What You Need to Know AboutElectronic

Percussion
M ARCH 2, 2015 / 3 COM M ENT S

This article originally ran in the Nov/Dec 2012 issue of Drum Business.
by Ben Meyer

Drummers are drawn to electronic percussion for the same reasons today as we were back in
the early 80s, after the introduction of the Linn LM-1 and the Roland TR-808 drum machines:
low acoustic volume, versatility, portability, and the ability to trigger and sequence MIDI
performances. For songwriters and producers, skipping the need to find a reliable drummera
task in itselfand to rent a studio to adequately record him or her was a big selling point, as
was being able to house an entire percussion section in a handy multi-trigger pad. These days,
more and more drummers are embracing electronics, which is helping to keep sales thriving.
In this article well address some of the common categories of electronic percussion
instruments.

Electronic Drumsets
Several prominent manufacturers offer options ranging from basic to luxurious electronic kits,
to suit everyone from the beginner to the seasoned pro. Rolands V-Drums and TD series and
Yamahas DTX line lead the pack, along with less expensive offerings from Alesis, Simmons,
and others. Trigger quality, sound-module features, and the number of inputs help determine
the price tag on these complete kits. Be sure to point out the flexibility of sound modules that

include MIDI and USB outputs for their ability to work with computer VST instruments and
recording programs like Pro Tools, Ableton Live, Studio One, Cubase, Sonar, and Logic.

Electronic Hand Percussion

The Korg Wavedrum and Roland HPD-10 and HPD-15 HandSonic pads are electronic percussion
instruments designed to be played with the hands, though they can be played with sticks,
mallets, or brushes as well. These all-in-one units combine triggers with sound/DSP (digital
signal processing) modules containing hundreds of high-quality drum, cymbal, and percussion
samples.

Drum Machines
Models such as the Alesis SR18, Boss DR-880, and Akai XR20, along with Akais MPC series,
represent drum machine technology from the last twenty years or so, while newer vintage
models, such as the Arturia Spark and Dave Smith Instruments Tempest, endeavor to capture
the beefy analog and sampled sounds of early-80s drum machines. Though sales of these
products are declining somewhat, due to the ability of many software sequencers to match
and even supersede their features, computer-shy drummers are still buying them.

Multi-Trigger Pads and Samplers

These units employ the ability to both create and trigger WAV samples through multiple
velocity-sensitive trigger pads and often include built-in DSP to make them some of the most
powerful electronic percussion instruments available today. Flagship pieces include the Roland
SPD-SX and the Yamaha DTX-MULTI 12, both of which come loaded with hundreds of highquality sounds and are capable of playing and creating WAV samples. These models are
especially useful to high school band programs for triggering large and expensive percussion
instruments such as gongs, chimes, wind chimes, waterphones, and other special effects.
Other common non-sampling multi-trigger pads include the Roland SPD-30 Octapad, Alesiss
PerformancePad and PercPad (a value standout with a street price of only $99.99), and the
Simmons SDMP1.
Though not exclusively a percussion-oriented piece, the Roland SP-404SX and SP-555
samplers are favorites among working DJs for creating and triggering one-shot samples and
sound effects. They can also be of use to percussionists who dont need a stick-friendly
interface.

Triggers
Electronic triggers for acoustic drums provide the ability to create digital signals that track
dynamics and capture a players feel better than some electronic pads can. The Roland RT
series and ddrums broad range of triggers stand out as industry leaders and can be used with
the sound module of your choice. Great results can be achieved by combining miked drum
sounds with triggered sounds, to fatten up or otherwise enhance a drums acoustic tone.
Some players even use triggers on stage in order to utilize the exact sounds from their bands
records while retaining the look and feel of acoustic drums.

VSTs and Sound Replacers

VST (virtual studio technology) instruments and sound replacers like Drumagog and Trigger
are pieces of software housed inside a DAW (digital audio workstation) that can be used to
create realistic drum tracks using either MIDI data or replacing/adding to multitracked drum
recordings. XLN Audio Addictive Drums, Toontrack EZdrummer and Superior Drummer 2.0,
FXpansion BFD2, and Native Instruments Studio Drummer are some of the most popular VST
software suites, and each is capable of creating drum tracks that are difficult to tell apart from
real acoustic tracks. High-quality samples of real drums and cymbals, hundreds of premade
patterns and grooves, the ability to swap out drums and cymbals, and mixing control make
these some of the most powerful tools for creating drum tracks other than actual drums.

MIDI
Despite having been around for thirty years, MIDI can cause much confusion among
consumers. The main thing to understand about MIDI is that its not audio; its a data format
designed to allow musical instruments, triggers, sound modules, and computers to
communicate with each other. First introduced in 1983, MIDI makes it possible to record and
edit pitch, velocity, note duration, and clock data, along with aftertouch, if the trigger devices
and VST/sound modules being used have that capability.
You can make entire songs using MIDI, and its often difficult to differentiate MIDI tracks from
real acoustic performances. Most consumers use MIDI to trigger samples of classic and vintage
keyboard instruments like Fender Rhodes, Wurlitzers, Hammond organs, analog synths, and
high-quality acoustic pianos.

Hybrid Electronic/Acoustic Technologies

Zildjian and Pearl, among others, are now offering hybrid electronic/acoustic percussion
systems, including Zildjians Gen16 cymbals and the Pearl ePro Live drumkit. These products
are designed to function as triggers that look and feel more like acoustic instruments. The
Gen16 system combines innovative low-volume acoustic cymbals, dual-element mini-

microphones, and a five-channel module that provides a wealth of possible sounds through
modeling.

In Use
As with any situation when youre considering a purchase, we suggest that you think
about how your electronic percussion gear will be used, in order to find the best models. And
dont forget about common add-ons like balanced and unbalanced patch cables, XLR cables,
direct boxes, mics, mic stands, mixers, DBX DriveRacks, and other pro-audio components. For
instance, small-capsule condenser mics such as Audio-Technicas PRO 37 and Sennheisers
e614 are great for xylophone, marimba, vibraphone, and other keyboard percussion
instruments. Theyre easy to mount, reject feedback, and capture the full range of the
instruments.