Digitaldrummer February2017 v2

digitalDrummer_feb_2017 (original)_Layout 3 15/01/2017 1:28 PM Page 1
US$10
Edition 29 February 2017
The global
drumming e-zine
Brendan
benefits from
electronics
Ben Todd
NAMM debuts
Emily D. Davies
--from-the-editor-is published by
DigitalDrummer
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Editor & Publisher
Allan Leibowitz
Sub-Editor
Solana da Silva
Contributors
Emily Dolan Davies

Scott Holder
Mark Norton
Luke Oswald
Raul Vargas
Cover Photo
Brendan Buckley
Design and layout

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digitalDRUMMER, February 2017
THERES NO DOUBT that electronic percussion has become

mainstream. E-kits are squeezing out acoustic sets on retail
floors around the world as prices fall and technology improves.
You just have to compare the current crop of beginner e-kits
to the models of five or six years ago to realise how far we
have come.
And electronic drums are not just a low-volume beginner
option for amateurs. Increasingly, high-end kits are finding
their way into churches, clubs and entertainment venues
everywhere, thanks to their high-quality sound, versatility and
ease of use. Just ask any sound guy if they prefer to mic an
acoustic kit or take direct feeds from a high-end module!
As we read in our profiles of artists this month, electronic
drums are a cornerstone of professional performance. Take,
for example, Brendan Buckley, best known as the drummer
with Shakira. His current set-up includes two Roland SPD-SXs
with several trigger pads placed around an acoustic kit, and a
KD-7 kick trigger under the floor tom. He uses the onboard
sounds of the multipads, but also runs samples through his
MacBook Pro, running Abelton Live.
Cirque du Soleil drummer Ben Todd, meanwhile, shares his
experiences with a full Roland TD-30 kit which allows him to
access scores of different sounding drums to augment the
various songs in the show. Electronics also allows Ben to play
a full-size kit on the confined stage without drowning out his
band colleagues and gives the mixing desk some clean
signals to work with. Without electronic drums, theres just
no way the drums would work in this show, he says.
Finally, UK drummer Emily Dolan Davies, who has played with
Bono, Bryan Ferry and Tom Bailey, started out with e-drums
as a kit so that her parents and neighbours werent driven
crazy. Nowadays, she says, its a gateway into endless
creativity and opportunities.
Recognising the importance of e-drums, digitalDrummer has
thrown its support behind the latest initiative of the Electronic
Percussion Industry Council (EPIC). The new initiative focuses
on the development of guidelines for e-drum education, aimed
at establishing educational standards and providing greater
access to electronic drum instruction and drumming
experiences in high school and college music programs. We
will be working in collaboration with the Technology Committee
of the Percussive Arts Society and leading online drum
educator DrumChannel.com, as well as other renowned
educators and artists and if anyone is interested in joining
in, please contact me.
2017 is looking like a great year for e-drumming and we hope
to share the highlights along the way.
So, please enjoy this edition and stay tuned for more.
editor@digitaldrummermag.com
The global electronic drumming e-zine

Edition 29
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February 2017
GEAR
They beat the rest
The people have spoken and there are a few familiar

faces among the winners of the 2016 digitalDrummer
Readers Choice awards.
New triggers, new module, new sophistication

Rolands new flagship kits feature next-generation
triggers, a full-size kick drum and a new top-of-the-line
module. Allan Leibowitz took one of the first demo kits
for a test drive.
Whats old is newish again
Yamahas DTX900 module was launched in 2010 and still

heads up the Yamaha e-drums range. Scott Holder tried
the new, refreshed DTX-920WHK kit.
New stuff at NAMM
The music industry struts its stuff in Anaheim each year at

the NAMM Show, and Allan Leibowitz went along to see
whats new for electronic drumming.
Profile
Brendan Buckley
Los Angeles-based Brendan Buckley is best known as

the drummer with Shakira, but he has played with Julio
and Enrico Iglesias, DMX, Gloria Estefan and a host of
other big names. As he tells digitalDrummer editor Allan
Leibowitz, he seldom plays without some electronic
elements in his kit.
No clowning around
Adelaides Ben Todd has just wrapped up a role in Cirque

du Soleils Australian tour of its show Kooza. He tells
digitalDrummer how electronics helps him in the pit.
38
40
43
44
46
50
52
PERFORMANCE
How I use e-drums
UK drummer Emily Dolan Davies has been a professional

drummer since leaving school aged 18, and has played
with Bono, Bryan Ferry, Thompson Twins Tom Bailey and
many more. Here is her e-drums perspective.
SOFTWARE
Starting out with samples
Luke Oswald often gets asked about the basics of sample

triggering. He compiled this guide to help those starting out.
New-look iLok
Software licence protection is one of the unfortunate

realities of life like death and taxes.
IOS-DRUMMING
A metronome on steriods
Some drum apps have built-in metronomes, but theyre

often quite limited. digitalDrummer found a stand-alone
solution that is so much more than a timekeeper.
DIY
Plating up a new design
Last year, Mark Norton shared his plans for bucket drums.
Now, he moves up in sophistication with a new drum
design.
TRAINING
Lets go Latin
Raul Vargas explores a couple of the most popular

rhythms in World Music.
MONSTER
My Monster Kit
This month, we head to Ontario, Canada to check out Rick

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

They beat the rest

--Gear--
The people have spoken and there

are a few familiar faces among the
winners of the 2016 digitalDrummer
Readers Choice awards.
BELGIAN DRUMMER MICHAEL

Schack has regained his e-drummer
of the year crown. Schack, who won
the accolade two years running
(2013 and 2014), was the clear
winner in the latest poll. His thirdtime win automatically elevates
Schack to the digitalDrummer Hall
of Fame and, co-incidentally, he
also scooped the pool among the
nominations in the HoF category
this year.
6
While many nominees use e-drums as part of

their musical arsenal, Schack has become
synonymous with digital drumming, using his
Roland gear live with touring drum and bass act
Netsky.
Besides extensive live performance with Netsky
and SquarElectric, Schack is an international VDrums demonstrator and part of the Japanese
music manufacturers e-drums design team.
There was a tough contest for honours in the edrum product of the year (hardware) category,
which was won by Rolands new TD-50 (see
review on page 10).
The kit, with its new module and next-generation

digital snare and ride triggers, made its debut in
September 2016 and recently started shipping
globally.
The new Roland flagship was a controversial

choice because few readers have actually played
the kit or even heard it in real life, and initial
video demonstrations were panned for their poor
sound quality. But readers have apparently
recognised the triggering innovations and the
enhanced editing options available with the
module.
The TD-50 narrowly defeated the wireless

Versatrigger system which got a digitalDrummer
Editors Choice award when it was reviewed in
May 2016. Since then, the range has been
extended with the addition of a universal
transmitter that can be used with any existing
electronic drum or cymbal trigger and the
introduction of a wireless hi-hat controller.
Gen-16 Access Tool
Roland TD-50KV kit
Zildjian, which picked up an award for its

Gen-16 acoustic/electronic cymbals, had
its new Access Tool selected as the 2016
software product of the year. Building on
the capability of the original editing tool
used to create and modify the sound
shapes of the cymbals, the new tool
boasts a simpler, more app-like interface
that removes the need for detailed
understanding of sound processing. The
revised tool is recognised for its ease of
use.
Also recognised for ease of use was the
runner-up, the independently produced
SPD-SX Editor reviewed in
digitalDrummers August 2016 edition.
digitalDrummer_feb_2017 (original)_Layout 3 1/02/2017 4:30 AM Page 9
Retail royalty: Sweetwater (left) and Long

& McQuade, Andertons and drum-tec
(below) were chosen at the top dealers.
Sweetwater was the overwhelming

choice as e-drum retailer of the year
for the USA, retaining the title it
picked up last year for the first time,
while Germanys drum-tec ousted
Thomann as the top dealer in
Europe. Long & McQuade was
voted top e-drum retailer in Canada,
while Andertons took the title for the
UK and Melbournes GH Music
grabbed top honours for Australia.
digitalDrummer thanks all those
who made the effort to vote (almost
20% more votes were cast than last
year) and congratulates the winners
and the worthy nominees for the
2016 awards. Watch out for some
exciting innovations in the ballot at
the end of this year.
Kimberly Thompson
Johnny Rabb
Peter Erskine
Jonathan Atkinson
Kimberly Thompson Quartet
Collective Soul
Howard Jones/Kim Wilde
Stevie Wonder/Tracks
Every song has its own

feeling and its own sound.
With e-drums I can program
completely different sounding
kits for each song and access
them at the touch of a button
in the studio or on stage.
I love acoustic drums and I

always will but I cant imagine
playing music today without
using electronic instruments
and technology along side my
acoustic kit. Understanding
how e-drum modules and
software work is essential
for me and every modern
musician.
Professor USC
ArtistWorks Instructor
The vast majority of tracks

you hear on radio feature some
type of programmed drums.
Being able to bring those
sounds to live music is a key
part of my job. Understanding
electronic drums is vital to
recreating those sounds and,
ultimately, keeping the artist
and the audience happy.
In order to play the record

when Im on the road, I often
have to replicate the recorded
drum sounds. I rely on my
multipad and triggers to get
the job done.
E-Drums form the core of our

drumset proficiency program
at USCs Thornton School of
Music. All contemporary music
students are required to take
one semester of drumming. We
could not teach a classroom
of drummers without the
electronic kit.
Stanley Randolph
New triggers,
new module,
new level of
sophistication
--Gear--
10
Rolands new flagship kits feature nextgeneration triggers, a full-size kick drum and a
new top-of-the-line module. Allan Leibowitz took
one of the first demo kits for a test drive.
THE NEW TD-50KV and TD-50K kits were

launched in a global online event in September
and, to Rolands credit, deliveries began before
the end of the year. Thats something of an
achievement in the current boast first, supply
later environment. But, unfortunately, to make
deliveries that fast, there were some
compromises and the final product is not
quite, well, final. But well get to that later.
Whats in the box
The new kits are built around a new module,

the TD-50, which superficially looks a lot like
the TD-30 brain it replaces, but theres a lot of
new stuff under the hood.
Just as important are some new trigger

additions starting with a new 14 PD-140DS
Digital Snare with Rolands new multi-element
sensor system and a three-layer mesh head
for natural rebound and feel. Neither of those
design features is actually new: Alesis,
currently the target of a Roland patent
infringement action, has been using multiple
sensors on its mesh-head drums for a few
years and a few drum companies have been
offering three-layer mesh heads for some time.
more impressive for its high-resolution, multisensor system that detects every stroke from
edge to bell areas.
The last new element in the kit is the optional

KD-A22 Kick Drum Converter package that
adapts a 22 acoustic kick into a trigger, much
like Pearl did with the ePro Live kick pad, but a
bit more elegant.
The rest of the kit is made up of pads and

cymbals from the previous flagship: the TD50KV has a 10 PD-108-BC and two 12 PD128-BC tom pads, a VH-13 hi-hat and CY-14C
and CY-15R crashes; the TD-50K comes with
three 10 PDX-100 toms, a VH-11 one-piece
hi-hat and CY-12C and CY-13R crashes. The
KV comes with the KD-140-BC kick pad, while
the smaller has the KD-120-BK. The racks are
also different in the two kits the KV features a
taller rack capable of accommodating a 22
kick, the K comes with a rack similar to the
previous TD-30 version. TD-50KV includes the
MDS-50KV stand, and the TD-50K includes
the MDS-50K stand.
Then theres the CY-18DR Digital Ride, a

monster by Roland standards at 18, but
11
The PD-140DS snare pad and its

multi-sensor trigger system
The triggers
For ages, e-drummers have been crying out for

larger drum pads, especially for the snare.
Rolands previous 12 offerings just didnt feel
right to many drummers, leading to strong
demand for 14 snare pads from Pintech in the
US and drum-tec, Diamond Electronic Drums
and others in Europe, as well as the plethora of
DIY products and options.
So Rolands inclusion of a full-size PD-140DS
snare pad is a breakthrough. But its not just
about size: many 14 offerings suffer from
patchy triggering at the extremities and a
pronounced hotspot in the centre.
Roland has overcome the triggering
inconsistency with a multi-sensor approach
similar to that being used by Alesis. Rather
than relying on a single sensor in the middle,
the new set-up
The CY-18DR Digital Ride

12
smoothes out the head response by adding

three more cone sensors a couple of inches
from the rim. Theres also some new circuitry
built into the pad to process the signals before
theyre sent via USB to the module.
The new sensor configuration and circuitry is

paired with a three-layer mesh head designed
to both improve the triggering response and
the feel of the drum and, I have to say, the
combination does a great job on both scores.
The snare feels much more realistic than any
Roland pad before it, regardless of the mesh
tension, and it plays like a dream fantastic
dynamics, beautiful sensitivity in stock settings
on the module and perfect head and rim
triggering. And, better still, for the first time, you
can play cross-stick realistically with your
palm on the head and just light touches of the
stick on the rim (unlike the previous need to hit
the rim hard).
The great response, dynamics and feel of the
new snare is repeated in the new
full-size ride cymbal pad.
Obviously, its harder to look under the skin of

the CY-18DR Digital Ride, but according to
Roland, the new design has three bow
sensors, separate bell, edge and touch
sensors and a built-in processor.
Again, Roland has achieved the most realistic

electronic cymbal around, with the CY-18DR
producing excellent bow, bell and edge
response and more natural choking which, like
an acoustic cymbal, can be achieved not just
with an edge pinch, but also by touching
anywhere on the bow. And its not just on/offstyle choking you can dull the sound without
actually cutting it off.
I didnt manage to test the new kick conversion

kit which was in short supply when the review
gear was supplied, but it seems like an elegant
solution which, no doubt, triggers as well as
the KD-140 and 120 triggers.
The rest of the gear is pretty much the same

as the previous TD-30 flagship, including the
VH-13 hi-hat and thats something of a
surprise, because the electronic hi-hats are
probably more in need of a revamp than any
other component. And the fact that there is a
vacant digital input on the new TD-50 module
suggests that new digital hats are probably in
development as we speak and just didnt make
it through QA in time for the September launch.
The module
The new TD-50 brain is beyond doubt the most

controversial component in the new kit. The
online community was expecting new real
recorded samples to replace Rolands
synthesized sounds as well as the ability to
import high-quality, multi-layer user samples.
What we get with the TD-50 is a new
generation of sounds, but with Rolands tried
and tested synthesis. The downside is that its
not VST-type samples, but the upside is that
the modules wizardry allows you to tweak
them even more than with the previous COSM
and V-Edit systems.
There are significantly fewer stock sounds in

the new module. The specs claim more than
400 instruments a far cry from the TD-30s
1,100 instruments and 262 backing
instruments. Yes, there are some impressive
drums and cymbals in the arsenal, including
Jarrah, stainless steel (Bonham kit) and
bubinga kits as well as Rolands old faithful
TR-606 and TR-808 sounds. There are seven
acoustic kicks, five acoustic snares, 16 toms
ranging from 6 to a 20 gong drum, two hihats, two rides, seven crashes, five chinas, five
splashes and a bunch of stacked and effects
cymbals. There are a lot of processed and
effects sounds probably more than one
would expect and many of which will never

really be used. Looking at the instrument list,
you just cant help feeling Roland didnt quite
get around to stocking the module with
everything it had planned to put in.
But where there may be a paucity of raw

sounds, this module certainly steps up what
you can do with them. Past Roland modules
have allowed you to virtually edit instruments,
making shells deeper, cymbals bigger or
smaller and changing things like snare buzz.
But the latest module takes that to new
heights, with additional muffling parameters;
enhanced bass drum decay options; additional
snare overtone, strainer and snare wire
tweaks; the ability to change hi-hat, ride and
crash thickness and muffling as well as ride
ping colour and level.
So there are some good building blocks and

the tools to shape them, but the stock kits feel
a little dull and lifeless. Most of them come
without any ambience effects, so you dont see
any changes when you mess with the
Ambience slider. Itll take some aftermarket
tweaks by the likes of Vexpressions and drumtec to really show what the TD-50 is capable
of.
Theres one big omission at this stage and one

that would prevent me from switching to this
module: there are no brushes samples and no
brushes trigger settings. The good news is that
the manual says that Playing with brushes
function will be enabled in the future. So this
suggests that more samples will be provided in
a future update.
Its just one example of the feeling that this kit
was rushed to market and not quite finished.
14
While what Id call the software side of the

module appears to be a bit of a work in
progress, theres plenty of new functionality
built into the hardware side. This includes the
third digital input for what Id guess is a future
digital hi-hat.
Its clear that the TD-50 brain is designed for

gigging professionals, with the addition of two
XLR jacks in addition to the standard left and
right audio jacks and the eight direct TRS outs.
Theres a separate headphone mix so the
drummer can hear an on-stage mix with FX
and send raw direct sound to the mixing desk.
And thats just the tip of the iceberg, with a

bunch of features the average drummer would
probably never bother with like linking kits in
set lists, lightning-fast kit changes and the
ability to colour-code the LEDs on some of the
switches.
Roland is also trumpeting the modules ability

to import samples, but there are some
limitations and theyre important ones. Yes,
you can import any 16/24 bit samples via SD
card, but youre limited to two layers. So, if you
wanted to import your favourite VST snare,
youd be limited to two samples, with nowhere
near the dynamic range youd expect. There is
a way around this, layering the imported
sample with an internal stock sound, but that
doesnt give you the pure sound of the
imported instrument. This means you cant do
what is possible with the 2box and its Sound
Editor software which allows you to import fully
functional multi-layer samples. But then the
TD-50 has far more editing parameters which
may allow you to emulate your chosen sound
without actually importing it.
The bottom line
Rolands new flagship is a very impressive

piece of gear, even if it does appear
unfinished.
The new 14 digital snare and the 18 digital

ride are without doubt the best triggers in their
respective classes with realistic performance
and fantastic dynamics and sensitivity.
Unfortunately, you cant use them with any
other Roland module, so if you want to
upgrade your pads, you will need to go the
whole hog and buy the module too.
The flip side is that while triggering of existing

Roland pads and cymbals is improved with the
new TD-50 module, you really do need the
digital pads to get the most out of the module.
The TD-50 is without doubt the best kit ever
offered by Roland, even if it doesnt quite meet
all the market expectations. It has the most
capable module with the best sounds albeit
Specifications
TD-50 drum sound module:
Drum kits: 100

Instruments: More than 400
Effect Types:
Pad Compressor: each pad
Pad Equalizer: each pad
Room Type: 25 types
Reverb Type: 5 types
Stereo Enhancer
Multi-Effects: 3 systems, 30 types
Master Compressor
Master Equalizer
User Sample Import
Number of User Samples: Maximum 500
(includes factory preloaded user samples)
Sound Length (total): 24 minutes in mono,
12 minutes in stereo
File formats that can be loaded: WAV
(44.1 kHz, 16/24 bits)
Song Player (SD Card)
Audio File: WAV (44.1 kHz, 16/24 bits), MP3
Recorder
Recording Method: Realtime
Max Note Storage: approx. 40,000 notes
Export File Format: WAV (44.1 kHz, 16
bits), SMF
Display: Graphic LCD 256 x 80 dots
Faders: 8 (kick, snare, toms, hi-hat, crash,
ride, aux, ambience)
External Memory: SD Card
Connectors
Trigger In jack x 14: TRS phone type
Digital Trigger In port x 3: USB A type
not a lot of them and not as realistic as

sample-based offerings like 2box, aD5 and
some of the new modules about to be
launched. However, it makes up for all of that
with its powerful editing tools.
The module is designed for gigging drummers,

with a host of enhancements aimed at
improving live performance. Its a serious
instrument, so you wont find any training tools
or gimmicks, and even the inbuilt play-along
tracks are paired back to a few high-quality
offerings.
The TD-50KV kit sells for around $7,499, the

50K kit for $4,799 and the module goes for
around $2,399 not much more than the less
capable TD-30 which is running out at around
$2,100. But, as indicated, at the very least, any
upgrade should include the new snare and
ride, and there is a Digital Upgrade Pack
(module + snare + ride) available for around
$3,250.
Master Out (Unbalanced) jacks (L/MONO,

R): 14 phone type
Master Out (Balanced) jacks (L, R): XLR
type
Direct Out (Balanced) jacks x 8: 14 TRS
phone type
Phones jack x 2: Stereo 14 phone type,
Stereo miniature phone type
Mix In jack x 2: Stereo 14 phone type,
Stereo miniature phone type
MIDI (In, Out/Thru) connectors
USB computer port: USB B type (USB HiSpeed AUDIO/MIDI)
Foot SW jack: 14 TRS phone type
AC IN jack
Sampling Rate (Original): 44.1 kHz
Sampling Rate (with Sampling rate converter):
96 kHz, 48 kHz
Record: 10 channels
Playback: 4 channels
Kit components
Snare: PD-140DS
Tom 1: PD-108-BC
Toms 2 & 3: PD-128-BC
Hi-hat: VH-13
Ride: CY-18DR
Crash 1: CY-15R
Crash 2: CY-14C
Kick: KD-140-BC
Rack: MDS-50KV
Optional kick drum converter: KD-A22 (22
kick drum shell is not included)
Street price (kit): $7,499 (KV); $4,799 (K);
$3,499 (digital upgrade pack); $799 (KDA-22
conversion kit)
15
Whats old is
newish again
--GEAR--
Yamahas DTX900 module was launched in

2010 and still heads up the Yamaha e-drums
range. Scott Holder tried the new, refreshed
DTX-920WHK kit.
16
YAMAHAS RECENT FRESHENING of the

module and kit has been incremental rather
than drastic. Why? The revolutionary approach
with the TCS pads and the vast capability and
complexity of the module means it doesnt
need a major overhaul. What Yamahas done
is tweak the module, introduce a new kick pad
and sell the kit built around acoustic drum
hardware instead of the typical rack/cage.
Whats new
The module has been updated and is now

called the DTX900M, while Yamaha has also
launched a new kick pad, the KP100. The
flagship kit has been refreshed with some of
Yamahas recent additions: the HS740A hi-hat
stand/pedal, two WS860 tom stands, a PS940
percussion stand and a new mounting
bracket/plate for the module. Not new are the
TCS pads (two XP100T toms, one XP120T
tom, one XP120SD snare), the PCY cymbals
(one PCY155 ride and two PCY135 crashes),
and the RHH-135 hi-hat.
The KP100 kick is an overdue component

upgrade since the KP125 has been out of
production for some time and Yamahas only
other kick is the rubber KP65. This kick is
mesh, which cuts down on the impact noise
relative to the KP65. Because its mesh, youd
think its bouncy but Yamaha has taken steps
to minimise that. Underneath the mesh head is
an oval pad that not only distributes the impact
but also reduces the tennis racket boing
sound you hear on some mesh kicks.
I set up the KP100 next to my Hart Acupad II 8

kick and a Simmons rubber kick from one of
their intermediate kits. I didnt do a formal

bounce test the way I have in the past with
snare and tom pads, but pushed down on the
kick pedal to simulate various tempos and the
difference was noticeable. I then did a quick
stick drop just to observe the bounce. There
was no bounce on the Simmons and, much to
my surprise, very little on the KP100. It was far
less bouncy than the Hart.
The KP100 has a separate volume knob and
an input for an additional mono pad.
The DTX900M (the M signifies the newer

version) modules upgrades are minimal: the
sampling memory (SDRAM) is built in (it used
to be an option); theres an auto power-off
function; and two additional Yamaha pads,
XP70/80, are now supported.
The sounds
The sounds/voices are based around

Yamahas second-generation proprietary
method of storing an analogue sample in
digital format, as found on a Motif synth. There
are 50 preset kits and 1,115 voices
(instruments/sounds) plus something often
overlooked: 211 accompaniment (also called
melody) voices that are song components but
can be assigned individually to pads. None of
the kits is short-changed but you will have to
tweak several in certain areas.
Yamaha has never gone overboard on
percussion and effects voices - if anything, the
900M has perhaps overdone the snare voices.
For instance, there are seven hip-hop rim
settings alone. Cymbals are the strongest part
of the sound library. Out of the box, the rides
The new DTX900M has
built-in sampling memory
(SDRAM) and an auto
power-off function.
17
sound great. Theres a shimmer to the edge

hits and swells I just dont hear on anything
else. The hi-hat sounds are all consistently
good and the cymbal itself is far more
expressive on the 900M than I found on the
502. The crash sounds arent as consistent;
most still sound good, although a few still have
a distinctive e-cymbal sound to them.
The snare sounds are a close second, given
the large number of them. Another feature that
acoustic drummers will know but e-drummers
like me do not, you can set the Snare Buzz
so the snappy effect can be made to resonate
with the kick or tom.
The toms and kicks arent unlike my TD-12,
meaning theyre good but not great. This is
where subsequent improvements to the sound
engine, as noted in my DTX502 review, show
the difference.
That being said, the ability to stack, oops,

layer, comes in handy so you can do
something like assign a clap to the snare. You
can stack additional toms and kicks as needed
to add some resonance to their sound. I found
that helped significantly and if you get a sound
just right, youve got the samples.
In action
Weve previously reviewed the cymbals (dD

May 2011 & November 2014). They are quiet
and responsive and choke easily. Not all
crashes swell seamlessly out of the box, but
the swell can be dialed in through a
combination of Velocity Sensitivity Depth and
the general Trigger Sensitivity tweaking.
The RHH135 hi-hat triggered well with great

response and variability across the entire
surface. The biggest question most people ask
is how continuous is the hi-hat. The RHH135
is more continuous on the 900M than on my
502. Compared to the Roland VH-12, my Hart
Epedal Pro and the recently released hi-hat rig
on the KAT KT4 (dD, August 2016), the result
was similar.
Ive said this before, but continuous
concentrates itself toward the closed portion of
the pedal movement. You can hear it but you
have to move slowly. That said, you can make
the RHH135 sound far more loose and sloppy
than any of the other hi-hats mentioned by
changing the Foot Close Position setting. I
happen to like a crisp closing sound which
means cranking it down to its lowest setting.
Perhaps the biggest plus here is you dont
have to mess with a lot of module settings to
get a favourable result.
18
Heel splashes/chicks are easy but not

consistent. I think thats by design. You can
adjust that in Foot Close Position and Foot
Splash Sensitivity.
The snare and toms havent changed since

first introduced. In dD November 2014, I
reviewed the TCS pads in detail. I will say that
Toms 1 and 2 felt mushy with standard
settings. Im a hard hitter and needed to hit
them even harder to get the response I
wanted. You can tweak those pads but I found
it a fine line between getting them just right as
opposed to too sensitive. Tom 3, a slightly
larger pad, was good out of the box, so Im not
sure if this is simply differences in the voices or
some subtle, physical difference between a 10
and 12 TCS pad.
Everything from previous reviews still applies
to the TCS pads: they are super-quiet and
responsive. Ghost notes were easy to play,
there are no hot spots and the specific rim
areas on the snare (for rim shots and crosssticking) are far more reliable than Ive found
on any other mesh/module combination.
One potential weak spot: brushes. Allans

mentioned how he uses brushes as a
benchmark. You cant use actual brushes on
the TCS pads; nothing registers. Yes, the
900M has a dedicated Brush kit and nine
Brush voices which can be played with sticks.
It sounded okay, but you have to change your
technique to get the brush effects and you will
most likely need to tweak the snare trigger to
get anything close to what you want.
Finally, the new KP100 triggered fine, although

its the loudest component of the kit.
Tweakability
This is easy: practically endless. Physically,

component placement is flexible because of
the acoustic hardware. Being freed from the
rack/cage meant I didnt have the trouble I
usually have getting the hi-hat stand in just the
right location because of the rack bars getting
in the way.
Each pad has a gain knob. The module has 10

sliders for additional volume adjustment. The
TCS pads have a Pad Controller which can
be set to change certain functions for that
voice like tuning, a tone filter and even the
song or click tempo. The Pad Controllers most
important function is for snares, where you can
adjust on the pad itself how the snappy
parameter is set. This gives you immediate
control over the snare sound.
Kit Effects consist of a number of presets:

reverb, chorus, variation, master effect, master
EQ and two inserts for an external audio
signal.
Within those presets, you can apply the

following effects: compressor/EQ, lo-fi,
flanger/phaser, distortion, wah, reverb, chorus,
tremolo/rotary, delay, tech, and misc (pitch
change or adding a vowel sound like a talking
modulator). Within each of those, you have
further presets; for example, there are 10
reverb presets that emulate various acoustics
derived from some Yamaha digital effects
processors. The manual has over three pages
of information explaining the effects
parameters which are then tweaked in Master
Effects. The Master EQ not only lets you do the
typical frequency changes but you can shape
them via shelving or peaking parameters and
bandwidth. Its like having a front-of-house
sound system in your module.
Drum Voice (instruments) parameters are what
youd expect: type, volume (a third way to get
volume to 11!), tuning (in cents), pan and
output. You can even adjust the
reverb/chorus/variation send levels and theres
a dry level adjustment. Theres a three-band
equalizer and each band has its own centre-offrequency setting. Standard parameters that
can be changed are attack, decay and release.
The filter setting lets you adjust low pass and
resonance. You can set individual voices to be
mono/poly (particularly useful when sampling
and layering), alternate grouping (used to
prevent sounds from playing back
simultaneously) and receive key off (acts like a
mute group so you can stop a sound by
hitting the pad). Finally, there are two
sensitivity adjustments (velocity depth and

velocity offset).
Pad settings are for the snare and how snappy

you want it, how to assign pads to built-in
songs and whether or not you want them
looped, played once, etc. Trigger settings allow
for another area of velocity tweaks, whether or
not you want the pad to toggle between
poly/mono, mask time, etc. Heres where you
assign the pad type, another place to adjust
the gain (turning it up makes the pad hypersensitive, thus louder), and reject time/level
(i.e. crosstalk), and theres another global
setting that lets you select some dynamic
range presets.
Lastly, theres yet another setting to adjust the
overall kit volume, change the kit tempo, and
the reverb/chorus send levels. Buried in the
manual is one of the best features: the ability
to turn off/on the global trigger settings. The
default setting for triggers is off, which means
the opposite of what you think: off means
trigger settings are global. You set it to on so
that when you start dialing in trigger settings
for a particularly touchy pad, you now have
that flexibility to change, for example, the
velocity curve on Crash 2, and not have that
same curve apply to every kit.
MIDI is plug and play with my VST package,
Toontracks EZDrummer. You can change the
usual settings like transmit/receive channels,
MIDI through, etc. One interesting feature is
you can change panning and volume of
individual MIDI channels.
The 900M has a sampling function, not just the

ability to load and play samples. Sampling is
easy: just plug into the Aux In and set the
19
The KP100 kick (left) is the only new

trigger, while the TCS pads are used for
the toms and snare
record function to either manual or when the

input signal exceeds a certain level (which you
can set). The 900M has a full onboard editing
suite that goes far beyond the basics like
volume or mono/stereo designation. The LCD
screen displays the wave form of the file and
you can edit start/end points, assign loop
points and play modes (oneshot, reverse,
loop), normalise, time stretch, change pitch,
fade in/out, etc. Its like having Cubase (or
something similar) right on the module.
The 900M doesnt physically store sample files,

instead you load data into flash memory from
an attached USB device, either a thumb drive
or an external hard drive. Its a different
approach from that of Roland or Alesis or even
on the DTX502 where the audio files physically
20
reside on the module. You assign these

voices/samples to the appropriate pad. If you
dont save the kit into a User Kit and then use
the file portion of the module to save that kit
back to the USB device, youll lose it. Once
youve broken the code on this, you load your
customised sample-based kits before you start
playing. The plus to this is no delay when you
switch from one kit to another. File navigation
is what you would expect from something
without a mouse or touchscreen; in that regard,
its no different than Rolands SPD-SX
multipad.
Stacking is what Yamaha and others now call
layering. The most powerful feature is also the
least covered in the manual. In fact, the index
lists the wrong pages and theres virtually no
instruction in the manual on how to best stack

(layer). The only example is for stacking voices
so you can trigger them in sequence.
Furthermore, when selecting a voice for a
given layer, theyre listed by MIDI note, thus
you end up flailing around until you find what
you want. You can stack (layer) up to 100
voices. You can set these to crossfade by
using the velocity limit setting for each voice in
the stack, but thats not clear in the manual. I
had to pull my DTX502 manual and look at the
layering instructions and then it became clear.
Those are preset but the explanation told me
what to look for back on the 900M.
The click/metronome feature is robust and yes,

endlessly tweakable. The built-in songs are
great training tools and you can easily mute
parts on the fly with the touch of a button.
Recording songs is similar to the 502 and Multi
12: you can record songs, set them to loop,
then play over the top. The training tools are
like those on the DTX400 and DTX502.
The sequencer lets you record your own songs

on the module or import MIDI from your
computer, assign voices, etc. If thats all you
want to do, the manual is fine, but if you want
to do something more, for example, creating a
tap pattern, youll find the information scattered
throughout the manual. Like everything else on
the 900M, the sequencing feature is powerful
with tons of options for voice and instrument
assignments, sound shaping, etc.
Overall
Future-proofing any electronic gear is

impossible. With the rise of VST/sample-based
modules, theres been speculation about the
future of old school modules like the 900M.
Nonetheless, Yamaha came pretty close to
future-proofing the 900M. The tweakability of
the voices is impressive; more so when you
add in the stacking/layering function. Then you
have samples. Theres enough there to keep
you sounding current for years.
The hardware approach isnt new. Ive seen edrummers experiment with acoustic hardware
for years. But actually sitting down behind such
a rig reminded me of how limiting the drum
rack/cage can be. I moved past my princess
and the pea phase of component location
years ago, not because I wanted to, but
because I had no choice. This kit makes
drumming downright comfortable.
Sure, roughly $4,500 for the kit isnt cheap, but
in 10 years, youll still find things on here that
are new.
Specifications
Drum sound module: DTX900M

Max polyphony: 64 notes
Drum pads: 2 x 10 XP100T, 1 x 12
XP120T, 1 x 12 XP120SD
Cymbals: 2 x 13 PCY-135; 1 x 15 PCY155; 1 x 13 RHH-135
Kick: KP100 mesh
Hi-hat: RHH135 cymbal
Expansion: 6 additional pads
No of kits: 50 preset; 50 user-defined;
1,584 user-defined if stored externally
No of voices: 1,115
Effect types: Reverb, chorus, variation,
insertion, master effect, master EQ
Songs: 87
Wave memory: 512 mb storage (imported
.wav/aiff files + user-defined kits)
Wave memory sample rate: 16
bit/44.1kHz (but can be changed)
Sequencer capacity: 152K notes
Note resolution: Quarter note/480ppq
Recording method: Real-time overdub
Click tempo range: 30-300 bpm
Pad connection: to stereo
depending on pad type
Interfaces: MIDI In/Out; USB 2.0; MIDI
USB 2.0
Outputs: 1 x stereo (headphones), 8 x
L/R mono (TS unbalanced; Main and
Aux); 1 x Digital S/P DIF
Inputs: 1 x 18 stereo; 16 x TRS for
triggers
Hardware: SS662 snare stand; HS740 hihat stand; 2 x WS860 tom stands; PS940
percussion stand; mounting plate
Street price: $4,500
21
digitalDrummer_nov_2016_Layout 3 31/01/2017 11:18 AM Page 22
--Gear--
Debuts @NAMM
There were a few surprises at the annual United States

music industry showcase, NAMM, promising more options
for e-drummers. Allan Leibowitz has some of the revelations
from the 2017 event.
AS ELECTRONIC DRUMS steal floor space
from acoustics at dealerships, interest in
electronic percussion at the 2017 NAMM
(National Association of Music Merchandisers)
Show was heightened by some new releases
and product updates. Some of the products on
show were anticipated, a couple were totally
unexpected and a number of rumoured
releases failed to materialise.
Here are some of the highlights in alphabetical
order.
Alesis, which was expecting to debut its Strike

kit last year, had a fully functioning, almostready-to-ship kit on private showing at the
event. Demonstrated by inMusic drums head
Tim Root, the kit is an impressive package:
acoustic-style mesh-head drums, multi-zone
cymbals and a real-sample module.
The Strike Pro kit features a 14 snare and
real-size toms - 8, 10, 12 and 14 - together
with a 14 kick. The cymbal array consists of a
16 three-zone ride, three 14 chokeable
crashes and a 12 hi-hat. But the real gem is
the Strike module with 100 kits built from
1,600 multi-sampled instruments over
14,000 samples in total. Unlike some of its
more expensive competitors, the module has
onboard sampling capability and the ability to
load multi-layer, round robin samples tweaked
with the free Strike Software Editor. And what
does it sound like? Well, for Texas Tim, its all
about the bass, and the Strike kits have real
depth and grunt, especially at the low end.
Alternate Mode enjoyed a visit from Roy
Futureman Wooten who showed strong
interest in the latest incarnation of the jamKAT
multipad device. The jamKAT'R is based on
the original 12-zone trigger unit and adds
seven more FSR trigger zones built on the
neck of the instrument. The banjo-style layout
allows this KAT to be played standing up. It
connects to a DITI MIDI Controller, the latest
version of which was also on display.
22
alDRUMMER, November 2016
23
1. Alesis Tim Root, 2. Alternate Modes
jamKAT'R, 3. ATVs aDrum; 4. DrmTriggers

Josh Fifelski and Jeremy Domonkos, 5.
ddrums Hybrid 6.
ATV Corporation, which last year began

shipping the aD5 module just weeks after its
NAMM debut, was among those with a
surprise new arrival the aDrum kit. The
stylish five-piece kit features full-size shells,
mesh heads and a revolutionary triggering
system. The cymbals are also a new design
and boast three zones and a 360-degree
choke. I played the kit briefly and was
impressed with its responsiveness, excellent
dynamics when paired with the aD5 and total
absence of hot spots. Due for release in the
second half of the year, this kit turns ATV into a
very serious contender, especially when it
starts offering additional samples to augment
the five stock preloaded kits. And on that
score, one of the new kits was loaded when I
tested, and it too was the real deal.
ATV also drew lots of attention for its recently
launched aFrame, the unique percussion
instrument which uses custom DSP profiles to
produce a wide range of sounds.
DrmTrigger is about to start crowdfunding for
its unique way of triggering acoustic drums.
Think of a combination external trigger and a
trigger pad and you see the potential. Add
onboard sounds and a trigger to MIDI interface
into the same box, and youve got something
unique. Each unit has 4 GB onboard memory,
a contactless trigger and two strike pads. The
output is MIDI and audio.
At ddrum, the Hybrid kit has been spruced up,
with ddrum-branded single-ply mesh heads
now offered as standard on the kit. One of the
criticisms of the set in digitalDrummers
review was the need to source aftermarket
mesh heads if drummers wanted a silent
solution which is clearly a major factor in the
selection of an e-kit. While ddrum continues to
offer a few Medeli (aka Simmons, KAT and
lower-end Alesis) modules, the company
revealed that it is planning to revive the ddrum
module range which stopped with the transfer
of the brand from Clavia.
There was a noticeable absence of e-drums at
DW Drums. Drum Workshop has decided to
change its tack with KAT Percussion,
appointing Hal Leonard as the exclusive US
dealer for the brand together with Gretsch,
Gibraltar and some other lines it acquired from
Fender. It is believed DW is developing a new
line of electronic percussion with a new
partner. The KAT range is currently produced
by Hong Kongs Medeli.
23
While there was no new product at the Gen16 display, there was a preview of the iOS
version of the award-winning Access Tool, the
editing application for the DCP controller. The
app was developed in response to the growing
adoption of i-devices in music and promises to
make it even easier to tweak the Gen-16
sounds, without having to connect the brain to
a computer.
Hoshino had a 2box kit and some external

triggers at its stand, alongside the extensive
Tama range, but it was the same DrumIt Five
we saw last year, and the year before. The
DrumIt Three flagged at Musikmesse back in
2015 appears to have been shelved, and
those expecting to see a DrumIt Six would also
have been disappointed. digitalDrummer
visited the stand a number of times, but never
saw a demonstrator anywhere near the kit.
The MagnaTrack magnetic-mounted trigger
system that launched in 2015 through
crowdfunding made its NAMM debut. The
neat, easy-to use system was shown triggering
a full kit dual-zone drum pads, a full-size kick
and a range of cymbals, and, paired with an
older Roland module, it looked really effective.
From what I saw in the demo, the solution
does what it claims, and CFO Kevin Duncan
says the product is in full production and
available in a single- and dual-pack
configuration. The company is currently
working on a range of accessories, with further
products expected in future, he adds.
Anyone watching the NFUZD demonstrations
over the years will have noted a significant
shift at NAMM this year. Once touted as a total
kit solution, the snap-on pads are now being
presented as part of a hybrid solution,
surrounded by Russ Millers Mapex kit. There
has only been one update since the system
launched in 2015, and its not clear when or if
there will be another, especially after the
departure of project head John Emrich late last
year.
There were hopes for a new digital hi-hat to
accompany the recently released TD-50
module, but that failed to materialise. Instead,
Roland showed off a concept designer rack
for the flagship kit from Randy May., The rack
system is as functional as it is gorgeous. It
features airlift cymbal rods and a magnetic
suspension system for drum pads, allowing
them to emulate the motion of acoustic sets.
Gone are the bulky and cumbersome tubes,
replaced by slim, stylish black and chrome
elements that glide effortlessly. I shudder to
24
1. Gen-16s Access Tool, 2. Hoshinos

2box, 3. MagnaTrack, 4. Russ Millers
NFUZD rig, 5. Rolands Randy May rack,
6. Billy Cobham on the TD-50, 7. Will
Kennedy demonstrates the mimic Pro,
8. Polyend.
6
think what this rack is going to add to the cost

of what is already the most expensive kit on
the planet.
In a departure from its previous productfocused approach to the industry event,
Roland this year turned its exhibit into a
performance hub, showcasing the TD-50 in
performances by its new endorsers, Billy
Cobham, Omar Hakin and Greg Bisonnette. Of
course, Vdrums stalwart Michael Schack was
on stage to strut his stuff as only he can,
while cajon sensation Heidi Joubert showed off
Roland e-cajon products.
Pearls module collaboration with Steven Slate
Drums, the mimic Pro, was on show at the
hands of Jazz legend Will Kennedy
(Yellowjackets) and Pearl product specialist
Raymond Massey. The module, previously
reported (dD, August 2016), was paired with a
Noahs Arc of pads an Alternate Mode
onHead, some Pearl Trutracs, a Roland snare
pad and various other cymbals and triggers.
Visitors were enthralled with Kennedys
mastery, but also praised the sounds from the
module, drawn from the Steven Slate Drums 5
VST pack. The module boasts an industryleading 120 GB solid state drive, 16 inputs and
16 audio outputs (eight on the module and
eight from the DB-25 connector), and will be
accompanied by a software editor to assist
with the import of .wav and AIFF files. The
module is already available for preorder at
several US dealers and is now expected to be
made available in Europe, contrary to initial
indications that it wont be on offer on the
continent.
Polyend, which is basically the exact opposite
of electronic drumming, made its NAMM debut
after first showing its system at Musikmesse
last year. The rig turns MIDI into physical
strikes via a beater, and since its debut, the
approach has become even more
sophisticated, with a choice of aluminium,
rubber and wood beaters. Who could possibly
need an artificial beater that hits drums and
cymbals in response to MIDI notes? Well, the
company is getting orders from a range of
entertainment operations, from theatrical
applications to bands without drummers. And
one area sure to take off: sample producers.
Rather than employ a drummer to repeatedly
hit a drum or cymbal at different velocities,
what could be more accurate than a machine
that can play any number of hits at the exact
same velocity, time and time again?
25
Yamaha didnt have anything new on show,

despite intense speculation that there would
be something fresh. Drum marketing head
Steve Fisher says Yamaha has been focusing
on content and will soon be releasing a bunch
of new samples for the DTX module range.
The free custom kits will be available through
the DTX apps.
Yamahas new DT50 series drum triggers
hadnt been shown at NAMM before, and
Fisher says the line was launched in response
to growing demand from Yamaha acoustic
artists who are increasingly being asked to
trigger specific sounds or samples. Artist input
also guided the solid metal construction, the
tools-free mounting approach and the use of a
standard jack.
Fisher also confirmed that something new is
on the cards. The triggers are teeing us up for
some new products that are coming up this
year that are going to be really exciting
products that no-one has really done before,
he says.
Yamahas Fisher (above) and some of the

lesser-known brands (below): Midiplus,
dbdrums from Argentina, and Avatar.
26
digitalDrummer didnt get around to in-depth

coverage of the plethora of mainly Chinese
entry-level kits, although I did manage to have
a hit on a few of them. What was striking about
the lesser-known kits is that many have mesh
heads and multi-zone, velocity-sensitive
cymbals and play as well as or better than the
mid-range products of the previous generation
offerings from the industry leaders. Its unlikely
that most of these brand names will be seen in
retail outlets, but some will certainly appear
under retailers house branding. And theyll
seriously challenge the least-known
powerhouse, Medeli.
DRIVE
Machined Chain Drive + Machined Direct Drive Pedals
The drive to engineer the optimal drive system.

Geometry, fulcrum and motion become one.
Direct Drive or Chain Drive, always The Drummers Choice .
www.DWDRUMS.COM/hardware/dwmfg/
2017 DRUM WORKSHOP, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
MCD/MDD Drive AD - 2017 (Digital Drummer).indd 1
mfg
U.S.A.
1/19/17 12:00 PM
--Profile--
Brendan benefits
from electronics
28
Los Angeles-based Brendan Buckley is best known as

the drummer with Shakira, but he has played with Julio
and Enrico Iglesias, DMX, Gloria Estefan and a host of
other big names. As he tells digitalDrummer editor Allan
Leibowitz, he seldom plays without some electronic
elements in his kit.
PHOTO: ALEX KLUFT
digitalDrummer: Tell us how you got into

drumming?
Brendan Buckley: I began drumming in the

middle school band. At that time, I had already
been studying trumpet and piano. But I
became fascinated with the percussion
instruments in the back of concert band and
also with the drum set that was collecting dust
in the corner of the music room. By the age of
14, I purchased a used drum set from a
neighbour down the street. And then I began
taking formal lessons with Tommy Igoe at the
age of 16. When I turned 18, I moved from
New Jersey to Florida to study at the University
of Miamis School of Music.
dD: And how did you start gigging?
BB: I began gigging in a high school band;

parties, cover gigs, etc. And then, down at the
University of Miami, it was very common to
take classes and practise all day long, and
then to gig in local bars and clubs at night. At
the time, there were plenty of opportunities to
do jazz trios, Top 40 cover bands, original rock
projects, salsa groups and so on. All of those
playing experiences led to recording sessions
and bigger tours. Keep in mind, with each new
gig, a person is expanding his/her musician
network. So, that just grew and grew. At a
certain point, I felt an urge to relocate to Los
Angeles, both for a change of lifestyle and also
to play with all of the citys fine musicians.
dD: When did you realise that you could make
this your career?
BB: The idea of drumming as a career never
really entered my mind. I enjoyed the whole
world of drumming and I desired to get a little
better each day. My biggest concerns were to
play well and to play with other great
musicians. Now that I mention it, that is still my

goal today!
dD: Lets talk about your big break: how did
you end up behind the throne with Shakira?
BB: I first began working with Shakira in the

studio. Back in Miami, I occasionally tracked
drums at Gloria Estefans recording studio
called Crescent Moon. Shakira came through
Miami to work on her album, Dnde Estn Los
Ladrones, in 1998 and the studio engineer,
Sebastian Krys, reached out to me to record
the live drums. When that album came out,
Shakiras management put together a band to
do a few CD release parties and an MTV
Unplugged concert. The lead guitarist,
keyboardist and I have been in her band ever
since.
29
dD: Turning to gear, when did you first

encounter electronic percussion?
BB: My high school drum teacher, Tommy

Igoe, used to stress the importance of
technology during our lessons. Not only did we
practise with a metronome, but we also used to
play with drum machines and program beats in
odd time signatures like 5/4 or 7/8. He was the
first guy to show me a DrumKAT, MIDI and an
Atari sequencer - and drum triggers. Later on,
when I was studying at the University of Miami,
he called me up and suggested that I buy a
used Roland TD-7 drum set, (this was way
before the V-Drum kits of today). All of these
experiences helped me stay current with the
world of electronic drumming.
dD: What equipment have you used and
owned over the years, and what have been
your favourites?
BB: My first drum machine was a Boss DR550 Dr. Rhythm (I still have it). But since then, I
have owned almost everything under the sun.
Multiple DrumKATs, the ddrum 4 kit, an Alesis
D4, a Roland SP-202 sampler, Opcode Studio
30
Vision, a Roland TD-7, the Akai MPC2000,

Roland Octapads, Akai S-5000 samplers,
Propellerhead Reason, a few Roland SPDSXs, MOTU Digital Perfomer, a Roland TD-30
set, Native Instruments Battery 3, every
version of Roland Handsonic, Logic Pro, Pro
Tools, Abelton Live, a mountain of guitar stomp
boxes, and so on. Oh I should mention that,
along with being a giant fan of drum heroes
such as Steve Gadd, Tony Williams, Buddy
Rich, Stewart Copeland, John Bonham, I was
also a huge fanatic of bands like Depeche
Mode, Nine Inch Nails, Massive Attack, which
all primarily used electronic drum parts and
samples. So, this was already a language and
style with which I was familiar.
dD: So, what e-drums do you currently have in
your arsenal and how do you use them?
BB: My current set up with Tegan and Sara is
actually quite streamlined (compared to my
previous Shakira rig). I use two Roland SPDSXs with several trigger pads placed around
an acoustic kit, and a KD-7 kick trigger under
the floor tom. Plus, I have been experimenting
with a Roland TM-2 trigger module, also. I use
Electronic, acoustic and hybrid drumming
Electronic, acoustic and hybrid drumming
Alesis mesh head conversion
The 682Drums conversion kit will greatly improve

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with Medeli mylar pads, while reducing ambient
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Drum mics from the specialist
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The center placement gives perfect response and

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How to
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682Drums_A4-adv_digitalDrummer_v2.indd 1
10-10-2014 20:39:33
Brendans hybrid kit, with two Roland SPD-SXs
a MacBook Pro with the software applications

Twisted Wave to edit drum samples and Wave
Manager to load them onto my SPD-SXs. A lot
of the electronic drum sounds that I use are
sampled directly from the artists albums.
There are a number of different things

happening behind the scenes with Tegan and
Sara. From my SPD-SXs, I am triggering
samples, and firing short one-shot loops. For
any longer loops or sequences, I am using a
Novation LaunchPad to control a pair of
MacBooks off to the side of the stage (in
computer world). These MacBooks are running
Abelton Live software. And there is a tech
(Taylor) watching over the computers to make
sure nothing goes wrong.
Also, for the synthesizer sounds, we have a
total of five keyboards spread around the
stage, and they are all connected to a third
MacBook. This computer is running MainStage
software.
dD: Your rig looks quite complex. Does that

pose any challenges to sound guys?
BB: I try to keep things as simple as possible
for sound engineers. A lot of time is spent
during rehearsals balancing the volumes of all
the various drum sounds. The engineer
32
shouldnt have to be constantly touching the

faders on the mixing console because the
snare sample on the Verse is too loud, or the
808 boom on the bridge is too soft. I take care
of that on my end. I also split up the outputs of
the SPD-SXs in a way that sends the engineer
the electronic snares and cymbals on one
stereo channel, and the kicks and low-end stuff
on a second stereo channel. This gives the
engineer better control over the balance in the
PA system.
When it comes to adding my acoustic drum kit
to this set-up, I try to use tones that blend well
with the electronic samples. I keep the kick
drum punchy and tight. I go for a chunky,
slightly deadened snare drum sound too. The
cymbals are thin and decay quickly. And the
toms are thuddy.
This tuning style helps the mix when jumping

back and forth between electronic and acoustic
sounds.
For monitoring, I use in-ear monitors, but I also
run the drums and electronics through actual
wedges and subs on my drum riser. I want to
feel the air moving. So, I spend a bit of time
going back and forth between the acoustic kick
and the electronic kick, and then the acoustic
snare and electronic snares, making sure the
volumes are balanced on the drum riser.
dD: What do you think electronic drums can do

that acoustics cant?
BB: Well, the number one reason I use
electronic drums live is to recreate exact
signature drum sounds from the artists
albums. Sometimes, acoustic drums cannot
generate the same feel and vibe as the
electronic samples. However, in
a perfect scenario, I
like to have a hybrid
set-up that allows me
to move from
sampled electronic
drums to acoustic
drums (or a
combination of both),
depending on the music.
dD: A lot of our readers
focus on equipment, but
gear alone will not ensure
drumming - or musical success. What is your
advice for being a better
drummer and a better
musician?
BB: Play, play, play. Practise a lot.

Jam/rehearse with friends whenever possible.
Play lots of gigs with other musicians and
artists. Record yourself and analyse both the
good and bad things. Work hard, and pay

close attention to details. Always be prepared.
Keep an open mind, and try to have a good
attitude too!
dD: And finally, what
are you working on at
the moment, and what
is next for you?
BB: At the moment, I

am on a world tour
with the artists
Tegan and Sara for
their new album
Love You To
Death. But I try to
juggle as many
projects as
possible, so I
will be filling in
the down time
with recording
sessions, drum
programming, co-writing, producing,
squeezing in one-off concerts with friends,
and being a good father/husband.
Connect with Brendan
Web: www.brendanbuckley.com
Twitter: @BrendanDrums
--Performance--
No clowning around
PHOTO: ALLAN LEIBOWITZ
34
Adelaides Ben Todd has just wrapped up a role in

Cirque du Soleils Australian tour of its show Kooza.
He tells digitalDrummer editor Allan Leibowitz how
he scored the coveted musical role and how
electronics helps him in the pit.
digitalDrummer: So how did you end up
playing drums with Cirque?
Ben Todd: Im from Adelaide and I started

playing drums when I was three years old. My
dad was a drummer, his dad was a drummer
as well, so it was definitely a family thing. I saw
my first Cirque du Soleil show when I was
about 10 or 11 and it was a real game-changer
in terms of where I thought I was going to go
musically. I originally thought I was going to
follow the path of freelancing, just doing what
came through Adelaide and playing in a bunch
of bands, but when I saw the show (I think it
was Saltimbanco that was the first show in
Adelaide), it triggered something inside me. It
was like, I want to do that!, seeing all the
elements of acrobatics, theatre and, obviously,
music.
From then onwards, everything I did musically I

tried to approach from the view of helping me
get a job with the company one day. So, I
learned some more instruments, I learned
about composing and arranging, I went to a
special-interest music high school, I studied
orchestral percussion, played in drumline and
Latin percussion and obviously studied
electronic percussion including programming
and all that kind of thing.
I sent my first audition video into the company
when I was 15 years old that showed pretty
much everything I could do: playing a bunch of
styles, playing different instruments, and I was
fortunate that they liked what they saw. They
then sent me some music from their shows
and I performed it and sent it back and that
went back and forth over about three years
and then eventually, when I was 19, I got my
first contract with a show called Corteo for a
tour in Japan. And I did that show for about a
year and a half and then transferred over to
this show, Kooza, and I have been with it since
then with the exception of a two-year break

before rejoining in Sydney.
dD: So how many times have you played this

particular show?
BT: Wow! Ive been playing this show all up
probably for four years and we do about 360
shows a year, so its well over a thousand.
dD: So, the obvious question: are you bored
with it yet?
BT: No, Im not. The thing about the music in

Cirque and how the band is utilised, I mean its
a circus and were reacting to live action on
stage. So, although there is a score and set
music, there are a lot of things that are on call
and accents that I have to catch, being a
drummer, so all of that stuff changes from night
to night. So, theres no room to get bored with
it because it does change so much and as
soon as you get into that mindset of just
playing it the same way, youre inevitably going
to miss something. So, no, its really fresh. And
also, the acts change around a little bit.
Different people do different acts in the show
and that also keeps it fresh. And the score
itself allows you to play it differently because a
lot of it is kind of 70s funk/groove-based stuff,
so, as a drummer, you can have real fun with
that within reason.
dD: And do you guys have to practise between
performances, or do you all know it now?
BT: We all know it, but we have a sound check

an hour and a half before the show every day
just a quick line check to make sure everything
still works and also, if anything is going to be
different in the show that night, any different
transitions or a different version or a different
act (like someone doing the act for the first
time) or if we need to modify anything, well run
over that.
35
But as it stands, the show musically is set and

the band just knows the things that can
change.
dD: Lets talk about gear. From the audience

perspective, theres a huge array of sounds
drums and percussion, but just two of you
playing that. So, are there lots of samples and
triggering?
BT: There are not a lot of loops there are

some in the show because everything runs off
Ableton Live. There are some drum/percussion
loops, but most of it is played live either by
myself or the percussionist. A lot of the drum
sounds change from act to act every act has
a different patch (on the module) and the
percussionist has a Roland Handsonic to
trigger a lot of stuff that changes from act to act
as well.
dD: So, youre using an electronic kit?
BT: Yes, Im using a Roland TD-30, with some

inbuilt sounds, but also running Kontakt
through a Mac Mini. The sounds were
specifically chosen by the composer at the
time the music was written. Apart from that, I
use an acoustic hi-hat and an acoustic snare
for some of the more exposed rolls. Originally,
the show was built on a TD-20, but when the
original gear was replaced, they just did a copy
over to the TD-30.
dD: And do you use the same rig in every city?
BT: Yes, the same set-up. The kit was bought
when the show was created and its been with
us ever since. The pads are from the original
kit nine years ago and they have held up well.
36
And the brain had to be replaced maybe three

years ago and its been super solid.
dD: And do you have spares on hand?
BT: Not of the brain, but thats obviously

backed up so when we had to replace the last
one, the guys just rushed out to the store and
bought another one.
dD: What does the electronic set-up allow you

to do that you couldnt do with an acoustic kit?
BT: I think the thing the composer liked the

most was being able to build different-sounding
drum kits for each act. I would say maybe 50%
of the show is played on the same patch, but
the rest is different kits for each act. So, that is
obviously a big benefit.
Also, the nature of the band set-up everyone

is really, really close together. Ive got a guy
playing clarinet and tin whistle right there, and
trumpet right in front of me, next to the vocalist.
I can play a drum kit and still be able to be
close with the band and interact with them and
not have to be in a booth (which) is great.
Visually, its good because the audience can
see a full band and see a drummer actually
playing. And obviously, the big top itself is not
the greatest acoustic environment to mix a
drum kit in. Electronics give the sound team a
lot more control over the mix than they would
with an acoustic kit. You know, an acoustic kit
wouldnt fit; it would be too loud in that space
and you wouldnt be able to change the sounds
as dramatically. Without electronic drums,
theres just no way the drums would work in
this show.
dD: Do you send Direct Outs to the desk for

each instrument?
BT: They have eight Direct Outs from the brain

and obviously everything thats coming from
Kontakt is running through an RME interface,
all connected to the main desk.
dD: And monitoring?
BT: Everyone has in-ears. We have a

dedicated monitor engineer out the back who's
cycling through different scenes for each act.
So, you can have a totally different mix for
each act if you want. That makes the playing
experience extremely comfortable and you can
get very detailed with how you want things to
sound. Using high-quality moulded in-ears, it
means everything is always the same. And I
also have a Porter & Davies DC2 thumper,
which makes so much difference. Its
incredible. Playing electronic drums, you dont
get that physical response that you would out
of an acoustic kit, but using that definitely
made up for a lot of what I was missing.
dD: Just to pick up on one thing your use of
acoustic hats and snare. Why is that?
BT: Its like when you hear a recording of MIDI

strings and one solo violin in the mix. Just that
one acoustic element really helps the overall
sound of the kit come to life. I chose an
acoustic hi-hat because (I didnt really like) the
sound and response of the V-hats. And also,
consistency. I found it really hard to keep it the
same every day, whereas with the acoustic hihat, its great. And also, just by having that one
element makes it feel more like playing an
acoustic kit. Weve actually put a custom shield
around the hats so theyre acoustically
contained its really cool.
dD: I know that each show has a different setup, so did you also use electronics on Corteo?
BT: Yes, it was exactly the same set-up. That

was a TD-20 using some internal sounds and
some triggered sounds through BFD. But in
that show, I was playing half drums and half
percussion, so also using the Handsonic, but
also congas, cajon, djembe, etc. And there, the
drums were actually in the middle of the
audience. I was totally surrounded by the
audience on all sides, and it was out in the
open, so visually, it was great because people
could look at you and see someone playing. If
you had an acoustic kit, it would just be
overpowering.
dD: Speaking of which, you do actually use an
acoustic kit in this show, in a very prominent
role
BT: Yes, the drum solo! Thats a miced

acoustic kit, built for the show, obviously for the
visual aspect. Its a (clear Perspex) Vistalite
design that looks really cool. Its all individually
miced, with a cable snake that runs back from
the platform.
dD: And its just used for one solo?
BT: Yes, that came about because the guy who

wrote the show, David Shiner, is a drummer
and has a soft spot for drums and when they
were trying to come up with ideas for a feature
that was a bit different in the show, he thought
why not give the drummer a bit of a spotlight
and use that as a transition when theyre
striking the Wheel of Death into the next act.
Its great for me. Its a lot of fun, you know. And
in terms of keeping the show fresh and
interesting, its definitely a point in the show
where I can do whatever I want, so if nothing
else, I can at least look forward to that.
dD: You certainly look like youre enjoying that.
Do they ever have to remind you to wrap it up?
BT: No. Well, I do have my in-ears in at that
point and I know the timings, but sometimes, if
something goes wrong during the strike, the
stage manager is able to talk to me and ask
me to stretch it out a bit more.
dD: Now, youre leaving the show to start work

on the next one and someone else will take
over your role for the rest of the tour ...
BT: Yes, and thats another beauty of the

electronic kit. Theyll use the exact same setup and theres no adjustment sound-wise no
tuning, or anything. All hell have to get used to
is the feel of the pads.
dD: Was that an issue for you, coming into
this?
BT: Well, it was an issue when I started doing

it every day. I mean, I had used electronic
drums before, but not on this scale, I guess.
You really have to treat them like a new
instrument, just learning how they react and
how to keep it consistent. It was a challenge in
the beginning and it was also a challenge
when I had to switch to an acoustic kit finding
what I had to adjust. The biggest thing is not
having the sound come back at you sonically.
Its all in your ears with electronics, but when I
had to play a gig on an acoustic kit, Id find the
sound was everywhere. Now Im used to it.
Connect with Ben
Web: http://www.bentodd.com.au
Twitter: @bentodd_drums
37
How I use e-drums
--Performance--
UK drummer Emily Dolan Davies has been a

professional drummer since leaving school
aged 18, and has played with Bono, Bryan
Ferry, Thompson Twins Tom Bailey and many
more. Here is her e-drums perspective.
38
AS A DRUMMER who has been

touring and recording for the past 12
years, Im finding that e-drums have
become more and more relevant,
and incredible as the years go by.
When I was a kid, an electronic drum

kit meant a kit that you had to play
on so that your parents and
neighbours werent driven crazy!
Nowadays, its a gateway into
endless creativity and opportunities.
Id say 90% of tours I do these days

have some sort of electronics
involved. Even when playing in The
Darkness, a quintessentially British
rock band, I still used a Yamaha DTX
Multi 12 to play some sub-booms to
lift tracks. It wasnt something they had
experienced before, and they loved it! Go to
the other end of the spectrum and doing a tour
with 80s artist Thompson Twins Tom Bailey,
and the whole setup was electronic, using a full
Yamaha DTX 950 kit and the sounds from the
original tracks.
The big plus with using any electronics live,
and what most artists, producers and musical
directors love, is that you can use the exact
sounds that have come off the album, and
make it sound as close as possible with a live
feel, something that is near impossible to
achieve with acoustic drums alone. It creates
the perfect balance between live and studio.
Another plus with using e-drums I found was

through doing my own stage show, Feathers
and Cogs, a dark theatrical show. I could use
the midi from the brain to set off lights! It can
expand so much further than sound as far
as you like really, you just have to explore and
experiment.
digitalDRUMMER,February 2017
Im a fan of both acoustic and electronic

drums, and I think both have their place. As
long as you can apply whatever you need for
the job, then I think youre winning! To me, edrums are another great tool in my toolbox of
music.
Emilys set-up
Acoustic kit
Yamaha 9000
22 kick
12 rack tom
14 floor tom
14" x 6.5" Ludwig 402 snare
Electronics
Yamaha DTX Multi 12

Fat Kat electronic pedal
2 x Yamaha TP65 pads
Cymbals
15 Zildjian K Lite Hats

17 Zildjian K Dark Medium Crash
18 Zildjian K Dark Medium Crash
21 Zildjian Armand Ride
39
--software--
Starting out
with samples
As a VST trainer, Luke Oswald
often gets asked about the basics of
sample triggering. He compiled this
guide to help anyone starting out.
I GET QUESTIONS all the time about how to
set up electronic drums to work with sample
libraries like Addictive Drums 2 and
EZdrummer 2. It can be quite daunting to
understand how this technology works and
know what you need to do to get your set-up
to work properly with sample libraries. In this
article, Ill attempt to demystify this process
and provide you with basic knowledge of the
components needed to use sample libraries
with your electronic drums.
Lets start with an outline of all major
components needed to use sample libraries
with your e-drums. The main seven
components are:
Pads/Triggers (e-drums)
40
Drum Module/MIDI Interface (Roland,

Yamaha, 2box, etc.)
MIDI Cable (MIDI pin cable or USB)
Audio/MIDI Driver (Audio Interface or

onboard module drivers)
Computer/Host (DAW or stand-alone
software)
Output (Speakers/headphones)
Latency (Buffer settings)
Each of these components plays a specific

role and is necessary for you to utilise sample
technology with your e-drums.
Pads or triggers
These are your e-drums, your keyboard or

whatever MIDI controller youre using. Most of
those reading this article will be using edrums, but its important to note that you could
use anything to trigger MIDI impulses. You
may even be using an acoustic drum kit with

electronic triggers on the drum heads. The
triggers basically take your performance and
translates it into MIDI notes and velocities.
Drum module
The drum module is what interprets the MIDI

notes coming from your pads/triggers. It takes
the MIDI information and manipulates it
through the parameters youve defined on your
module so that you get the most realistic
playback possible. It then takes the MIDI
information and uses it to trigger onboard
sounds.
However, in this case, were interested in using

sample libraries from software packages like
EZdrummer 2. To accomplish this, you must
bypass the drum module sounds and send the
MIDI information out of the drum module so it
can trigger external sounds. (In some cases,
you may be using a MIDI interface with no
onboard sounds. The same principles apply:
the MIDI interface will interpret the incoming
MIDI information and then send that
information out to trigger external sounds.)
MIDI cable
This cable allows you get the MIDI information

from your drum module/MIDI interface to your
audio interface or computer. Heres where
things can get a bit confusing. You can either
use a standard pin MIDI cable or you can use
a USB MIDI cable. This will depend on the
connection on your drum module/MIDI
interface and will also depend on what youre
connecting the MIDI cable to.
In many cases, you will need an audio

interface of some kind. This could be a
PreSonus AudioBox, MOTU Ultralite, Focusrite
Scarlett or anything that has MIDI Input/Output
functionality. You can then connect this audio
interface to your computer via USB,
Thunderbolt, Firewire, etc. This is how you get
the MIDI information to your computer to
trigger sampled sounds.
Some drum modules like the Roland TD-30

have a USB MIDI port and allow you to
connect directly to your computer. You can
bypass the audio interface altogether in this
case because the drum module now acts as
the audio interface.
Audio/MIDI driver
This is another part of the component list that

many may not know about. Whether youre
using an audio interface or connecting directly
to your computer from the drum module, you
must still install the proper drivers for this
interface on your computer. If youre using a
PreSonus brand interface, you must install
those drivers.
If youre using a Roland TD-30 and connecting

directly to your computer, you still need to
install the Roland TD-30 drivers onto your
computer. This allows your computer to
recognise the audio interface/drum module as
an actual audio/MIDI device that it can connect
to. Without installing the proper drivers, your
computer may not recognise your device.
Device drivers are available for download from
the manufacturers website.
Computer/host
In order to use sample software, you must

have it installed on a computer. VSTs like
EZdrummer 2, Superior Drummer 2, BFD 3
and Addictive Drums 2 must run on a
computer. Once this software is installed and
once you have your drum module/audio
41
interface connected to your computer, you

must open up an instance of the sample
software in a DAW or run the software in
stand-alone mode (if available for that
software).
For example, EZdrummer 2 can run in most

DAWs like Logic Pro X and Pro Tools or you
can run it in stand-alone mode, meaning it will
run by itself outside of a DAW.
With your sample library software open, you

can go into the software preferences within the
Audio/MIDI setup and you should see options
for your connected device. You can find these
preferences within your DAW or, if youre
running the software in stand-alone mode, you
will find the options within one of the settings
menus for that software.
Once your connected device is enabled, the
MIDI from your drum module will now trigger
samples from the sample software of your
choosing.
Output
This step seems like a no-brainer, but its still

important to mention. You still have to monitor
(or hear) your performance using the software
samples. If youre using an audio interface, you
must make sure the audio outputs are enabled
for this device. You can then connect
headphones or speakers to the interface
outputs. If youre using a newer module like the
Roland TD-30 as your audio interface, you
must also enable the outputs for the drum
module driver on your computer. Rolands
modules typically allow stereo output so you
can connect to the headphone jack or the
stereo outputs on the back of the module. You
can also send the outputs of the drum
module/audio interface to a front-of-house
mixer for further processing.
Q&A
If you have a high-end audio interface like the
Motu Ultralite series which has multiple
42
outputs, you can actually send individual

instrument outputs to a mixer, just as if micing
the drum kit.
Latency
Latency is basically the amount of time you

give your computer to process the incoming
MIDI signal and assign a sample sound for
audio output. The LOWER the latency/buffer
setting, the less delay you will hear. A buffer
setting of 64 should be sufficient for live
performance, although some DAWs allow you
to go lower. Just remember, if you go too low,
you may get audio pops and dropouts, so youll
want to make sure to use a setting that your
computer can handle.
Just to recap: Your drums must be connected
to a drum module which must connect to an
audio interface or your computer via a MIDI
cable. Your computer must have the proper
drivers installed for your connected audio
interface and must also have the sample
library software installed. Within the software,
you must enable the MIDI/Audio outputs for
your connected devices and then connect
headphones/speakers to hear the sample
audio. Lastly, you must set your latency/buffer
settings to the lowest setting that your
computer can handle for realistic playback.
Once you understand the components required

to use sample library technology and the
process of setting it up, the principles will apply
to whatever gear you choose to use.
Luke Oswald is a content provider for

Groove3.com as well as a drummer,
educator, mix/mastering engineer and
the founder of DrumAngle.com, an
online resource for all things related to
electronic drumming. His training
tutorials can be found here.
Is there a VST issue that is

confusing you?
Luke Oswald is available to share his

experience and will answer reader
questions in future editions.
Simply send your questions to
editor@digitaldrummermag.com and
well pass them on. And watch this
space.
New-look iLok
--software--
The new iLok is

much more compact
than its predecessor
SOFTWARE LICENCE PROTECTION is one

of the unfortunate realities of life like death
and taxes. Hardware licence tools are even
more of a pain because not only do you have
to register and activate your software, you also
need to remember to take a physical device
with you everywhere you want to use the
software.
Not annoying enough? Add to that the fact that
the most common security key, the iLok, also
takes up a USB input in your computer. And
with computer makers reducing the number of
USB slots, you may have to choose between
your drum interface, your external drive which
hosts your samples or the licence key. My
Macbook has two USBs, so I have had to
switch to a Firewire interface when I want to
use hardware-protected VSTs.
But wait, theres more: as laptops get smaller,
so, too, do the spaces between the USB ports.
So a big fat iLok dongle doesnt help much.
Now, Pace Anti-Piracy, the company behind
the solution, has come up with a new slimline
iLok. It doesnt overcome the shortage of USB
slots, but at least you can fit another USB next
to it! Bad news for new Macbook owners
Apples move to USB-C means youll need an
adapter cable.
The third-generation iLok (iLok3) is not only

smaller, its also faster and holds up to 1,500
licences (three times as many as the current
model).
Its also made of metal, so its more robust than

its predecessor.
Transferring your existing licences to the new
iLok is a piece of cake. The licence manager
software recognises the new stick once its
inserted and you are asked to activate it.
Once youve done that, its simply a matter of

inserting your old iLok and dragging and
dropping your licences. That process removes
the licences from your iLok 2 and adds them to
the new stick.
Pace says the new iLok is fully backward
compatible with previous versions so all
software developed for use with a secondgeneration iLok will continue to work with a
third-generation iLok.
Of course, no-one will rush out and spend $50

on one of these if they really dont have to, but
with many programs like ProTools still requiring
a hardware key, this is probably the least fiddly
version to date.
43
--iOS-drumming--
A metronome
on steroids
Some drum apps have built-in metronomes, but

theyre often quite limited. digitalDrummer found
a stand-alone solution that is so much more than
a timekeeper.
THERE ARE PLENTY of metronomes for

iPhones and iPads, and most of them are
pretty good at keeping time and tempo.
And for most drummers, thats probably
enough.
But a recent addition to the App Store,
PolyNome, takes timekeeping to a new
level.
Created by professional drummer and

educator Joe Crabtree, PolyNome starts
with a metronome screen where you can
select the BPM and time signature, as you
can do with most of the current offerings.
However, youre not limited to, say, four
beats per bar in 4/4 time. You can also
customise the rhythm with a fully functional
composer where you add whole notes, half
44
notes, quarter notes or eighth notes as well

as rests.
And then, you can add accents and even
apply varying degrees of swing.
And youre not limited to a couple of bars.
In fact, you can notate an entire song,
complete with tempo changes and muted
sections. And you can combine songs into
set lists, making this a very useful tool for
gigging drummers.
There are also a number of practice and

learning tools and PolyNome has two fully
programmable drum machines with custom
rhythms, sounds and accents. Why two?
Well, they can be used simultaneously to
build polyrhythms.
g
n
i
Com
y
a
M
in
Features I found useful included the ability
to customise the sounds not just
choosing a single sound for the click track,
but actually a full kit. This is great for
building grooves and trying out different
variations and all done with a tap of the
screen.
The app has also fostered a bit of a

community and the developers are
encouraging users to share their creations.
So, if youre after the notation for a popular
song, chances are that someone will post
it at some stage or if you have worked it
out yourself, youre encouraged to add it to
the PolyNome Public Library.
Diligent drummers may also like the fact
that PolyNome keeps track of your use
and practice times, but personally, I didnt
need the constant reminders about how
many days it had been since I had
practised!
Theres no doubt that PolyNome is the

most comprehensive metronome out there
and it continues to evolve, with more
features added in each revision.
The app is currently on version 2.2.8,

requires iOS 9.3 or later, has a reasonably
small footprint at 52.4 MB and can be
downloaded for either iPad, iPhone or iPod
Touch from the App Store. It is priced
towards the upper end of iOS tools at
$13.99, but it sure packs of lot of
functionality, which makes it great value for
anyone from a beginner to a pro.
Steven Wolf
Steven Wolf (aka Wolf) is

one of the worlds most indemand studio musicians,
with a string of hits to his
name.
And electronics is a key
part of his success.
Read all about Wolfs use

of samples and his
approach to programming
as well as his tips and
tricks.
All this and more
in the next edition of
--DIY--
Plating up a
new design
Last year, Mark Norton shared his plans for

bucket drums. Now, he moves up in
sophistication with a new drum design.
1
THE BASE OR core of this drum build is a

ABS plastic sheet. I buy this in 16"x16" sheets
and cut it with a jigsaw.
I take one of the rims of the drum that I am
building and lay it on the plastic sheet and
trace around it to get the right size. (pic #1)
After cutting, you can clean up the rough

edges with sandpaper. Make sure the plastic
disc fits inside the bottom rim. (pic #2) You
may need to take a little more off in a few
places; again, you can use sandpaper or a
metal file. Next, drill a hole about 2 from
46
the edge for the stereo panel jack. (pic #3)

For the head piezo mount, I use something
from the plumbing aisle in my local hardware
store called a mechanical test plug. I only use
the two pieces that are threaded and screw
together. (pic #4)
Find the centre of the plastic disc and stick the

red-coloured nut to the plastic disc. (pic #5)
I make a locking nut out of a garden hose

coupling. Take the threaded nut and cut off the
flange so it will screw onto the black threaded
shaft from the test plug. (pic #6)
Next, I take a door

knob wall shield and
drill a 18 hole about
from the edge and
paint it black. (pic #7)
These usually come
with peel and stick
adhesive on the back
but I add some more in
the centre.
Stick this on top of the

threaded shaft of the
test plug. (pic #8)
10
Thread on the lock nut and screw into the red

base. (pic #9)
Insert the panel jack into the hole in the plastic

disc. (pic #10)
Stick down the rim piezo using double-sided
adhesive tape about from the edge of the
disc. (pic #11)
Stick the head piezo on the wall plate using
12
13
11
double-sided foam tape and run the wires

through the hole. (pic #12)
Do not solder the wires until you have adjusted

the height of the head piezo. Stick on whatever
foam tower or cone that you want onto the
head piezo. (pic #13)
Take what I call the "trigger plate" and place it
into the bottom rim. (pic #14)
14
SHARE & WIN

Send us your DIY tips and win free
gear from Stealth Acoustics.
47
16
15
Now place the shell onto the plate and put a

straight edge across the top to adjust the
height of the head piezo. (pic #15) The foam
should stick above the edge by about 18. With
this build, shell depth is limited from 3 to 4.
For shell depths under 4, the length of the
black threaded shaft will have to be cut down
with a hacksaw.
17
19
48
Whether I use an old drum or a new shell, I

usually cover it with drum wrap. (pic #16) No
holes are needed in the shell with this build
because I use floating lugs.
For a finishing touch, I use black rubber hose

to hide the edge of the plastic plate. (pic #17)
All done! (pic #18 & 19)
18
Parts list
Drum shell, rims,

Floating lugs and tension rods
ABS plastic sheet
Mechanical test plug
Garden hose fitting
Door knob wall plate
stereo panel jack
27 mm and 35 mm piezos
Foam cone or tower
Black latex tubing 516 OD
Rubber rim protector
Double-sided mounting tape
Introducing the jamKAT MIDI Hand Percussion Controller
ja mKAT
The twelve FSR pad layout of the jamKAT was designed

specifically for hand percussionists. Allowing for natural
hand movements, gestures, and techniques found in
playing instruments such as congas, bongos, tabla,
A new instrument
for a new way
of playing.
shakers, etc.
This instrument has an amazing feel, response and
dynamic range thanks to the power of the DITI. For the first
time, you can play with just your fingers, expression never
realized on any hand drum controller.
The DITI incorporates many gestures designed for hand
drum playing. It knows when you want to sustain a sound
simply by pressing on the pad. It can send out controller
information such as pitch bend, panning, expression, etc.
The DITI can play alternate note patterns, velocity shifting,
note shifting, etc. It can even play different sounds
depending on the pressure of another pad. You can play
chords and transpose patterns.
Alternatemode.com| @ALTERNATEMODE
--TRAINING--
Lets go Latin
Raul Vargas explores a couple of the

most popular rhythms in World Music.
This time, were going Latin and focusing on
two types of grooves: Songo and Bossa Nova.
Songo is a Cuban drum set pattern based on

a 2:3 rumba clave. What you have to consider
is that here the bass drum plays the tumbao
(Latin bass rhythm) and needs to be very solid.
Were going to work on three variations. The
first is a simple rhythm and is in 16th notes.
We can start by practising first with the bass
drum and, after that, you can add the snare
drum and the hi-hat.
The second variation is a little more complex.

Here, we find some notes that will be
implemented on our toms. We also find a ghost
note on our snare drum. To execute this
properly, dynamics play an important part,
because they give more meaning to our
groove. In the third variation, we find more
orchestrated notes in different parts of our
drum set. It is also more complex than the first
variations. The bass drum pattern here
changes a little - just like the strokes on the
toms. This is to enrich our groove and to avoid
sounding too repetitive.
50
The Bossa Nova Clave takes us to Brazil. I

have again shared three variations. The first
one is a simple pattern in 8th notes. We have
to try to execute our bass drum and hi-hat in a
consistent way to make our groove more solid.
With our left hand, we can make the strokes on
the snare drum ring.
In the second variation, we find a similar
pattern, but the difference is that our right hand
will be playing the ride while the bass drum
keeps the same rhythm pattern. Our left hand
will be doing some variations on the toms and
our left foot will be playing on the second and
fourth beats.
The third variation is even more complex,

using double strokes on our snare and toms.
This variation will help us to enrich the grooves
or the patterns we are executing. Our bass
drum, left foot and right hand are still playing
the same pattern.
These are just some variations you can apply
when you play Songo or Bossa Nova.
To access these exercises, click here.
Songo
First Variation:
Second Variation:
Third Variation:
Bossa Nova
First Variation
Second Variation
Third Variation
Raul Vargas is from Victoria, Tamaulipas, Mexico. His music

education includes a qualification from Berklee College of
Music in Boston.
Raul has studied with musicians like Luis Conte, Dom
Famularo, Pablo Bencid, Javier Barrera, Yoron Israel, Jim
Payne, Mark Walker and Mark Guiliana.
51
--Gear--
MONSTER
My
kit
This month, we head to Ontario, Canada to

check out Rick Demones kit.
Ricks kit
Drum pads:
Roland KD-140
2 x PD-85
4 x PD-100
4 x PD-120
1 x custom 8" Pintech blood splatter tom
Cymbals:
13" Visulite translucent red hi-hats.
Mix of Roland and Yamaha cymbals
Aux triggers:
Roland BT-1, 2x PD-8
Modules:
Roland TD-25, TD-9, TM-2 and SPD-S
Hardware:
Dixon rack and Tama Speed Cobra
double pedals
52
Ricks story
I am from Ontario, Canada and have

played in local metal bands and cover
bands.
I was also in a band called Acadia (see

our video Acadia Damned on YouTube).
I started playing electronics when I
started a family and found I could not
practise nearly enough with acoustic
drums as they were too loud. I now play
electronics only and I love them!
I sometimes switch over to Addictive

Drums on my laptop and, when not using
headphones, I use a Roland PM-10 amp.
WARNING
For their own safety, digitalDrummer

advises impulse purchase-prone
readers to avoid this feature.
Share your kit
If youd like others to enjoy your kit, albeit from afar,

contact digitalDrummer and well make it happen.
53
gearGuide
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or our resellers in Germany, UK and US
CONVERSION KITS
54
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Convertible Percussions
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Easy to install - no soldering.
Visit us at
convertiblepercussions.com
Or search for us on Ebay
and YouTube
KIT SUBSTITUTES
gearGuide
E-DRUM KITS
DRUM TRAINING
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Introducing
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Diamonds drums are hand-crafted to your
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These kits are built to play - and to last.
Affordable quality never looked so good.
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55

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digitalDrummer_feb_2017 (original)_Layout 3 15/01/2017 1:28 PM Page 1

Edition 29 February 2017

digitalDrummer_feb_2017 (original)_Layout 3 31/01/2017 12:58 PM Page 2

digitalDrummer_feb_2017 (original)_Layout 3 15/01/2017 1:28 PM Page 3

ABN: 61 833 620 984

Emily Dolan Davies

Design and layout

If you like what youre reading,

Forget the legalese and just

digitalDRUMMER, February 2017

THERES NO DOUBT that electronic percussion has become

digitalDrummer_feb_2017 (original)_Layout 3 31/01/2017 12:42 PM Page 4

The global electronic drumming e-zine

They beat the rest

The people have spoken and there are a few familiar

New triggers, new module, new sophistication

Whats old is newish again

Yamahas DTX900 module was launched in 2010 and still

New stuff at NAMM

The music industry struts its stuff in Anaheim each year at

Los Angeles-based Brendan Buckley is best known as

Adelaides Ben Todd has just wrapped up a role in Cirque

digitalDrummer_feb_2017 (original)_Layout 3 15/01/2017 1:28 PM Page 5

How I use e-drums

UK drummer Emily Dolan Davies has been a professional

Starting out with samples

Luke Oswald often gets asked about the basics of sample

Software licence protection is one of the unfortunate

Some drum apps have built-in metronomes, but theyre

Plating up a new design

Raul Vargas explores a couple of the most popular

This month, we head to Ontario, Canada to check out Rick

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

digitalDrummer_feb_2017 (original)_Layout 3 15/01/2017 1:28 PM Page 6

They beat the rest

The people have spoken and there

BELGIAN DRUMMER MICHAEL

digitalDrummer_feb_2017 (original)_Layout 3 15/01/2017 1:28 PM Page 7

digitalDrummer_feb_2017 (original)_Layout 3 18/01/2017 12:16 PM Page 8

While many nominees use e-drums as part of

The kit, with its new module and next-generation

The new Roland flagship was a controversial

The TD-50 narrowly defeated the wireless

Gen-16 Access Tool

Roland TD-50KV kit

Zildjian, which picked up an award for its

digitalDrummer_feb_2017 (original)_Layout 3 1/02/2017 4:30 AM Page 9

Retail royalty: Sweetwater (left) and Long

Sweetwater was the overwhelming

Kimberly Thompson Quartet

Howard Jones/Kim Wilde

Every song has its own

I love acoustic drums and I

The vast majority of tracks

In order to play the record

E-Drums form the core of our

digitalDrummer_feb_2017 (original)_Layout 3 15/01/2017 1:28 PM Page 10

digitalDrummer_feb_2017 (original)_Layout 3 15/01/2017 1:28 PM Page 11

THE NEW TD-50KV and TD-50K kits were

Whats in the box

The new kits are built around a new module,

Just as important are some new trigger

The last new element in the kit is the optional