Following a successful debut at the 2024 UK Drum Show, the digitalDrummer E-drum Experience Labs will be staged as part of the 2025 Europe Drum Show in Germany in March. In Liverpool, audiences were captivated by the series of presentations, workshops and masterclasses – all performed on cutting-edge technology. The Labs will return, with new artists, new gear and new applications. Artists already...
E-drummers have another VST option thanks to Spectre Digital, which recently launched Icon Drums Classic Rock. Designed to run on Kontakt Player, the pack was sampled from a Pearl Music City Custom Reference Pure kit (26” kick, 10” and 16” toms; Ludwig Supraphonic and Black Beauty snares; and a range of cymbals). Spectre says the kit was recorded in a world-class studio with legendary equipment...
Finnish metal VST specialist Ugritone is releasing one final drum sample pack as it halts operations. In a message to customers, the company notes that it is closing its doors after seven years of “striving to push the boundaries of what could be achieved in the underground music scene”. “The harsh realities of life and the unforgiving nature of the free market have finally caught up with us...
FreeDom Studios, the developer of the TD-120 LCD screen replacements for TD-12 and TD-20 modules, has released a modified version of its board, in response to isolated reports of audio noise following replacements. FreeDom owner Netto Scaff warns that due to their advanced age, many Roland TD-12, TD-20 and TD-20X modules are showing a reduction in the filtering and coupling capacity of the...
Asia’s biggest music industry event, Music China, continues to grow, with the latest edition attracting 119,083 visitors from 105 countries – in addition to over 1,800 exhibitors. Organisers stress the strong showing by digital technologies, including e-drums which were on show at more than a dozen booths. Medeli returned to the show with its flagship MZ928 that won Best Recommended Product at...
Addictive Drums has long been a recommended VST for e-drummers because of its small footprint, easy-to-use stand-alone player, wide variety of sounds and reasonable cost. However, the product was showing its age, especially with the major rivals all launching new versions since AD2’s 2014 debut. The Swedish producer, XLN Audio, is attempting to catch up with and perhaps leap over some of its...
Alesis has extended the Strata Series with the launch of a more compact Strata Core. The company says the new set offers “the same advanced features as its larger sibling but at a more approachable price point and a 30% reduced footprint”. “We designed the Strata Core with the modern drummer in mind, offering professional-grade performance in a more accessible, compact format,” states John...
Quebec-based artist and musician Antonio de Braga has just returned from the holy grail of music recording, Abbey Road Studios, in London, where he spent a day experimenting with acoustic and electronic drums. The e-drummer, who shared his innovative upright bass-style e-cajon with digitalDrummer a few years back (dD, Nov 2016), says his latest project was about “getting the best recording I could...
Alesis has expanded its Nitro e-drum line with the launch of the Nitro Pro, boasting larger pads and a robust design. The kit consists of a 10” dual-zone deep mesh snare, three 8” dual-zone mesh toms and an 8” mesh kick drum tower, all mounted on a steel rack. The cymbal array consists of three 10” cymbals – a ride, crash and hi-hat. “We are proud to extend the Alesis Nitro family with Nitro...
Roland has released a new flagship module and new top-of-the-range kits to accompany it. The Japanese e-drum pioneer is deviating from its past module line with a new name, new functionality and new sound architecture. At the heart of the new line is the V71 module which features brand new samples recorded from scratch. The module boasts 200 drum kits, “more than 1,000” instruments and supports up...
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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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