Tag: Yamaha

Gear, Uncategorized

My Monster Kit

Dave Plumb from Manchester in the UK shows off his kit. Dave’s kit:  Roland VAD 503 Roland TD-27 module ddrum DDTi interface Yamaha DTX Multi 12  DTXplorer module Additional drums: Three PD-85 toms; 8”, 12”, 14” A2E toms Additional cymbals: Lemon and Roland  Dave’s story: I started playing the drums at 13 years old when I discovered prog rock. The bands I listened to and which influenced me were Rush, Genesis and The Doors.  I was gigging in clubs and pubs around Manchester every weekend from the age of 14 in the early 80’s with lots of different bands. I used to gig with a Pearl acoustic drum kit. In my 50s, I turned to electronic drums, starting with a […]

Gear, Samples, training

Yamaha offers free Drumeo lessons

Yamaha Drums has announced a new promotion with the online learning platform Drumeo, beginning December 5, 2024. When customers purchase and register a Yamaha EAD10 Electronic Acoustic Drum Module, they unlock 90 days of unlimited access to Drumeo’s drum courses. Yamaha says its EAD10 – known for its revolutionary stereo microphone sensor and studio-quality digital effects – combined with Drumeo’s expert lessons, is perfect for helping drummers sharpen their skills. “Combining innovative technology from Yamaha with Drumeo’s expertise creates the ultimate learning experience, whether you’re just starting your musical journey or a seasoned drummer looking to advance your skills,” a spokesperson says. Canada’s Drumeo is no stranger to collaboration with e-drum companies, and is currently doing a promotion with Alesis, bundling […]

Performance

Perry Gragas: How I Use E-drums

Increasingly, we see e-drums deployed in orchestra pits for stage musicals. Perry Gragas explains why he went the electronics route. My first experience with electronic drums was in the mid-80s when I purchased an original Simmons kit. Intrigued by the eye-catching hexagonal shape and futuristic sounds, I gigged with this kit for a couple of years until the novelty wore off and musical tastes changed. Fast forward to 2001. I got a call from my old band teacher asking me to play for a big production of West Side Story at the new state-of-the-art theatre. This was my introduction to musical theatre, and the start of a 20-plus-year career playing for shows. For the first five years, I used an […]

Gear

Yamaha adds finger e-drums

Yamaha has entered the burgeoning electronic finger drumming market with its first-ever line-up of Finger Drum Pads. The new FGDP Series finger drums, the FGDP-30 and FGDP-50, are portable, ergonomically designed and packed with a wide array of professional grade sounds. Engineered to be played anywhere, at any time, the FGDP Series comes in a lightweight package equipped with preset sounds and a long-lasting battery for easy, fun music-making on the go. The finger drums feature a unique, streamlined pad layout for ease of use, in addition to a velocity switch and polyphonic aftertouch sensor, allowing players to incorporate dynamic drumming techniques such as ghost notes and high-speed rolls into any performance. “Our goal with the FGDP Series is to […]

Gear

10 Tips for buying used electronic drums

When it comes to purchasing electronic drums, used equipment can be a great option. Not only does it provide an opportunity to save money, second-hand gear is also a ‘green’ alternative in the increasingly popular circular economy, extending the use and life of instruments that might otherwise clutter attics or end up in landfill. Used gear also allows drummers to explore a wide range of models and brands that may be discontinued or hard to find in new condition. However, buying used electronic drums requires some careful consideration to ensure a successful and satisfying purchase. In this article, we present 10 expert tips to help you navigate the used market and find the perfect electronic drum set. 1. Set a […]

Gear, Industry

Becoming more e-xpensive

For e-drum buyers, inflation is not a theoretical concept – they are seeing it in action each time they shop for new gear. Retailers like US-based Sweetwater have been experiencing price increases over the past 12 months and expect more to come. Kenric Knecht, senior director, drums & percussion/merchandising development, tells digitalDrummer: “We’re seeing price increases across pretty much all brands, in all categories, including, of course, electronic drums. The increases vary, depending on a wide range of individual factors and situations the manufacturers may face.” Manufacturer Efnote recently took to Facebook to flag increases of 5% to 15% for its kits in the North American market. Spokesman Michael Bedard said Efnote had “held out as long as we could […]

Industry

E-drums year in review

Allan Leibowitz reflects on the e-drum highlights of the past year. 2021 was a hectic year for electronic percussion, with a large quantity of new product and strong demand fuelled by stay-at-home music under COVID-19 restrictions. But while demand increased, manufacturers struggled with supply chain challenges, from materials shortages to rising transport costs and freight delays. COVID-19 also impacted heavily on music industry trade shows, the traditional launching ground for new products. The annual NAMM Show in the USA was held virtually in January, with little new product buzz among e-drum manufacturers. The event is due back next year, but moving to Anaheim in June, meaning that Summer NAMM has been scrapped. Organisers cancelled Musikmesse 2021, the European equivalent of […]

Gear

New flagship, mid-range kits from Yamaha

Yamaha has released a new module and two new kit ranges following on from the DTX6 series. The new flagship DTX10 series is powered by a new DTX-PROX module. It features VAD-style wooden shells, Roland/ATV-style multi-trigger drum pads and, for the first time, a choice of  Yamaha TCS (Textured Cellular Silicone) or Remo two-ply mesh heads. Also making a debut is a new three-zone 17” ride cymbal. The mid-range DTX8 series comes with the lower-spec DTX-PRO module and the same birch shells as the DTX10 range. Initial street pricing looks very competitive, with the DTX8 series starting at $2,800 and the DTX10 line pegged at around $4,625. We’ll have more details in a full report in our November edition.