Why people have a preconception on E-drums

Using electronic drums has a many advantages. Like being able to practice in a small apartment without annoying neighbors, recording low budget drum tracks and avoid endless sound checks when using them on stage.

A lot of musicians are still against the concept and have preconceptions. But Why?

1. The look

Some e-drum manufactures produce kits that look like toys for children. Red modules, orange pads, blue rocks, yellow cymbals and so on. I ask myself how the makers get such an idea. They must have told themselves. “Let’s just use an ugly color to be unique.” Their intention might be good, but the outcome is a kit that looks like Tupperware. And the guy who plays such a drum kit appears like a desperate child that doesn’t want to leave toys’r’us. In this prospective I fully understand the people who don’t like them.

Strange enough, Roland and Yamaha does not make this mistake and uses neutral colors. And they know why. For the manufactures who don’t understand: Use neutral colors that are typical for instrument gear, Chrome, black and dark gray. It is that simple. A 40 year old guy will not buy a yellow drum kit with Lego cymbals if he isn’t color blind!

2. The Sound

It is 2015 and some e-drum modules are still producing noises sampled from Phil Collins 80’s hits. Sadly, one of my favorite e-drum manufacture was still not able to improve the sound. That is why I will not buy a TD-25. This kit has got released and I really asked myself why they still sound like they sound. Robot drums. Not all manufactures make this mistake. 2box is doing well in providing a huge free data basis on real drum sounds. But many others don’t. So there is no choice but to use electronic drum software like EZdrummer2 including their samples.

I think these are the 2 main reasons why many drummers will keep on not considering e-drums. Either for recording, live gigs or just practicing. I just hope the manufactures are becoming aware of that issue and avoid using this awful colours for their products. No drummer behind a pile of colored plastic, will ever be taken serious. And robot sounds of the 80’s will even make it worse.

I’d like to take the sounds of a 2 box module, combine them with the technique of an advanced Roland kit, add some field cymbals with transparent a rubber cover and use a shell set of drum-tec with a very quiet bass drum. The outcome would be worlds best electronic drum kit. Let’s hope the future Roland modules offer the ability to use sampled sounds. I would be so happy to even get a tattoo of their Logo up on my ass.