A new practice app aimed squarely at electronic drummers has just been released on the Google Play store. Rebel Drum Tutor, developed by Austrian solo developer Martin Diermayr, connects to e-kits via MIDI and provides real-time visual feedback on timing accuracy. According to the developer, notes turn green when hit ‘correctly’, offering a simple way for drummers to monitor their precision. The...
Electronic drumming did not arrive fully formed. It evolved through a series of breakthroughs — some technological, some conceptual — that gradually redefined what a drum kit could be. From early attempts to electrify percussion to today’s deeply expressive hybrid systems, progress has come from inventors, engineers, musicians and manufacturers pushing against the limitations of their time. What...
digitalDrummer will return to the Europe Drum Show in Friedrichshafen, Germany this April with an impressive artist line-up, fresh gear and a world-first feature. After a successful debut in Liverpool and a strong follow-up in Germany last year, the E-drum Labs — powered by digitalDrummer — will again take pride of place in the venue’s main foyer. The program will feature eight dedicated...
The 2025 rollout of drum gear and software has been unusually rich — spanning powerful new VST libraries, clever sample-extraction tools, refreshed e-drum hardware, budget-friendly kits and even DIY-leaning sound engines. Whether you’re a finger-drum beatmaker, an e-kit player or a studio drummer chasing ultimate sonic flexibility, there’s been something new for you this year. Here’s a look at the...
Sensory Percussion, the company renowned for expanding the expressive potential of acoustic drums through advanced sensing technology, has announced the launch of its new electronic cymbal system. Pitched as the “new standard in electronic cymbals”, the system promises drummers “unprecedented realism, dynamics, and expressive possibilities”, finally delivering cymbals that...
In a refreshing move for the electronic drumming community, amateur builder and embedded software engineer Tobias Gunkel has released the complete open-source design for his custom trigger-to-MIDI module, EavesDrum. Developed as a personal project to overcome the high cost and perceived lack of innovation in the e-drum market, Gunkel is offering the plans at no charge, inviting DIY enthusiasts to...
When BiD Beresford stepped onto the stage to launch the digitalDrummer E-drum Labs at the UK Drum Show, he set the tone immediately: this was not going to be another showcase of electronic kits designed to imitate acoustic drums. “Congratulations,” he told the audience, “you’re here to see someone that isn’t going to play a drum kit the way everybody else outside is playing a drum kit.” Beresford...
Scott Holder reviews the Alesis Turbo MAX We’ve classified any e-kit costing $500-$1,000 as “introductory” and anything under $500 as “budget”. I’ve reviewed many of these: Simmons SD600 (dD Aug 2020), KAT KT-200 (dD Nov 2020), Roland TD-07 (dD Nov 2021), KAT KT-300 (dD Feb 2022), ddrum E-Flex (dD Aug 2022), Donner DED-200 Pro (dD Feb 2023), Simmons Titan 50 (dD Nov 2023) and the Alesis Nitro...
Behringer has released its SDS-3, which it claims is an authentic analogue reproduction of the pioneering Simmons SDS-3 drum synthesizer. The instrument maker says its move brings a recreation of one of the earliest and most influential electronic drum instruments to the modern studio, with the company promising the original’s signature analogue character at an affordable price. While the...
The recently concluded Music China exhibition in Shanghai, which brought together 1,700 vendors and over 114,000 visitors from 121 countries and regions, showcased the latest developments in music technology, with electronic drums emerging as a major highlight. A standout feature of this year’s show was Music X, a dedicated music technology and audio-visual exhibition. MIDI technology was at the...
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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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