Electric Drum Module

[Phil_The_Rodent]

I am going to be upgrading my percussion unit with a professional-grade drum module and was wondering if I could get some input.

 

I'm probably going to use ddrum triggers on the snare, kick, and floor of my acoustic kit and pads to fill out everything else. Looking for something versatile with authentic ethnic and possibly more experimental/tweakable sounds. Authentic ethnic hand-percussion, frame drums and deep boomy earth drums, bells and jingles are probably most important.

 

Project varies from lo-fi trip-hop to ambient to down-tempo prog. I wanted to trigger the snare/kick specifically so I could switch up the feel of them easily by switching the user kit (I don't intend to replace these completely with triggered sounds, but rather augment the mic sounds with, say, more attack or reverb on the snare, more headiness on the kick, etc.). On-board effects aren't necessary as I have a few units already in my possession that could easily fill in delays/reverbs etc. for output.

 

Price range doesn't matter so much. I'm very comfortable buying a module off eBay for a grand if it's the right module. After a grand I start getting sweaty.

 

Anyone have some experience with such things?

[pasta]

If you want truly real sounds to complement your acoustics you could get a Roland SPD-S sampler pad(s) (about $450-459 online). You could sample the exact sounds you want and have them in the memory or flash card memory. It also has stock sounds which are not great but can be replaced with great, realistic ones. Mr Stixx on www.vdrums.com shares free downloadable sounds for the SPD-S

As far as a module, I only have experience with a TD-12 but I like it and, using a MIDI cable and computer you can transfer great sounds onto it (in addition to the stock sounds/kits) courtesy of Mr. Stixx and others.

[Phil_The_Rodent]

Thanks for the reply.

 

I did have a peek at this unit but quickly dismissed it because it only has 2 trigger inputs. Sampling looks great though the product reviews don't look too favourable.

[Majoria]

I also use the TD-12 and love it. Now that I'm used to it and have a few custom kits set up and I can really make good sounds. I use it in the studio as I frequently use live cymbals and electric toms and kick, snare will depend on the song.

[pasta]

I meant that you could use this for sounds in lieu of triggering a bunch of drums. Here's a video of the pads in action. It has kits like a module. But if cost is not an object, go with the TD-12.

 

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=sgdm1LeLdAY

[Phil_The_Rodent]

Thanks again pasta. It does look like a good unit, but I have something similar to this already that I use to trigger hand percussion stuff (Yamaha DD55 -- the kit sounds are {censored}, but a handful of the bongos and shakers etc. are pretty decent). I was really thinking of a bigger upgrade -- one I wouldn't outgrow for a good long time, that could make my kit a bit more robust by letting me switch up snares and kicks and stuff a bit along with having dedicated pads for the world and/or electronica stufff.

 

After looking about, I put a Yamaha DTXtreme on order after reading some very favourable reviews on the ghostnotes forum. Looks like just what I was after with ample tweakability, decent coverage of the basics for onboard effects and a card-based sampler. Apparently the cymmbals aren't quite up to snuff in comparison to some other units out there, but I love my Zildjians so it doesn't matter at all.

 

Thanks again for the replies.