Electronic drums as your ONLY set?

[peter c]

Don't get me wrong. I love e-drums
and think them totally essential -
especially, when it comes to devel-
oping concepts and new applications.

Of course, there's the advantage of
playing ANYTIME but one more thing
is important and that is that you
have the ability to record yourself
in variable situations. This is the
best thing about them, I think.

Regarding building muscle, I think
it can be done, with an e-kit but at
their expense. I hit mine VERY hard,
even though I don't have to and that
is not the best, I know but I can't
help it. I am trying my best to go
at them, lighter.

[img]wink.gif[/img] [img]cool.gif[/img]

[mwm]

I do a lot of practice on my electronic Yamaha Express II. I really like it -- it is great for a lot of things:

1. Practicing without disturbing people (though it isn't exactly silent, it doesn't carry).

2. Great for practice when you want to mix yourself in with a recording -- esp. on some of those drum less practice CDs.

3. Great for recording into MIDI or the like. Easy playback for checking you playing, or sound manipulation at a higher level, etc.

Still, I like having the acoustic. For a while after I got back into drumming, I only had the electronic. I don't complain about that because I am not in a set up that allows me to play the acoustics much at home -- and it did allow me to play alot. Even now with the acoustics I play almost always at home with the electronics (not my choice).

Now -- the switch from electronics to acoustic is not seamless -- even if you do it regularly. Allow some good warm-up. I try to get to rehearsal early so that I can set up and really warm up. The feel is different, the response and action are different, and the set up is different.

Oh well -- still they allow me to play way more than I would be able to without them.

And -- one day -- next year, 5 years, 20 years, electronic drums will be everywhere. The potential is too great (the technology is only going to get better). I hope though (and believe) that there will still be a place for the acoustic (at least while I'm still alive -- [img]smile.gif[/img] )

[cjbdrm]

My question is am I hurting myself by having my primary kit be electronic, or am I just getting worked up over nothing?

Let me know what kind of experencies you guys have with eletronic kits, and also if anyone is in the same situation as mine and found a way to use a acoustic kit.

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">It really depends on what your goals are. You only need an acoustic kit if you plan on gigging with one. You may never need one.

Personally, I have both, but only use the acoustic drums for playing out. I have the DTExpress- the first one. I love it. It's an awesome practice tool.

[donu]

Originally posted by peter c:
I hit mine VERY hard,
even though I don't have to and that
is not the best, I know but I can't
help it. I am trying my best to go
at them, lighter.

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">I believe you pad are rubber so to help you to not hit so Hard try to use more rebound for playing, it's more easy in a rubber pad then on a real floor tom [img]wink.gif[/img]

[drum4fun]

dethnight, welcome to HOD. My first kit was a Yamaha DTXpress (first version). The music teacher, who I had at the time, told me to practice on an acoustic kit when I told him that I was using an electronic drum kit. After that point, I practiced on an acoustic kit. I use SoundOff pads and towels to cut down on noise when I need to practice quietly. I think the more experience that you can get using an acoustic kit will benefit your playing in the long run. As Dazzler wisely pointed out, your technique and musical expression will develop more quickly with an acoustic kit compared to an electronic one.