DigitalDrummer November 2014

dd_nov2014_Layout 3 6/10/14 11:17 AM Page 1
US$10
Edition 20 - NOVEMBER 2014
The global electronic drumming e-zine
Hail
to the
Queen
DM Dock
OCD Adam
EZdrummer 2
2014 Avedis Zildjian Company
THE NEXT GENERATION
OF reduced volume cymbals
Introducing the NEW Gen16 Buffed Bronze series Zildjian has created
the next generation of reduced volume cymbals. Zildjian craftsman
used their expertise to make subtle but important changes to the Gen16
cymbal which increases the lower fundamental overtone structure.
The most noticeable change is the stunning, buffed bronze finish that
produces a warmer tone.
Visit zildjian.com for more information.
SOUND LEGACY
--from-the-editor-is published by
DigitalDrummer
ABN: 61 833 620 984

30 Oldfield Place
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editor@digitaldrummermag.com
www.digitaldrummermag.com
Editor & Publisher
Allan Leibowitz
Sub-Editor
Solana da Silva
Contributors
OCD Adam
Jonathan Atkinson
Peter Erskine
Scott Holder
Pat Kennedy
Russ Miller
Stanton Moore
Johnny Rabb
Michael Schack
Wolfgang Stolzle
Dirk Verbeuren
Cover Photo
Neil Zlozower
Design and layout

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digitalDRUMMER, NOVEMBER 2014
WELCOME TO OUR 20th edition, marking the culmination of

five years of publishing.
And what a ride it has been so far.
Since our first edition, we have seen the arrival of some new
brands like 2box, Mark Drum and XM and the disappearance
of at least one big name, Hart Dynamics.
Weve witnessed some significant cross-over activity, with
Zildjian moving into the e-cymbal space, first via a collection of
its cymbal sounds as a VST collection, and then with the Gen16 AE cymbals - already in their third iteration.
Pearl made the jump into electronics with its drop-in triggers
and module, produced by Hong Kong-based Medeli, one of the
silent achievers of electronic percussion.
Our five-year timeline has seen a complete overhaul of the
ranges of both major players, with Yamaha introducing its
DTX 500, 700 and 900 modules and its DTX M12 multipad,
while Rolands module range has been refreshed with the TD30, TD-15 and TD-11 brains, and new multi-pad variants.
Whats the biggest trend weve seen? Without a doubt, its
hybrid.
Initially, that meant adding triggers to acoustic kits, and we
saw the proliferation of acoustic-looking kits together with a
new generation of manufacturers like Diamond Electronic
Drums in the UK and ddt and Drum-tec in Germany along
with an ever-growing choice of internal and external trigger
add-ons.
More recently, however, hybrid has evolved into
acoustic+electronic solutions in which electronic sounds and
effects are added to and mixed with acoustic percussion.
Sure, its not new, but its popularity is unprecedented. And
there are also a range of products aimed squarely at the
hybrid market, like Aquarians inHEAD and Rolands TM-2
module reviewed last edition.
Perhaps the biggest change we have witnessed in the past
half-decade is the pervasiveness of the most unlikely
computing device, the Apple iPad. Initially a novelty for reading
electronic books and playing games, the iPad has rapidly
matured into a serious musical instrument. Backed by an
army of developers flooding the market with free or dirt-cheap
apps, the iPad is being seen on stages and in studios around
the world, not just replacing music books and lyrics sheets,
but acting as fully fledged amplifiers, mixers, DAWs and sound
processors. And as we show in this edition, when paired with
an Alesis DM Dock, the iPad now becomes one of the most
versatile and portable drum modules around.
So, as we learn to make the most of the technology around
now, the big question is where well be in five years time. Stick
around and well find out together.
editor@digitaldrummermag.com
The global electronic drumming e-zine

Edition 20
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20
22
30
44
4
November 2014
GEAR
Whats up Dock?
Much to the surprise of a large army of naysayers, the

first iPad-powered drum module is now available. Allan
Leibowitz has been testing the Alesis DM Dock.
Stepping up ito the middle
Yamaha has a new line of kits built around the updated

DTX502, and Scott Holder checked out the changes.
Sure-footed
Rolands KT-10 bass drum solution made its debut earlier

this year, and Allan Leibowitz has been putting his foot
down.
Stand and deliver
The growing popularity of two-piece electronic hi-hats and

of hybrids means that hi-hat stands are becoming more
important to e-drummers. digitalDrummer spoke to a
number of professionals to find out about their weapons of
choice.
Hybrid on show
The hybrid wave has hit Germany, with a variety of

solutions on show at this years Electronic Drummer
Meeting in Langenfeld.
Way to GoPro
We generally deal with the sounds, but now its time to

take a closer look at capturing e-drum video, as Allan
Leibowitz explains.
32
40
42
47
50
profile
Hail to the Queen
A music store competition kick-started a career which has

included stints with Prince and Beyonc. Queen Cora
Dunham shares her story with digitalDrummer editor Allan
Leibowitz.
PERFORMANCE
How I use e-drums
Originally a solo side project for drummer OCD Adam,

Tenth Amendment combines heavy metal and electronics in
new ways to create something refreshingly new.
Hybrid is happening
In the last edition, Michael Schack explained that although

hybrid drumming is hardly new, there is fresh interest in
combining acoustic and electronic drums.
VST
EZer for non-drummers
Toontracks EZdrummer has long been an industry stalwart,

and Allan Leibowitz checked out the newest version to see
if it still has its edge.
MONSTER
My Monster Kit
This months kit, assembled by Eric Linder from

Spartanburg, SC, is a real monster. Check out this huge
array of pads and cymbals.
ws ... Get the latest e-drum news at www.digitaldrummermag.com/news ...

Whats up
--Gear--
DOCK?
Much to the surprise of a large army of

naysayers, the first iPad-powered drum module
is now available. Allan Leibowitz has been
testing the Alesis DM Dock.
I FIRST SAW the DM Dock at NAMM four

years ago and was told it was a few months
away from release. My persistent enquiries
were generally answered by in another three
months until the winter 2014 NAMM Show,
when it was suggested that the product was
actually a proof of concept rather than a
commercial product. So no-one was more
surprised than me when I was offered a review
opportunity.
The background
The iPad is increasingly being adopted as a

professional performance tool in a variety of
guises, and it was only a matter of time before
it was transformed from a drumming toy to a
full-blown instrument.
The thinking behind the DM Dock is simple:

many drummers already have in their iPad the
core element of an electronic drum module a
compact, powerful controller that handles MIDI
and a range of other applications.
There were two missing links: a trigger
interface and a decent sample set. Alesis is
offering both in the form of the DM Dock and
the accompanying DM Touch app.
Whats in the box
The DM Dock is a housing which

accommodates a full-size iPad of almost any
generation and a bunch of trigger inputs via
standard 6.5 mm jacks.
The iPad slides into the unit (with an adaptor

plate for newer, thinner models), but unlike
other iPad docks, the connection is made via a
cable rather than a click-in mount. This
approach was adopted to accommodate any
changes in the main connector, so the device

can currently work with both the 30-pin and
Apple Lightning iPad connectors.
The back panel has 12 stereo trigger inputs

and a slot for a variable hi-hat controller as well
as the usual MIDI In and Out and separate Left
and Right Outs.
Theres also a footswitch input and, of course,
full-size headphone jack.
Finally, the unit is also equipped with a USB
port that provides audio and USB MIDI.
There are only two dials on the face of the unit

a headphone volume level and a main output
level adjustment - as all the other controls are
done on the iPad screen. At last, a
touchscreen module! Well, not quite an
industry first as the high-end XM modules
actually have touchscreen controls but
nowhere near as cool as the 10 iPad display.
The dock is a two-tone affair, made of grey and

black plastic with nice bevelled edges
reminiscent of the iPad itself. It seems sturdy
and well built and comes with slots to attach to
a regular module mount. I used a Roland
mount and the screw holes matched up
perfectly.
The Dock is powered by an external 6 volt
adaptor which also charges your iPad when its
powered up.
Besides the physical box, the DM Dock
offering includes an app download currently
free (grab it while you can) dedicated to the
iPad. You cant load it on an iPhone and
theres no Android version.
Plugged in
One of the measures of a modules capability

is its ability to accommodate input triggers. The
system is clearly designed for Alesis triggers,
but the manufacturer claims it works with
nearly any other trigger pads. We tested the
DM Dock with a range of drum, cymbal and
aux triggers including a Roland PD-128, a
Padtech TR-12D 12 kit, a Hart 10 Accupad, a
Quartz harness trigger, an Aquarian onHEAD,
a 682Drum t-Rigg and various Roland, XM,
2box and Triggera cymbals.
There are a variety of parameters that can be
tweaked for each trigger. You can set them as
either two- or three-zone, select from piezo or
switch input types and then adjust the
sensitivity, threshold, retrigger cancel time and
Xtalk (both send and receive) and select from
five velocity curves.
Those basic controls provide an arsenal of

adjustment which accommodated all of our test
triggers admittedly, with different degrees of
success. Some triggers, like the PD-128, were
relatively easy to dial in. Others, like the Quartz
DIY drum, were fiddlier. But Im confident that
with enough time, patience and trial and error,
good responses can be obtained with almost
anything. The exception was the hi-hat
controller, where there are no editing options
and I was not able to get any variation just a
closed hat. Perhaps this would work better with
an Alesis control pedal.
Overall, sensitivity was good but not great.
But I believe that more tweaking time may well
have provided further improvements.
Rim/head and edge/bow detection was
excellent and the cymbal chokes worked well.
Bell triggering on the ride was good when the
sensitivity was pushed way up, but I struggled
with edge sensing possibly because the

tested ride cymbal has a combination of dual
piezos and a switch.
Interestingly, theres no save function on the

trigger settings but the device appears to retain
its settings after being shut down.
I also tested the Dock as a MIDI interface,
playing a Zendrum through it. This produced
good results, with a reasonable velocity range
although there was nowhere near the sample
depth of my usual VSTs.
Finally, the onscreen mixer is a joy. Each
trigger has its own slider as well as reverb and
panning and there are a few general kit reverb
global settings all of which are tweakable.
And the sounds
This is where the app comes in. It provides 10

drum kits that include rock, jazz, electronic and
percussion (alas, no brushes!) and an
instrument library of 145 sounds from
SONiVOX. Interestingly, the pre-launch
screenshots showed some of the instruments
as locked add-ons requiring in-app purchase,
but the app was initially published with all the
sounds available for free. Perhaps any
additional samples added later will be behind
the paywall.
All kits are editable and you can mix and match
instruments from the sound library and either
save or rename them. There doesnt appear to
be a limit on the number of kits you can create,
and presumably, the only barrier will be the
size of your devices memory.
The sounds are certainly good enough for
most applications and I used the app with
another interface for some time before the
Dock arrived. In fact, I even did a couple of
Zendrum gigs using the DM Touch app.
Each instrument sound is also editable, with

the ability to alter the pitch (up or down), pan
and reverb.
One obstacle I encountered early on is limited

polyphony which became especially evident in
cymbal swells. When the triggering is too fast,
the engine seems to simply give up and emits
a noise instead. This was also the case with
some of the tom rolls although I couldnt
replicate the problem with the snare trigger.
In action
Youll notice that there is no Audio In socket

and nor are there any play-along tracks with
the DM Dock. Thats because you should be
able to access other apps on the iPad for
recording and play-alongs, especially since the
latest iOS versions have vastly improved InterApp Audio which shares audio between
applications. In theory, you should be able to
access sounds from GarageBand, SampleTank
or other drum apps, but in reality, I was not
able to do that without a third-party app such
as n-Track Pro. However, using that DAW, I
was able to trigger sounds in apps like
DrumJam, while playing along to songs from

my iPad library. n-Track also allowed me to
add FX from a variety of other apps as well as
enabling recording.
Latency was a bit of an issue with DM Touch,
but not much more than with a laptop driving
VSTs via USB. And apps like n-Track Pro do
have a low-latency mode which seemed to
improve performance slightly.
So, the playing experience was good, but not

fantastic. It was certainly adequate for practice
and perhaps as an emergency fall-back for a
gigging drummer facing hardware failure on
stage.
Overall
I firmly believe that iPad drumming will be the

way of the future and very soon. So this
solution is timely, even if its not perfect.
So, heres what I like
The design, layout and connectivity are

excellent and will only get better since the
iPad is so easy to connect to other devices and
the Internet.
9
The onscreen controls are fantastic just what

drummers have been asking for. Its wonderful
to be able to tune a snare with a touch of a
finger in real time.
The trigger tweaking options are solid and
will no doubt improve with firmware updates
down the track.
The sound library is a good starting point.

Some of the kits, like the percussion kit, are
really good. Overall, the sounds are not VST
standard, but certainly no worse than many of
the module sounds. But there are gaps in the
offering (for example, no brushes sounds, no
vintage drums, no Latin kit), and no doubt
these will be filled down the track with in-app
purchase options either from
Alesis/SONiVOX or third-party sources.
What I didnt like
Some triggers were hard to dial in and all nonAlesis pads and cymbals required at least
some parameter tweaking.
Overall, triggering needs to be tweaked, both
in terms of reducing latency and providing
more finesse. This is especially true of the hihat controller which needs to be editable,
rather than defaulting to the Alesis model.
Polyphony needs to be boosted so that cymbal

swells and tom rolls are improved.
I am not privy to Alesis long-term plans, but I

suspect the hardware will not undergo any
changes for a while, so buyers need not worry
about obsolescence in the short term. I would
expect some firmware upgrades reasonably
soon as well as the launch of an online
marketplace for sound samples.
And while Alesis may not do anything to

improve inter-app sharing, there have been
strong hints that Apple will in its next OS
update, which is believed to support multiple
apps running at the same time. Provided the
iPad has the grunt to run them all, theres no
reason to doubt that youll be able to select a
song in your music player and run it in the
background while you trigger the DM Dock and
perhaps run a recording app at the same time.
In the meanwhile, you can achieve this using
one of the VST host apps which sell for
anything from $10 to $60 or more.
The future is here with a device that combines

the trigger connectivity of a module, the
computing power of an iPad, the easy and
immediate control of a touch screen and the
versatility of a VST, and while the DM Dock is
not perfect, its a lot of fun and a lot of potential
for less than $300 (if you already own an iPad).
DM Touch needs more sound options more

instruments, more layers, more articulations.
The ability to interface with other apps needs
to be improved. There are some excellent
drum samples in other programs such as
GarageBand, SampleTank and DrumJam
and it would be great to be able to access
them without having to buy and run a thirdparty app. Similarly, DM Touch needs to
integrate better with the iPads music player
and recording apps.
And overall
The concept is fantastic and the potential

enormous. But there are a few modifications
required before the DM Dock can be taken
seriously as a professional instrument. Luckily,
these are mostly software-related, and they
should be easy to fix.
For potential buyers, the DM Dock is certainly

something you can take home and use out of
the box. If you dont already own a module, this
solution will definitely get you up and running
for home practice.
10
Click above to watch our

video review or on the audio
icon to hear sound samples.
Specifications
12 TRS 14 dual-zone inputs

1 TRS 14 variable input for hi-hat pedal
controllers
2 TRS 14 balanced outputs
Stereo 14 headphone output
Class Compliant USB 1.1 MIDI I/O
MIDI In jack; MIDI Out jack
Assignable 1/4 MIDI footswitch input
Included kits: 10
Included sounds: 145
Street price: $250
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--Gear--
Stepping
up to the
middle
Yamaha has a new line of kits built around the
updated DTX502, and Scott Holder checked
out the changes.
12
AS YAMAHA DOES with the DTX line, the 502

range has three configurations: the 522K,
532K and 562K. Each kit has an upright KP65
kick, an XP80 three-zone textured cellular
silicone (TCS) snare, a PCY135 three-zone
cymbal and a RS502 rack. The 522K has two
additional cymbals (Yamahas newer PCY100,
also a three-zoner - one for a crash and one
for the hi-hat), three TP70 rubber pads for the
toms and a HH65 hi-hat controller. The 532K
replaces the hi-hat controller with a HS650A hihat stand and both PCY100 cymbals with a
PCY135 for a crash and a RHH135 for the hihat. The 562K also swaps out the rubber toms
for XP70 TCS pads.
The KP65 has an additional single-zone pad
input so you can expand the kit and assign any
available sound. I hooked up just about every
single-zone pad I own, ranging from an old
Yamaha PCY10 to a new Triggera D14 china,
and they all worked fine when assigned as a
PCY90 in the pad type settings.
All cabling is included and theres plenty of
flexibility placing each component. Its not
unlike any other kit with a similar rack and

individual cables.
Set-up, from opening the box to playing, took a

couple of hours some of that spent on getting
it fine-tuned to my playing style.
The rack is black, lightweight metal and stable.
The entire rig (DTX652K) isnt as light as the
450K, but the toms are easy enough to remove
and the racks wings folded in pretty well.
Overall, its still far more portable than my old
mesh-based kits.
The Module
The box is feather-light and compact, due, in

part, to not having conventional MIDI
connections; instead, it has a USB-to-computer
output that does MIDI OUT and is also used to
import samples onto the module itself. There
are also only seven pad inputs (not counting
the hi-hat controller input). This seems limiting
until you realise you have an eighth input via
the KP65 kick pad. Plus, each of the three tom
inputs can be expanded via a splitter/Y-cable,
thus expanding the kit to 11 inputs.
13
The snare, ride, crash and hi-hat inputs

support Yamahas three-zone pads. Since one
input does bell, bow and edge for a ride
cymbal, the 502 doesnt need the 12th input
required on Roland modules.
The sound engine is an upgrade from the
DTX900 sound library. Yamaha used laser
technology to analyse and refine strokes and
trigger settings.
There are 50 preset kits and 691 individual

sounds (or voices as Yamaha calls them).
The preset kits are what you would expect:
rock, jazz, oak, maple, etc., but theres also a
nice dose of World Music, orchestral and retro
electronica. You can copy any of them into an
open user kit slot that allows you to edit them.
In fact, thats how you keep changes you make
to a kit: either copy and edit or edit the preset
and then save it to an open kit slot.
About a third of the voices are percussion and
effects voices. That seems like too many only
three people on the planet will want this
voices, but I never found myself feeling the
traditional drum sounds were left wanting.
While there might only be two chinas and two
splashes, the module has an additional setting
to change cymbal size, so with a little effort,
you should be able to dial in any cymbal you
want. Plus, with Yamahas three-zone cymbals
and the potential to layer sounds on any given
pad, you get a lot of variability with any given
voice/sound depending on the pad.
The DTX502 module includes two features

found on much more expensive boxes:
layering and the ability to store and play
samples. The layering function is similar to that
found on the 700/900 series modules as well
as the Multi-12 multi-pad, albeit at two layers
(as opposed to four, for example, on the Multi12).
To load samples, you need to download a
separate program from Yamaha and
instructions for that also require the download
of the separate Reference Manual. Once set
up, loading sampled .wav or .aiff onto the
module itself is easy. The howls youll hear
online, however, concern the 1Mb storage
limit. There were similar howls over the 64 Mb
storage limitation on Yamahas M-12 unit.
Realistically, you can put around eight samples

on the DTX502. Nonetheless, I found even
that little capability was very nice to have.
Additional voice tweaking includes the usual:
panning, kit volume and pad volume. Like the
DTX450, there are nine preset reverb profiles,
14
Electronic, acoustic and hybrid drumming
T-RIGG
Electronic, acoustic and hybrid drumming

The t-Rigg is a perfect solution for adding an
additional trigger option to your electronic or
acoustic drum kit.
Alesis mesh head conversion
The 682Drums conversion kit will greatly improve

the playability of your Alesis pads, or other kits
with Medeli mylar pads, while reducing ambient
sound (-20dB).
Drum mics from the specialist
Drum mics for studio and stage. At these prices,

no better choice.
E-cymbals
Stereo E-cymbals with choke. Available in 12 and

14 inch sizes.
Mesh Heads
Top quality mesh heads with a perfect, natural

bounce.
Triggers
The center placement gives perfect response and

crosstalk is eliminated.
How to
improve
a great kit
Improve your 2BOX with 682Drums mesh heads.
E-kick
The brand new E-kick is now available!
682Drums_A4-adv_digitalDrummer_v2.indd 1
10-10-2014 20:39:33
but here you can change the degree to which

those are applied. The master equalizer has
just two bands, Lo and Hi; that could be limiting
to some but Ive never had to massively tweak
a modules EQ.
There are a fair amount of adjustments you
can do to the snare - tighten the wires and
muffling (which can also be applied to kick and
tom voices). Cymbals have adjustable sustain,
while percussion is also editable.
Adjustable parameters for individual triggers
include sensitivity, threshold, velocity curve
assignment, retrigger cancel, crosstalk and
some technical settings like minimum
level/velocity, etc.
Theres also a metronome and click track,
standard features for any intermediate-level
module.
Hi-hat settings include splash sensitivity for

heel chics/splashes, the foot close position and
clutch position.
Overall, the module has a robust technical set
of features that should satisfy an e-drummer of
any experience level.
The ability to adjust MIDI settings is very

impressive. You can set note numbers and
channel numbers in any combination, a
problem Ive found in other products that can
make using them as an effective MIDI
controller problematic. There are no concerns
about that with the DTX502. As I do with every
potential MIDI controller, I hooked this up to my
computer running Toontracks EZdrummer. It
was plug and play.
16
Navigation is, well, Yamaha. It takes getting

used to and many things dont seem intuitive.
The DTX502 carries over all of the

teaching/training functions from the DTX400,
meaning this kit is a fantastic training tool. You
can turn off individual pads, watch how youre
playing on the screen and theres a scoring
system so you can keep track of how youre
progressing. I still suck.
Finally, you can record your performance or

song as Yamaha calls it. Whats easy (and
here the navigation sequence is quite good) is
you can pre-record backing songs, set them to
loop, then play over them. Store half a dozen
of these and you can potentially add a layer of
drums or percussion to a live performance. You
can also play over the array of fantastic kits
included with the module, assign them to pads
and even trigger them in parts by striking the
pad repeatedly. This is similar to what Yamaha
did on the Multi-12 and its still addictive to
play.
The Sounds Of Silence
We cant talk about this kit without focusing on

the incredibly quiet, silicone TCS pads that
comprise the snare and toms. But first, well
look at the more conventional, rubber pads.
The KP65 kick pad performs no differently than

when we reviewed it (dD May 2013) as part of
the DTX450K kit. You can always upgrade to
Yamahas mesh KP125W which also has the
input for an extra pad.
The PCY135 cymbals for the crash and ride
are quiet, three-zone, and respond nicely.
Nothings changed since we first reviewed

them back in May 2011. Swells out of the box
arent quite as seamless as I was expecting;
theyre good but not perfect. However, you can
layer two cymbal voices, set the xfade
parameter and the result is every bit as smooth
from one zone to another as I find on my
Roland TD-12 or how I remember them on the
DTX900 module.
The RHH135 hi-hat has a virtually identical
response as the PCY135, although the module
itself only has open/closed, half-open, foot
close, the closing HH sound, and heel
splash/chic. Some online users have reported
getting what they describe as a 34 open/closed
sound.
The hat stand, while basic, worked fine. If

youre using this as a MIDI controller, the
module/RHH135 combo will send full HH range
to the VST program.
Although the PCY100 didnt come with the

review kit, I put one on the module along with a
HH65 controller pedal. It has the same stick
noise characteristics of the PCY135 (quiet) and
is responsive across all the zones to include a
third cup zone not found on the RHH135.
The toms and snare are the XP series TCS

head pads: the toms XP70 single zones and
the snare an XP80 three-zone. I also
extensively tested the kit with an XP100SD
pad.
Either snare has a head and two rim zones.

The rim is divided in half, like the rubber
TP70S previously reviewed, with one half
producing rim shots and the other crosssticking. The XP80 does not have a separate
gain control found on the XP100SD, nor a
control knob on the top that allows the user to
change certain aspects of the snare like tuning,
head tensioning, etc., although that
mechanism only works on the 700/900 series
modules. The main reason for getting the
XP100/120SD for use here would be for size
only.
The attraction of the XP series of pads is the
TCS head. The surface texture is not unlike my
old Zildjian cymbal mutes or the strike pads on
Visulite cymbals; some have even likened the
feel to coated acoustic heads. The pad itself is
surprisingly firm, theres no squishiness as on
my mutes. However, the pads arent rock hard
like a rubber pad or even a severely tightened
mesh head.
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How the pad plays is the big question and one

that generates a healthy amount of pad wars
with online comments ranging from plays like
a wet kitchen sponge to the closest thing to
acoustic!
The first thing I did was set up rebound/bounce

tests with equipment and methodology first
used back during our cymbal review
(digitalDrummer Feb 2011). I would drop a
stick and start measuring the time from when
the tip first struck the pad head to when it
stopped bouncing.
Hard rubber pads like the PD-7 or TP70S had
the least rebound. The XP100SD (and any
other TCS pad) were noticeably bouncier,
followed by mesh pads which were the
bounciest.
The second thing I did was to play various
pads side by side. I played fast single
rolls on each and didnt have any trouble
adapting to each surface; each is
different, obviously, but nothing any
decent drummer cant handle. Ive
had a harder time on rubber
pads doing fast single
roll fills over three toms
when simulating my
monster 70s drum solo; its easier
for me to do on mesh, with the TCS
pads somewhere in between. Then I
did fast single rolls but had one stick
playing on one surface, the second stick
on another. Thats when you really
notice the bounce difference across the
surfaces.
What I can say is that the TCS pads
were sensitive, ghost notes were easy
to play and there was no dreaded hot
spot.
When Yamaha tells you how quiet the
TCS pads are, theyre not
overstating the claim. A formal stick
noise test confirmed those findings.
At 2 with a controlled hit, the TCS
registered just 60 dB. Thats a full
10 dB quieter than our tests on
a PD-7 pad and 4-5 dB quieter
than my Diamond Drums pad
with the single-ply Drum Tec
mesh head. At 2 with a full
hit, the TCS registered 74
dB. However, the type of
sound generated by each
and how they propagate make
the TCS pad far quieter. Stick
18
hits on the TCS have a softness to the tone,

whereas mesh has a boingy, tennis racket
sound. I let two sticks drop simultaneously on
each pad and while I could hear the TCS pad
(my ears were about 3 away), the mesh pads
sound cut through and drowned out the
Yamaha. So, they are that quiet.
To conclude, youll either love the TCS pad

technology or hate it, there doesnt seem to be
any middle ground. Regardless of where you
fall on pad wars, these pads (XP70/80s that
came with the kit or the larger XP100/120SD)
are sensitive, dynamic and have no hot spots.
The Sound Of Voices
Ive been playing the Oak Custom kit either on

the DTX400 or now on the DTX502 module for
almost two years. Its one of many preset kits
that carried over. Obviously, Yamaha did some
additional fine-tuning of the individual module
voices based on the data they collected. In
headphones and out of the box, Id say the
differences are subtle. Cymbal voices have
always been a strong point in the DTX900s
sound engine, so I heard less
difference there. The tom voices,
however, are now on par with the
cymbal quality.
What really stood out was how everything

sounded through a PA. Heres where I felt the
refinements that went into the DTX502 are
noticeable. The kick and toms have a deep
resonance and, for the first time to my unsnare-tuned ear, I was getting a realistic
crack sound that Ive not had in any of my
beginner modules and definitely not in modules
with an older sound engine.
These refinements also have resulted in all the
kits being created equal. Unlike what both
Allan Leibowitz and I have found testing
beginner and intermediate-level modules over
the last couple of years, there arent any kits
in the DTX502 that are significantly poorer
sounding than the others.
It bears repeating that judging onboard
module voices/sounds remains
incredibly subjective. However,
Yamaha has tried to take some of
the variability out of what goes
into 600+ voices on a module
and the results are consistent
and a marked difference to
what Im used to hearing at
just about any module/kit
price point.
SPECIFICATIONS
Overall
The module alone makes this kit attractive. You

get a sound set thats at least comparable to - if
not better in quality than - Yamahas far more
expensive DTX700/900 modules, with enough
editing capability to suit just about any drummer.
If you opt for the higher-end DTX562K with the
TCS pads, youll have the quietest e-drum kit
out there. The cymbals will make you rethink
what its like to play only two-zone pads. The
downside is that the additional input you get
through the kick drum is limited to a single-zone
pad: thus, if you want two three-zone crashes,
youre out of luck.
The module has the excellent teaching tools
from the DTX450 with the added capability of
recording. The ability to load samples is very
useful although the 1 Mb space limit restricts
what you can do. If Yamaha could just squeeze
another couple of Mb of sample storage space
onto the thing
Drum Sound Module: DTX502

Max Polyphony: 32 notes
Expansion: 1 additional pad
No of kits: 50 preset; 50 user-defined
No of voices (instruments/sounds): 691
Instrument Parameters: Kit, volume, reverb,
velocity curves, gain, layers, crosstalk, decay,
panning, tuning, double-kick, min level/velocity, reject/wait times,
Effect Types: Reverb (9 preset types; 2-band
EQ)
Songs: 60
Wave memory: 1Mb storage (imported
.wav/aiff files + user-defined kits)
Wave memory Sample Rate: 16bit/44.1kHz
(but can be changed)
Sequencer Capacity: 104K notes
Note Resolution: Quarter Note/96ppq
Recording Method: Real-time overdubbing
Click Tempo Range: 30-300bpm
Pad Connection: to mono/stereo depending on pad type
Interfaces: MIDI USB
Outputs: 1 x stereo (headphones), L/R
mono (TS unbalanced)
Inputs: 1 x 18 stereo
Drum Pads: 1 x 8 three-zone XP80 TCS, 3
x 7.5 TP70 single-zone rubber (if 562K, replace with 3 x 7 XP70 TCS)
Cymbals: 2 x 13 three-zone rubber; 1 x 10
single-zone (if 522K) or 13 two-zone rubber
(if 532/562K)
Kick: KP65 upright rubber pad
Hi-hat: HH65 controller pedal (if 522K) or
HS650A stand (if 532/562K)
Now you can find all the digitalDrummer Head2Head

reviews in one place. Mesh heads? All in one PDF.
Looking for information on internal, external
and aux triggers? Again, one click and you
get it all. And the same with e-cymbals.
And much more...
Everything you need
Just a click away
--Gear--
Sure-footed
Rolands KT-10 bass drum solution made its

debut earlier this year, and Allan Leibowitz
has been putting his foot down.
20
stock set-up with no need to adjust my style in

any way.
DRUMAGINATION OWNER MARK Steele

questioned the traditional approach to edrums in an article in digitalDrummer a
couple of years ago, knocking the approach of
simply adding a trigger to the established drum
design techniques.
Sounds like
On the outside
Triggering was exceptional on all modules, with

no need to adjust any parameters on my test
array of Roland, Yamaha, and 2box modules. It
even worked out of the box with Alesis DM
Dock.
At last, were seeing one of the mainstream

manufacturers thinking outside the box with
Rolands new kick trigger. The new thinking,
which results in a beaterless solution, is
evidenced by the new KT designation in
place of the KD nomenclature (kick trigger, as
opposed to kick drum).
The KT-10 is a sturdy, solid and well-built piece
of gear that looks like itll be beating for many
years to come. It consists of a reverse-action
trigger which emulates the feel of a regular
pedal without the need for a beater. The pedal
activates a metal hammer which strikes a
vertical pad in which the trigger sensor is
mounted. Its an elegant solution and certainly
looks the business.
In action
Under foot, the KT-10 feels like an upmarket

kick pedal. Weighing in at 1.4 Kg, it is a
substantial pedal, with a full-size base plate.
The unit is designed as a stand-alone and

does not need a drum surface of any type. Its
perfect for rack set-ups or even behind a full
size drum for an acoustic/electronic hybrid.
The footprint is reasonably compact around
18 cm x 40 cm.
The KT-10 is adjustable, with a couple of
weights that can be moved to different slots in
the beater mechanism to alter the profile and
feel. Its also possible but a bit fiddlier to
adjust the pedal tension by moving the spring
to different hook positions.
The unit has two audio jacks a mono
output for the module connection and
an input for daisy-chaining pedals
together, for example, if you
needed two units for a double
pedal set-up.
The pedal required no
physical tweaking at
all. It felt totally
natural and
balanced and I
have been
using it for
some weeks in
The first observation is the lack of acoustic

noise. Most of my strikes registered just above
65 dB and I had to stomp with all my force to
get much above 75 dB. Most of the solutions
tested in our last e-kick line-up scored in the
80s, with the exception of the Triggera Krigg
(71-73 dB).
Overall
With a US street price of around $230, the KT10 is certainly not the cheapest kick drum
solution out there. But it is a stand-alone unit,
so you dont need an additional pedal, nor
would there be a need to replace heads or
other parts. So its a one-time, fully inclusive
price.
And Id venture to say that its a sturdy, wellbuilt and durable trigger that performs
flawlessly to produce excellent performance
almost silently. For that kind of performance,
its well worth the investment.
I can see this pedal appealing not only to

mainstream e-drummers tired of the thump of
their mesh or rubber kick drums or
looking for an extra kick
trigger alongside their
existing one, but
also to the new
generation of
hybrid drummers
adding e-drums
to their
acoustic rigs.
This trigger
is a perfect
add-on to
the Roland TM2 module, or any of
the multi-pad solutions out
there.
In the interests of balance, we like to
include any negatives, but the KT-10 had us
floored: there simply werent any.
So, the KT-10 is a hands-down winner or
should that be feet-down?
21
--Gear--
Stand
&
deliver
The growing popularity of two-piece electronic hi-hats
and of hybrids means that hi-hat stands are becoming
more important to e-drummers. digitalDrummer spoke
to a number of professionals to find out about their
weapons of choice.
22
Daniel Schlep
Preferred stand: Stock 2box or Ludwig Atlas
Hi-hats are, of course, the Achilles heel of e-drums.

In my book, I talk about the common use of
simulation in e-drums where the instrument
often not only tries to simulate sounds, but also a
realistic physical feeling while beating on surfaces
like mesh or rubber. The hi-hat is often recognised
as a weak spot of this procedure, but many
advances have been made. The best solution for
the user is to find a mix of software and hardware
that fits his or her needs - a module that is capable
of producing the right sounds, a responsive hi-hat
pad and the right stand for it.
I use a combination of products from the electronic

and the acoustic scene. 2box is my choice for the
electronic part. I really like the quality of the sounds and the new kind of open
technology that powers this module, especially for the fair price its sold at. With
the MK2 rack, you already get a great lightweight hi-hat stand. When a more solid
version is needed, I combine my e-drums with a product from Ludwigs Atlas
hardware range. There is a choice of a Standard, a Classic and a Pro version.
While the first one offers great features for its price, the last two meet the
needs of a professional. The Pro version has a two-leg design, but the
Classic combines modern ideas like the Aerodisc bottom cymbal tilter
with traditional Acculite sustain feet.
Pat Kennedy
Preferred stand: DW 9000
For my Roland TD-30KV set-up, I prefer the DW 9000 series hi-hat stand. The
chain-drive features and smoothness of the action allow for a consistent triggering
response from the V hi-hat pads featured on the TD-30KV drum kits. Conversely,
the release of the pads is equally consistent with the DW 9000 hardware, which can
often be overlooked when dealing with electronic pads. Both the onset and release
of sonic signals are vital in the production of digital sounds, and this hi-hat stand
accomplishes both goals extremely well.
As far as set-up is concerned, I have found that the
proper clearance between the pads is very important.
I usually keep about a 1 gap between the top and
bottom hi-hat, to allow for complete separation of the
pads. Similarly, I also tighten the clutch to the top hihat pad to reduce the rocking of the cymbal, which
may result in additional and unwanted contact
between the pads. To ensure their continued quality
and function, I maintain a clean surface by wiping
with a dry, soft cloth. Also, when transporting the
pads, I place them both "bell up" on a flat padded
surface inside a protective bag or case to prevent
damage to the pad and to protect the electronic
components and triggers inside.
23
Johnny Rabb
Preferred stand: Gibraltar 9607DL-LD
I use the Gibraltar two-legged hi-hat stand to allow room

for a double pedal. I usually use lightweight models to
save on taking up a lot of room on the road.
I have really gone back to a basic design that simply
works and is simple to transport. Of course, it is very
reliable and well made, too.
I feel it is important to keep the hi-hat rod inside the tube

when transporting. It helps to keep it straight and avoid
being bent. It is also important to prevent metal-to-metal
contact with your hardware. The life of your hardware
really depends on how you treat it between gigs.
When choosing, I look for a sturdy set-up. It should not wobble or rock
at all. It can be frustrating when the stand moves or has a springy
feeling to it. Sometimes, this is due to the legs being extended too much
and the base plate not being on the floor. Also, try out different models to
see if you like the action of the pedal and chain/strap. This is the key thing
to look for. You want the open and closing motion to feel good.
All hi-hat stands are different. Be sure to test drive them at your local
store.
Russ Miller
Preferred stand: Mapex Falcon
I use the new Mapex Falcon hi-hat stand. A couple of the

standouts are that it is a two-legged stand with a support
plate. Some other cool features include legs that can be
completely removed to tie into a rack or a second kick drum.
There is a pedal board clip, which allows you to clip the pedal
board to the stand when you put it in your case so it wont be
damaged when transferred. The thing that I like the most is it
has a very smooth and quick feel.
Besides the pedal board clip, other care tips include always
removing the hi-hat rod with the clutch attached for transport
so it wont get bent, and we place a small rubber band
around the bottom cymbal seat for transport. This holds the
cup washer and felt in place.
24
Of course, the most important thing to look for in a stand is the

playability and how quickly and smoothly it reacts. I also look for
stability of the stand so it wont rock or move. Proper tilting of the
bottom cymbal on the hi-hat cup is also important. Some stands on
the market dont allow you to tilt the bottom cymbals and this can
cause an odd vacuum sound when closing the hats. The other
thing is mobility of the bottom cymbal. I actually remove the Tri
rubber seat that ships with the Falcon and replace it with a
standard seat felt for better cymbal movement.
MDD Direct Drive Ad 2 - 2014 (Digital Drummer).indd 1
10/7/14 1:52 PM
Jonathan Atkinson
I mainly use the DW 9000 series three-leg hi-hat stand,

although I also have a couple of Yamahas and a DW 5000, but
the 9000 is the one which I use most and is my favourite.
The DW 9000 hats stand, like the 9000 series bass drum
pedal, is beautifully made, and has a wonderfully smooth
action. It needs very little tinkering to make it perform brilliantly,
whereas with some other stands I have found that I need to
really adjust the spring tension to make it feel smooth.
I use the three-leg version over the two-leg version purely

because I've always found that the stability of the two-legged
versions (particularly on a riser which might have a bit more
'flex' in it than a solid floor) is sometimes not up to it. The only two-legged
version which I've found works really well is the Yamaha HS1200T. I'm not
sure what they did with the design of this that works so well, but it doesn't
seem to suffer from the wobble which plagues other two-leg stands. If you
need the two legs because you are fitting in a double pedal, this is a great
option and worth checking out.
The most important things to protect on your hi-hat stand are the pedal
linkages and also the pull rod. The linkages on the DW 9000 are pretty
bomb-proof, so I feel confident that they'll survive even the most cavemanlike drum tech. The pull rod on any hi-hat stand is the weak point as it's
necessarily pretty thin metal, and in amongst a traps case of very heavy
stands, it's definitely vulnerable. To counter this, I always make sure that the
clutch is attached at the very top of the rod, and the rod is inserted inside the
top tube of the stand so that the rod is fully protected. They do bend quite
easily, and if a traps case is upended (to be put on a truck or whatever), then
the rod can be bent by the weight of other stands in the case.
Otherwise, just keeping the stand clean of dirt and stick sawdust by wiping it
down every so often, you should get a lifetime's use out of a stand if it's of
decent quality.
Peter Erskine
I love the DW 6500 flush-base hi-hat stand. Its lightweight,

dependable, sounds great, and it simply works!
Im not a fan of the two-legged hi-hat stand (they tend to

wobble in my experience), and I prefer lighter-weight
hardware to heavier-duty in general. That said, all of the DW
three-legged stands work great.
The DW hi-hat clutch is terrific. I also like the Remo hi-hat

clutch which is so simple to use and works on any make or
model of hi-hat stand.
26
Stanton Moore
For jazz gigs and gigs around New Orleans, I use a

three-legged DW 7000. For touring and festival/clinic
backline, I use a two-legged DW 9000
The 7000 is relatively light, while remaining very
stable. The 9000 is rugged and even the two-leg
configuration is stable.
On the road, my traps case is big enough so we don't

take the hi-hat apart; we just fold up the legs. That
helps minimise wear and tear. Also, be careful with
the rod - don't let it get bent, don't lay it by itself...
and don't let your band mates step on it!
When choosing a hi-hat stand, the action of the
pedal must feel comfortable to you. Look for a
weight that is heavy enough to be stable, but
not too heavy to carry around. A good clutch
that won't come apart while you're playing
is essential!
Dirk Verbeuren
Preferred stand: Tama Speed Cobra HH915N
Im very happy with my Tama Speed Cobra

HH915N hi-hat stand. Its strong enough to resist
road roughness and Tamas lever glide system
makes for a super smooth, lightning-fast response.
Most of all, you want your hi-hat stand to feel good
and this one certainly does! The longer footboard
allows me to use the sliding technique, just like on
my Speed Cobra double pedal bass rig.
I usually play with the hats half-open, so maximum
tension is ideal and easy to adjust using the
rotating slider. The spring seat allows me to raise
one end of the lower cymbal, adjusting the width
of the sound to my liking.
To position the stand comfortably next to my

left kick pedal, I turn the stands dual legs to the left, which is
also very quick and easy. Each leg has a sliding spike, so
the stand stays firmly in place, even on a wobbly stage.
All in all, setting up the Speed Cobra takes just a few
minutes, and I honestly couldnt imagine a sturdier, more
practical hi-hat stand!
digitalDrummer, NOVEMBER 2014
27
ATK
INS
ON
S
TIP
S
Standing
orders
WHEN CHOOSING, FIND a hi-hat stand that you feel
suits you. If you're carrying your own gear, then maybe
a heavyweight stand like the DW 9000 isn't for you, but
maybe try something lighter. There are so many great
options out there (the DW flush-base stands are great
lightweight options, as are the lighter Yamaha models).
The worst problem you'll ever find with a hat stand is that it
doesn't stay where you put it. The DWs deal with this by
having industrial strength velcro on the bottom. Others use
spikes. Some work better than others, so if you're checking them
out in the shop, make sure it doesn't go walking away from you
easily. If it does, buy something else!!
Also, make sure you check out the stand with the weight of cymbals
you're actually going to be using.
As a general rule, if you put the cymbals on the stand and press
the top cymbal down and it moves freely and bounces up and
down a few times, then it's probably well made with a smooth
action. Same as if you check out a good quality kick pedal, you're
looking for the least amount of friction in the action.
Buy the best quality you can afford without breaking the bank. As I say, if
you buy quality, you'll only need to buy it once.
When setting up a hi-hat stand for the first time, the only two things I
ever change are the cymbal height and the spring tension. There are no
right or wrong ways to do this, but pay attention to how comfortable you
feel on the gig. A stand set too low or high for you can play hell with your
posture as you try to get your hands out of the way to play the snare.
Only you can decide where is best, but good posture is vital to a long
career in drumming, so pay attention to how you hold your body while
playing. If you're twisting your shoulders or lower back, your hats arent
set right.
Spring tension is a matter of personal taste. I like mine so I don't have to

push down too hard to close the hats really tightly, but they also open
easily and quickly. Finding that balance is very easy if you have the right
stand.
Jonathan Atkinson
28
dd_nov2014_Layout 3 9/10/14 9:13 PM Page 29
"Triggering was superb across the

entire surface of the head .... The
head picks up every nuance but
only the intended hits. Theres no
false triggering or crosstalk."
digitalDrummer, August 2014
Hybrid on
show
The hybrid wave has hit Germany, with a

variety of solutions on show at this years
Electronic Drummer Meeting in Langenfeld,
as organiser Wolfgang Stlzle reports.
THE THEME OF the third edrumtreffen (edrum meeting) was Hybrid Set-ups and the
event offered a rare opportunity to play and
test those kits which are harder to find on
the floors of local music stores. Exhibitors
this year included Wronka Drums, drumtec, 2box, Mark Drum and Nord.
Dennis Brzoszka, drummer of the German

electro pop band Susanne Blech,
demonstrated his minimalistic kit featuring
a Wronka metal bass drum pad with a
DMX-controlled illuminated band logo. The
duo Step Beyond from Koblenz did a great
Drum&Bass performance using custom
samples and Ableton.
Ludwig and 2box endorser Daniel Schlep
demonstrated the brand new 2box external
trigger and shared his philosophy of
combining modern communication devices
such as smartphones or tablets with
electronic drums.
Mark Drum endorser Markus Ostfeld

brought his band, Groove Elation, and
performed on a kit consisting of Mark Drum
30
toms and bass drum with an acoustic

snare and cymbals which sounded great .
Marcel Bach accompanied his Sakae

acoustic kit with a Nord Drum 2 and Nord
Pad. He demonstrated the Nord gears
looping capability, layering tracks on top of
each other using chromatic percussion
sounds or effects and then he started
jamming along on his acoustic kit in a
really musical solo performance.
The last demonstration saw Thomas

Panthel of Hyperactive/2box showing how
the drum module (acts) as a whole toolbox
for the working drummer.
Besides the live performances, visitors also
got to put some of the solutions through
their paces on a test kit loaded with a
range of VST plugins from Toontrack, XLN
and Native Instruments.
For the vintage fans, there was the original
Briefcase of Saga's former drummer, Steve
Negus, plus a complete working Simmons
SDX system, the most expensive e-drum
system ever built.
PHOTOS: Wolfgang Stlzle
Wronka and Nord gear (previous page)

and the Simmons SDX, 2box/Ludwig,
Mark Drum and Nord hybrid set-ups.
31
PHOTO: NEIL ZLOZOWER for VATER
--Profile--
Hail to the
QUEEN
A music store competition kick-started a career
which has included stints with Prince and Beyonc.
Queen Cora Dunham shares her story with
digitalDrummer editor Allan Leibowitz.
32
digitalDrummer: Did you start at a young

age and how important is formal music
training for a drummer?
Queen Cora Dunham: Actually, I think I

started fairly late compared to a lot of
musicians that we know. I started playing
drums in the marching band in ninth grade and
didnt actually start on the drum set until 11th
grade in high school. You know, Allan, I think
formal music training can be very important.
Although everything that is taught in school
can be developed in an informal environment,
the cool thing about school is that the
curriculum indicates that you should learn a
certain amount of information in a certain
amount of time. Formal training can help you
see the bigger picture of your role as the
engine to a band, orchestra, ensemble or
track, based on the style of music. When I
studied at Howard University, William Richards,
Harold Summey and Grady Tate were my
private drum/percussion instructors. They all
offered different perspectives to music and
between the three of them and all of my other
classes, my understanding of theory,
arrangement, discipline and versatility
expanded. Then, of course, there were people
like Clyde Adams, Aaron Spears, Tim Steele,
Greg Grainger, Jay Jay Williams, Chris Dave
who I learned from in a way that school wasn't
teaching me. There is a thin line between
studying to do something and actually DOING
IT and these guys were DOING IT. I joined
Sigma Alpha Iota, a music fraternity for women
and that kept me connected to other girls as
well as our frat brothers who were serious
about music. Formal training is a great way to
learn how to read music. For those drummers
who are trying to figure out whether they
should take the time to learn how to read
music, think of it like this: You can function in
regular life without being able to read a
sentence. You can follow your feelings, listen
well, interpret the signs and follow the people
around you, but if you take just a little more
effort to expand yourself, reading gives you so
many more options and opportunities to
function in different environments with clear
understanding. Reading music is the same and
its good to have balance. Dont be so stuck to
the music that it sounds like youre reading; its
also nice to be able to sit down and express
yourself without a chart. I think a balance
between formal education and being mentored
by people who are doing what you want to do
makes for a good balance.
dD: Tell us about your early work, which I

gather was in the classical area.
QCD: Well, my high school band director, Mr.

William Portis, exposed me to several genres
of music, plus my dads vinyl collection was
pretty vast. So in the band room, we had a set
of vibes that I started experimenting with. I also
started playing at a church in Houston where
my godmother, Mamie Johnson, was the
Minister of Music. That was a new experience
that exposed me to traditional and
contemporary Gospel music. So, throughout
my junior and senior year in high school, I was
learning jazz and continued playing under Fred
Irby at Howard - plus I stayed connected to
classical music in orchestra at Howard,
American University, Howard Percussion
Ensemble, Washington Symphony Orchestra
and just playing around DC. I played timpani,
four-mallet marimba, snare and all of the other
fun toys and percussion instruments, as well
as drum set. I had the opportunity to apply my
timpani and percussion skills to Richard
Smallwoods Gospel album, Persuaded: Live in
D.C., on the songs Procession of the Levites
and Coronation, so my classical experience
definitely opened more opportunities, taught
me about tuning drums and developing more
touch to my drum set playing and really
understanding how to make the drums sing.
dD: Lets talk about the Guitar Center DrumOff. What did your win do for you and how
important are competitions like this?
QCD: The Guitar Center Drum-Off was an
awesome experience and definitely a super
blessing! Well, I grew up being very
competitive in swimming, diving, softball,
basketball and academics, so I think
competition can be great. It first makes you
strive to compete with yourself and to just have
inspiration to be better. The cool thing about
being a drummer is that we generally hang out
with other drummers to learn and get better
already, so the Guitar Center competition is so
awesome because it brings more drummers
together on a national platform. Winning the
Drum-Off first of all was the answer to a prayer.
After graduating from Howard, my car had an
oil leak and the engine basically locked, so I
was without a car. So when I moved to LA, I
would just in-line skate, ride the bus or one of
my Godparents, Edward and Bettie Horne,
would help me rent cars. So winning a Jeep
and all of the awesome prizes was beyond
awesome! On top of that, the competition really
33
PHOTO: BEyONC TuMBLR
Hybrid heaven - Queen Cora's River Nile kit is augmented with yamahas DTX range
pushed me to be creative, exposed me on a

national level and, of course, introduced me to
so many drummers. It was through that
experience that I learned even more from Chris
Hart about what endorsement relationships
really meant and the importance of playing
equipment because I truly loved it and not just
because it was being offered to me. The
competition is great because every year, if you
choose to compete, it inevitably pushes you to
be a better player and grow that much more
connected to your instrument and the
drumming community.
dD: your big break, I guess, was when you
were discovered by Prince. How did that
come about and develop?
QCD: After living in LA for two years, I was

making efforts to build a positive reputation for
myself and had worked with P!nk, Il Divo,
Michael Bearden, Frank McComb, Zac
Harmon, Tom Schuman, Phil Upchurch, Lalah
Hathaway, Richard Smallwood, Dr. Diane L.
White, Goapele and several others. Apparently,
Prince had heard about me and on Raymond
McKinnleys recommendation, Prince and
Rachelle Farrell came to hear me play with
34
Frank McComb and Raymond at a supper club

in LA. At the end of the second set of the show,
Princes assistant came up and asked for my
contact information because Prince wanted to
buy me the drum set of my dreams! I was
already in a relationship with DW, so they
made me an incredible red and gold, spider
pine seven-piece set. After about five weeks,
while my husband and bassist, Joshua, who I
was dating at the time, and I were rehearsing
with Frank McComb for a Blue Note Japan
tour, my drum set came in. I called to tell
Prince and thank him and he invited us over to
jam at his house. It was amazing! After we
returned from Japan, Josh and I started
playing for a lot of his after-parties and a week
before we got married in 2005, we recorded on
the 3121 album!! Talk about a wedding gift! We
continued working with him through several
tours, TV shows, recordings, Super Bowl 2007
and five-and-a-half years of many memorable
adventures. We love him dearly and he has
been such a blessing to our lives.
dD: Lets talk about electronic percussion. I

know you used an SPD-S with Prince. Was
that your first encounter with electronic
drums?
PHOTO: MARIELLE MCQuITTy
QCD: Winning the Drum-Off in 2002 included a

custom set of Roland V-Drums, so that was my
first exposure to electronics. It was a new
world and I had to respect and appreciate that
if there can be acoustic piano and electric
keyboard, acoustic bass and electric bass and
other instruments that had both acoustic and
electronic counterparts, electronic drums were
just as awesome and worth exploring as
acoustic. I spent time learning, which made me
more comfortable applying it to live
performance experiences.
dD: How did electronics help with Prince,
especially on your tours?
QCD: Soooo, becoming comfortable and

applying electronics and becoming comfortable
and applying electronics with Prince are two
different things. (laughs) It was definitely a
process. In addition to learning so much of his
catalogue of music and songs that he loves
playing, incorporating intricate electronic songs
added even more to my plate! It pushed me in
a great way. He is definitely an advocate and
icon for Real Music by Real Musicians and so
electronics were always triggered through my
SPD-S in the moment and not pre-recorded or
looped. We were often capturing a lot of the
original Linn Drum sounds that he used to
record the albums we were playing live, as well
as 808s, claps and other memorable effects
that added to his sound. So it made me
understand the art of capturing the music as
36
people recognise it from recordings while still

giving a dynamic, ever-changing creative live
experience. He can be very spontaneous in
live performances because he is always
inspired, so it was important for my electronics
to become one with my kit so I wouldnt miss
cues or changes in the music for being so
consumed with triggering and changing
patches.
dD: More recently, youve been working

with Beyonc. How have you used
electronics on that gig?
QCD: Yes! I worked with Beyonc for two-anda-half years and it was a powerful experience! I
learned so much as it related to drive,
dedication and really seeing production from a
massive perspective, as well as how my role
as the drummer impacted the show. I was
initially using the Roland SPD-S multipad,
which was a great supplement for her music
from the fourth album which was very drumheavy, as well as some of the music from her
previous albums. On The Mrs. Carter Show
World Tour, she also started incorporating
songs from the Beyonc album, so I needed
more to complement the electronic presence.
The Yamaha DTX900 came right on time for
expanding my options.
dD: So, youre now a yamaha DTX artist.
What gear from the range do you use and
how do you use it?
PHOTO: KRISTyN BROWN/FLyBEHINDTHELENS
Follow Cora on:
Twitter: queencoradunham
Instagram: queencoradunham
Facebook: Cora Dunham
Company website:
www.vivoclub.com
Cora and Joshua Dunham on the Drum-Off red carpet

QCD: I am very excited to be a part of the
Yamaha DTX family. Right now, I am using the
Yamaha DTX900 Series and the Multi-12 pad.
The playing scenario determines how I use the
gear. For example, with Beyonc, I developed
my DW River Nile acoustic kit (positioned in
size order: 10 side snare, 13 primary snare,
8, 10, 12, 14, 16 with 18 gong drum over
my right shoulder and 20 gong drum over my
left shoulder, 20 double kick drums, each with
8x20 added woofer kicks). Immediately to my
left (on the East side of Nile), I positioned my
Yamaha DTX900 module and included one 12
XP 120S snare, three XP 100T toms, KP125
kick and a portion of my RS130 rack system. In
other environments, I just use my Multi-12,
which gives me the option for sampling in a
more compact way.
dD: With the demands of international

touring, what do electronic drums allow
you to do that you couldnt do - or at least
which would be much harder to do - with
acoustics?
QCD: Having electronics definitely expands

the possibilities for your kit, and in situations
where you need a smaller set-up but still need
a big sound with variety, electronics is the
way!! In other environments where you have
the tour support to bring all of the bells and
whistles of a full electronic set-up to
complement an acoustic kit, thats just as
awesome. In addition to international touring,
I'm also the drummer for an annual youth
empowerment awards show called The Black
Girls Rock Awards (BET) where, under the
Music Direction of Kim Burse, I've been able to
work with Ledisi, Alicia Keys, Brandi, Jill Scott,
Erykah Badu, Keisha Cole and a host of
international artists and electronics give me the
expansion I need to capture the colours and
tones that complement each artist's music. In
addition to that, Josh and I have been
producing a TV talk show and other video
productions with producers like Myriam Lger
among others, where the electronic element
really comes in handy for scoring music!
37
PHOTO: QuEEN CORA DuNHAM
There is so much that electronic drumming has

to offer to your playing and the key is to know
what the balance is that will give you the final
results that you are hoping your listening
audience will experience. Sound effects,
spoken word, claps, samples, loops, bombs,
snaps, explosions, triangle, bongos, chimes,
and over 1,000 internal sounds plus unlimited
sampling and expandable options
electronics give you endless possibilities.
dD: And what are deficiencies with

electronic kits - the things that you just
cant do and are easier and better done with
acoustic kits?
QCD: There is always room for growth and
continued evolution of interactivity, dimensions
and other aspects of electronics in the drum
community, but the progress so far has still
been incredible! I think its about knowing what
the music calls for and choosing the tools that
best capture that sonically and not just for the
heck of it.
dD: What advice do you have for kids
starting out in drumming - especially girls
who are not always encouraged to get into
percussion?
QCD: The advice that I would share for kids

who are just starting out is to have fun! I say
that to those who have been playing for a
while, too. Dont stop having fun! Learn and be
open to new musical experiences and then
balance that with understanding business.
Don't get so lost in being creative that you
don't properly manage the creativity and
become another "starving artist". You can play
38
music, travel the world and enjoy life but

everything that lasts has balance.
Notes and rests | Sound and Silence | Up

beats and Down Beats
Life is rhythm and rhythm is just patterns.
So be intentional about your patterns, setting
small goals that lead to greater goals, know
yourself, know your equipment, understand
your business and have fun!! People
sometimes ask me what its like to be a girl
drummer. The truth is I only know what its like
to be a drummer who happens to be a girl
because Ive never been a guy! (laughs) What
I do know is how to stand out, how to be
myself, how to be unique. As valedictorian of
my high school, I know what its like to push
hard, to be focused and to be proud of myself.
To have performed at the Super Bowl twice. So
to girls who are interested in playing
percussion, I encourage you to be driven but
be the unique, amazing, intelligent, classy,
delicate yet powerful being that God created
you to be, and strive to be not the best girl, but
be YOUR best! I am not just a drummer: I am a
musician, producer, video producer, author,
endorsee, clinician, speaker, brand specialist,
multi-business owner, teacher, director, wife,
sister, daughter, cousin, niece, friend, and a
student for life ever-learning, ever-evolving
and, most importantly, passionate about
impacting the rhythm of lives across the world
and I am thankful and excited that drumming
has been a platform that I have been able to
do that with everyone from three-year-olds
holding sticks for the first time to some of the
most influential people in the world!
Select the best

to win the best
Voting is now open in the digitalDrummer Readers
Choice awards to honour the best new products for
e-drummers and those who have made the greatest
contributions.
Have your say by clicking here. Readers are asked to

vote for the best:
New product of the year (hardware)
New product of the year (software)
E-drum retailer (by region)
E-drummer of the year
Hall of Fame inductee.
Win hybrid heaven
Just by voting, you also go into the

running to win* a package containing
some of the most innovative drumming
solutions around:
Aquarians inHead Kick & Snare pack

includes a 14 inHead electronic/acoustic
snare head, inBOX, rimSHOT trigger and a
kickZONE bass drum trigger.
A Roland hybrid starter kit consisting of the

revolutionary TM-2 trigger module with two stereo
inputs and a range of built-in sounds - and the
versatile BT-1 auxiliary trigger bar.
FXpansions BFD3 gives you a huge array of
sounds and presets, seven new kits (recorded in
two locations) - all the tools and sounds you need
for any music project - regardless of genre.
* Competition terms are detailed in the poll
How I use e-drums

--Performance--
36
40
Originally a solo side project for drummer OCD Adam,

Tenth Amendment combines heavy metal and electronics
in new ways to create something refreshingly new.
OCD Adams equipment:

Laptop with Ableton Live and
Superior Drummer
Alesis Trigger-iO
Hart Dynamics Pro Series Drums
Roland Cy-8, PD-8, and FD-8
yamaha KP-65
WHILE I PREDOMINANTLY play industrial
metal, I love all styles of music. Over the years,
I noticed electronic drums gaining popularity
with a lot of drummers in other genres because
of the great sound, portability and flexibility. I
started to wonder why heavy metal drummers
were not following suit and taking advantage of
everything that e-drums can offer. I decided to
make the switch to an entirely electronic kit
early in my career and am glad I did.
I started Tenth Amendment in 2008/2009 as a
solo studio side project to experiment with new
drumming styles and learn new recording
techniques. As popularity for the music grew, I
completed the line-up for the band and we
began touring. In the past few years, Tenth
Amendment has become my primary focus
and has also been an outlet for me to
experiment with the capabilities e-drums can
offer in the studio and on tour.
All of the percussion in Tenth Amendments
upcoming album, Conviction, was recorded
entirely with e-drums. In the studio, e-drums
have made recording an amazing experience.
Because the drum tracks are captured as
MIDI, the performance and the sounds are
handled separately. I can modify drum sounds
without having to replay the song. With
Superior Drummer, I have access to a whole
arsenal of kits and drum sounds. Im not
confined to one specific kit as I would be with
an acoustic. If the sound of a 24 bass drum
isnt working in the mix, it can be changed to
one that is more suited to the sound we need.
We dont need to compromise the overall mix
to accommodate a drum sound that might be
too boomy or cymbals that are too bright. The
drum sounds can be modified right up until the
final mix down.
E-drums have been a dream come true on the

road, too. Before the last tour with Tenth
Amendment, I knew that I needed a kit that
was portable, easy to set up and would
consistently sound great. In addition, I needed
a set-up that could replicate samples and
control synths so the live performances
sounded just as full and diverse as the albums.
I also wanted the ability to hear a metronome

and my own mix of drums, samples and
synths, while having a different mix go to the
venue sound board. E-drums provided the
perfect solution. Using Ableton Live and the
Alesis Trigger-iO, I can use Superior Drummer,
launch recorded samples and control synths,
while still having the flexibility to adjust my mix
and the main mix with a few clicks. I can also
change the sound of a single drum or the
entire kit on stage with ease. Acoustic drums
just could not offer that flexibility. The e-drum
rig I use allows me to control all of the
variables of the live show relating to drums and
sampling. Nothing beats handing the sound
tech one cable and saying, Just turn it up.
The portability of e-drums cant be
understated. I can replicate the sound of an
18 floor tom, 24 bass drum or a 22 ride
cymbal and still keep my kit compact. The 12
Hart Pro Series drums can handle anything I
throw at them and capture every nuance of my
playing. The Roland pads and cymbals are
small enough to fit anywhere I want on the kit and the gear has held up over years of
punishment on the road.
As e-drums continue to evolve, so will
drummers and their roles as musicians and
band members. The more they can do, the
more we can do with them. I cant wait to
see what we can do next
41
--Gear--
L
S: RO
TO
PHO
IA
In the last edition, Michael Schack

explained that although hybrid
drumming is hardly new, there is fresh
interest in combining acoustic and
electronic drums.
AL
uSTR
RP A
CO
AND
hybrid
is happening
ONE APPLICATION OF hybrid drums is to

meet specific amplification needs. For acoustic
kits in particular, drummers are often required
to set up in space that is too small (such as
cafes or bars) to warrant a full microphone setup. Unfortunately, this often causes a
disconnect between the drum kit and the
amplified instruments in the band (such as
vocals, guitars and keyboards).
However, the more creative application of

hybrid technology is the addition of sounds not
available with an acoustic kit. When playing
acoustic or electronic drums, you might need
to add a totally different sound to your set-up,
like triggering percussion sounds or electronic
handclaps from an extra pad. This is true
sound expansion, where you add extra sounds
to your set-up, not just layer underneath or on
top of a sound youre already playing.
Probably the most common way of

combining two drum
sounds, an
acoustic one and
an electronically
generated one
from a sound
module like a
sampler, is just to
stick them on top of
each other. But, this
kind of layering
does bring some
problems, like
sound cancelling or waveforms which phase
against each other.
When the tuning of the combined sounds
doesnt match or isnt in sync, both sounds
end up sounding weaker when combined. Not
good. Another potential problem is the
unwanted flam when kick and snare hits, for
instance, sound doubled.
I personally believe that the major strength of a

well produced hybrid drum sound lies in the
combination of elements emanating from
different sound layers. For instance, use your
main acoustic kick sound for the midrange or
low end, and then add some high frequency
attack sound element or low-end sub sine
waves to enhance its impact. In this case, you
keep the general character of the acoustic
sound, but enhance it with what could be

missing or something that takes it beyond
expectation. This way, the added elements and
the main sound really become one.
So, to recap, here are some applications for

hybrid drumming based on the example of
adding a sample of a barking dog. If this
sample were simply combined with your kick
and snare, that would be sound layering. Using
just the low-end of the bark to give your kick
drum a doggy characteristic would constitute
element enhancement. And triggering the
sampled barking between kick and snare while
playing a beat would be sound expansion. So
the same sample can be applied in various
ways to achieve different effects.
Of course, any sample can be used in any

combination: any crazy idea you might have
could be worthwhile to
experiment with. But theres
one rule you have to follow:
the generated extra sound
you want to integrate needs
to be right there when you
play it. Latency and
matching are key factors
in realising a goodsounding, hybrid sound
set-up. You would also
benefit from some
understanding of
phasing and sound cancellation. You
can easily train your ears to distinguish a welllayered sound from a poor one. There are a
bunch of tutorials on YouTube, and theres
plenty of specialised music production press
which can help you through detailed tutorials.
So go ahead, go hybrid and be hip with your
new, kick-ass drum sounds. Its going to turn
your fellow musicians heads, inspire you to
play better and get the audience moving. Good
luck!
To read Michaels step-by-step guide to setting
up hybrid acoustic drums, click here.
And to see how the approach can also be applied to electronic kits, click here.
Click to see Michaels

informative hybrid
demo videos
43
--GEAR--
Way to GoPro
We generally deal with the sounds, but now its

time to take a closer look at capturing e-drum
video, as Allan Leibowitz explains.
A VIDEO CAMERA may seem an odd topic for

a review in an electronic drumming magazine,
but you cant go far in the music industry these
days without seeing an action camera in use.
While designed for action sports and outdoor
activities, its not hard to see why the GoPros
neat and compact format has made it a
popular option for performance recording. So
much so that the manufacturer this year
launched a tailored package for entertainers
the Hero3+ Black Edition/Music.
Whats in the box
To understand the product, you need to

decipher the name. Hero3+ is the fourthgeneration GoPro offering (think iPhone 4S).
Black Edition signifies the top-of-the-line
product (above white and silver) and Music
designates a bunch of special accessories
designed for performers. So besides the basic
camera unit, the package comes with some
special mounts instead of the standard
waterproof case and a special audio adaptor
(the mic input of the previous model has gone
44
and a dedicated USB adaptor is now required

for an external mic input).
To attach the camera to the special mounts,

this model ships with The Frame, a minimalist
camera mounting solution that provides access
to all ports (well, almost, as you need some
dexterity to remove the cover from the
USB/card slot) and full exposure to the
cameras microphone.
Bundled in are a removable instrument mount
which clamps guitars, drums, turntables,
keyboards and other instruments; a mic stand
mount and GoPros Jaws: Flex Clamp.
Setting up
Setting up is simple once youve worked out

how to detach the camera from its mount in the
box!
The first thing you have to do is charge the
battery, which is done via a USB connection.
Then its a matter of choosing your video or
stills mode (theres plenty of advice on which
settings to use in different conditions).
There are only two buttons a power switch

and a shutter release switch, which both
double as selection buttons for the menu
displayed in the little LCD screen on the back.
As with any two-button menu-driven command
system, this is a bit clunky, but thankfully there
is another solution which Ill get to shortly.
The next decision is how to mount the camera.

Instead of a waterproof case, the Music edition
is supplied with a skeleton case enough to
hold the camera in place and provide a
connection point to the multitude of mounts
available out there. The camera attaches to
these via a kind of quick-release buckle that
GoPro has adopted as its go-to system.
Luckily, it ships with a bunch of adhesive
mounts which allow you to stick the camera on
virtually anything.
The camera is the personification of point and
shoot, especially since there is no viewfinder.
But that doesnt mean youre shooting blind.
Theres a companion app which turns your

iPhone or iPad into a wireless remote with the
help of the Hero3+ WiFi capability. Using your
i-device, you can adjust the settings, preview
what youre shooting and hit record and stop.
Sure, theres a bit of a delay, but its a fantastic
solution that makes the camera truly handsfree.
In action
This isnt a photography review, so Ill limit this

discussion to the GoPros suitability for e-drum
recording.
In this look-at-me world dominated by
Facebook, YouTube and online forums, edrummers increasingly like to share videos of
their performances and most consumer video

cameras have limited audio input options. Most
rely on their built-in microphones and few have
the capability of handling a direct feed from a
module or audio interface.
digitalDrummers videos are shot using either
a Kodak Zi8 or a Nikon DSLR, both of which
have Audio In jacks.
The GoPro Hero3+ doesnt have an audio jack
per se, but the Music version ships with a
special USB audio adaptor (normally around
$30 as an accessory), which takes a stereo
feed.
Interestingly, the built-in camera is mono, but
the device is capable of recording stereo, so it
can be paired with a module (via the audio
output) or any stereo mic set-up.
For our tests, we used direct feeds from a
couple of different modules and got excellent
results using the line level feed. We also used
the headphone out on some devices.
The other huge advantage of the GoPro is its

exceptionally wide lens and huge depth of field
(that, for the uninitiated, means the amount of
stuff in focus).
I found it extremely useful for shooting the kit in

a confined space exacerbated by a short
audio lead!
The resulting footage was crisp and clear and
nicely exposed despite the poor indoor lighting.
Of course, there was quite a bit of distortion
from using the wide-angle lens (think fisheye),
but this was easily corrected using GoPros
uncomplicated (and free) video editing
software.
Overall
The GoPro Hero3+ is a compact but capable

camera that not only captures extreme
activities, but is now documenting the thrills of
live music.
The special Music bundle is versatile, providing

a number of practical mounting options which
allow you to stick the camera on anything from
a mic stand to your guitar, drum kit or
keyboard.
POSTSCRIPT: After we completed our

review, GoPro released a new HERO4.
The HERO3+ Black reviewed here is no
longer available, but the Silver edition is
still on offer.
Its brilliant optics mean that the camera is as

good at capturing a wide stage as it is for
shooting your kit in a tight space. However, this
is not a device for shooting a stage from some
distance, nor for trying to capture a concert
from the audience position in low light.
45
Its easy to use and even more user-friendly

when coupled wirelessly to an i-device. The
free video editing software is another big plus,
especially for those who just want to do simple
edits before posting on YouTube.
Of course, theres a premium price for the icon
brand in the compact action camera market.
There are much cheaper alternatives, but for
the assurance of a market-leading
manufacturer with strong after-sales support,
the $400 price tag may be good value.
However, be warned: like your basic e-drum
kit, the camera kit may be just the start of your
journey, with heaps of accessories available
from waterproof cases to aftermarket stereo
microphones. If youre a compulsive type and
like using genuine parts, the extras certainly
mount up: a tripod mount costs around $25
and an extra battery costs twice that much.
I loved everything about the GoPro, from its

tiny form factor to its huge performance (under
the right conditions) and hope to be using the
technology a lot more for digitalDrummer
videos.
Package contents
HERO3+ Black Edition Camera

Higher Capacity Li-ion Battery
The Frame
Jaws: Flex Clamp
2 Removable Instrument Mounts
Mic Stand Mount
Protective Lens
3.5mm Mic Adapter
Quick Release Buckle
Vertical Quick Release Buckle
3-Way Pivot Arm
USB Cable
Camera Specifications:
Video modes:
Professional 4Kp15, 2.7Kp30, 1440p48,
1080p60, 960p100, 720p120 fps video
12MP photos at up to 30 frames per second
SuperView video mode
Auto Low Light mode
Built-in Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi Remote + GoPro App-compatible
Ultra-wide angle glass lens
Sound advice
FOR E-DRUM RECORDING, the audio in of
the Hero3+ is a nifty solution albeit one that
requires an audio/USB cable (supplied with the
Music edition) and a stereo mini-jack connector
for the module.
But there may also be times when you want to

record the amplified sound of your drums or full
band sound.
Unfortunately, the inbuilt GoPro mic is not the
greatest. Its mono and, generally, music
sounds a bit thin when recorded with the
internal mic.
There are some aftermarket mics, and one of

the most popular but certainly not the
cheapest is the iGoMic from professional mic
maker MicW Audio.
The iGoMic is certainly a well-designed piece
of gear. It is compact and minimalist and
comes with a neat attachment arm that locks
into any standard GoPro mount.
The unit consists of an X-Y stereo-matched
pair of microphone capsules specially
designed for GoPro cameras.
I tested the iGoMic in a few settings for

spoken voice, at a small band practice and in a
large, loud rock concert.
46
The sound was unquestionably better than the

native GoPro audio in all applications. Spoken
voice was louder, clearer and less tinny.
However, the mic came into its own with fullvolume band sound. Again, it was louder than
the inbuilt mic capture, but, more importantly, it
was full and detailed with a wide stereo image.
Listening with headphones, the quality
exceeded what I had expected from the
GoPro.
The iGoMic ships in a sturdy carry case which
is actually big enough to accommodate the
GoPro body as well. It comes with a minijack/USB cable and a mini-jack/mini-jack lead
for use with video cameras and DSLRs. It
ships with a wind shield, a mic holder rod and
a spare rubber attachment ring.
The bad news: the $170 street price. But if you

use the camera a lot and sound is important,
you wont regret the investment.
--VST--
EZer for non-drummers

Toontracks EZdrummer has long been an
industry stalwart, and Allan Leibowitz
checked out the newest version to see if it
still has its edge.
HOT ON THE HEELS of BFDs recent

upgrade, Toontrack has given its entry-level
EZdrummer a revamp with the launch of
EZdrummer 2.
The developers have given the VST pack a

thorough shake-up with some benefits for edrummers, but theres no doubt that the real
winners in this iteration are composers and
producers. In essence, theres even more
drummer in the programme.
Whats in the box
Like most VSTs these days, EZ2 is a download

and a much bigger one than the original,
weighing in at 3.3 GB where the first
incarnation was just 720 MB.
The new offering boasts 21,000 samples four
times the initial 5,300 samples. Instead of

upgrading samples from the previous 16-bit to
the full 24-bit standard, Toontrack has opted for
18-bit to make the package easier to run and
less resource-hungry.
If it were purely a numbers game, then EZ2
would be a clear winner over its predecessor:
there are five included kits (three more than
EZ1), including nine snares (an additional six),
seven bass drums (four more) and an extra
ride cymbal (a total of three), two extra crashes
(10 in all), an extra hi-hat among the three
included and 10 percussion instruments (up
from just one).
There are also a number of enhancements
aimed at songwriters, which well explore a
little later.
47
The look and feel
Like its predecessor, EZdrummer 2 is a standalone solution, and does not require a DAW or
host. It works out of the box, so to speak.
Unlike Addictive Drums 2, EZdrummer 2
replaces the original programme when its
installed, so youll need to kiss EZ1 goodbye
when you hit install. But you dont actually
lose anything since all of the samples, presets
and grooves are still accessible and all EZ1
expansion packs are fully compatible.
While the engine has had a major makeover,

the layout is virtually unchanged from its
original format. The graphics have been
updated with a more Apple-like gloss, replacing
the retro jukebox styling of the old GUI.
The new layout is clean and uncluttered,
consisting of four main windows, each
accessed by a tab.
The drums window contains a kit image in

which each piece can be auditioned by clicking
the instrument. Like EZ1, each kit piece has a
drop-down arrow which reveals alternative
instrument sounds, not just from the current kit,
but from all the sounds in your library for that
piece.
The kits load much faster in this version, which
also allows you to mix and match sounds from
different expansion packs.
The song block dominates the page and, in

fact, forms the core of the EZ2 offering. It really
comes into play in the browser window, where
all the MIDI loops are displayed in their
respective libraries. This element has attracted
most of the review attention to date and it is
clear that EZ2 is primarily a song-writing tool
rather than a sound source for e-drummers.
Using EZ2 for e-drumming feels a bit like
wandering around a gourmet kitchen and only
using the toaster.
48
The search window is another tool for drummer

replacement. Here you can find loop elements
with which to build grooves, and there are a
variety of ways to search by genre, by BPM,
by time signature, etc. But again, this is an
area most e-drummers will seldom visit, so
well gloss over it.
The mixer window is sufficiently uncomplicated
to appease any e-drummer. There are simple
volume sliders and pan controls for each
instrument, as well as bleed controls.
Theres not a lot of scope to tweak sounds, but

thats no drawback as there are plenty of
presets for each kit including the original EZ1
mixer presets and a bunch of new ones.
The main dropdown menu has much of the
behind-the-scenes stuff, including limited MIDI
control. Like the original EZdrummer, there is
no MIDI map editing capability. Instead, there
are a few preset maps for Alesis, Roland,
Yamaha and other. I know the aim of the
package is simplicity, but I think the lack of
MIDI map tweaking functionality is a major
oversight which will annoy a number of edrummers, especially since there is MIDI
learning available in the mixer window to allow
you to use your computer keyboard to adjust
parameters. That said, the stock maps are
pretty accurate and EZ2 was one of the few
VSTs that was accurately mapped for the
Aerodrums virtual drumming application, which
is pretty obscure.
The sounds
The versatile sonic palette of the original

EZdrummer was one of the reasons for its
success and Toontrack has built on that with
some sensational new sounds in the new
version.
The core offering is built around two libraries

one modern and one vintage.
The modern kits consist of a DW Collectors
Maple, a Gretsch USA Custom and a Yamaha
9000 in various configurations with up to five
toms. There are also a dozen snare choices.
These are augmented by various Paiste and
Sabian cymbals in hi-hat, ride and four
crash/splash combinations.
The vintage kit is a five-piece kit with Ludwig

60s and Vistalite drums and Sabian and Paiste
cymbals in a ride, hi-hat and two crashes
configuration. The snares consist of a Ludwig
400 and Gretsch Chrome over Brass both of
which also have dampened versions.
But those are just the tip of the iceberg. The
vintage kit is available in a dozen preset
versions which sound as different as night and
day, while the modern kit has almost 20
variants ranging from disco to metal.
The sounds are certainly a step up from the
EZ1 samples rich, detailed and varied, with
deeply layered samples to prevent
machinegunning.
The two stock kits are extremely versatile and

would cover almost any genre, from classic
rock to indie. Of course, theres no jazz, Latin
or electronica but those are readily available
as add-ons in the extensive Toontrack library.
In action
I tested EZ2 in a few different set-ups ranging

from a Zendrum to a Roland TD-30 and, as
mentioned, the quirky Aerodrums application.
With the Roland TD-30, the stock EZ2 Roland

map worked a treat. Head and rim triggering
on the drums was perfect, cymbal chokes and
edge detection were spot-on and the hi-hat
calibration was good although there didnt
appear to be as many steps of openness as
the native Roland module.
There is some tweaking room for hi-hat
calibration, with four additional settings
available besides the none option.
For the Zendrum, I used the EZ2 Roland map,

which turned out to be a plug and play solution.
The playing experience was excellent, with
minimal latency for all the applications tested
direct from the Roland module or via firewire
for the Zendrum. The depth of sample layering
gave a natural feel to playing, and I was
particularly impressed with the rim triggering
which somehow felt even more natural than
Rolands own processing engine.
The lack of MIDI mapping does, however,

detract from the overall appeal, especially
when you know that some of the libraries have
articulations that you cant access. For
example, its really useful to be able to select
roll, drag and flam articulations for the
Zendrum, but these are not selectable in EZ2
even where they are available in the sample
bank.
Overall
Toontrack has come up with a fresh new look,

a lively and capable new engine and some
great sounds, but it is clear that the power of
EZdrummer 2 lies in the drummer part of the
name.
Like the drummer function built into Apples
Logic Pro X, this pack is really designed to
replace real stick-wavers. Much of the
innovation in this offering centres around the
powerful MIDI loops and sequencing.
A non-drummer can easily create a drum track

by dropping loops into a timeline where they
can be customised on the fly and, importantly,
recorded in the app itself without having to
jump backwards and forwards to a DAW.
And the drum tracks which can easily be
produced in EZdrummer 2 are certainly
impressive.
While there is a lot of new stuff in this offering,

e-drummers have largely been overlooked in
the process. But, nevertheless, theres still
plenty of appeal for those of us just looking to
use the toaster. There is a neat, easy-to-use
display, excellent and versatile sounds, an
idiot-proof mixer and a programme that gets
along with most input options (luckily, because
of the lack of MIDI editing options).
EZdrummer 2 is available as an upgrade for

around $90 or $150 for a fresh install. EZX
expansion packs sell for around $40 and cover
a multitude of genres, from Americana to funk
and percussion. For existing users, its
certainly a worthwhile upgrade, if only for the
new sounds and the cleaner interface. For edrummers starting out, its an excellent VST on
which to cut your teeth especially since its
main rival, Addictive Drums, has also gone the
drummer replacement route with its new
offering.
But for those with more patience, I suspect
(and thats just a guess) that there will be
something worth waiting for when Toontrack
applies its innovations to the more drummerfriendly offering Superior Drummer 3.
49
MONSTER
My
kit
This months kit, assembled by Eric Linder from

Spartanburg, SC, is a real monster.
Erics story
I started playing drum in 1974 and

drummers like Peter Criss, Nicko
Mcbrain and Alex Van Halen stimulated
my need to build a monster kit. A
couple of years ago, joining Drums,
Drummers and Drumming as an admin
led me to Ryan Guard of Pintech USA.
Pintechs electronic conversion
package allowed me to create a kit that
covered all the bases and appeased
my complaining neighbours. Each
drum, cymbal and pad can sound like
anything I choose and, as a
percussionist, that is sweet. Now, I
have one mean Monster Kit I call Black
Masses. I dont think I will ever stop
adding to it. I tell people I will stop
drumming when they pry the sticks from
my cold dead hands.
Kit details:
Drums: Two 8 toms, one 10 tom,

three 12 toms, three 13 toms, three
ddrum DD1 tom pads, 6, 8 and 10
overhead roto toms, two 16 floor toms,
14 snare, ddrum DD1 snare pad, three
50
22 bass drums and a ddrum DD1 bass

pad. Shells are triggered with Pintech
conversions or Pintech Trigger Perfects
Cymbals: Eight Pintech PC crashes,
eight Pintech PC splashes, three
Pintech Visu-Lite custom 6 splashes,
Pintech PC ride, two Pintech Visu-Lite
rides and two Pintech Visu-Lite chinas.
Effects: Four Pintech NR6 Nimrods,
one Pintech DB12 Dingbat
Hardware: Gibraltar Road Series Rack

System, Gibraltar Clamps
Pedals: Two sets of Pearl Power
Shifter Eliminator double bass pedals
Modules: DD1M module, SDHB2

module, two Pintech EZ Modules, 24
input Ultra Patch Pro, Rane ME15
Equalizer, Samson S-Com Stereo
Compressor Limiter, QSC GX7 Power
Amplifier fed through 2 Wharfdale 2,000
W Bass cabs with two Harbinger
APS15 loudspeakers. MIDI support
powered by BDF2 & BDF3 premixed on
a Yamaha MG102c and Yamaha
AW16G Recording Mixer.
Share
your kit
digitalDRuMMER, NOVEMBER 2014
51
dd_nov2014_Layout 3 12/10/14 12:21 PM Page 52
gear Guide
KIT SUBSTITUTES
AUXILLARY TRIGGERS
New & improved
Robust and affordable auxillary

triggers, now with improved sturdy
mounts and new custom surfaces
for hand and stick responses.
CONVERSION KITS
For purchase information, please contact

Dave Peck: Phone #303-414-6363
Email: thecowpaddy@Gmail.com
DRUM WRAPS
e-Conversion made easy Transformation
Stealth Drums turns acoustic cymbals

and drums into responsive triggers which
bring out the best of most modules.
Carefully built components shipped with
easy-to-follow instructions for the perfect
e-cymbal or drum that looks and plays
like the real thing.
Now, also offering custom readyto-use 2BOX hi-hat kits.
And Stealth Drums new memory
expansion kits boost the 2BOX module
to 32 Gb - enough to accommodate a
range of hi-definition VST kits.
Bum Wrap Drum Company creates

affordable drum wraps for any
drummer. Absolutely the best company
on the market for drum wraps with the
sharpest designs, easiest fitting and
most affordable prices in the industry.
Visit us online today
52
www.stealthdrums.com
gear Guide
E-DRUM RETAILERS
DRUM TRAINING
&7&3:5)*
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&-&$530/*
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1IPOF

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CUSTOM KITS
Perfect
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Diamond now offers a 2BOX-optimised

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This custom option ensures you get the very
best performance from a winning
combination for perfect triggering.
www.diamondelectronicdrums.com
60
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53
n
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g
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m
o
C
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a
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b
e
F
NAMM Show 2015
The Anaheim show is a

glimpse into future
products and trends. Well
share the highlights and
the product debuts.
Trigger happy
digitalDrummers external
trigger comparison
continues with new models
put through their paces in a
head2head.
Simmons stryke 6
iPad drumming gets a new

dimension with a six-pad
offering from Guitar
Centers Simmons brand.
Well have a bash.
All this and so much more in the next edition of
.. Get the latest e-drum news at www.digitaldrummermag.com/news ... Get the l

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dd_nov2014_Layout 3 6/10/14 11:17 AM Page 1

Edition 20 - NOVEMBER 2014

The global electronic drumming e-zine

2014 Avedis Zildjian Company

THE NEXT GENERATION

OF reduced volume cymbals

dd_nov2014_Layout 3 6/10/14 11:04 AM Page 3

ABN: 61 833 620 984

Design and layout

Forget the legalese and just

digitalDRUMMER, NOVEMBER 2014

WELCOME TO OUR 20th edition, marking the culmination of

dd_nov2014_Layout 3 6/10/14 11:04 AM Page 4

The global electronic drumming e-zine

Much to the surprise of a large army of naysayers, the

Stepping up ito the middle

Yamaha has a new line of kits built around the updated

Rolands KT-10 bass drum solution made its debut earlier

Stand and deliver

The growing popularity of two-piece electronic hi-hats and

The hybrid wave has hit Germany, with a variety of

We generally deal with the sounds, but now its time to

dd_nov2014_Layout 3 6/10/14 11:04 AM Page 5

Hail to the Queen

A music store competition kick-started a career which has

How I use e-drums

Originally a solo side project for drummer OCD Adam,

In the last edition, Michael Schack explained that although

EZer for non-drummers

Toontracks EZdrummer has long been an industry stalwart,

This months kit, assembled by Eric Linder from

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

dd_nov2014_Layout 3 6/10/14 11:04 AM Page 6

Much to the surprise of a large army of

dd_nov2014_Layout 3 6/10/14 11:04 AM Page 7

I FIRST SAW the DM Dock at NAMM four

The iPad is increasingly being adopted as a

The thinking behind the DM Dock is simple:

Whats in the box

The DM Dock is a housing which

The iPad slides into the unit (with an adaptor

digitalDRUMMER, NOVEMBER 2014

changes in the main connector, so the device

The back panel has 12 stereo trigger inputs

There are only two dials on the face of the unit

The dock is a two-tone affair, made of grey and

dd_nov2014_Layout 3 6/10/14 11:04 AM Page 8

One of the measures of a modules capability

Those basic controls provide an arsenal of

with edge sensing possibly because the

Interestingly, theres no save function on the

And the sounds

This is where the app comes in. It provides 10

dd_nov2014_Layout 3 6/10/14 11:04 AM Page 9

Each instrument sound is also editable, with

One obstacle I encountered early on is limited

Youll notice that there is no Audio In socket

DrumJam, while playing along to songs from

So, the playing experience was good, but not

I firmly believe that iPad drumming will be the

So, heres what I like

The design, layout and connectivity are

dd_nov2014_Layout 3 6/10/14 11:04 AM Page 10

The onscreen controls are fantastic just what