E-drums: could they be a common thing for small bands gigs?

[Orvillain]

The volume of a snare IMO is pretty much the de facto measuring stick for all other instruments to adjust to. No, not to get louder but to get along.

I actually agree with this.

But if I was stood next to Danny Carey and he was twatting his snare over and over, I'm pretty sure I'd enjoy it.

 

[HotRats]

Just came back from a local festival, I went there my wife and kids to eat something.

Turned out that the sound guy that will be behind the mixer for my gig next Sunday, was about to play with his band so I've spent and hour listening to them.

They had an acoustic drums set, keyboards, guitar and bass direct to foh and vocals.

Drums sounded pretty good but the overall mix was really unbalanced with too much vocals and keyboards and not enough bass.

Bottom line: if the man behind the mixer scrolls Instagram instead doing his job (that's what he did for the hour I've spent there) your band will sound like shit anyway.

Will lazy sound guys be replaced by AI driven auto mixers?

 

[metropolis_4]

The volume of a snare IMO is pretty much the de facto measuring stick for all other instruments to adjust to. No, not to get louder but to get along. And you need to be aware that a fully hit snare is emitting an incredibly uncomfortable level already. Yes, things will be masked in context (our ears are pretty good at that), but it's a good idea to recalibrate yourself every now and then, hence listening to the sheer volume we're actually talking about in isolation. Get the snare (and cymbals) so much under control it doesn't hurt anymore when you stand in a normal distance from the drumset and the entire band will be fine.

Doesn’t this all just boil down to basic musicianship 101?
Play your instrument with dynamics and control and listen to how your sound is blending with the other instruments in the ensemble.

That’s true of every instrument and voice in any ensemble - from the loudest to the quietest, and IME those who don’t grasp that basic concept don’t last long.

I see the decision about whether or not to use e-drums for the purpose of controlling sound exactly the same as my decision as a guitarist about whether to use an amp. Regardless of what instrument I’m playing I have a responsibility to control my volume to work well within the mix of the ensemble I’m playing with. Every drummer has this responsibility and should choose the equipment they believe they’ll need to sound best within the context of the ensemble they’re playing in.

But ultimately it’s not about the equipment, it’s about they player

 

[Sascha Franck]

But if I was stood next to Danny Carey and he was twatting his snare over and over, I'm pretty sure I'd enjoy it.

Until your ears crap out.

 

[Orvillain]

Until your ears crap out.

Just a sonic orgasm innit.

 

[Sascha Franck]

Doesn’t this all just boil down to basic musicianship 101?

It should be. But apparently it hasn't made it to quite some folks.

 

[MirrorProfiles]

@MirrorProfiles you mix for a living. What do you reckon???

I’m busy stuffing my face in the peanut gallery

 

[Orvillain]

Doesn’t this all just boil down to basic musicianship 101?
Play your instrument with dynamics and control and listen to how your sound is blending with the other instruments in the ensemble.

That’s true of every instrument and voice in any ensemble - from the loudest to the quietest, and IME those who don’t grasp that basic concept don’t last long.

I see the decision about whether or not to use e-drums for the purpose of controlling sound exactly the same as my decision as a guitarist about whether to use an amp. Regardless of what instrument I’m playing I have a responsibility to control my volume to work well within the mix of the ensemble I’m playing with. Every drummer has this responsibility and should choose the equipment they believe they’ll need to sound best within the context of the ensemble they’re playing in.

But ultimately it’s not about the equipment, it’s about they player

One of my very first bands I ever started, when I was 18, had lots of promise. Great lyrics, great chord progressions, it was really right up my street. But the drummer was a jazz drummer. Pretty good drummer all round, but could he hit a snare with passion?? Could he fuck. We were trying to be the next Oceansize or Cooper Temple Clause type band (both fucking GREAT bands if you don't know them) and he was soft as shit. The music just fell on its arse, because the drummer did not understand the aesthetic, did not understand that rock music needs to be passionate, beefy, and in some cases, yes... HARD.

There's obviously all kinds of music. But if you have a drummer who is locked into their particular style, or dynamic range, and won't shift... it is a bad thing. 100%. But that doesn't just mean loud drummers being unable to go quiet..... it also means quiet drummers also being unable to go loud.

E-Kits are well known for being inaccurate in terms of transferring acoustic kit technique. You can't - and should not - play an e-kit the same way you'd play an acoustic kit. Even the manuals for these things say similar things.

Now imagine taking a drummer who had only ever played an e-kit, and putting them in a band that required some BALLS behind it ..... insto-fail in most cases, is my guess.

 

[spawnofthesith]

Right people, right time, right place

There is no one size fits all

And eDrums DEFINITELY aren’t one size fits all

 

[spawnofthesith]

One of my very first bands I ever started, when I was 18, had lots of promise. Great lyrics, great chord progressions, it was really right up my street. But the drummer was a jazz drummer. Pretty good drummer all round, but could he hit a snare with passion?? Could he fuck. We were trying to be the next Oceansize or Cooper Temple Clause type band (both fucking GREAT bands if you don't know them) and he was soft as shit. The music just fell on its arse, because the drummer did not understand the aesthetic, did not understand that rock music needs to be passionate, beefy, and in some cases, yes... HARD.

There's obviously all kinds of music. But if you have a drummer who is locked into their particular style, or dynamic range, and won't shift... it is a bad thing. 100%. But that doesn't just mean loud drummers being unable to go quiet..... it also means quiet drummers also being unable to go loud.

E-Kits are well known for being inaccurate in terms of transferring acoustic kit technique. You can't - and should not - play an e-kit the same way you'd play an acoustic kit. Even the manuals for these things say similar things.

Now imagine taking a drummer who had only ever played an e-kit, and putting them in a band that required some BALLS behind it ..... insto-fail in most cases, is my guess.

IDK about all that bruv, ever since ISIS broke up I’ve been haunted by the fact that they would’ve sounded sooooo much better live of Aaron Harris have just played an ekit. Smh the things that could’ve been….

 

[Orvillain]

IDK about all that bruv, ever since ISIS broke up I’ve been haunted by the fact that they would’ve sounded sooooo much better live of Aaron Harris have just played an ekit. Smh the things that could’ve been….

Saucepanopticon.

 

[spawnofthesith]

Saucepanopticon.

Trash mix

I wish these were e drums

 

[Orvillain]

Trash mix

I wish these were e drums

I fucking LOVE the hammond organ on that album.

 

[spawnofthesith]

I know oneeng is gonna pop in and say that sounds bad and is shitty music

I invite him to subscribe to nugs.net


Whether one likes jambands or not they have some of the best live sounds and mixes of any style. And it’s not metal

And the big ones all upload every. Single. Live show , often within 12 hours of the performance


None of them use eDrums.

 

[spawnofthesith]

I fucking LOVE the hammond organ on that album.

I think wavering radiant is a masterpiece, sucks that it seems that album made them break up

I love all the live releases from isis but that Live VII I linked from is my favorite. The 20 minute Celestial (The Tower) closer gives me goose bumps

 

[Orvillain]

I think wavering radiant is a masterpiece, sucks that it seems that album made them break up

I love all the live releases from isis but that Live VII I linked from is my favorite. The 20 minute Celestial (The Tower) closer gives me goose bumps

I saw them a couple of times in London. One time they played an extended version of Celestial (The Tower) with a huge epic ambient section in the middle. Good times!!

 

[metropolis_4]

One of my very first bands I ever started, when I was 18, had lots of promise. Great lyrics, great chord progressions, it was really right up my street. But the drummer was a jazz drummer. Pretty good drummer all round, but could he hit a snare with passion?? Could he fuck. We were trying to be the next Oceansize or Cooper Temple Clause type band (both fucking GREAT bands if you don't know them) and he was soft as shit. The music just fell on its arse, because the drummer did not understand the aesthetic, did not understand that rock music needs to be passionate, beefy, and in some cases, yes... HARD.

There's obviously all kinds of music. But if you have a drummer who is locked into their particular style, or dynamic range, and won't shift... it is a bad thing. 100%. But that doesn't just mean loud drummers being unable to go quiet..... it also means quiet drummers also being unable to go loud.

E-Kits are well known for being inaccurate in terms of transferring acoustic kit technique. You can't - and should not - play an e-kit the same way you'd play an acoustic kit. Even the manuals for these things say similar things.

Now imagine taking a drummer who had only ever played an e-kit, and putting them in a band that required some BALLS behind it ..... insto-fail in most cases, is my guess.

Definitely!

I’ve known guitarists with the same problem. A band I knew brought in a new guitarist who was a jazz student in college. He was a phenomenal player and had cool ideas, but he just didn’t understand the swagger and attitude of the music. He always sounded “soft” and polite and couldn’t figure out how to sound any different. He tried, but he just didn’t understand.

 

[OneEng]

Just came back from a local festival, I went there my wife and kids to eat something.

Turned out that the sound guy that will be behind the mixer for my gig next Sunday, was about to play with his band so I've spent and hour listening to them.

They had an acoustic drums set, keyboards, guitar and bass direct to foh and vocals.

Drums sounded pretty good but the overall mix was really unbalanced with too much vocals and keyboards and not enough bass.

Bottom line: if the man behind the mixer scrolls Instagram instead doing his job (that's what he did for the hour I've spent there) your band will sound like shit anyway.

Will lazy sound guys be replaced by AI driven auto mixers?

Possibly the only thing worse than a loud drummer .

A bad mix can ruin any amount of talent in a band ...... unfortunately.

I know oneeng is gonna pop in and say that sounds bad and is shitty music

I invite him to subscribe to nugs.net


Whether one likes jambands or not they have some of the best live sounds and mixes of any style. And it’s not metal

And the big ones all upload every. Single. Live show , often within 12 hours of the performance


None of them use eDrums.

... LOL. No, not at all. It's not my cup of tea .... or even close, but it is well mixed and tight.

The drums aren't mixed that high in the mix at all in this recording. In fact, I would likely have had them up more if I were on the mix board.

 

[spawnofthesith]

There’s been plenty of examples of reputable pro drummers using ekits in this thread



…..


Can anyone name a single iconic drummer using an ekit ?????



I’ll wait

 

[Space Pickle]

If I was gigging covers regularly at venues with a good sound system, or in a band that had a good PA and mix engineer I would totally use a high-end e-kit. I much prefer a real kit for practicing or recording in my home studio.