Digitaldrummer Nov 2018

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Edition 36 • November 2018 US$10
Flur:
The father :
of e-drums
ddt
Ben MS140
Todd Ryandebuts
NAMM Halsey DrumIt
Emily D. Three
Davies
www.dwdrums.com/dwedrumenhancer
©2018 DRUM WORKSHOP, INC. & AUDIFIED. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
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welcome
digitalDrummer_Nov_2018.qxp_Layout 3 21/10/18 2:29 pm Page 3
THE PIONEERING GERMAN electronic band Kraftwerk comes

up quite often in our artist profile interviews. Many of the early
CREDITS
adopters of electronic percussion cite drummer Wolfgang Flür
DigitalDrummer as their inspiration.
ABN: 61 833 620 984 Flür wasn’t the band’s first drummer, but when he joined, he
30 Oldfield Place was actually replacing an early drum machine. Kraftwerk’s
founders were looking to emulate its minimalist tones and
Brookfield Q 4069
rhythms and Flür had to resort to home-made instruments to
AUSTRALIA achieve their vision.
[email protected] That was many, many years ago and the drummer has moved
www.digitaldrummermag.com on, but as you can read in this month’s profile, he still keenly
uses electronics in his current musical ventures. And, like so
Editor & Publisher
many artists who have shared their stories with
Allan Leibowitz digitalDrummer, he wishes he could have had today’s
Sub-Editor instruments when he was starting out.
Solana da Silva This month’s edition includes plenty of evidence of the evolution
which continues to win Flür’s admiration.
Contributors We look at the explosion of analogue machines on the market.
CB Averitt Once expensive, complicated and temperamental, these
Ryan Halsey machines are now affordable, reliable and versatile. Our
coverage includes insights into how the old/new technology is
Raul Vargas being used and covers some of the products currently
Cover Photo available.
Simon Watson Another category of instruments which would have made life
so much easier for the e-drum pioneers is the new crop of
Design and layout triggers with built-in samples. These hybrid tools clip onto an
‘talking business’ acoustic drum and provide the drummers with additional
sounds which they can use to augment the natural tones of
their drums. There are a few alternatives, each with something
Support digitalDrummer unique – and they’re well worth looking at, especially if you’re
an acoustic drummer who just needs the odd sound or effect
and you don’t want to go fully electronic.
If you like what you’re reading, Other reviews include the much-awaited 2box Drumit Three –
please make a donation. the little brother to the original module. It’s been a long time
. coming, but has some features missing from the original –
mainly enhanced compatibility with third-party triggers. And in
the face of the intense competition in the high-end module
market, the ability to accommodate all triggers is a basic
Founding member prerequisite.
We also test a new snare from understated German e-drum
maker ddt. The snare is steeped in a tradition of quality, good
looks and excellent performance, with ddt making some of the
Copyright or wrong: best external and internal trigger kits on the market.
Forget the legalese and just play And, speaking of quality, it’s that time again: voting is now open
fair! We work hard to produce in our annual Readers’ Choice awards, and we urge you to take
digitalDrummer. Please respect a few minutes to let us know which products hit the mark for
that and don’t rip off our content. In you this year and which drummers are making a difference.
this age of electronic publishing, it’s
obviously tempting to “borrow” other
people’s work, and we are happy to
share our stuff — but please ask first
and be sure to include a link back to
our website on anything published
elsewhere.
[email protected]
digitalDRUMMER, November 2018 3

inside
digitalDrummer November 2018
Analogue is cool again

6
Allan Leibowitz looks at a new trend, highlighted by a plethora
of new analogue machines.
10 New products
A few new models have hit the market, just in time for the
holiday season. Here are some of the goodies now available.
Trigger happy
14
Hybrid is more than hype, and digitalDrummer compares some
easy to use, affordable options.
ddt hits the spot

20
A recent offering from Germany’s ddt ups the ante in the e-
snare stakes and Allan Leibowitz tried it out with some current
modules.
2box encore
24
It’s been a while coming, but digitalDrummer got hold of 2box’s
new module and took it for a run.
Mackie offers IEMs

28
Mackie has entered the earphone market and we test its latest
monitoring offering – the MP-240 dual-driver in-ear monitors.
4 www.digitaldrummermag.com
31 Tool almost removes drums

Is it easy to remove drums from mixed tracks? We try another
tool that claims to be able to.
34 Profile: Wolfgang Flur

Music historians trace the e-drum revolution back to German
electronic group Kraftwerk. And the man behind that new sound
was Wolfgang Flür.
38 How I use e-drums

Ryan Halsey uses electronics to recreate recorded sounds in
live performances.
40 Totally toms
Some might find Raul Vargas’ latest lesson a bit challenging,
but take it slow and you’ll get there.
42 My Monster Kit
CB Averitt from Florence, South Carolina takes us into his
studio to share his kit.

feature
Analogue
is cool
again
Allan Leibowitz looks at a new trend,

highlighted by a plethora of new analogue
machines.
ELECTRONIC DRUMS STARTED “I call it the ‘graduation process’: the kid,

analogue and soon became digital, but it who is 14 years old and using some
looks like old school is new again, with a software on his computer, like the Arturia
swag of analogue drum synthesizers now soft synth, Native Instruments and all that
flooding the market. incredible stuff out there, will reach a stage
So why, when music instrument makers where he just wants to stop looking at the
have made real sample-based digital drum screen and wants to touch something.”
brains more affordable than ever, are Borcherds notes that while prices have
people again yearning for machines that fallen, quality and reliability have improved
produce limited tones which sound totally immeasurably.
artificial? The UK-based drummer has been touring
Arturia artist/demonstrator Bryan to demonstrate the DrumBrute Impact, the
Borcherds (opposite) believes analogue is latest drum synth which features 10 drum
not a fad. “It’s come full circle, but it’s here sounds, a highly programmable sequencer
to stay and shows no sign of slowing and a range of performance controls.
down. The synth retails for about $300 in the US,
“Analogue has always been there.The big giving it a price advantage in a very
reason it’s so popular now is that it’s competitive market.
affordable. In 2012, when our MiniBrute Among the recent analogue converts is
came out, it was the first monophonic London-based session drummer Jonathan
analogue synthesizer that was affordable - Atkinson. While he still uses digital rigs
before that, you were looking at $1,500- when touring with Howard Jones and Kim
$2,000 – and this thing came out at a Wilde, he’s gone fully analogue in his
fraction of the price. studio, using a DSI Tempest, a Moog
“So, today, people learn on the software Sub37 and an Elektron Analog Four as his
and then they want to learn main sound sources.
how to play the real “I’ve just done the score for a forthcoming
thing. PlayStation game to be released later
this year, and I’ve also done a TV
series for RTÉ and a bunch of
sample packs for
Loopmasters using this
gear and the work flow
I have developed,” he
explains.
With so many samples available and
easy to manipulate digitally, what’s the
DrumBrute Impact attraction of analogue?
digitalDrummer, November 2018 7

“There are so many more options to

create sounds – and so many of the
sounds we use now like the
(Roland) 808 were created from
scratch. So rather than copy these,
why not go back to the basis of their
creation – subtractive synthesis?”
he explains. “So, rather than troll
through thousands of samples, why
not make your own – know the
sound you want to create in your
head and just make one. Something
that’s new and fit for the track and
tuned for the track and has the
decay that you want.
“When you see what people are
doing in the keyboard world, I think
drums can only follow that,”
Oli Rubow
Atkinson explains.
Atkinson applauds the arrival of mass- German hybrid drummer Oli Rubow is
market analogue machines, anticipating another strong supporter of analogue
that there should be strong interest. “It technology.
does open up an enormous amount of “Since my first experiments with old school
creativity and possibilities ... but I would analogue drum brains like the Simmons
imagine that most people just want SDS V and Tama Techstar modules, I fell
something that sounds like an 808 kick in love with the richness of the sound and
drum but is analogue and has a bit of life to the idea of morphing the sound on the fly. I
it. And you’ve got more control over it and discovered a more musical use of smoothly
can manipulate it in different ways.” turning knobs instead of switching
presets,” he says.
Rubow loves classic signature Roland
808/909 sounds, “especially the kick
drum – from punchy to boomy, the
electronic handclap and the noisy
cymbals”. However, his weapon of choice
is the Vermona DRM1, which he plays
using a MIDI drum controller.
“As I see my drum sounds as a picture of
different frequencies, the eight-channel
DRM1 is the perfect tool to intuitively
integrate the missing frequencies,” he
explains.
Rubow also uses a Vermona Kick Lancet
for live performances, triggered by a
Roland KT-10 pedal.
The German drummer is a heavy user of
delay boxes, which he describes as his
Jonathan Atkinson “invisible third hand”.
Plenty of options
Besides Arturia’s DrumBrute, there are a number of
prosumer analogue drum synths currently jostling for
market attention. Among the competitors is Nord Drum
3P, a compact six-channel modelling percussion synth
with an integrated multi-pad, reverb and delay effects, a
simplified sound selection mode and new sound banks
for quickly creating custom kits on the fly.
Another contender is Korg’s Volca Beats, which
combines analogue drum sounds with the step
sequencer of the Electribe. This unit also boasts a PCM
sound engine which “expands possibilities when used
with analogue sounds”, according to the manufacturer.
For many, a return to the origins of e-drumming doesn’t
mean sacrificing digital advances.
Roland’s Aira TR-8, for example, revives the classic
TR-808 and TR-909 sounds, combining them with
features and functions for the modern age.
Roland boasts that its Analog Circuit Behaviour (ACB)
technology allows “part-by-part analyses and faithful
recreation of tonality and behaviour, including the
smooth variations of tone that occur when you work the
controls of each instrument”.
The unit has a 16-step sequencer with A and B pattern variations and the
ability to play instruments and record to steps in real time.
Akai’s MPC range has been a consistent performer in
this category, and its latest Touch model is powered
by a 7" colour multi-touch display. Users can grab and
pinch waveforms, draw MIDI events, adjust
envelopes, chop samples, add effects and precisely
set their controls using their fingertips.
This is a long way from traditional analogue synths
with a couple of knobs and faders and it comes bundled with over 20,000
sounds from elite content providers covering the gamut of musical styles,
including AIR, CR2, Toolroom, MVP Loops, Sonivox and Prime Loops.
Passing fad or shape of things to come, analogue synths are becoming
flavour of the month and the more the sounds are used in mainstream hits,
the more pressure will mount on drummers to deliver. And, just as the big
name e-drum companies have accommodated acoustic sounds in their
modules and VST offerings, we’ll no doubt see more analogue emulation in
the mainstream products – but we’ll also see drummers who want to learn
and grow through mastering analogue creativity.
10
digitalDrummer, November 2018 www.digitaldrummermag.com
9
gear
New products
A few new models have hit the market, just
in time for the holiday season. Here are
some of the goodies now available.
Porter & Davies

goes ‘budget’
Porter & Davies has launched a new
version of its tactile monitoring
system. The BC-X is a scaled-back
version of the BC2 and BC Gigster.
The new smaller model comes with
simplified professional standard
features and a reduced price.
The BC-X has the same quality build,
identical response time and many of
the same superior components as the
BC2 and BC Gigster.
Roland boosts TD-1

At less than a third of the weight of
the BC2 and more than 10% lighter
than the BC Gigster, the new engine
Roland will add a new entry-level kit, the TD-1DMK. is highly portable.
Where the current TD-1 kit is a compact kit with The new unit is priced at £479 plus
rubber pads, the TD-1DMK is built around a full-size VAT - £200 cheaper than the next
rack and includes all mesh pads – a PDX-8 dual- model up.
zone snare and three PDX-6A single-zone toms.
The kit also uses CY-5 cymbals for the ride, hi-hat
and crash.
The module has 15 preset kits and 15 built-in play-
along songs as well as onboard coach functions and
the new Melodics for V-Drums software.
A record function lets you listen back to what you
just played, for evaluation purposes.
The kit is available for pre-order at around $700.
Simmons adds
compact monitor
Simmons has introduced the new DA25
Electronic Drum Amplifier. This portable 25
watt amp joins the DA50 and DA200S in
Simmons' line of electronic drum amplifiers.
The DA25's amplifier drives an 8” woofer and
a 2” tweeter to deliver plenty of clean,
undistorted sound across the 20 Hz to 20 kHz
frequency range.
Aerodrums goes 3D
It features a two-band EQ with a low band
centred at 60 Hz and a high band pitched
around 10 kHz, each with a ±12 dB sweep.
The Simmons DA25 Electronic Drum Amplifier
Virtual drumming programme Aerodrums
has a street price of $149.99.
has launched a virtual reality add-on to its
unique air drumming percussion
instrument. The 3D/VR feature is a free
app that complements the Aerodrums
experience by augmenting it with 3D
visuals that can be viewed on screen or
through virtual reality headsets.
The companion app shows the drummer a
responsive 3D rendering of their drum set,
drum sticks and feet as they play. It allows
them to reposition their drums in 3D, whilst
also supporting other interactions with
Aerodrums; such as playing songs,
enabling a metronome and recording
performances.
The app supports Windows, Mac OS X,
iOS and Android devices, as well as the
Oculus Go, Oculus Rift and Samsung
Gear VR headsets.
XM debuts new brain and kid’s kit

Taiwan’s XM eDrum was on hand at the Music China Fair in
Shanghai last month to show a prototype of its new 200S
module.
The module features “velocity stratification” with added sample
layers, while more hi-hat openness levels are also included.
The module has individually adjusted EQ for each drum as
well as new reverb functions.
The e-drum maker also showed its first children’s digital drum
sets built around smaller thrones and designed for players
under 1 m in height.

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Trigger
14
happy www.digitaldrummermag.com
Hybrid is more than hype, and Allan Leibowitz

compares some easy to use, affordable options.
Stand-alone triggers, already loaded with

samples, are a new growth area,
popularised by Roland’s RT-MicS.
These instruments are part of the hybrid
move, with acoustic and electronic
elements blended to create specific
sounds.
Our interest was first aroused by Drem
Trigger, which launched on Kickstarter in
April 2017, surpassing its goal, but not
quite reaching the $40,000 stretch goal.
We’ve been keenly awaiting a review
sample, but the trigger has not yet shipped.
We held off doing a head-to-head
comparison while we waited for the Drem
to hit production, but in the interests of
timeliness, here’s our take on the two
contenders currently on offer.
TrigMic
As it turns out, Drem is not the first trigger
preloaded with samples. TrigMic has been You’ll get some reflector strips that you
around since 2011. need to attach to your beater (or you can
order custom beaters).
TrigMic offers a number of trigger versions,
but the developer was keen that we try the Getting ready:
“original” product, the TrigMic kick. Elijah Once the unit is positioned so that the
Mudrenov said his experience was that beam shines on the beater or beaters, you
“almost all the drummers want to trigger a need to configure the trigger for either a
kick drum first of all. That's why my single or double kick. There’s an additional
company is focused on the kick drum setting to create machinegun triggering in
triggering devices.” Who am I to argue with dual mode (don’t ask me why).
that?
The unit connects to an amp or PA via an
The concept: XLR output.
TrigMic is a contactless laser-powered Tweaking the unit is fairly old school –
trigger. Buyers get a Laser Pick unit that there are five LEDs that tell you the status
attaches to the rim – either a full-width in various modes. There are a couple of
wooden hoop or a regular tom-style hoop. prominent switches (on/off and open/mute)
The unit is powered by a regular AA battery and three buttons at the bottom, used to
(not supplied) and by default shines two set parameters and change sounds.
beams downward to trigger a double kick.
The unit is Bluetooth-enabled, which is heads at all since it doesn’t require

great. Not so great is that the companion vibrations – it just needs the beater to
app is only available in Android. While you break the beam.
can actually do much of the adjustment by Bang for buck:
holding multiple buttons simultaneously, it
is much easier with the app. Using the app, Including shipping, the bass drum unit
you can tweak more than half a dozen comes in at just over $200. That’s a
parameters, including sensor type, modest investment for a self-contained
threshold, mask time and retrigger – plug and play hybrid solution of a trigger
although TrigMic uses its own names for all plus 10 sounds.
of those.
Importantly, you can also import new
sounds from a library of about 50 custom
.tms files.
For the more creative, there are also
Windows and Java tools for custom
sample creation.
In action:
TrigMic is designed to extend the
drummer’s sonic palette without the need
for a drum module, computer connection or
external power sources.
The sonic extension consists of 10
onboard kits – two banks of five each.
Actually, the second bank is empty on
shipping, so you’ll need access to one of
the software tools to fill ‘er up.
Since I was using a kick, I flicked through a
bunch of stock kick sounds, from deep to
punchy to electronic. While there’s no way
of auditioning the sounds in the app, the
easiest way is to load them all and see
which are useful. Each time you load a
sound, it overwrites the existing sound in
that slot, so if you’ve lost one you like, RT-MicS
simply grab it again and save it over one The concept:
you like less.
In Roland’s words, “if your gigs demand
Triggering was easy to dial in and rock more than your acoustic drums can deliver,
solid once you get there. The dynamic the RT-MicS is the gateway to an inspiring
range was good since we’re talking kick new world of hybrid sounds”. The RT-MicS
sounds, and the risk of machinegunning is a microphone, a trigger and a mini-
was low (in non-machinegun mode). module in a single unit that attaches to the
It’s worth noting that you can use the drum hoop – either a full-width wooden
TrigMic with either mylar or mesh heads – bass hoop or a standard snare/tom hoop.
in fact, you could probably use it with no Interestingly, the manual says it can’t be
attached to wooden hoops, but I managed than the more traditional placement at the
that without any problems. It is powered by resonant head.
a 9 volt battery (supplied) or an AC adaptor As a trigger, it works really well both on the
(sold separately). head and as a rim sensor.
Getting ready: The preloaded sounds - a couple of
Set-up is logical and easy: attach the unit snares, a couple of claps, two sets of
to the hoop and connect it to your amp or percussion sounds and two impact
PA via two ¼” TRS cables – one for the elements - make it clear the unit is
mic and one for the electronic sounds. primarily designed for use with a snare, but
There’s only one adjustment – sensitivity, you can change that by loading your own
which adjusts the sensitivity (surprised?) of samples. Roland has a free app for sample
the pickup. This control has no impact on loading, available for both Windows and
the mic setting. Mac. Simply connect the trigger unit to
your computer via USB, select the target
When you’re ready to play, a switch allows location for the sample, choose a suitable
you to select your sound source: the sound from your hard drive (.wav, AIFF,
pickup or a mix of pickup and mic. And you AAC or MP3) and transfer it in one click.
can control that mix by adjusting volume Roland has even supplied copies of the
dials for each. You can even configure the stock sounds because loading new ones
unit so that imported sounds are only overwrites the originals.
triggered when you hit the rim.
The sounds are single layers, but the unit
There’s a digital display on the top that adds a lot of options, bounded only by your
shows which “patch” is currently selected, access to sounds and the limits of your
and you can scroll through the eight imagination – and the 10 second per
sounds by tapping the oversize button sound time limit.
which also lights up when a strike is
detected. Bang for buck:
In action: Hybrid drumming just doesn’t get any

easier: this is probably the most idiot-proof
Roland has mastered the art of delivering plug and play single-unit solution currently
complex tools to the mass market, and the available.
RT-MicS is designed to be instantly usable
by anyone, regardless of their e-drum Sure, it only comes with eight sounds, but
knowledge – or lack thereof. It is very the free software allows you to easily add
much plug and play, and the limited your own samples in almost any common
controls (don’t overcomplicate things!) format.
make it extremely intuitive and easy to use. Of course, that convenience comes at a
As a drum mic, it works well. Sure, it’s no price – in this case, $260. Yes, you could
Neumann KM 84, but it’s a good clean mic achieve the same effects (plus a bit more)
which does a good all-round job. Even on with a TM-2 module ($200) and a TR-
the kick, it performed well – despite the fact 30RH trigger ($90), but not as
that it’s positioned on the batter side, rather conveniently, nor in one compact package.
Absent friends
As mentioned at the outset, this head-
to-head comparison is not totally
complete. We’re still waiting to try the
Drem Trigger which we’re told will sell
for around $499. For that, you’ll get a
unit that is somewhere between the
two reviewed here: a contactless
trigger system with 4 GB of internal
Drem Trigger
memory, multi-layer samples, an eight-
hour battery life and full MIDI
capability. It is expected to ship with a
“sample management platform” that
will allow users to fully customise the
sounds.
Also missing from this review is Finhol
Air Kick, a $200 bass drum trigger
and sample box. Unlike the previous
triggers, this one is mounted inside a
bass drum or just outside the sound
hole. Its pressure sensor with
adjustable sensitivity accurately Finhol Air Kick
captures the performance and
dynamics and applies one of two
selectable sounds, routed to a PA via a
single XLR output. We have not been
able to get hold of a review sample,
and if anyone from Finhol reads this,
please find out why our emails have
not been answered!
Finally, a reminder about some hybrid
solutions we have already reviewed:
Sensory Percussion
the Sensory Percussion kit which
recently had a significant price drop
down to $550 for the single unit, and
the software-based apTrigga 3
solution which turns any trigger or mic
into a hybrid solution for just $69 or
$89 with a full custom sound set. And,
let’s not forget the Big Daddy of
trigger/mic systems, the Yamaha
EAD10, a simple solution to micing
and applying FX to a whole kit with a
street price of $500. Yamaha EAD10
DrumIt
Update Three
your
Drums
with outstanding Sound Quality
Open Sound Universal Flexible
Architecture Trigger Interface Pad Functions
• Create your own High Resolution • Create a Hybrid Set • Metronome Start & Stop
Multilayer Sounds • Use existing Pads • Choose Next or
• Add new Sounds by Drag & Drop • Supports most popular Previous Kit
• Easy to learn Editor Software Brands and Pads • Tempo Tapping
Features
• 15 Trigger Channels
• 4 Outputs
• 3-Zone Cymbals
• 3-Zone Snare
• MIDI In/Out
• Line In
• 4 GB Sound Memory
• Free Updates
• Free Sounds
facebook.com/2BOXDrums
www.2BOX-Drums.com
Anzeige_216x303.indd 1 10.10.2018 11:32:35

gear
ddt hits
the spot
A recent offering from Germany’s ddt ups the

ante in the e-snare stakes and Allan Leibowitz
tried it out with some current modules.
THE SNARE IS probably the most important

drum and it makes sense that e-drum
manufacturers pay particular attention to this
instrument in their product lines.
With this in mind, we recently tested the 14”
MS-140 E Snare from German maker ddt. It’s
worth noting that we missed this manufacturer
in our big 2011 e-snare round-up, but this
product is a significant departure from the rail
trigger system used in earlier ddt snares.
What’s in the box
It’s a heavy box, with the chrome snare
weighing in at around 3.5 Kg. The drum comes
equipped with a clear mylar resonant head and
a two-ply mesh batter head. The top hoop is
enclosed in a rubber noise protector.
There’s a ¼” TRS output jack, which is a
departure from earlier XLR connectors.
Overall, the shell just shouts quality. From the
mirror chrome finish to the generous inclusion
of 12 lugs on each side (even upscale
acoustics snares only have 10!) and the solid Drumit Three
flanged hoop, you can tell this is not a cheap The snare was easily dialled in, using the
instrument. module’s PadPP (piezo/piezo) preset, with no
Internally, there’s a plastic “spider truss”, adjustment to the rim. It was responsive,
similar in concept to the platforms used to delivering smooth triggering, even for direct
house triggers in other German e-snares, from hits right on the tip of the cone. Overall,
drum-tec to R-drums. However, this design triggering was excellent, with good dynamics
uses plastic where most of the others use and the ability to pick up the lightest of
metal arms. ddt’s trademark blue foam cone touches.
sits in the middle of the platform and the rim Roland TD-17
trigger appears to be mounted below the Set up in PD128 setting, the snare produced
platform – much like the other centre-mounted excellent triggering on the head, but it required
triggers. The theory is that rim hits are a minor boost of rim gain. With this module,
conducted from the hoop, via the lugs, and there was no noticeable hot spot. Again,
through the arms. dynamics were excellent and the snare was
Aesthetically, this is a very attractive drum – able to produce everything from full-on rim
solid and substantial, with a large playing area shots to ghost notes.
and just enough depth (3.5”) to make it look ATV aD5
like a drum rather than a pad. I had thought this snare would be plug and
In action play in the drum-tec Pro s14 setting since that
I’ll preface this analysis by pointing out that 10 snare also has a spider-type mount, but that
years ago, Pintech fitted triggers into sex toys setting didn’t produce adequate rim response.
and achieved decent playability, thanks to the This is probably because drum-tec’s metal
tolerance and tweaking capability of the arms are better conductors than ddt’s plastic
modules around at the time. Today’s drum ones. Using the Roland PD128 setting with a
brains are even more capable, and the latest touch of rim sensitivity boost, I got excellent
models boast the ability to accommodate most triggering, sensitivity and dynamics.
trigger inputs. So, the MS-140 will most likely Pearl MimicPro
be used in combination with a module that can Using the latest firmware, I set up the snare
easily be dialled in to its particular performance using the Roland PD-128 setting with
profile. reasonably low gain settings for both head and
We tested the snare with some of the current rim. With very minor adjustments, the snare
crop of modules and found it to be an delivered excellent responsiveness, dynamics
outstanding performer across the board – often and even triggering across the head and rim,
without much parameter adjustment. with no hot spot.
Yamaha DTX 502 fundamentals required for good overall

Using the most current of our Yamaha triggering. Firstly, one needs a responsive
modules, I got good triggering in stock setting, sensor that quickly and accurately transmits
but head only in the snare input, as these are impulses. Then you need decent rim triggering
designed for piezo/switch, not piezo/piezo and, finally, accurate separation between head
inputs. However, using the tom inputs which and rim hits. And for centre-mounted triggers,
are designed for dual-piezo signals, I achieved you also have to overcome the risk of a hot
good rim triggering. So, if you want to use this spot when the head is struck on or near the
snare with a Yamaha module, just use a tom sensor.
input and reassign the snare sounds to that Without doubt, the MS-140 delivers on all
input. those basics. Paired with everything in our
Pearl Red Box arsenal, it was a very playable, highly
There are probably still a few of these modules responsive, accurate and dynamic snare drum.
in use (and their design is very similar to the In short, it looks great and performs extremely
Alesis DM10, so these findings probably apply well. The dual-ply mesh head feels natural,
to that popular module as well). Using one of with a realistic level of bounce, low noise
the stock snare presets, this snare was output and the ability to hold its tension.
virtually plug and play, with excellent response It is on sale direct from ddt for €269 or on its
on the head. However, the rim needed a boost. eBay store for around $350, and is covered by
When that was done, performance was an industry-leading three-year warranty.
excellent. Strangely, the 12” solid timber version of the
Overall snare is actually €20 more expensive, making
the MS-140 an even more attractive prospect.
As we have noted, drum pad performance has
as much to do with module capability as with
trigger design, but there are some
18
www.digitaldrummermag.com

gear
2box encore
It’s been a while coming, but
digitalDrummer got hold of 2box’s new
module and took it for a run.
2BOX REALLY SHOOK things up in 2011 but this version is actually much friendlier to
when it launched its first kit powered by the other triggers. Take, for example, the hi-hat.
DrumIt Five module featuring real samples. Previously, you had to use a proprietary one-
However, that competitive edge has been cable solution – either an original 2box hi-hat
eroded with the arrival of other sample-based and controller combo or an aftermarket hack
e-drums, notably the now defunct MarkDrum, like a Stealth Drums kit or a Zourman
but more recently, ATV’s aD5, Alesis’s Strike converter box. Now, there is a separate input
and Pearl’s mimicPro. for the controller, which means you can use
almost any hi-hat solution.
For a few years now, 2box has been trying to
get back into the game with an updated The new module also accommodates two-
version of its module, and this year the new cable, three-zone ride cymbals and Yamaha’s
DrumIt Three hit the shelves. three-zone snares.
What’s in the box? There are also some functionality changes and
more stock sounds.
The new module clearly reflects its heritage,
but features a fresh, minimalist design. In action
Weighing in at almost 2 kg and in stealth black
2box has stuck with its user interface based on
metal casing with orange highlights, it’s a
two main areas – unit (overall settings) and kit
serious-looking module.
(individual kit settings). I wasn’t a huge fan of
At the business end, on the rear panel, there this approach in the original and seven years
are 14 ¼” inputs (actually 13 trigger inputs and later, in the age of large touch screens, I’m
a hi-hat controller) – which is four more than even less enthused. But the good news is that
the DI5. However, the new module has fewer most users will only have to work their way
direct outs – four compared to the six of the through the menus when they set up the
previous model. module – and when they add or change
hardware or import sounds, so I understand
There’s also the usual MIDI in and out
why 2box didn’t invest a whole lot of R&D into
connections as well as a USB port (USB 1!),
making this as user-friendly as some of the
together with a ¼” headphone jack and a ¼”
other offerings on the market.
stereo line in.
The initial set-up requires connection of the
The face of the module features a simplified
triggers. Most pads will be connected with a
user interface, with fewer knobs than the DI5 –
single TRS cable, but some three-zone
the major sacrifice being the individual trigger
cymbals might need two cables (hence the
audition buttons which I thought were a waste
CYM B inputs).
on the original drum brain. I would have
expected the additional real estate to be used Then, you choose an appropriate pad type on
for a larger display, but the DI3 keeps the the module. There are a range of new trigger
same monochromatic LCD readout. presets which weren’t available in the DI5 as
well as a GainR setting to cool down hot
Under the skin triggers. In the set-up, a drum pad could be
With the DI3, 2box has retained the best assigned as PadP (piezo/piezo) or PaPSY
features of the original module while adding (Yamaha-style piezo/switch). This gets you
some new features which were missing. roughly in the right range and, with a bit of
luck, you might be able to start playing in stock
Many would have expected a big boost to the
setting. If not, you can tweak the main
internal memory, but it remains unchanged at 4
parameters, just like on most other modules:
GB – and, more disappointing, the SD card is
“gain” adjusts the overall level of the trigger,
still fixed inside the brain and can’t be
“threshold” is the lowest level that registers and
removed. Given the popularity of the external
is used to tune out unwanted impulses, and
card hack with the previous model (many users
“curve” adjusts the dynamic response – how
cracked open the module and replaced the
loud the drum plays relative to the intensity of
internal SD card with an extender cable
your strike.
threaded through the casing to the outside), a
removable card seems a no-brainer. There’s also an adjustment for crosstalk which
screens out vibrations from adjacent triggers.
The biggest change is opening up the module
to non-2box triggers. Sure, with tweaking, you Unlike the Roland approach, you need to save
could get almost anything to work with the DI5, the changes for them to take effect.

I set up the module with a variety of pads and The bulk of the sounds come straight from the
cymbals – Roland, Yamaha, ddt, ATV and DI5, but there are dozens of new sounds,
various independent and DIY pads as well as including signature kits from Randy Black and
some of the more popular external triggers - Simon Phillips.
and got fantastic results with minimal messing
The samples are all multilayer – in some
around.
cases, more than 100 samples per zone, with
The hi-hat is another story. It is far more different sounds for head, rim and cross-stick
complicated to set up, dial in and calibrate as for the snare, and bell, bow and edge for the
there are two major components – getting the cymbals. And, you can mix and match –
right response from the cymbal itself and then assigning any sound to any zone.
finding an open/closed action that works with
The sounds are all editable – although it takes
your playing style.
a few clicks to change each parameter. But if
I have to say that this process is not exactly you need to, you can pitch the sounds up or
intuitive. For example, there’s a physical screw down and alter the attack and decay. Alas, like
on the back of the module that is used to the DI5, there’s no deep editing or ability to
adjust the RAW value (who even knew there add FX. What you can do, however, is use the
was such a thing). But the set-up process is free 2box sound editor app available for both
well documented in the manual and if you Mac and Windows to convert .wav files into
follow it closely, you will get impressive hi-hat multilayer 2box samples. The app is intuitive,
responsiveness. And while 2box claimed to easy to use and very effective.
have created a universal solution, it’s not quite
true for the hi-hat, and some models like the Digging deeper
ATV can’t be used without a hack like an While onboard sample editing is limited, the
aftermarket Zourman box. module has some deep functionality if you dig
Triggering across all pads and cymbals was in. In particular, there are many options for
fast – the latency of the module was 5 ms sound routing, allowing you to make the most
(identical to the DI5) and at the top end of the of the four direct outs. This capability is even
scale for contemporary modules. Importantly, it more important, given the reduced number of
was also accurate, with excellent dynamics direct outs compared to the predecessor
from ghost notes to full-bore strikes. module, and allows users to customise the
output for maximum control. I doubt many
The sounds drummers will actually suffer from the absence
of a couple of outputs since most will want their
Like the DI5, the module is preloaded with real
kick and snare on separate feeds and can no
acoustic recorded samples – close to 4 GB of
doubt achieve a usable mix of the other drums
them, arranged in 90 kits.
and cymbals using the onboard mixer.
When I first heard the DI5, back in 2011, the
Actions can be assigned to pads, so that you
deep, resonant toms and the full-bodied kicks
can start or stop a metronome by striking a
were a breath of fresh air. The new sounds
particular zone.
loaded into the DI3 are on a par.
Pads can also be set up to start and stop loops ones. The expanded trigger compatibility is a
or to change kits. significant step forward – especially the move
away from proprietary hi-hats and ride
What you won’t find are training tools or
cymbals. The free sample app still gives this
recording functions. These were not included
module an edge over the more expensive
in the DI5 and are not seen as necessary in
mimic. And the lower price is also welcome
this incarnation.
news.
Overall What we liked less: The limited memory and
2box has attempted to create a more market- inaccessible SD card were not smart moves.
relevant module in the face of increased The small screen and ageing user interface are
competition which was overtaking the DrumIt not on the easy-to-use part of the spectrum.
Five. To do so, they “opened up” access to The lack of onboard FX is another limitation.
third-party pads and cymbals, which was a And recording capability would be nice, but
smart move adopted by the likes of ATV with that’s not a game changer.
its aD5 and the Pearl mimicPro. Bottom line: 2box has a cult following, built on
The second part of the strategy was to lower the ddrum legacy. The sounds are great, the
the price – from around $1,200 in the case of performance is excellent, and the trigger
the DI5 to around $900. To do that, there were compatibility is right up there. While no-one
some sacrifices – the array of audition buttons really needs permanent access to hundreds of
and a couple of outputs. The decision to keep kits, the 4 GB memory seems unnecessarily
the memory at 4 GB was probably also an stingy – and it is exacerbated by the fact that
economic one – even though SD cards have users can’t remove the card and replace it with
plunged in price over the past six or seven other samples.
years. And while no-one would question the So, the DrumIt Three takes much of the good
other sacrifices, the decision to keep the SD stuff from the DrumIt Five, enhances its
card “locked up” inside the module continues compatibility and drops the price without too
to raise eyebrows – especially since almost much sacrifice. But comparisons to the original
every other module developed since the DI5 2box module are not really appropriate, given
has removable storage. that the game has changed substantially. It’s
What we liked: We love the rich, multilayer an excellent addition to the marketplace, but
sounds – and especially some of the new it faces significant competition.
monitoring
Mackie
offers IEMs
digitalDrummer tried Mackie’s latest monitoring

offering – the MP-240 dual-driver in-ear monitors.
AMPLIFICATION COMPANY MACKIE is with the running man logo on the outside.
no stranger to many readers. Those in The detachable cables are gig-gauge and
bands will be familiar with its mixers and robust. They attach via the MMCX
PAs, and many e-drummers are using the connectors which are quite common in this
Thump powered speakers with their e-kits. product line. This means that if you
Mackie has now turned its attention to the damage a cable, it should be reasonably
growing in-ear monitor (IEM) market, with easy to find a replacement. The business
three initial offerings – all of which share a end of the cable takes the form of a right-
common design and form. What angle 3.5 mm gold-plated stereo jack.
differentiates the MP series is the number Fitting
of drivers: the MP-120 has one dynamic
IEMs have two functions: monitoring and
driver per in-ear; the MP-220 has two
sound isolation. Both of these require a
dynamic drivers and the top-of-the-line MP-
snug fit, but if you’re going to be wearing
240 has one dynamic driver and one
them for a while, you’ll also want a high
balanced armature driver. We tested the
level of comfort.
flagship model.
The MP-240 comes with three types of tips
What’s in the box – foam, round and double-flanged silicone
The MP-240 is supplied in a sturdy, - and each comes in a small, medium and
compact black plastic hard case and large version. For most people, that array
comes with three types of tips, each one should ensure a good fit – one that is snug
supplied in three sizes. There’s also a 3.5 enough to block outside sounds, but which
mm to 6.5 mm adaptor. doesn’t feel tight and uncomfortable.
The IEMs consist of a fairly large (by IEM Personally, I battled to find a decent fit like
standards) housing made of black plastic, the one I get with the triple-flange tip that

comes standard with Westone, Shure or Without the need to mess with the
Etymotic IEMs. And I couldn’t simply use module’s EQ, the headphones produced a
one of those because Mackie has chosen beautifully balanced soundscape with no
a different size and a design with a lip that noticeable omissions. Separation between
actually makes tip fitting quite challenging. instruments was excellent and the stereo
Luckily, you’ll probably only have to do it soundstage was spacious.
once. The same was true when I tested them
I also found the IEM body to be quite large with audio tracks through a decent stereo
for my ear shape, and I don’t consider (and I’m not talking about an iPhone!).
myself small-eared by any means. So, it is
Overall
probably best to check before buying –
something which can be challenging with You need a bit of luck to ensure a great fit
products like these. with the supplied tips and a bit of patience
to swap them if at first you don’t succeed.
Anyway, when you find a comfortable tip
And, because of the non-standard size, it
and fit the IEM, you can curl the cable
may be hard to find aftermarket tips better
around the top of your ear and it will stay in
suited to your ear canal if the supplied tips
place, thanks to a couple of inches of rigid
don’t do it for you. But when you get them
cabling.
in snugly, the MP-240s won’t disappoint.
In action They worked especially well with drum
For comfort, I ended up using the foam tips modules, even those characterised by low
which are probably not the best solution output volume, to create rich, accurate
since their seal is not as impervious as the soundscapes while providing a good level
silicone and foam also tends to take the of isolation from external sounds, easily
edge off the IEM sounds. So, I probably blocking out stick noises.
didn’t get to experience 100% of the MP- Of course, there is my usual gripe – the
240’s performance. cable, at around 1.5 m, is on the short end
For those with a technical bent, the IEMs for e-drummers, so you’ll probably need an
are meant to provide up to 40 dB of sound expansion cable.
isolation. In action, that meant I couldn’t But, the biggest surprise is the price point.
hear any stick sounds on mesh heads and Mackie has a recommended retail of
rubber pads. $279.99, but already many stores are
The 240s have a rated impedance of 16 offering them below $200, putting them
Ohms – and that meant I had to turn down clearly in the company of single-driver
the volume on the module quite a bit. competitors, where there is no contest.
That’s great for drum brains like the 2box, For those who have been waiting for an
with low output levels. opportunity to try IEMs without breaking
Of course, good modules produce a wide the bank, the new Mackie range might be
sonic spectrum, from thunderous bass the answer: the MP-120s sell for under
drums to tingling cymbals, and the 240 was $100 and would probably be a good place
able to reproduce those with surprising to start. But performance-wise, it’s hard to
accuracy. Our test bed has hosted multi- fault the bang for buck of the MP-240.
Specifications
driver, complex cross-over IEMs, and the
output of the 240 was certainly close to
that league. Transducer type: Single Dynamic and
Lows were deep and resonant, without Single-Balanced Armature
being distorted or overpowering. Highs like Sensitivity: 108 dB
the shimmer of the cymbals were accurate Frequency response: 20 Hz to 20 kHz
and full. But the real powerhouse was the Impedance: 16 Ohms
balanced armature which produced Sound isolation: 40dB
complex, thorough mids. Street price: $199
software
Tool almost
removes drums
Is it easy to remove drums from mixed tracks?

We try another tool that claims to be able to.
DRUMLESS TRACKS ARE much sought- the melody and lyrics start distorting and
after by all drummers, especially e- disappearing until you are left with a rough
drummers who are able to drum along to drum track (plus some bits of vocals and
them and create that perfect mix in the other tones). Go the other way – clockwise
module. And tools which can remove – and the snare and kick start disappearing
drums from mixed audio files are the Holy (together with some other instrument and
Grail. vocal parts).
DrumExtract from YellowNoise Audio The plugin is effective – but a long way
sounds promising, going by the name from perfect. Indeed, the DrumExtract
alone. The VST plugin, which works with website has plenty of warnings:
Cubase, Ableton Live, Reaper, FL Studio, · DrumExtract … doesn't work on
Sound Forge, Audacity, Audition, Logic Pro songs with instruments with fast pitch
and Studio One, among others, looks changes, such as fast instrument solos
simple, but clearly has a lot going on or vocal parts.
behind the scenes.
· DrumExtract is unable to
Before we dive into DrumExtract, it’s worth separate voice from drums.
keeping the developer’s explanation in
mind: “an audio mix is like a baked cake: it · … don't expect DrumExtract to
is difficult (and sometimes impossible) to work on every song or on the full length
recover each individual part of a mix”. of a song.
So, what’s in the box and how OK, it doesn’t promise to do much – so it’s
not hard to overdeliver. And indeed, the
does it work?
plugin worked very well with some songs in
As with most plugins these days, there’s no my library – notably those with sparse,
box: the product is available by download uncomplicated drumming. For example, it
only for €49. Click on the buy tab and you did a great job of removing drums from
go straight to a PayPal checkout and the some Post Modern Jukebox songs, but
download itself is tiny – 2.1 MB and done with Oasis’ Don’t Look Back in Anger, the
in a flash. dial had to be pushed all the way to
Once you’ve downloaded the plugin, you Harmonic to eradicate the snare and kick
can open an audio track in your VST (I first sounds, but that also meant removing a
tested it with Logic Pro X). Then you add whole chunk of vocal range – and it didn’t
the plugin, which you’ll find as an Audio quite mask the cymbals and toms.
Unit. The other application – and probably one
It opens to reveal a simple window that gets more buyers interested – is
dominated by a dial which goes from isolation of the drum track. If you’re a
Percussive on the left to Harmonic on the producer and you hear a great beat, it is
right, with the original mix in the middle. possible to sample that by dialling out the
harmonics and leaving the percussive
As you turn the virtual dial anti-clockwise, parts. Again, this is hit and miss – the
digitalDRUMMER, November 2018

structure of some songs lends itself to the isolate drum parts and then mute them.
total removal of everything but rhythm I’ve been told repeatedly that this defies
sounds while others are so integrated that the rules of physics, but have nonetheless
you just can’t remove enough of the managed to create some less-drums
melody to leave just the beat. (rather than drumless) tracks.
And, it must be stressed, you certainly So, does DrumExtract achieve Holy Grail
can’t isolate individual percussion status? Given the right type of song with
instruments like, for example, the snare or the right mix of chords, vocal range and
the hats. drum tracks, it can come close. But if your
song is really well mixed and blended,
Overall
there’s not much chance of removing or
To their credit, the developers certainly isolating the percussion part. Yes, you can
offer enough warnings that this is not a possibly dial the drums back enough to
plug and play drum removal/isolation tool. play along with the track, but it’s not the
They claim that DrumExtract “works better same as going into the original recordings
than pure EQ to extract drum samples” and and muting the drums.
that’s true. I also agree that “DrumExtract
So, if you don’t mind a bit of hit and miss
goes beyond traditional tools and offers
and have a spare €49, go for it.
state-of-the-art separation”.
Otherwise, save your money for individual
To date, I have tried a few solutions
tracks from some of the Karaoke websites
including Anytune, and DrumExtract
where you can buy custom songs minus
produced better results with more songs. I
drums.
have also had some success using
Superior Drummer 3’s Tracker function to
profile
Wolfgang
Flür
reflects
PHOTO: SIMON WATSON
Music historians trace the e-drum revolution back to

German electronic group Kraftwerk. And the man
behind that new sound was Wolfgang Flür. He
recalls his e-drum journey with digitalDrummer
editor Allan Leibowitz.
digitalDrummer: Can you tell us a bit about

how you got into drumming and any formal
music education that got you started?
Wolfgang Flür: When I was around 15 years
old, I detected with my closest school friend a
room with instruments from a skiffle band in the
cellar of our secondary school. There was also
a complete drum set. I was very interested and
sat down on the drummer’s seat and for the
first time in my life took wooden drumsticks in
my hands and made a lot of noise. The magic
and the power it had was amazing to me. With
drumming, I felt a kind of might. I played lots of
exclamation marks (powerful shots). A year
later, I had my own first drum set. It was used
and small, but it was mine! My father was an
optician and had a colleague who was friendly
with a musician who was a drummer. My father
hired this nice young man to give me a few
simple lessons which was really helpful.
I didn’t need much time to learn the simple
drums of The Beatles’ Love Me Do. In fact, the
Mersey Beat sound shaped my early playing.
dD: So what was your first band?

WF: My first school band was The Beathovens.
We learned the UK radio Top 10 songs by
practising them in our rehearsal room. Every
Saturday, we listened at 4 pm to these songs
on Radio Luxemburg’s FM radio which was
very exciting to us. The Beathovens developed
into the best Beatles cover band in the
Düsseldorf area. We even had a manager:
Hartwig Herbst, who was also the CEO of a big
Düsseldorf food shop. On the weekends,
Hartwig drove us in his store’s VW Bully
delivery van to the gigs he had booked for us.
We played school fetes, Düsseldorf fair events, dD: Let’s fast forward to Kraftwerk, which is
private parties and the first rock clubs held in often described as the originator of electronic
Düsseldorf pubs. drums. Can you tell us how that came about?
WF: That’s easy to explain. We were actually
dD: When did you realise music was not the originators, I must say. There were
something you could do for a living? already electronic drums out in the shops for
WF: Already in my school days, I realised that one-man-band organ players. Automatic drum
music was something for making money. With machines with synthetic sounds inside.
The Beathovens, we were earning between The drummers before me who played with Ralf
DM400 and DM800, which was a lot in the late and Florian were not a great fit. They drummed
‘60s. We shared the money between the four too much, they were too loud! They came from
of us and didn’t need it for living because all of jazz and rock. They wanted to be
us were still at our parents’ homes. We acknowledged as instrument players like
invested the money in our very fine keyboard players or guitarists. Too heavy for
instruments and amplifiers. The guitarists in my Kraftwerk’s experimental and minimal style.
band had the same guitars as The Beatles, we After Klaus Dinger’s departure, Ralf and
had the same VOX AC 30 amplifiers, the Florian decided to use an automatic drum box -
Goliath bass box, the vocals PA and four one which had inbuilt presets like rhumba,
microphones. I had at least half of a Ludwig foxtrot, waltz, cha cha cha or bossa nova. They
drum set! used a tiny machine, the Farfisa Rhythm 10,
on their album Ralf & Florian. This happened

just before I entered the group. I found this tiny
box in their rehearsal room during my first
sessions for an appearance on the German TV
channel Aspekte, the best culture program
(and still running!).
I found the sound of this box extraordinarily
good and a much better fit with their first
synthesizers than a regular drum set, which
they didn’t want to buy me if I joined the group
as a steady member.
I practised with my finger tips on the knobs on
top of the device and, after a while, I had a
nice little rhythm going – pretty much the
Mersey Beat from Liverpool.
For live appearances, we had to have a drum
pad board to play standing up, with rods on
metal plates which were connected to the
switches and sounds inside the device by
electric cables. I built this board in a week or
so. Florian was excited to have someone in his One of Flür’s multi-trigger devices.
group who was also innovative and keen to try
unusual things. He gave me good tips on how WF: I’m now a producer. I write lyrics and
to manage the electrical connections to the develop melodies, I do collaborations with
workings of this drum box. We first used this artists from all over the world whom I meet
home-made board on our Aspekte appearance during my journeys as MUSIK-SOLDAT (music
on October 30, 1973. It was outstanding! You soldier). In this role, I present electronic dance
can still watch the show today. music and films, videos and slides on a big
And, by the way, I was later presented with an screen behind me.
award for this device at Mexico’s TIJUANA In music productions, I’m more the visionary
INNOVADORA 2012 celebration. rather than the technician. With my partners,
we use all available electronic devices and
dD: And what other equipment did you use synthesizers, vocoders, etc. My current main
with Kraftwerk after that? partner is Peter Duggal from England’s
WF: I can remember using the Moog Hebden Bridge. With him, I produce pop music
Minimoog, ARP (white-faced) Odyssey, Farfisa which is very much my style. I use spoken
Rhythm Unit 10 and our own drumpad-boards, words and singing. I further collaborate with
which developed into two separate pads. the Hamburg-based producers of U96. The
I also used the Vox Percussion King, Farfisa song ZUKUNFTSMUSIK is currently number
Professional Piano, EMS Synthi-A, Schulte one on the Swedish dance charts.
Compact Phasing A and Mutron Biphase.
dD: What do you think about the e-drum
dD: What challenges did you face when you product available off-the-shelf today?
arrived at a live performance with instruments WF: Today’s e-drums have a big advantage
that were totally strange to the desk operator? over classical drumsets. They are lightweight,
WF: We always used Dehmann, an electronic small and generally good value for money.
engineer, as our desk operator. He was friendly Electronic instruments like the Roland SPD-SX
with us and always accompanied us on tour. go even further, with an onboard sampling
He developed some electronics, cabled our section. That means one can record every
instruments and looked after the sound desk. conceivable sound and allocate it to one of the
He knew all our instruments, devices and six drum pads on the board to play it live –
techniques well. We did not allow anyone else what a great field of sounds! We in Kraftwerk
to control our sound in the halls or theatres would have loved to play such a device in our
where we played. pioneering era. Looking back, in 1973, we just
gave this new modern drumming a start, which
dD: Moving on, what are you currently doing the industry has taken over with joy and
and how do electronic instruments feature in commercial know-how.
your music?
Select the best

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performance
How I use e-drums

Ryan Halsey uses electronics to recreate recorded
sounds in live performances.
PHOTO: ROB QUINCEY
I’M A UK-based musician, producer and I use both of these in stripped-back scenarios
songwriter. My sound is a blend of innovative in the band. They allow me to play at a
polyrhythms and melodies that take audiences controlled volume and have a wide range of
to the fringes of modern music, while sounds to hand, which is not something I can
maintaining a classic musical sensibility that do using something like cajon or brushes. I will
keeps them in the groove. I’ve been told my make a different kit for each song based off the
flare for cutting-edge creativity and eclectic ear sounds coming from the rest of the band. I love
produce genre-defying tracks and an that I can change to a completely different kit
undeniable signature. for each song in the set, something that is not
easy to achieve with acoustic drums.
I started drumming at the age of 14 and spent
most of the early years of drumming playing Having said that, I’ve recently started using the
along to my favourite albums. The Roland TD- Yamaha EAD-10 and I think it’s a bit of a game
3 e-kit was with me through those early years: changer! It uses microphones on an acoustic
it took a beating and never had an issue! kit coupled with the processing and effects you
find on most e-drum modules. I’ve found it to
I soon realised there are only so many things
be one of the most versatile e-drum units I’ve
you can play with single strokes and studied at
come across and I’m excited to see what it can
Tech Music Schools (now BIMM London) to
offer in the band scenario.
learn the other fundamentals of drumming.
All of these units require time and patience to
Nowadays, I play in the band The Gravity
go in deeper and really get the best out of
Drive. Initially, we started off playing purely
them: there’s a lot more on offer than the
acoustic and stripped back; however, the debut
preset kits!
album the band released was almost the
opposite, lots of layers and instruments with
great production. After seeing and hearing
Gear list
about the Roland SPD-SX, I knew it would Tama Starclassic Birch/Bubinga:
open up our possibilities playing live as a trio, 22 x 18
enabling us to use the recorded stems from the 10 x 6.5
album live. 12 x 7
We were able to gig with a full band sound 16 x 14
despite only having drums, acoustic guitar, 14 x 4.5 VK Brass Snare
vocals and the SPD-SX. It gave us the ability Roland SPD-SX
to perform a representation of the album in Meinl Byzance Cymbals:
front of a BBC DJ and led to the band 14” Traditional Medium Hi Hats
performing a live session on BBC Radio 2. 18” Extra Thin Hammered Crash
20” Extra Thin Hammered Crash
It took time to understand how to mix the 21” Traditional Ride
stems correctly for use in a live setting. Bass, 18/16” Matt Garstka Fat Stack
in particular, was a challenging area as it would Evans Drumheads
change so much from room to room and with
different PA set-ups. Thankfully,
we now have a bass player, so
PHOTO: JAMIE PEGLER
the SPD-SX plays more of a

supportive role rather than
being half of the band!
Since getting the e-drum bug, I
have tried various percussion
pads and some of them have
felt like you need a degree to
operate them! However, I do
enjoy using the Roland Octapad
and Nord Drum 3. The Octapad
is very customisable, with some
great layering options, and the
Nord Drum has a natural feel
with organic and expressive
sounds.
digitalDRUMMER,May 2017 39
training
Five into four

does go
Click to watch the video
Some might find Raul Vargas’ latest lesson a

bit challenging, but take it slow and you’ll get
there.
IN THIS EDITION, we’ll look at quintuplet grooves. Quintuplets are groups of
five notes in the space of quarter notes.
In the first, second and third exercises, we have a simple hi-hat pattern
which remains constant: the only variations are in the bass drum and snare
drum pattern.
The fourth, fifth and sixth exercises share another hi-hat pattern, with
variations in the bass drum and snare drum, too.
Remember that speed is the last thing to work on. Quintuplets are hard to
play. We must always focus on maintaining a good and clear sound.
Use of a metronome is essential. I recommend that you set the metronome
for quintuplets and the click on the first and fourth measure for the best time
appreciation.
Until next time …
Mexican drummer Raul Vargas recently joined the Berklee

College of Music and Berklee Online faculty as an
international mentor. Since being voted E-drummer of
the Year in digitalDrummer’s Readers’ Choice poll,
Vargas has been appointed to the Percussive Arts
Society International Committee.
Exercise 1
Exercise 2
Exercise 3
Exercise 4
Exercise 5
Exercise 6
Click to watch the video

gear
MONSTER
My
kit
CB Averitt from Florence, South Carolina
takes us into his studio to share his kit.
CBs kit CB’s Story
Alesis Strike Pro Kit I received my first snare drum in 1976. I was
Additional drums: heavy into playing all through my teen years,
3 Alesis 10” two-zone mesh pads playing in school bands and winning several
2 Alesis 8” two-zone mesh pads state and local awards. My passion was
musicals, playing in several local productions. I
11 assorted Alesis pads
attended and graduated from University of
6 Alesis cymbal pads
North Carolina Pembroke in Percussion, after
Alesis hi-hat pad which I managed a music store and played in
Yamaha DTX-Multi 12 electronic the local symphony and big band. Life got in
percussion pad the way and in 1992, I completely got out of
2 ddrum DDTi trigger interfaces anything music until recently, when I
DAW: 2017 MacBook Pro with purchased an e-drum kit. I’ve added and
Mainstage/Logic Pro X added, but it’s still a work in progress.
Audio Interface: Tascam US-16X08
Share
your kit
3digitalDRUMMER, November 2018 43
gearGuide
2BOX ENHANCEMENTS INTERNAL TRIGGERS
Hi-hat conversion module

for 2box™ DrumIt Five & Three
and ATV™ aD-H14!
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• 2box™ DrumIt Five and Roland™ FD-7, FD-8, VH-11, VH-12, VH-13
• ddrum4 SE™ for Roland™ VH-11 hi-hat
d
• 2box™ DrumIt Five and Roland™ CY-13R & CY-15R & ATV™ aD-C18 Rides
• 2box™ DrumIt Five & Three for ATV™ aD-H14 hi-hat
• 1920s Ludwig Black Beauty snare samples for 2box DrumIt Five & Three
ZOURMAN
www.zourman.com
or visit our resellers
D R U M S Drum-tec (Germany), Jobeky (UK)
or Electronic Drum Center (US)
CONVERSION KITS E-DRUM PRODUCTS
Electrify any kit
Convertible Percussions
allows you to convert any kit
in just a few minutes
for less than $50 per drum.
Easy to install - no soldering.
Visit us at
convertiblepercussions.com
Or search for us on Ebay
and YouTube
gearGuide
CONVERSION KITS TRAINING
Easy e-Conversion
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.
Optimised for Roland, mimicPRO, 2box
and other modules with customised plug
and play presets.
And free, live, personalised support.
It doesn’t get any easier.
Visit us online today
www.stealthdrums.com
MESH HEADS KIT ALTERNATIVES
ONLY A FEW LEFT

Hart Dynamics has stopped trading and
its famed mesh heads, made by Aquarian,
are fast disappearing.
This is your last chance to grab these
quality heads in Australia.

Our greatest hits

... in one volume
Over the years, digitalDrummer has reviewed scores

of products and produced a number of market-leading
head2head comparisons, helping you choose the most
appropriate solution.
Of course, all our back issues are available
online, but to save you the time and trouble of
searching, we have compiled our reviews into single
volumes, ready to access with just one click.
From triggers to mesh heads and VSTs, to download
your preferred compilation, click here.
Everything you need - just a click away.

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What is the profile about?

What is the profile about?

What does the magazine review?

What does the magazine review?

digitalDrummer_Nov_2018.

qxp_Layout 3 21/10/18 2:29 pm Page 1

Edition 36 • November 2018 US$10

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THE PIONEERING GERMAN electronic band Kraftwerk comes

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digitalDrummer November 2018

Analogue is cool again

ddt hits the spot

Mackie offers IEMs

31 Tool almost removes drums

34 Profile: Wolfgang Flur

38 How I use e-drums

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Allan Leibowitz looks at a new trend,

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“There are so many more options to

Porter & Davies

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XM debuts new brain and kid’s kit

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DIY DRUM TRIGGERS KTR-7 E-KICK IMPROVE YOUR 2BOX KIT

DRUM MICROPHONES T-RIGG TRIGGER BAR RIM SILENCER

E-CYMBALS BEYERDYNAMIC DT-770 M CONES

Hybrid is more than hype, and Allan Leibowitz

Stand-alone triggers, already loaded with

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In action: Hybrid drumming just doesn’t get any

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A recent offering from Germany’s ddt ups the

THE SNARE IS probably the most important

Yamaha DTX 502 fundamentals required for good overall

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digitalDrummer tried Mackie’s latest monitoring

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Is it easy to remove drums from mixed tracks?

digitalDRUMMER, November 2018

Music historians trace the e-drum revolution back to

digitalDrummer: Can you tell us a bit about

dD: So what was your first band?

on their album Ralf & Florian. This happened

Select the best

Choose the winners

How I use e-drums

PHOTO: ROB QUINCEY

the SPD-SX plays more of a

Five into four

Click to watch the video

Some might find Raul Vargas’ latest lesson a

Mexican drummer Raul Vargas recently joined the Berklee

Click to watch the video

Hi-hat conversion module

Zourman converts you drumming dreams: