Yamaha DTXpress/DTXplorer/DTXtreme

--- In DTXpress@yahoogroups.com, "steed02472" <emerypa@b...> wrote:
> Hi folks
> 
> Just found this group and like what I see so far...I've been playing
> acousic drums for over 30 years in all kinds of bands in the UK and
> the US...now I find I have 2 related problems. Firstly, I have 
always
> hit hard and played loud. The result of which is that I now have
> tinitus in my right ear. I was never comfortable with protection and
> now I pay the price. I think part of the problem was that I
> unknowingly disliked the sound of unmiked acoustic drums  unless 
they
> were loud. I never played miked in the UK and so thats where it
> started. So the second problem is that I don't like what I hear. It
> would seem then that an electronic set might be the answer. I've 
tried
> some electronic sets in music stores but not recently. Is there a 
big
> difference playing live between electric and acoustic?. Did you guys
> make the transition easily? does the bass drum pad move around or do
> you need to anchor it or use a mat? 

Hi and welcome,

I'll let other people go into detail about playing an electronic kit 
live, but, for one thing, when you hit an electonic pad live, what 
dictates the volume will be your monitor--whether on the floor or in 
your ear--not the strength in your arm. That's a huge difference. You 
can adjust levels to suit your hearing. You also have more inherent 
control over how the kit responds without needing to whack it too 
hard to get the crack that you may want. It's still true that to get 
a good chest thump, the bottom end will need some power, but, in 
general, sculpting sound with electronics does not depend on brute 
force. You need to find the module that gives you the percussion 
voices that you want, or coax the voices that you want from the 
module that you get. This is a complicated question, and I hope 
others add to the answer. By the way, most kick pads have spurs 
and/or velcro to be used with a rug to keep from wandering. 
Incidentally, I started drumming back in 1963; I relish these moments 
with people who approach my longevity.

Ed