the cool thing about school is that thecurriculum indicates that you should learn acertain amount of information in a certainamount of time. Formal training can help yousee the bigger picture of your role as theengine to a band, orchestra, ensemble ortrack, based on the style of music. When Istudied at Howard University, William Richards,Harold Summey and Grady Tate were myprivate drum/percussion instructors. They alloffered different perspectives to music andbetween the three of them and all of my otherclasses, my understanding of theory,arrangement, discipline and versatilityexpanded. Then, of course, there were peoplelike Clyde Adams, Aaron Spears, Tim Steele,Greg Grainger, Jay Jay Williams, Chris Davewho I learned from in a way that school wasn'tteaching me. There is a thin line betweenstudying to do something and actually DOINGIT and these guys were DOING IT. I joinedSigma Alpha Iota, a music fraternity for womenand that kept me connected to other girls aswell as our frat brothers who were seriousabout music. Formal training is a great way tolearn how to read music. For those drummerswho are trying to figure out whether theyshould take the time to learn how to readmusic, think of it like this: You can function inregular life without being able to read asentence. You can follow your feelings, listenwell, interpret the signs and follow the peoplearound you, but if you take just a little moreeffort to expand yourself, reading gives you somany more options and opportunities tofunction in different environments with clearunderstanding. Reading music is the same andit’s good to have balance. Don’t be so stuck tothe music that it sounds like you’re reading; it’salso nice to be able to sit down and expressyourself without a “chart”. I think a balancebetween formal education and being mentoredby people who are doing what you want to domakes for a good balance.

dD: Tell us about your early work, which Igather was in the classical area.QCD: Well, my high school band director, Mr.William Portis, exposed me to several genresof music, plus my dad’s vinyl collection waspretty vast. So in the band room, we had a setof vibes that I started experimenting with. I alsostarted playing at a church in Houston wheremy godmother, Mamie Johnson, was theMinister of Music. That was a new experiencethat exposed me to traditional andcontemporary Gospel music. So, throughoutmy junior and senior year in high school, I waslearning jazz and continued playing under FredIrby at Howard - plus I stayed connected toclassical music in orchestra at Howard,American University, Howard PercussionEnsemble, Washington Symphony Orchestraand just playing around DC. I played timpani,four-mallet marimba, snare and all of the otherfun toys and percussion instruments, as wellas drum set. I had the opportunity to apply mytimpani and percussion skills to RichardSmallwood’s Gospel album, Persuaded: Live inD.C., on the songs Procession of the Levitesand Coronation, so my classical experiencedefinitely opened more opportunities, taughtme about tuning drums and developing more“touch” to my drum set playing and reallyunderstanding how to make the drums “sing”.

dD: Let’s talk about the Guitar Center Drum-Off. What did your win do for you and howimportant are competitions like this?QCD: The Guitar Center Drum-Off was anawesome experience and definitely a superblessing! Well, I grew up being verycompetitive in swimming, diving, softball,basketball and academics, so I thinkcompetition can be great. It first makes youstrive to compete with yourself and to just haveinspiration to be better. The cool thing aboutbeing a drummer is that we generally hang outwith other drummers to learn and get betteralready, so the Guitar Center competition is soawesome because it brings more drummerstogether on a national platform. Winning theDrum-Off first of all was the answer to a prayer.After graduating from Howard, my car had anoil leak and the engine basically locked, so Iwas without a car. So when I moved to LA, Iwould just in-line skate, ride the bus or one ofmy Godparents, Edward and Bettie Horne,would help me rent cars. So winning a Jeepand all of the awesome prizes was beyondawesome! On top of that, the competition really



pushed me to be creative, exposed me on anational level and, of course, introduced me toso many drummers. It was through thatexperience that I learned even more from ChrisHart about what endorsement relationshipsreally meant and the importance of playingequipment because I truly loved it and not justbecause it was being offered to me. Thecompetition is great because every year, if youchoose to compete, it inevitably pushes you tobe a better player and grow that much moreconnected to your instrument and thedrumming community.

dD: your big break, I guess, was when youwere discovered by Prince. How did thatcome about and develop? QCD: After living in LA for two years, I wasmaking efforts to build a positive reputation formyself and had worked with P!nk, Il Divo,Michael Bearden, Frank McComb, ZacHarmon, Tom Schuman, Phil Upchurch, LalahHathaway, Richard Smallwood, Dr. Diane L.White, Goapele and several others. Apparently,Prince had heard about me and on RaymondMcKinnley’s recommendation, Prince andRachelle Farrell came to hear me play with

Frank McComb and Raymond at a supper clubin LA. At the end of the second set of the show,Prince’s assistant came up and asked for mycontact information because Prince wanted tobuy me the “drum set of my dreams”! I wasalready in a relationship with DW, so theymade me an incredible red and gold, spiderpine seven-piece set. After about five weeks,while my husband and bassist, Joshua, who Iwas dating at the time, and I were rehearsingwith Frank McComb for a Blue Note Japantour, my drum set came in. I called to tellPrince and thank him and he invited us over tojam at his house. It was amazing! After wereturned from Japan, Josh and I startedplaying for a lot of his after-parties and a weekbefore we got married in 2005, we recorded onthe 3121 album!! Talk about a wedding gift! Wecontinued working with him through severaltours, TV shows, recordings, Super Bowl 2007and five-and-a-half years of many memorableadventures. We love him dearly and he hasbeen such a blessing to our lives.

dD: Let’s talk about electronic percussion. Iknow you used an SPD-S with Prince. Wasthat your first encounter with electronicdrums?


Hybrid heaven - Queen Cora's River Nile kit is augmented with yamaha’s DTX range

PHO

TO: B

EyON

Cé Tu

MB

LR


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QCD: Winning the Drum-Off in 2002 included acustom set of Roland V-Drums, so that was myfirst exposure to electronics. It was a newworld and I had to respect and appreciate thatif there can be acoustic piano and electrickeyboard, acoustic bass and electric bass andother instruments that had both acoustic andelectronic counterparts, electronic drums werejust as awesome and worth exploring asacoustic. I spent time learning, which made memore comfortable applying it to liveperformance experiences.

dD: How did electronics help with Prince,especially on your tours?QCD: Soooo, becoming comfortable andapplying electronics and becoming comfortableand applying electronics with Prince are twodifferent things. (laughs) It was definitely aprocess. In addition to learning so much of hiscatalogue of music and songs that he lovesplaying, incorporating intricate electronic songsadded even more to my plate! It pushed me ina great way. He is definitely an advocate andicon for “Real Music by Real Musicians” and soelectronics were always triggered through mySPD-S in the moment and not pre-recorded orlooped. We were often capturing a lot of theoriginal Linn Drum sounds that he used torecord the albums we were playing live, as wellas 808s, claps and other memorable effectsthat added to his sound. So it made meunderstand the art of capturing the music as

people recognise it from recordings while stillgiving a dynamic, ever-changing creative liveexperience. He can be very spontaneous inlive performances because he is alwaysinspired, so it was important for my electronicsto become one with my kit so I wouldn’t misscues or changes in the music for being soconsumed with triggering and changingpatches.

dD: More recently, you’ve been workingwith Beyoncé. How have you usedelectronics on that gig?QCD: Yes! I worked with Beyoncé for two-and-a-half years and it was a powerful experience! Ilearned so much as it related to drive,dedication and really seeing production from amassive perspective, as well as how my roleas the drummer impacted the show. I wasinitially using the Roland SPD-S multipad,which was a great supplement for her musicfrom the fourth album which was very drum-heavy, as well as some of the music from herprevious albums. On The Mrs. Carter ShowWorld Tour, she also started incorporatingsongs from the Beyoncé album, so I neededmore to complement the electronic presence.The Yamaha DTX900 came right on time forexpanding my options.

dD: So, you’re now a yamaha DTX artist.What gear from the range do you use andhow do you use it?

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QCD: I am very excited to be a part of theYamaha DTX family. Right now, I am using theYamaha DTX900 Series and the Multi-12 pad.The playing scenario determines how I use thegear. For example, with Beyoncé, I developedmy DW “River Nile” acoustic kit (positioned insize order: 10” side snare, 13” primary snare,8”, 10”, 12”, 14”, 16” with 18” gong drum overmy right shoulder and 20” gong drum over myleft shoulder, 20” double kick drums, each with8x20 added woofer kicks). Immediately to myleft (on the East side of “Nile”), I positioned myYamaha DTX900 module and included one 12”XP 120S snare, three XP 100T toms, KP125kick and a portion of my RS130 rack system. Inother environments, I just use my Multi-12,which gives me the option for sampling in amore compact way.

dD: With the demands of internationaltouring, what do electronic drums allowyou to do that you couldn’t do - or at leastwhich would be much harder to do - withacoustics?

QCD: Having electronics definitely expandsthe possibilities for your kit, and in situationswhere you need a smaller set-up but still needa big sound with variety, electronics is theway!! In other environments where you havethe tour support to bring all of the bells andwhistles of a full electronic set-up tocomplement an acoustic kit, that’s just asawesome. In addition to international touring,I'm also the drummer for an annual youthempowerment awards show called The BlackGirls Rock Awards (BET) where, under theMusic Direction of Kim Burse, I've been able towork with Ledisi, Alicia Keys, Brandi, Jill Scott,Erykah Badu, Keisha Cole and a host ofinternational artists and electronics give me theexpansion I need to capture the colours andtones that complement each artist's music. Inaddition to that, Josh and I have beenproducing a TV talk show and other videoproductions with producers like Myriam Légeramong others, where the electronic elementreally comes in handy for scoring music!

Follow Cora on:Twitter: queencoradunhamInstagram: queencoradunhamFacebook: Cora Dunham Company website:www.vivoclub.com

Cora and Joshua Dunham on the Drum-Off red carpet

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There is so much that electronic drumming hasto offer to your playing and the key is to knowwhat the balance is that will give you the finalresults that you are hoping your listeningaudience will experience. Sound effects,spoken word, claps, samples, loops, bombs,snaps, explosions, triangle, bongos, chimes,and over 1,000 internal sounds plus unlimitedsampling and expandable options …electronics give you endless possibilities.

dD: And what are deficiencies withelectronic kits - the things that you justcan’t do and are easier and better done withacoustic kits?QCD: There is always room for growth andcontinued evolution of interactivity, dimensionsand other aspects of electronics in the drumcommunity, but the progress so far has stillbeen incredible! I think it’s about knowing whatthe music calls for and choosing the tools thatbest capture that sonically and not just for theheck of it.

dD: What advice do you have for kidsstarting out in drumming - especially girlswho are not always encouraged to get intopercussion?QCD: The advice that I would share for kidswho are just starting out is to have fun! I saythat to those who have been playing for awhile, too. Don’t stop having fun! Learn and beopen to new musical experiences and thenbalance that with understanding business.Don't get so lost in being creative that youdon't properly manage the creativity andbecome another "starving artist". You can play

music, travel the world and enjoy life buteverything that lasts has balance.

Notes and rests | Sound and Silence | Upbeats and Down Beats…Life is rhythm and rhythm is just patterns. So be intentional about your patterns, settingsmall goals that lead to greater goals, knowyourself, know your equipment, understandyour business and have fun!! Peoplesometimes ask me what it’s like to be a “girldrummer”. The truth is I only know what it’s liketo be a drummer who happens to be a girlbecause I’ve never been a guy! (laughs) WhatI do know is how to stand out, how to bemyself, how to be unique. As valedictorian ofmy high school, I know what it’s like to pushhard, to be focused and to be proud of myself.To have performed at the Super Bowl twice. Soto girls who are interested in playingpercussion, I encourage you to be driven butbe the unique, amazing, intelligent, classy,delicate yet powerful being that God createdyou to be, and strive to be not the best girl, butbe YOUR best! I am not just a drummer: I am amusician, producer, video producer, author,endorsee, clinician, speaker, brand specialist,multi-business owner, teacher, director, wife,sister, daughter, cousin, niece, friend, and astudent for life – ever-learning, ever-evolvingand, most importantly, passionate aboutimpacting the rhythm of lives across the worldand I am thankful and excited that drumminghas been a platform that I have been able todo that with everyone from three-year-oldsholding sticks for the first time to some of themost influential people in the world!

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Voting is now open in the digitalDrummer Readers’Choice awards to honour the best new products fore-drummers and those who have made the greatestcontributions.

Have your say by clicking here. Readers are asked tovote for the best:

New product of the year (hardware)

New product of the year (software)

E-drum retailer (by region)

E-drummer of the year

Hall of Fame inductee.

Win hybrid heavenJust by voting, you also go into the

running to win* a package containingsome of the most innovative drummingsolutions around:

Aquarian’s inHead Kick & Snare packincludes a 14” inHead electronic/acousticsnare head, inBOX, rimSHOT trigger and akickZONE bass drum trigger.

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Select the bestto win the best

* Competition terms are detailed in the poll


https://survey.zohopublic.com/zs/HpCNRM

How I use e-drums

Originally a solo side project for drummer OCD Adam,Tenth Amendment combines heavy metal and electronicsin new ways to create something refreshingly new.


--Performance--



WHILE I PREDOMINANTLY play industrialmetal, I love all styles of music. Over the years,I noticed electronic drums gaining popularitywith a lot of drummers in other genres becauseof the great sound, portability and flexibility. Istarted to wonder why heavy metal drummerswere not following suit and taking advantage ofeverything that e-drums can offer. I decided tomake the switch to an entirely electronic kitearly in my career and am glad I did.

I started Tenth Amendment in 2008/2009 as asolo studio side project to experiment with newdrumming styles and learn new recordingtechniques. As popularity for the music grew, Icompleted the line-up for the band and webegan touring. In the past few years, TenthAmendment has become my primary focusand has also been an outlet for me toexperiment with the capabilities e-drums canoffer in the studio and on tour.

All of the percussion in Tenth Amendment’supcoming album, Conviction, was recordedentirely with e-drums. In the studio, e-drumshave made recording an amazing experience.Because the drum tracks are captured asMIDI, the performance and the sounds arehandled separately. I can modify drum soundswithout having to replay the song. WithSuperior Drummer, I have access to a wholearsenal of kits and drum sounds. I’m notconfined to one specific kit as I would be withan acoustic. If the sound of a 24” bass drumisn’t working in the mix, it can be changed toone that is more suited to the sound we need.We don’t need to compromise the overall mixto accommodate a drum sound that might betoo boomy or cymbals that are too bright. Thedrum sounds can be modified right up until thefinal mix down.

E-drums have been a dream come true on theroad, too. Before the last tour with TenthAmendment, I knew that I needed a kit thatwas portable, easy to set up and wouldconsistently sound great. In addition, I neededa set-up that could replicate samples andcontrol synths so the live performancessounded just as full and diverse as the albums.

I also wanted the ability to hear a metronomeand my own mix of drums, samples andsynths, while having a different mix go to thevenue sound board. E-drums provided theperfect solution. Using Ableton Live and theAlesis Trigger-iO, I can use Superior Drummer,launch recorded samples and control synths,while still having the flexibility to adjust my mixand the main mix with a few clicks. I can alsochange the sound of a single drum or theentire kit on stage with ease. Acoustic drumsjust could not offer that flexibility. The e-drumrig I use allows me to control all of thevariables of the live show relating to drums andsampling. Nothing beats handing the soundtech one cable and saying, “Just turn it up”.

The portability of e-drums can’t beunderstated. I can replicate the sound of an18” floor tom, 24” bass drum or a 22” ridecymbal and still keep my kit compact. The 12”Hart Pro Series drums can handle anything Ithrow at them and capture every nuance of myplaying. The Roland pads and cymbals aresmall enough to fit anywhere I want on the kit -and the gear has held up over years ofpunishment on the road.

As e-drums continue to evolve, so willdrummers and their roles as musicians andband members. The more they can do, themore we can do with them. I can’t wait tosee what we can do next…


OCD Adam’s equipment:

Laptop with Ableton Live andSuperior Drummer

Alesis Trigger-iOHart Dynamics Pro Series Drums

Roland Cy-8, PD-8, and FD-8yamaha KP-65


In the last edition, Michael Schackexplained that although hybriddrumming is hardly new, there is freshinterest in combining acoustic andelectronic drums.

hybridis happening


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ONE APPLICATION OF hybrid drums is tomeet specific amplification needs. For acoustickits in particular, drummers are often requiredto set up in space that is too small (such ascafes or bars) to warrant a full microphone set-up. Unfortunately, this often causes adisconnect between the drum kit and theamplified instruments in the band (such asvocals, guitars and keyboards).

However, the more creative application ofhybrid technology is the addition of sounds notavailable with an acoustic kit. When playingacoustic or electronic drums, you might needto add a totally different sound to your set-up,like triggering percussion sounds or electronichandclaps from an extra pad. This is truesound expansion, where you add extra soundsto your set-up, not just layer underneath or ontop of a sound you’re already playing.

Probably the most common way ofcombining two drumsounds, anacoustic one andan electronicallygenerated onefrom a soundmodule like asampler, is just tostick them on top ofeach other. But, thiskind of layeringdoes bring someproblems, like“sound cancelling” or waveforms which “phase”against each other.

When the tuning of the combined soundsdoesn’t match or isn’t “in sync”, both soundsend up sounding weaker when combined. Notgood. Another potential problem is theunwanted “flam” when kick and snare hits, forinstance, sound ‘doubled’.

I personally believe that the major strength of awell produced hybrid drum sound lies in thecombination of elements emanating fromdifferent sound layers. For instance, use yourmain acoustic kick sound for the midrange orlow end, and then add some high frequency“attack” sound element or low-end “sub” sinewaves to enhance its impact. In this case, youkeep the general character of the acoustic

sound, but “enhance” it with what could bemissing or something that takes it beyondexpectation. This way, the added elements andthe main sound really become “one”.

So, to recap, here are some applications forhybrid drumming based on the example ofadding a sample of a barking dog. If thissample were simply combined with your kickand snare, that would be sound layering. Usingjust the low-end of the bark to give your kickdrum a doggy characteristic would constitute“element enhancement”. And triggering thesampled barking between kick and snare whileplaying a beat would be sound expansion. Sothe same sample can be applied in variousways to achieve different effects.

Of course, any sample can be used – in anycombination: any crazy idea you might have

could be worthwhile toexperiment with. But there’sone rule you have to follow:the generated ‘extra’ soundyou want to integrate needsto be right there when youplay it. Latency and“matching” are key factorsin realising a good-sounding, hybrid soundset-up. You would alsobenefit from someunderstanding of

“phasing” and “sound cancellation”. Youcan easily train your ears to distinguish a well-layered sound from a poor one. There are abunch of tutorials on YouTube, and there’splenty of specialised music production presswhich can help you through detailed tutorials.

So go ahead, go hybrid and be hip with yournew, kick-ass drum sounds. It’s going to turnyour fellow musicians’ heads, inspire you toplay better and get the audience moving. Goodluck!

To read Michael’s step-by-step guide to settingup hybrid acoustic drums, click here.

And to see how the approach can also be ap-plied to electronic kits, click here.

Click to see Michael’sinformative hybriddemo videos



http://blog.rolandcorp.com.au/index.php/michael-schack-talks-hybrid-acoustic-kit-setup/

http://blog.rolandcorp.com.au/index.php/michael-schack-talks-tm-2-acoustic-kit-setup/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l0BFFIbOPIY

--GEAR--

Way to GoPro

We generally deal with the sounds, but now it’stime to take a closer look at capturing e-drumvideo, as Allan Leibowitz explains.


A VIDEO CAMERA may seem an odd topic fora review in an electronic drumming magazine,but you can’t go far in the music industry thesedays without seeing an “action camera” in use.While designed for action sports and outdooractivities, it’s not hard to see why the GoPro’sneat and compact format has made it apopular option for performance recording. Somuch so that the manufacturer this yearlaunched a tailored package for entertainers –the Hero3+ Black Edition/Music.

What’s in the boxTo understand the product, you need todecipher the name. Hero3+ is the fourth-generation GoPro offering (think iPhone 4S).Black Edition signifies the top-of-the-lineproduct (above white and silver) and Musicdesignates a bunch of special accessoriesdesigned for performers. So besides the basiccamera unit, the package comes with somespecial mounts instead of the standardwaterproof case and a special audio adaptor(the mic input of the previous model has gone

and a dedicated USB adaptor is now requiredfor an external mic input).

To attach the camera to the special mounts,this model ships with The Frame, a minimalistcamera mounting solution that provides accessto all ports (well, almost, as you need somedexterity to remove the cover from theUSB/card slot) and full exposure to thecamera’s microphone.

Bundled in are a removable instrument mountwhich clamps guitars, drums, turntables,keyboards and other instruments; a mic standmount and GoPro’s Jaws: Flex Clamp.

Setting upSetting up is simple – once you’ve worked outhow to detach the camera from its mount in thebox!

The first thing you have to do is charge thebattery, which is done via a USB connection.Then it’s a matter of choosing your video orstills mode (there’s plenty of advice on whichsettings to use in different conditions).



There are only two buttons – a power switchand a shutter release switch, which bothdouble as selection buttons for the menudisplayed in the little LCD screen on the back.As with any two-button menu-driven commandsystem, this is a bit clunky, but thankfully thereis another solution which I’ll get to shortly.

The next decision is how to mount the camera.Instead of a waterproof case, the Music editionis supplied with a skeleton case – enough tohold the camera in place and provide aconnection point to the multitude of mountsavailable out there. The camera attaches tothese via a kind of quick-release buckle thatGoPro has adopted as its go-to system.Luckily, it ships with a bunch of adhesivemounts which allow you to stick the camera onvirtually anything.

The camera is the personification of point andshoot, especially since there is no viewfinder.But that doesn’t mean you’re shooting blind.

There’s a companion app which turns youriPhone or iPad into a wireless remote with thehelp of the Hero3+ WiFi capability. Using youri-device, you can adjust the settings, previewwhat you’re shooting and hit record and stop.Sure, there’s a bit of a delay, but it’s a fantasticsolution that makes the camera truly hands-free.

In actionThis isn’t a photography review, so I’ll limit thisdiscussion to the GoPro’s suitability for e-drumrecording.

In this look-at-me world dominated byFacebook, YouTube and online forums, e-drummers increasingly like to share videos of

their performances and most consumer videocameras have limited audio input options. Mostrely on their built-in microphones and few havethe capability of handling a direct feed from amodule or audio interface.

digitalDrummer’s videos are shot using eithera Kodak Zi8 or a Nikon DSLR, both of whichhave Audio In jacks.

The GoPro Hero3+ doesn’t have an audio jackper se, but the Music version ships with aspecial USB audio adaptor (normally around$30 as an accessory), which takes a stereofeed.

Interestingly, the built-in camera is mono, butthe device is capable of recording stereo, so itcan be paired with a module (via the audiooutput) or any stereo mic set-up.

For our tests, we used direct feeds from acouple of different modules and got excellentresults using the line level feed. We also usedthe headphone out on some devices.

The other huge advantage of the GoPro is itsexceptionally wide lens and huge depth of field(that, for the uninitiated, means the amount ofstuff in focus).

I found it extremely useful for shooting the kit ina confined space – exacerbated by a shortaudio lead!

The resulting footage was crisp and clear andnicely exposed despite the poor indoor lighting.

Of course, there was quite a bit of distortionfrom using the wide-angle lens (think fisheye),but this was easily corrected using GoPro’suncomplicated (and free) video editingsoftware.

OverallThe GoPro Hero3+ is a compact but capablecamera that not only captures extremeactivities, but is now documenting the thrills oflive music.

The special Music bundle is versatile, providinga number of practical mounting options whichallow you to stick the camera on anything froma mic stand to your guitar, drum kit orkeyboard.

Its brilliant optics mean that the camera is asgood at capturing a wide stage as it is forshooting your kit in a tight space. However, thisis not a device for shooting a stage from somedistance, nor for trying to capture a concertfrom the audience position in low light.

POSTSCRIPT: After we completed ourreview, GoPro released a new HERO4.The HERO3+ Black reviewed here is nolonger available, but the Silver edition isstill on offer.


It’s easy to use and even more user-friendlywhen coupled wirelessly to an i-device. Thefree video editing software is another big plus,especially for those who just want to do simpleedits before posting on YouTube.

Of course, there’s a premium price for the iconbrand in the compact action camera market.There are much cheaper alternatives, but forthe assurance of a market-leadingmanufacturer with strong after-sales support,the $400 price tag may be good value.However, be warned: like your basic e-drumkit, the camera kit may be just the start of yourjourney, with heaps of accessories available –from waterproof cases to aftermarket stereomicrophones. If you’re a compulsive type andlike using genuine parts, the extras certainlymount up: a tripod mount costs around $25and an extra battery costs twice that much.

I loved everything about the GoPro, from itstiny form factor to its huge performance (underthe right conditions) and hope to be using thetechnology a lot more for digitalDrummervideos.

Package contentsHERO3+ Black Edition Camera Higher Capacity Li-ion Battery The Frame Jaws: Flex Clamp 2 Removable Instrument Mounts Mic Stand Mount Protective Lens 3.5mm Mic Adapter Quick Release Buckle Vertical Quick Release Buckle 3-Way Pivot Arm USB Cable Camera Specifications:Video modes:Professional 4Kp15, 2.7Kp30, 1440p48,1080p60, 960p100, 720p120 fps video 12MP photos at up to 30 frames per second SuperView video mode Auto Low Light mode Built-in Wi-Fi Wi-Fi Remote + GoPro App-compatible Ultra-wide angle glass lens

FOR E-DRUM RECORDING, the audio in ofthe Hero3+ is a nifty solution – albeit one thatrequires an audio/USB cable (supplied with theMusic edition) and a stereo mini-jack connectorfor the module.

But there may also be times when you want torecord the amplified sound of your drums or fullband sound.

Unfortunately, the inbuilt GoPro mic is not thegreatest. It’s mono and, generally, musicsounds a bit thin when recorded with theinternal mic.

There are some aftermarket mics, and one ofthe most popular – but certainly not thecheapest – is the iGoMic from professional micmaker MicW Audio.

The iGoMic is certainly a well-designed pieceof gear. It is compact and minimalist andcomes with a neat attachment arm that locksinto any standard GoPro mount.

The unit consists of an X-Y stereo-matchedpair of microphone capsules speciallydesigned for GoPro cameras.

I tested the iGoMic in a few settings – forspoken voice, at a small band practice and in alarge, loud rock concert.

The sound was unquestionably better than thenative GoPro audio in all applications. Spokenvoice was louder, clearer and less tinny.

However, the mic came into its own with full-volume band sound. Again, it was louder thanthe inbuilt mic capture, but, more importantly, itwas full and detailed with a wide stereo image.Listening with headphones, the qualityexceeded what I had expected from theGoPro.

The iGoMic ships in a sturdy carry case whichis actually big enough to accommodate theGoPro body as well. It comes with a mini-jack/USB cable and a mini-jack/mini-jack leadfor use with video cameras and DSLRs. Itships with a wind shield, a mic holder rod anda spare rubber attachment ring.

The bad news: the $170 street price. But if youuse the camera a lot and sound is important,you won’t regret the investment.

Sound advice



HOT ON THE HEELS of BFD’s recentupgrade, Toontrack has given its entry-levelEZdrummer a revamp with the launch ofEZdrummer 2.

The developers have given the VST pack athorough shake-up with some benefits for e-drummers, but there’s no doubt that the realwinners in this iteration are composers andproducers. In essence, there’s even moredrummer in the programme.

What’s in the boxLike most VSTs these days, EZ2 is a download– and a much bigger one than the original,weighing in at 3.3 GB where the firstincarnation was just 720 MB.

The new offering boasts 21,000 samples – four

times the initial 5,300 samples. Instead ofupgrading samples from the previous 16-bit tothe full 24-bit standard, Toontrack has opted for18-bit to make the package easier to run andless resource-hungry.

If it were purely a numbers game, then EZ2would be a clear winner over its predecessor:there are five included kits (three more thanEZ1), including nine snares (an additional six),seven bass drums (four more) and an extraride cymbal (a total of three), two extra crashes(10 in all), an extra hi-hat among the threeincluded and 10 percussion instruments (upfrom just one).

There are also a number of enhancementsaimed at songwriters, which we’ll explore alittle later.

--VST--

Toontrack’s EZdrummer has long been anindustry stalwart, and Allan Leibowitzchecked out the newest version to see if itstill has its edge.

EZer fornon-drummers



The look and feelLike its predecessor, EZdrummer 2 is a stand-alone solution, and does not require a DAW orhost. It works out of the box, so to speak.

Unlike Addictive Drums 2, EZdrummer 2replaces the original programme when it’sinstalled, so you’ll need to kiss EZ1 goodbyewhen you hit “install”. But you don’t actuallylose anything since all of the samples, presetsand grooves are still accessible – and all EZ1expansion packs are fully compatible.

While the engine has had a major makeover,the layout is virtually unchanged from itsoriginal format. The graphics have beenupdated with a more Apple-like gloss, replacingthe retro jukebox styling of the old GUI.

The new layout is clean and uncluttered,consisting of four main windows, eachaccessed by a tab.

The drums window contains a kit image inwhich each piece can be auditioned by clickingthe instrument. Like EZ1, each kit piece has adrop-down arrow which reveals alternativeinstrument sounds, not just from the current kit,but from all the sounds in your library for thatpiece.

The kits load much faster in this version, whichalso allows you to mix and match sounds fromdifferent expansion packs.

The song block dominates the page and, infact, forms the core of the EZ2 offering. It reallycomes into play in the browser window, whereall the MIDI loops are displayed in theirrespective libraries. This element has attractedmost of the review attention to date and it isclear that EZ2 is primarily a song-writing toolrather than a sound source for e-drummers.Using EZ2 for e-drumming feels a bit likewandering around a gourmet kitchen and onlyusing the toaster.

The search window is another tool for drummerreplacement. Here you can find loop elementswith which to build grooves, and there are avariety of ways to search – by genre, by BPM,by time signature, etc. But again, this is anarea most e-drummers will seldom visit, sowe’ll gloss over it.

The mixer window is sufficiently uncomplicatedto appease any e-drummer. There are simplevolume sliders and pan controls for eachinstrument, as well as bleed controls.

There’s not a lot of scope to tweak sounds, butthat’s no drawback as there are plenty ofpresets for each kit – including the original EZ1mixer presets and a bunch of new ones.

The main dropdown menu has much of thebehind-the-scenes stuff, including limited MIDIcontrol. Like the original EZdrummer, there isno MIDI map editing capability. Instead, thereare a few preset maps for Alesis, Roland,Yamaha and “other”. I know the aim of thepackage is simplicity, but I think the lack ofMIDI map tweaking functionality is a majoroversight which will annoy a number of e-drummers, especially since there is MIDIlearning available in the mixer window to allowyou to use your computer keyboard to adjustparameters. That said, the stock maps arepretty accurate and EZ2 was one of the fewVSTs that was accurately mapped for theAerodrums virtual drumming application, whichis pretty obscure.

The soundsThe versatile sonic palette of the originalEZdrummer was one of the reasons for itssuccess and Toontrack has built on that withsome sensational new sounds in the newversion.



The core offering is built around two libraries –one modern and one vintage.

The modern kits consist of a DW Collector’sMaple, a Gretsch USA Custom and a Yamaha9000 in various configurations with up to fivetoms. There are also a dozen snare choices.These are augmented by various Paiste andSabian cymbals in hi-hat, ride and fourcrash/splash combinations.

The vintage kit is a five-piece kit with Ludwig‘60s and Vistalite drums and Sabian and Paistecymbals in a ride, hi-hat and two crashesconfiguration. The snares consist of a Ludwig400 and Gretsch Chrome over Brass – both ofwhich also have dampened versions.

But those are just the tip of the iceberg. Thevintage kit is available in a dozen presetversions which sound as different as night andday, while the modern kit has almost 20variants ranging from disco to metal.

The sounds are certainly a step up from theEZ1 samples – rich, detailed and varied, withdeeply layered samples to preventmachinegunning.

The two stock kits are extremely versatile andwould cover almost any genre, from classicrock to indie. Of course, there’s no jazz, Latinor electronica – but those are readily availableas add-ons in the extensive Toontrack library.

In actionI tested EZ2 in a few different set-ups rangingfrom a Zendrum to a Roland TD-30 and, asmentioned, the quirky Aerodrums application.

With the Roland TD-30, the stock EZ2 Rolandmap worked a treat. Head and rim triggeringon the drums was perfect, cymbal chokes andedge detection were spot-on and the hi-hatcalibration was good – although there didn’tappear to be as many steps of openness asthe native Roland module.

There is some tweaking room for hi-hatcalibration, with four additional settingsavailable besides the “none” option.

For the Zendrum, I used the EZ2 Roland map,which turned out to be a plug and play solution.

The playing experience was excellent, withminimal latency for all the applications tested –direct from the Roland module or via firewirefor the Zendrum. The depth of sample layeringgave a natural feel to playing, and I wasparticularly impressed with the rim triggeringwhich somehow felt even more natural thanRoland’s own processing engine.

The lack of MIDI mapping does, however,detract from the overall appeal, especiallywhen you know that some of the libraries havearticulations that you can’t access. Forexample, it’s really useful to be able to selectroll, drag and flam articulations for theZendrum, but these are not selectable in EZ2 –even where they are available in the samplebank.

OverallToontrack has come up with a fresh new look,a lively and capable new engine and somegreat sounds, but it is clear that the power ofEZdrummer 2 lies in the “drummer” part of thename.

Like the drummer function built into Apple’sLogic Pro X, this pack is really designed toreplace real stick-wavers. Much of theinnovation in this offering centres around thepowerful MIDI loops and sequencing.

A non-drummer can easily create a drum trackby dropping loops into a timeline where theycan be customised on the fly and, importantly,recorded in the app itself without having tojump backwards and forwards to a DAW.

And the drum tracks which can easily beproduced in EZdrummer 2 are certainlyimpressive.

While there is a lot of new stuff in this offering,e-drummers have largely been overlooked inthe process. But, nevertheless, there’s stillplenty of appeal for those of us just looking touse the toaster. There is a neat, easy-to-usedisplay, excellent and versatile sounds, anidiot-proof mixer and a programme that getsalong with most input options (luckily, becauseof the lack of MIDI editing options).

EZdrummer 2 is available as an upgrade foraround $90 or $150 for a fresh install. EZXexpansion packs sell for around $40 and covera multitude of genres, from Americana to funkand percussion. For existing users, it’scertainly a worthwhile upgrade, if only for thenew sounds and the cleaner interface. For e-drummers starting out, it’s an excellent VST onwhich to cut your teeth – especially since itsmain rival, Addictive Drums, has also gone thedrummer replacement route with its newoffering.

But for those with more patience, I suspect(and that’s just a guess) that there will besomething worth waiting for when Toontrackapplies its innovations to the more drummer-friendly offering Superior Drummer 3.



My

MONSTERMONSTERkit

Eric’s storyI started playing drum in 1974 anddrummers like Peter Criss, NickoMcbrain and Alex Van Halen stimulatedmy need to build a monster kit. Acouple of years ago, joining Drums,Drummers and Drumming as an adminled me to Ryan Guard of Pintech USA.Pintech’s electronic conversionpackage allowed me to create a kit thatcovered all the bases – and appeasedmy complaining neighbours. Eachdrum, cymbal and pad can sound likeanything I choose and, as apercussionist, that is sweet. Now, Ihave one mean Monster Kit I call BlackMasses. I don’t think I will ever stopadding to it. I tell people I will stopdrumming when they pry the sticks frommy cold dead hands.

Kit details:Drums: Two 8” toms, one 10” tom,three 12” toms, three 13” toms, threeddrum DD1 tom pads, 6”, 8” and 10”overhead roto toms, two 16” floor toms,14” snare, ddrum DD1 snare pad, three

22” bass drums and a ddrum DD1 basspad. Shells are triggered with Pintechconversions or Pintech Trigger Perfects

Cymbals: Eight Pintech PC crashes,eight Pintech PC splashes, threePintech Visu-Lite custom 6” splashes,Pintech PC ride, two Pintech Visu-Literides and two Pintech Visu-Lite chinas.

Effects: Four Pintech NR6 Nimrods,one Pintech DB12 Dingbat

Hardware: Gibraltar Road Series RackSystem, Gibraltar Clamps

Pedals: Two sets of Pearl PowerShifter Eliminator double bass pedals

Modules: DD1M module, SDHB2module, two Pintech EZ Modules, 24input Ultra Patch Pro, Rane ME15Equalizer, Samson S-Com StereoCompressor Limiter, QSC GX7 PowerAmplifier fed through 2 Wharfdale 2,000W Bass cabs with two HarbingerAPS15 loudspeakers. MIDI supportpowered by BDF2 & BDF3 premixed ona Yamaha MG102c and YamahaAW16G Recording Mixer.

This month’s kit, assembled by Eric Linder fromSpartanburg, SC, is a real monster.



digitalDRuMMER, NOVEMBER 2014 51

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digitalDrummer November 2014