Just like almost all other acoustic instruments, the acoustic drumkit got an electronic sibling. I use the word "sibling" instead of "successor", because electronic instruments were not designed to replace acoustic instruments and they never will. They are different instruments!
The elektronic drumkit offers a few advantages over acoustic drumkits. I will name the three biggest ones, that also applies to electronic keyboards when compared to acoustic piano's:
- Unlimited sound library - The musician can use an unlimited amount of sound for playing music.
- No more fights with neighbours - The musician can study using a headphone or at a low volume.
- Compact instrument - The instrument takes up less space and it is easier to transport.
When you are working on a restricted budget, there is one more big advantage: with an electronic instrument you have a good sound quality in every acoustic surrounding. A lowpriced acoustic drumkit will never sound as good as a simular priced electronic drumkit.
What components form an electronic drumkit?
- A number of pads, to be played with drumsticks
- One or two footpads, to be played with a bassdrum pedal
- A rack to mount the pads on
- Equipment (an Interface and/or drum module) to convert the trigger signals into sound
- One cable per pad, to connect the pads to the equipment
- If you want to play drums: a footswitch or electronicHi-Hat
You will also need drumsticks, a drum throne or chair, a headphone and/or an amplifier.
Most people that play an electronic kit are in fact playing electronic drums. But personally, I do not want to limit myself to playing drums. I like to play other sounds and arrange sounds in different orders. Because of that I usually say I play "electronic percussion". If you feel the same way, you do not have to copy the layout of an acoustic kit. You could for instance play on a Multi-pad: one large pad with multiple playing surfaces. In that case, the above list is different (no rack, one multipad).
A Multi-pad can also be a good extension of an acoustic drumkit. I have encounterd lots of drummers that do not like electronic drumming because they dislike the 'looks' of the instrument. But lots of them do like the 'perfect sound' so they want the electronic sounds and therefore they work with Triggers. But the thing is: if you see the instrument as a different instrument, you also loose the restrictions. You can make pads in all kinds of shapes, every imaginable size and in your personal color(s).
When you buy an electronic kit or components, you have to decide whether you want to use a headphone or an amplifier. At home I always play with a headphone on. The sound of a good headphone is always better than the sound of a good amplifier, because it 's closer to your ears (less disturbance and less 'leakage'). A good headphone does not need to be expensive. Try different headphones, how they sound and try to imagine how comfortable they will feel after playing for an hour or so (I like open headphones with soft foam).
How you you build an electronic drumkit?
When designing an electronic drumkit you should focus on building good pads. The rack and the cables are less important, you should should design a rack to suit your needs, so that you can play the pads comfortably. My tip: close your eyes and play on an imaginary drumkit. The places where you 'hit', those are the positions where you should try to mount the pads.
Building pads may sound difficult but it is actually very simple. The key component is a piezo. A piezo is a small microphone or loudspeaker (technically speaking they are the same). In drumpads we are using the piezo as a microphone, to record the vibration. The result is a sinus shaped analog signal. If you hit the pad harder, the amplitude of the signal will be higher. It is up to the interface or module to play sounds in low or high volume and it is up to you to play the rhythm!
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