While lower-priced in-ear makers seem totally focused on the number of drivers they can pack into each earpiece, established brands are concentrating on choosing a capable driver and tweaking the response to meet musician needs. So it’s no surprise that the latest offering from German audio pioneer beyerdynamic, the DT 30 IE, boasts just one active sound source: an 11mm dynamic driver...
Alesis Drums and Zildjian have announced a strategic partnership that will bring authentic Zildjian cymbal sounds to Alesis electronic drums, BFD software and other inMusic products. The alliance pairs one of the world’s oldest and most recognisable cymbal manufacturers with one of the biggest names in electronic percussion, promising drummers access to detailed samples recorded from...
Electronic drum trigger technology has found a new home — on the body of an acoustic guitar. Oklahoma-based Percoustix has launched The 80’s, a pair of trigger pads designed to mount directly onto a guitar and connect to a Roland drum module, giving solo performers the ability to add kick drums, snares and other percussion sounds while they play. The concept will make immediate sense to...
The latest MIDI Association MIDI Notes newsletter has highlighted two significant developments for electronic drummers: the adoption of the Drum Note Map Profile and the progression of the new Drum Performance Profile into its final 30-day member review. Together, they represent another important step towards making electronic drum hardware and software work together more seamlessly. While the...
While digitalDrummer normally reports on developments in the electronic percussion industry, this time the story is much closer to home. It began with an email asking us to share a link to a story on another website which cited digitalDrummer. That request led us to investigate the article, based closely on an original digitalDrummer story, and we uncovered what appears to be a systematic pattern...
We’ve reviewed scores of headphones and in-ears over the years and heard all the hype, but Audeze’s claim that its new MM-520 cans produce “bass that digs deeper and hits tighter, and even more accurate midrange expression” was particularly intriguing. My interest was further sparked by the design collaboration with engineer Manny Marroquin, winner of more than a dozen Grammy Awards, who has...
Guitar Center has unveiled the Simmons Titan 90, described as the most advanced electronic drum kit Simmons has produced in nearly five decades of building electronic drums. Developed with input from Simmons founder Dave Simmons, the Titan 90 is positioned as a flagship model aimed at serious drummers who want professional-grade features without a premium price tag. Guitar Center CEO Gabe Dalporto...
With a new album under his belt, Refestramus drummer and songwriter Derek Ferguson finds his e-kit invaluable for practice and composition. My family had a rule about new pursuits: do things properly, or don’t do them at all. So, when I wanted to play drums at age nine, the deal was a year of lessons first, to prove I’d stick with it. I did, and got my first drum set. My path since then hasn’t...
A Finnish drummer and chilli pepper grower has built a free, browser-based sample slicer that could change the way e-drummers approach custom sampling. Jukka “Fatalii” Kilpinen, best known in hot pepper circles for his eponymous seed company, has spent four decades behind a kit and the last 20-odd years on electronic drums. His current set-up centres on a Pearl mimicPRO brain driving a...
Steven Slate Drums has released Classic 70s, a new expansion pack for its SSD and Trigger platforms that takes a notably purist approach to period drum sounds. Rather than modelling or approximating the analogue warmth of the era, the expansion was recorded at two studios with genuine claims to the decade’s greatest records. The Village Recorder in Los Angeles was where Ken Caillat...
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By electronic drummers,
for electronic drummers.
FROM THE EDITOR
Electronic drums have come a long way since the 1970s and are now seen alongside their acoustic siblings on stages around the world. They also draw crowds at music trade shows and attract strong interest on the floors of music shops.
As an electronic drummer, technology enthusiast and professional writer, I know first-hand how hard it is to be taken seriously when your kit needs a powerpoint and amp. That’s why we launched digitalDrummer in 2010. I wanted to create a communication channel dedicated to this vibrant market and the musicians who are so enthused by the digital opportunities.
Because it is aimed at a niche audience of dedicated enthusiasts, digitalDrummer is able to explore drum technology in great detail, but it is written for drummers, not techno-geeks.
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Allan Leibowitz
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