Apartment drummers is a really large market on the US. I know so many people who didn't play drums because of noise and they are surprised when introduced to Remo silent stroke, Zildjian L80 (or similar) reason is, there's NO information available, is really hard to find tips like this online so I really appreciate your videos and information! They've helped me and couple friends A LOT!
Interesting. I used remo silent strokes and L80 cymbals on my acoustic kit the past two years and it drove my housemates absolutely nuts 😂 That's why I think I'll have to stick to electronic drums for the foreseeable future.
Well that was refreshing... being devils advocate to point out possible pitfalls in an Edrum conversion. I know you' do it on most reviews, giving pro's and con's, but here you dedicate the entire post, to just think about these thing. All valid points I have addressed in my conversion. But as you pointed out, playing a real size kit rocks. I love it.
I'm just starting out (bought an alesis kit a month ago) and I can not tell you how much your channel has helped me figure out everything. Just want to say thanks!
Bro, my Force 2001 is the most amazing kit I know of. Ive got guys ive played with over the years who constantly say my kit sounds so wide open and musical. Its over 19years old, still in amazingly good, clean condition. Its a classic gem and to do what you did to it is absolutely a nightmare in the opposite direction. My god, this scares the shit out of me to see this happen.
Using the Megadrum trigger to midi converter makes it possible to cut the cost of converting your kit dramatically - and I also think that using software to produce the drum sounds is the only way to go really!
In my country, e-drum really expensive. For example good e-drum 2.500 usd but acoustic drum set with cymbals almost 1.000 usd (used, cymbals and drum). 3 or 4 years ago I used medeli dd518dx and I tried cymbal with frisbee. It works well.. I know all of things piezo and desing. I can try acoustic to e-drum project but it is not easy. Could you give me some advice? Acoustic e-drum project or e-drum?
I have to disagree with #1 because you can get a converted adrum to be quieter then a normal edrum ,a properly dampened kick drum will be quieter than a kd120 for example.
Think of it this way if you pack a bass drum full of foam or pillows or whatever you have much more dampening behind the beater thats why smaller kick towers always sound louder than bigger ones.Remember the kd85? it was much louder than the kd120 (i tested this in a music store years ago and that was why i bought the kd120 over the kd85) even now with my bassdrum just having 2 pillows in it my room mates tell me its quieter than my old kd120.
Justin u are part right for saying acoustic drumset conversion is louder than but however it actually depends on the shell depth an 16 or 18 inch bass drum will be quieter than a 20 inch bass drum or a 22 bass drum
I was to have a conversion, I'd buy a kit already converted because I haven't the patience to source all the materials and do a decent job..still the volume of the kit would put me off! :) no you can't tempt me, Justin LOL
Hey Justin, I am thankful that you posted this video. That being said, I am running in to walls with my drum sales engineers on purchasing an "electric kick of my liking. I am trying to order and Alesis Strike Pro for Roland TD 27 with a bass snare rack and floor tom. With 3 cymbal pads and one hi hat pad. Most companies will only sell the configurations in a 5 or 6 piece kit with 4 to 5 cymbals (not what I need for woodshedding in my apartment because space is an issue. Can you help me with this situation? Much oblige. Markus
I think we can deal with the portability issue getting a small sizes shell pack. I am going in direction of a 10", 12" toms, 14" floor tom, 13" snare and a 18" bass drum. It's a very common "garage kit"/"jazz kit" over here. And since the sizes doesn't matter for the sounds , a 18" bass drum will make it pretty much portable.
Once again, great job explaining things! But, it looks like such a fun process! I’m still going to take a shot at doing it myself. Just not quite clear on exactly what module I need to aim for. I’ll take your input.
I converted quite a few years ago - the challenges at the time were the snare rim sound, cross stick and getting a good Hi-Hat sound. I eventually mic'd an acoustic HH and used a full electronic snare. Seemed like the only solution at the time....how did you deal with those issues???
Well, a good candidate for such conversion would be the Jet Set Plus kit by Dixon. It's a bit expensive, but you can have a kit that can be both acoustic and electronic on the same drum.
Hi Justin. I was wondering if you could possibly do a video comparing the TD-11 and the TD-15 even though it's discontinued. I have a TD-4KP at the moment and I'm curious if it's worth it to just go for the TD-15. Thanks!
Peter Griffin thanks a ton man! that really helps a lot and I definitely am gonna find a TD-15 for sure. Appreciate the response and great video on your channel by the way!
The key is to use small shells. This way the cymbals do not look too small. You are right with the triggers, this is something people don't want to understand. The cheap triggers are just bad in some way. they either do not work well, break or move. I would rather have no drum kit than one with cheap triggers and other low budget solutions.
I understand the smaller shell sizes, but then again, the large shell sizes are point of doing a conversion in the first place. But you're right, it's a good compromise to get the best of both worlds :)
A big pro for converting for me is the distance between toms. I can't practice acoustic at home. I practised on a TD3. I experienced that the things I learned or practised on the TD3 were not easy to perform on my acoustic kit. Mostly because of the difference in distance. Now it is easier to addept.
You can muffle the loudness by putting material in it. I put rockwool with only an inch left on all toms, snare and kick and it's much more like a regular td25.
I am conflicted or have been for quite some time. I love acoustic drums and I have session studio selects so stupid to convert. I just the other day pulled the trigger and got Rolands SPD SX PRO. Im thinking perhaps a few triggers on kick and snair and 2 to 4 small pads. I am limited by 4 pad inputs or 8 single zone bit have 9 on the SPD SX or 18 layered for hard impact and light. Kinda dule zone. Any how taking this on step at a time and build on it.
Did you add any protection to the bearing edges ? I have heard that the mesh heads will gradually sand down the edges on an acoustic shell? Have you had any issues?
Hello. I know this video is quite old, but I have a question: would you recommend doing this or buying something like the EFnote 7 or Roland VAD504? I have a nice Ludwig kit that I could convert, but it seems like it may be more effective to just buy a pre-built kit.
I was just about to search the web for a cheap set of used shells to convert to electronic. I was not aware of the added noise, so now I am doubting my logic. It would be nice to see a video ( with a noise meter ) to show the differences. Cheers
@@65Drums Close .... that video discusses the difference levels of a converted set. What I am interested in is the difference from say Roland V drum set and an acoustic conversion.
Do you have any tips for bass drum triggering? This has been my biggest challenge. I can't seem to get rid of double/mistriggering. I currently have a 1 ply mesh head installed, along with a clip on Roland bass drum trigger. I've been testing with a blanket in the bass drum, without the blanket, putting pieces of paper towel wrapped in duck tape as a barrier in between the trigger and the mesh head, various levels of tightness of how tight the actual head is on the bass drum. So far, I'm having most success with extremely tight bass drum, barrier of paper towel in between the trigger and bass drum, blanket in the bass drum (I might get another blanket to cause even less vibration as it pushes against the inner mesh head), and put a few extra pieces of duck tape over the bass drum protectors (where the beaters hit) to cause less bounce. However, I'm still occasionally getting some mis triggers. It almost seems it does it as I lift the pedal up from the bass drum.
+Brutal Mootal I just made a video on this called Stop Double Triggering On Your Kick Drum. In it I outline all the setting changes you can make to fix that :) Sad to say, but the one ply head might be part of the issue.
Hey there! I would LOVE to get help with this question! Is a converted acoustic drum louder than say Jobeky or Drumtec Diabolo? I mean, those are wooden shells.. And can I get an equal triggering result as drumtec with a DIY conversion? I will only do it on toms and kickdrum and then but the Diabolo snare..
Justin, I’ve been drumming for about 7 years and have no prior experience with electronic drums. Im highly interested in switching to them, however the sizes are the main issue for me. I don’t need to have my drums portable since I don’t play live (just for fun). Would you recommend doing a conversion on my acoustic kit, similar to donut drums, or purchasing a used Roland drum set? Thanks in advance.
Depends on how much money you're willing to spend. If money isn't a big problem I'd buy a ATV aDrums kit. If you have to keep it under $2000 I'd convert a set or buy a used roland. The Roland will be plug in and play, a conversion set has the potential to be twice as fun to play, but it takes alot of work.
It might be expensive, but I've been wanting to do this so I can start recording my drums easier than clicking them in or using an electronic drum set with only a crash, hi hat and ride for cymbals
Would love to see a comparison between RTom Black Hole and the Roland Mesh heads (or other mesh heads) for an ambient sound comparison. I'm sure it's different for every acoustic kit, but seeing one drum with a Black Hole compared to a Roland and other mesh heads would be great. Using something like Decibel Meter on a phone. Just looking for a cool late-night practice option, and my Roland pads are not exactly quiet. Thanks for doing all these videos.
If your buying an acoustic kit new as I am (for conversion purposes) - get smaller shell sizes - I'm opting for 10" 12" 14" 'short-stack' toms; 14" snare and 18" bass drum. To counter the expense of a module without sacrificing quality I'll use a midi-triggering unit connected to a fast computer running Steven Slate drums. Three Yamaha PCY155's will provide quite large and affordable/reliable cymbals. Even from scratch the cost of everything including stands, pedals, mesh-heads, triggers and throne will only be around the UK equivalent to $2500 and lower in the USA where electronics are generally 25% cheaper. That should be enough to convert anyone!
Man - you must literally HATE electronic kits with 8" pads and hexagonal cymbals etc but I take your point. I guess we just disagree because I like the timbre of smaller drums and the form factor considering you won't hear that timbre for the most part when the conversion has taken place. I think the short-stack look is cool and more positional and as for the 18" floor tom you mention - that should be converted into a be-bop kick drum immediately. ; )
that is a great hybrid kit (the DM10X looks completely stage-worthy coupled with the Tama bass drum. I didn't intend to preach to the (already) converted with my original suggestions but check out Natal Arcadia to see a great kit deal which includes all the necessary hardware (minus cymbals) all in a nice grey strata wrap : )
I thinking of getting the ddrum triggers and using the pearl mesh head pack and alesis cymbals and module on my already existing acoustic drumset should I change or get anything else? PS. I have headphones and cords
I find dampening helps a lot. I have an a2e kit with jobeky trigggers and I stuffed the kick pretty full of blankets because I was worried it would be too loud. I actually find my 18" tom is louder (to me ) than the kick. The person who lives below me may not agree though!!
I'd go with the td 12 over the td25 because you aren't tethered to a db25 connecter and have more trigger inputs aswell as midi input so you can add more pads via a 2nd module or tmi
I still have a Roland TD 10 and the dynamic range is...well, 127. It's a little time consuming to set it up for different drummers, because it makes it really obvious when you can't be consistent, but I think Roland nailed it many years ago, so I would trust any of their improved models blindfolded.
Took a break from watching all of your other vids to see your new one, Awesome vid btw...Question: I havn't had the opportunity to play any electronic drum set but I will be buying one soon and I know you've played and are much more knowlegable about E-Drums. So what in your opinion would be the best to get a Roland TD11KV or the Alesis Strike?
I only have a budget of around $1700 :(... Only problem I have since I have to get amps and such to go with them. When I listen to the hi-hat and cymbal sounds on the Alesis Strike they don't sound as good as I want them to be but everything else about the kit sounds really good. Such a hard decision for sure.
How much dynamic range do you think to get from the one shots in the Roland TD-25 and TD-30 ? They have ZERO dynamic range because the have ZERO layers !
Hey man your videos are so helpful! I’m considering doing this, I just have a question about the module. I like the Alesis Strike Module, but I want the Roland V cymbals, what do you think of that set up?
MY ACOUSTIC DRUM KIT HAS SMALL DRUMS AND AND A NORMAL BASS DRURM, SO I WILL CONVERT IT INTO ELECTRONIC BECAUSE IT IS CHEAPER FOR ME SINCE I AM GETTING A E DRUM KIT SOON: ALESIS DM10, MAYBEY. I WILL GET THE TRIGGERS APART FOR THE ACOUSTIC DRUMS, THEY ARE NO VERY EXPENSIVE.
Emil Nyg veneer and drum wrap tutorials are all over online. I don't really reccomend contact paper as it bubbles and tears also I don't believe the adhesive is very durable just mu thoughts on the matter. i have seen some guys do carbon fibre wraps that look epic.
I know this is off topic but can anyone give me advice on what sticks I need to play on my EDrum kit. I play Classic Rock, Rap, Hip-Hop, Post-Hardcore or "Nu Metal", Metal, Goth, and Country. I been switching between plastic and standard wood tips. But I have seen these mallets, brushes, rods and other sticks. I know on acoustic this makes a huge difference but what about when it comes to Edrums?
Jacob Anderson With Electronic Drums the only real difference you get from using different sticks is the feel and 'bounce' you get. that's what I experienced.
Unfortunelty there is always pros and cons. Conversions on most things not only drums are often a compromise...you can't get the perfect world also, amen regarding the cymbals being dwarfed lol they do look tiny I guess you could have all the cy15 cymbals if you wanna open up your wallet are just be a cash cannon :)
65 Drums lol well the cy-15r is like $420 Australian dollar...not sure what that is in American dollar but basically you are only buying the larger cymbal for the look not the sound like you are in acoustic so is it worth having 15 inch cymbals all around your conversion kit??? And use one of the 12s or 13s as splash or China haha
Great video. I have been working on a conversion kit for a long time, one of the last things I need is cymbals. They are super expensive so I will have to work for it awhile.
Your point 4 doesnt take into consideration Cymbals like the Gen16 set ... i play with them - they look fantastic, are digital/acoustic hybrids and feel like the real deal. Little louder than the Roland pads but ill take that for the realism - specially on the hats
You can always cut the drums in half if you're converting to save space and then BOOM drums aren't as deep and it's not as clunky so #1 and #2 is kind of a mehhhh reason I had a spare 14" floor that I'm making a bass pad a 10" tom for both rack pads and a 12" for a snare and floor tom pad.... I'm trying the v-drum tips methods so let's hope this isn't a failed experiment... I'm looking to spend literally half the amount of a new ekit from used cymbal pads just ride and crases MAYBE HATS not sure. And just running the sound through midi to a computer program... please tell me if I'm in over my head because I've already started.
but... cobbling it all and then engineering it is part of the fun. the process is more of the hobby than the having it and playing it at that point lol
Very nice explanation but you don't even say the fact that a conversion of an acoustic drums maybe have been for eliminate the too much noise and to avoid the build of an room to room place that it was costs too much more from the conversion.So with that conversion avoid the Studio building and you can finally play without disturbing any neighbour or your grandma who lives at the same place and the noisy environment make she gets mad!!!
Ya... i have dw’s 45th anniversary drums. These are the loudest drums ive ever heard in my life. Im in an apartment again and i want a way to play them still. Electric heads would be perfect. But. It needs to be silent.
If you switch the original resonance heads for 1 ply mesh heads, the wooden converted drums will be more quiet than the closed (closed as in no resonancehead) plastic roland pads. I have a converted bass and snare with drum-tec heads AND resonance heads and they are way more quiet than their roland counterparts and my roland pdx-100 toms.
65 Drums It did for me. In my experience are wooden shells with mesh resonance heads always more quiet than those "closed" plastic pads from for example roland. plus they have a much lower, less annoying tone.
just my opinion but I can't really agree with all the comments of the brass cymbals being too loud they are higher pitch for sure but I don't really notice a huge bump in vollume compared to my old yamaha cymbals atleast. just my thoughts on it. I absolutely love my smartrigger, surge, and hartdynamics cymbals
Justin my acoustic electric cymbals are not I repeat are not much louder than the Roland cymbals I don't know about other companies but jman built me an awesome hi hat and it's a hair louder than my vh 11 I know your not the biggest fan of theese but I highly recommend trying one and I do not hear it over my headphones
Its a fair point, but rubber cymbals are already too loud, something that's even a hair louder can still be a turn off for some drummers. I still want to buy one as some point though :)
T King W the simmons sd2000 doesn't have great sounds imho it looks goofy with the hexagon shape pads. It has odd size heads so you can only replace them with the simmons heads. the sd2000 has really low memory for adding samples. comes with single zone highhat pad with 5 position not ideal specs in my opinion at all
I totally agree with this guy! But.... how come all Americans pronounce the word "SONOR" as it was "SONAR"? - It is a German brand, but no matter what - SONOR is NOR - like "NORway"...... :)
If a converted kit is too loud for your place than the only option left is aero drums, and make Shure to wear big Elmo slippers so no one can hear you tapping your feet lol jk everyone
lol no it's not too loud for me, I'm just showing the downsides of a conversion in this video, I still recomend doing it. And there are steps you can take to lower the volume
Whew. None of these points are relevant to me. Just an idiot that wants to record at home, noise / gigs not an issue. Love the idea of changing drum kits on the fly with superior drummer software. Don't wanna go nuts buying high end mics.
NIGHTWING SHIRT
+Eden Kenna YES!
Apartment drummers is a really large market on the US. I know so many people who didn't play drums because of noise and they are surprised when introduced to Remo silent stroke, Zildjian L80 (or similar) reason is, there's NO information available, is really hard to find tips like this online so I really appreciate your videos and information! They've helped me and couple friends A LOT!
Interesting. I used remo silent strokes and L80 cymbals on my acoustic kit the past two years and it drove my housemates absolutely nuts 😂
That's why I think I'll have to stick to electronic drums for the foreseeable future.
if the next video isn't " 5 reasons to convert your electronic kit to an acoustic kit" I'll be disappointed ;)
Well you are an optimist ;)
Well that was refreshing... being devils advocate to point out possible pitfalls in an Edrum conversion. I know you' do it on most reviews, giving pro's and con's, but here you dedicate the entire post, to just think about these thing.
All valid points I have addressed in my conversion. But as you pointed out, playing a real size kit rocks. I love it.
Everything in life seems to be a trade off. I think full sized drums is worth it.
I'm just starting out (bought an alesis kit a month ago) and I can not tell you how much your channel has helped me figure out everything. Just want to say thanks!
Dang thanks man! Glad the channel has helped :)
Love my 65drums tshirt! I hope some drummers out there see it and ask me what it is. I look forward to sending them to your channel.
Dude thanks man! I really appreciate it :) I wear mine all the time glad you like the shirt
Bro, my Force 2001 is the most amazing kit I know of. Ive got guys ive played with over the years who constantly say my kit sounds so wide open and musical. Its over 19years old, still in amazingly good, clean condition. Its a classic gem and to do what you did to it is absolutely a nightmare in the opposite direction. My god, this scares the shit out of me to see this happen.
Using the Megadrum trigger to midi converter makes it possible to cut the cost of converting your kit dramatically - and I also think that using software to produce the drum sounds is the only way to go really!
In my country, e-drum really expensive. For example good e-drum 2.500 usd but acoustic drum set with cymbals almost 1.000 usd (used, cymbals and drum). 3 or 4 years ago I used medeli dd518dx and I tried cymbal with frisbee. It works well.. I know all of things piezo and desing. I can try acoustic to e-drum project but it is not easy. Could you give me some advice? Acoustic e-drum project or e-drum?
I have to disagree with #1 because you can get a converted adrum to be quieter then a normal edrum ,a properly dampened kick drum will be quieter than a kd120 for example.
Have you measured this?
sort of
Think of it this way if you pack a bass drum full of foam or pillows or whatever you have much more dampening behind the beater thats why smaller kick towers always sound louder than bigger ones.Remember the kd85? it was much louder than the kd120 (i tested this in a music store years ago and that was why i bought the kd120 over the kd85) even now with my bassdrum just having 2 pillows in it my room mates tell me its quieter than my old kd120.
@@demonocusmetalocus3558 that's reasonable logic.
I bought a brand new kit to convert! 7 drums not counting cymbals. What triggers and module would you recommend in 2021?
Justin u are part right for saying acoustic drumset conversion is louder than but however it actually depends on the shell depth an 16 or 18 inch bass drum will be quieter than a 20 inch bass drum or a 22 bass drum
great video as usual, Justin! I'm perfectly happy with my setup. If I had a basement, I'd probably have a go at a conversion
I you ever end up trying it, let me know :)
I was to have a conversion, I'd buy a kit already converted because I haven't the patience to source all the materials and do a decent job..still the volume of the kit would put me off! :) no you can't tempt me, Justin LOL
Hey Justin, I am thankful that you posted this video. That being said, I am running in to walls with my drum sales engineers on purchasing an "electric kick of my liking. I am trying to order and Alesis Strike Pro for Roland TD 27 with a bass snare rack and floor tom. With 3 cymbal pads and one hi hat pad. Most companies will only sell the configurations in a 5 or 6 piece kit with 4 to 5 cymbals (not what I need for woodshedding in my apartment because space is an issue. Can you help me with this situation? Much oblige. Markus
I think we can deal with the portability issue getting a small sizes shell pack. I am going in direction of a 10", 12" toms, 14" floor tom, 13" snare and a 18" bass drum. It's a very common "garage kit"/"jazz kit" over here. And since the sizes doesn't matter for the sounds , a 18" bass drum will make it pretty much portable.
Once again, great job explaining things! But, it looks like such a fun process! I’m still going to take a shot at doing it myself. Just not quite clear on exactly what module I need to aim for. I’ll take your input.
I converted quite a few years ago - the challenges at the time were the snare rim sound, cross stick and getting a good Hi-Hat sound. I eventually mic'd an acoustic HH and used a full electronic snare. Seemed like the only solution at the time....how did you deal with those issues???
Well, a good candidate for such conversion would be the Jet Set Plus kit by Dixon. It's a bit expensive, but you can have a kit that can be both acoustic and electronic on the same drum.
other than being quieter and recording, if there any other reasons to convert from acoustic to electronic?? it doesn't make sense to me
Justin i was wondering about the the volume. Is the amount volume produced significantly louder to wear neighbors are still bothered?
I bought the alesis surge mesh kit and my neighbor bitched like a baby
Hi Justin. I was wondering if you could possibly do a video comparing the TD-11 and the TD-15 even though it's discontinued. I have a TD-4KP at the moment and I'm curious if it's worth it to just go for the TD-15. Thanks!
TD15 is worth the extra money in my opinion :)
Peter Griffin thanks a ton man! that really helps a lot and I definitely am gonna find a TD-15 for sure. Appreciate the response and great video on your channel by the way!
65 Drums cool thanks a lot. love the videos. Keep up the good work!
The key is to use small shells. This way the cymbals do not look too small. You are right with the triggers, this is something people don't want to understand. The cheap triggers are just bad in some way. they either do not work well, break or move. I would rather have no drum kit than one with cheap triggers and other low budget solutions.
I understand the smaller shell sizes, but then again, the large shell sizes are point of doing a conversion in the first place. But you're right, it's a good compromise to get the best of both worlds :)
A big pro for converting for me is the distance between toms. I can't practice acoustic at home. I practised on a TD3. I experienced that the things I learned or practised on the TD3 were not easy to perform on my acoustic kit. Mostly because of the difference in distance. Now it is easier to addept.
Are you going to do a review on that laser bass drum trigger? Great video btw, even though I would love to have a converted kit :D
I've seen a video on that, but I don't have any plans to review it yet
You can muffle the loudness by putting material in it.
I put rockwool with only an inch left on all toms, snare and kick and it's much more like a regular td25.
I use my acoustic / e-drum with real cymbals. I only mic my sabian's and it sounds very good front house. One condenser mic.
I am conflicted or have been for quite some time. I love acoustic drums and I have session studio selects so stupid to convert. I just the other day pulled the trigger and got Rolands SPD SX PRO. Im thinking perhaps a few triggers on kick and snair and 2 to 4 small pads. I am limited by 4 pad inputs or 8 single zone bit have 9 on the SPD SX or 18 layered for hard impact and light. Kinda dule zone. Any how taking this on step at a time and build on it.
thats cool..what does that cost..is there a video on how to do this..
Did you add any protection to the bearing edges ? I have heard that the mesh heads will gradually sand down the edges on an acoustic shell? Have you had any issues?
Hello. I know this video is quite old, but I have a question: would you recommend doing this or buying something like the EFnote 7 or Roland VAD504? I have a nice Ludwig kit that I could convert, but it seems like it may be more effective to just buy a pre-built kit.
Yes both kits you mentioned are fantastic, if you have the budget, I'd buy that over converting a kit myself
I was just about to search the web for a cheap set of used shells to convert to electronic. I was not aware of the added noise, so now I am doubting my logic. It would be nice to see a video ( with a noise meter ) to show the differences. Cheers
ruclips.net/video/Yjf6BcobrtI/видео.html
@@65Drums Close .... that video discusses the difference levels of a converted set. What I am interested in is the difference from say Roland V drum set and an acoustic conversion.
Do you think that the side mounted triggers like the ddrums are good enough to be part of a conversion project?
Stuff the shell with towels?
I have the Yamaha dtx400k... any thoughts for upgrades to make?
If I were you, I'd just save up for a better kit later on, than to add a cymbal or somthing right now.
Me too having the same kit!!!
Do you have any tips for bass drum triggering? This has been my biggest challenge. I can't seem to get rid of double/mistriggering. I currently have a 1 ply mesh head installed, along with a clip on Roland bass drum trigger. I've been testing with a blanket in the bass drum, without the blanket, putting pieces of paper towel wrapped in duck tape as a barrier in between the trigger and the mesh head, various levels of tightness of how tight the actual head is on the bass drum.
So far, I'm having most success with extremely tight bass drum, barrier of paper towel in between the trigger and bass drum, blanket in the bass drum (I might get another blanket to cause even less vibration as it pushes against the inner mesh head), and put a few extra pieces of duck tape over the bass drum protectors (where the beaters hit) to cause less bounce. However, I'm still occasionally getting some mis triggers. It almost seems it does it as I lift the pedal up from the bass drum.
+Brutal Mootal I just made a video on this called Stop Double Triggering On Your Kick Drum. In it I outline all the setting changes you can make to fix that :) Sad to say, but the one ply head might be part of the issue.
65 Drums thanks I just happened to watch that video right after I left the comment. Perhaps giving a higher ply mesh head is the next step!
If I were to buy the alesis nitro kit could I just use some of the pads for electronic sounds for a acoustic kit?
Whitch basedrum trigger do you use?
Roland KD-A22
@@65Drums okey thanks nice vid!
Hey there! I would LOVE to get help with this question! Is a converted acoustic drum louder than say Jobeky or Drumtec Diabolo? I mean, those are wooden shells.. And can I get an equal triggering result as drumtec with a DIY conversion? I will only do it on toms and kickdrum and then but the Diabolo snare..
Justin, I’ve been drumming for about 7 years and have no prior experience with electronic drums. Im highly interested in switching to them, however the sizes are the main issue for me. I don’t need to have my drums portable since I don’t play live (just for fun). Would you recommend doing a conversion on my acoustic kit, similar to donut drums, or purchasing a used Roland drum set? Thanks in advance.
Depends on how much money you're willing to spend. If money isn't a big problem I'd buy a ATV aDrums kit. If you have to keep it under $2000 I'd convert a set or buy a used roland. The Roland will be plug in and play, a conversion set has the potential to be twice as fun to play, but it takes alot of work.
#1 I feel is easy to avoid, couldn't you just overstuff the bass drum so it muffles down a little bit??
I've got a blanket in there already, I'll have to experiment with the amount of stuffing to see if that can bring the volume all the way down
Conversions can also be triggered with acoustic heads, tuned close to the voice, and half wet (or so)... that might be where the confusion kicks in.
It might be expensive, but I've been wanting to do this so I can start recording my drums easier than clicking them in or using an electronic drum set with only a crash, hi hat and ride for cymbals
Would love to see a comparison between RTom Black Hole and the Roland Mesh heads (or other mesh heads) for an ambient sound comparison. I'm sure it's different for every acoustic kit, but seeing one drum with a Black Hole compared to a Roland and other mesh heads would be great. Using something like Decibel Meter on a phone. Just looking for a cool late-night practice option, and my Roland pads are not exactly quiet. Thanks for doing all these videos.
+Mark Losey I'll keep the video idea in mind :)
If your buying an acoustic kit new as I am (for conversion purposes) - get smaller shell sizes - I'm opting for 10" 12" 14" 'short-stack' toms; 14" snare and 18" bass drum. To counter the expense of a module without sacrificing quality I'll use a midi-triggering unit connected to a fast computer running Steven Slate drums. Three Yamaha PCY155's will provide quite large and affordable/reliable cymbals. Even from scratch the cost of everything including stands, pedals, mesh-heads, triggers and throne will only be around the UK equivalent to $2500 and lower in the USA where electronics are generally 25% cheaper. That should be enough to convert anyone!
Man - you must literally HATE electronic kits with 8" pads and hexagonal cymbals etc but I take your point. I guess we just disagree because I like the timbre of smaller drums and the form factor considering you won't hear that timbre for the most part when the conversion has taken place. I think the short-stack look is cool and more positional and as for the 18" floor tom you mention - that should be converted into a be-bop kick drum immediately. ; )
the logical extension to your argument would be to convert concert timpani, gongs and tubular bells but I take your point..
Peter Griffin the larger the drum the more triggering issues
That's definitely a possible route to go.
that is a great hybrid kit (the DM10X looks completely stage-worthy coupled with the Tama bass drum. I didn't intend to preach to the (already) converted with my original suggestions but check out Natal Arcadia to see a great kit deal which includes all the necessary hardware (minus cymbals) all in a nice grey strata wrap : )
I thinking of getting the ddrum triggers and using the pearl mesh head pack and alesis cymbals and module on my already existing acoustic drumset should I change or get anything else? PS. I have headphones and cords
For point 1, really wish you included what it sounded it like so we can hear how loud it is.
Im really confused about this arguement. Volume is controlled via PA system and amp limitations. So yes an electronic kit can be as loud as you want.
Can you do a video on powered speakers or powered monitors ? I'm using headphones and would like to try a good powered speaker
Already did :) It's called Drum amps vs PAs
I find dampening helps a lot. I have an a2e kit with jobeky trigggers and I stuffed the kick pretty full of blankets because I was worried it would be too loud. I actually find my 18" tom is louder (to me ) than the kick. The person who lives below me may not agree though!!
And a question too better dynamics from jobecky side mount or Roland Rt-10s?
Jobeky is much better than those roland side trigers. But R-Drums will give you the best dynamics.
Which you think would have better dynamic range, a td12 or td25? Or about the same? Have a conversion in progress.
no difference that i'm aware of.
I'd go with the td 12 over the td25 because you aren't tethered to a db25 connecter and have more trigger inputs aswell as midi input so you can add more pads via a 2nd module or tmi
I still have a Roland TD 10 and the dynamic range is...well, 127.
It's a little time consuming to set it up for different drummers, because it makes it really obvious when you can't be consistent, but I think Roland nailed it many years ago, so I would trust any of their improved models blindfolded.
ChristianIce ok cool. I'm gonna go with a td12 probably, and just use SSD4. I know the internal sounds are too old for me.
I've priced it out as well. The best I I could do was $4500. The cymbals just murder your budget.
It's somthing I never really thought about until this year. The cymbals are the 1 item that make everyone go broke.
65 Drums cymbals are the most expensive thing for any drummer sadly
What kind of Mesh heads are you using on your conversion drum set?
Great video. I wish you would play more in your videos.
Watch some of the newer videos, they have more playing in them.
Took a break from watching all of your other vids to see your new one, Awesome vid btw...Question: I havn't had the opportunity to play any electronic drum set but I will be buying one soon and I know you've played and are much more knowlegable about E-Drums. So what in your opinion would be the best to get a Roland TD11KV or the Alesis Strike?
I only have a budget of around $1700 :(... Only problem I have since I have to get amps and such to go with them. When I listen to the hi-hat and cymbal sounds on the Alesis Strike they don't sound as good as I want them to be but everything else about the kit sounds really good. Such a hard decision for sure.
Thank you for your help dude, really!!!!
Will do that right now thanks!!!
How much dynamic range do you think to get from the one shots in the Roland TD-25 and TD-30 ?
They have ZERO dynamic range because the have ZERO layers !
Tell that to Neil Peart
For the dynamic range he`s playing always on his awesome acoustic kit , the Roland set is a nice addition ......
Why doesn't Roland release larger low level cymbals pads ?
What about Go E Drum were is there Ranking they seem to be around the 1000 to 2000 range
Goedrum quality is pretty bad in my experience. I have 2 drumsets from them.
Is it possible to turn a dtxtreme III module into a dtx900 with software update?
nope
65 Drums Thanks very much, I knew a dtx950 for 1800 bucks can't be legit
Hey man your videos are so helpful! I’m considering doing this, I just have a question about the module. I like the Alesis Strike Module, but I want the Roland V cymbals, what do you think of that set up?
Go "E" Or Go Home!! Lol
Another Great one Justin !!!!
Thanks man :)
Loved the video but in regards to cymbals I use zildjian gen 16 cymbals and they look and function great with my edrum
MY ACOUSTIC DRUM KIT HAS SMALL DRUMS AND AND A NORMAL BASS DRURM, SO I WILL CONVERT IT INTO ELECTRONIC BECAUSE IT IS CHEAPER FOR ME SINCE I AM GETTING A E DRUM KIT SOON: ALESIS DM10, MAYBEY. I WILL GET THE TRIGGERS APART FOR THE ACOUSTIC DRUMS, THEY ARE NO VERY EXPENSIVE.
a video on how to change color or texture on the shells with
contact paper?
Emil Nyg veneer and drum wrap tutorials are all over online. I don't really reccomend contact paper as it bubbles and tears also I don't believe the adhesive is very durable just mu thoughts on the matter. i have seen some guys do carbon fibre wraps that look epic.
I filled my shells with foam discs from the sensor disc down to the lower head and it's a lot quieter.
good tip
I know this is off topic but can anyone give me advice on what sticks I need to play on my EDrum kit. I play Classic Rock, Rap, Hip-Hop, Post-Hardcore or "Nu Metal", Metal, Goth, and Country. I been switching between plastic and standard wood tips. But I have seen these mallets, brushes, rods and other sticks. I know on acoustic this makes a huge difference but what about when it comes to Edrums?
Jacob Anderson With Electronic Drums the only real difference you get from using different sticks is the feel and 'bounce' you get. that's what I experienced.
Is the Yamaha Dtx 582k worth the money?
Meh, I think it's a bit overpriced. But if you find it on sale, or used, it could be had at a solid price
I haggled the sales rep, got it for a discounted price.
Converted my Ludwig to an E-drum set:
TD-50 $2,400
Digital snare- $700
18" digital ride- $400
PD128 side snare- $500
15" ride- $300
VH-11- $400
Mesh heads- $200
Internal triggers $400
Cannibalized TD-6V, 3 cymbals, 2 PDX-8 triggers, PD-9 kick trigger glued onto acoustic kick head.
Dang that's a sweet setup
65 Drums I sent you the pic a month back and my book. This is Kenny Rhodes.
65 Drums all from Sweetwater.com, no interest payments, except I purchased my internal triggers from eBay from GoEdrum
Unfortunelty there is always pros and cons. Conversions on most things not only drums are often a compromise...you can't get the perfect world also, amen regarding the cymbals being dwarfed lol they do look tiny I guess you could have all the cy15 cymbals if you wanna open up your wallet are just be a cash cannon :)
lol cash cannon
65 Drums lol well the cy-15r is like $420 Australian dollar...not sure what that is in American dollar but basically you are only buying the larger cymbal for the look not the sound like you are in acoustic so is it worth having 15 inch cymbals all around your conversion kit??? And use one of the 12s or 13s as splash or China haha
Great video. I have been working on a conversion kit for a long time, one of the last things I need is cymbals. They are super expensive so I will have to work for it awhile.
yeah they are expensive :(
7:04 Hi xD
12:14 Yep, thats right!
lol
You do a very nice job...
Hey thanks :) Jayco for LIFE
Your point 4 doesnt take into consideration Cymbals like the Gen16 set ... i play with them - they look fantastic, are digital/acoustic hybrids and feel like the real deal. Little louder than the Roland pads but ill take that for the realism - specially on the hats
You can always cut the drums in half if you're converting to save space and then BOOM drums aren't as deep and it's not as clunky so #1 and #2 is kind of a mehhhh reason I had a spare 14" floor that I'm making a bass pad a 10" tom for both rack pads and a 12" for a snare and floor tom pad.... I'm trying the v-drum tips methods so let's hope this isn't a failed experiment... I'm looking to spend literally half the amount of a new ekit from used cymbal pads just ride and crases MAYBE HATS not sure. And just running the sound through midi to a computer program... please tell me if I'm in over my head because I've already started.
lol You're not in over your head, just keep going, it will take awhile, but the results are worth it.
65 Drums Awesome, I just subbed I've played acoustic my entire life so learning all of the edrum prerequisites is like a new language.
great!
i put a remo silent stroke on my res head on the bass drum, and its so quiet its crazy,
interesting hadn't thought of that
65 Drums try it, you'll be surprised
but... cobbling it all and then engineering it is part of the fun. the process is more of the hobby than the having it and playing it at that point lol
Very nice explanation but you don't even say the fact that a conversion of an acoustic drums maybe have been for eliminate the too much noise and to avoid the build of an room to room place that it was costs too much more from the conversion.So with that conversion avoid the Studio building and you can finally play without disturbing any neighbour or your grandma who lives at the same place and the noisy environment make she gets mad!!!
I'm thinking about converting my lcd touch screen with a micro fiber triple ply mesh head on my Nintendo Switch.
sounds like a good plan
Put a mesh head on the front of the bass drum. That should solve a lot of the problem.
Ya... i have dw’s 45th anniversary drums. These are the loudest drums ive ever heard in my life. Im in an apartment again and i want a way to play them still. Electric heads would be perfect. But. It needs to be silent.
Couldn't you just put muffling/baffling in the drums to quiet them down?
yes
this one is really good.
Thanks man :)
If you switch the original resonance heads for 1 ply mesh heads, the wooden converted drums will be more quiet than the closed (closed as in no resonancehead) plastic roland pads. I have a converted bass and snare with drum-tec heads AND resonance heads and they are way more quiet than their roland counterparts and my roland pdx-100 toms.
+Tom van Wijk that's very interesting, but does that fix the kick volume?
65 Drums It did for me. In my experience are wooden shells with mesh resonance heads always more quiet than those "closed" plastic pads from for example roland. plus they have a much lower, less annoying tone.
Yes the frequency is lower, but then again, lower frequencies travel through walls easier :/
65 Drums that is certainly true Justin!
You could fill drums with a light blanket muffle alot eapecially bass drum.
Prosumer tip:
Run a kt-4.
For better sounds: add addictive drums.
Put foam in them.
just my opinion but I can't really agree with all the comments of the brass cymbals being too loud they are higher pitch for sure but I don't really notice a huge bump in vollume compared to my old yamaha cymbals atleast. just my thoughts on it. I absolutely love my smartrigger, surge, and hartdynamics cymbals
Hey if it works for you, that's cool. I'm sure I'll pick up one at some point. I know it's not a huge volume jump, but there is a volume increase
wow, Great Video !!!!
:-)
Thanks man :)
If you knock a 'grizzled old veteran' for doing something you can't, you might want to learn from them instead of being dismissive.
Justin my acoustic electric cymbals are not I repeat are not much louder than the Roland cymbals I don't know about other companies but jman built me an awesome hi hat and it's a hair louder than my vh 11 I know your not the biggest fan of theese but I highly recommend trying one and I do not hear it over my headphones
Its a fair point, but rubber cymbals are already too loud, something that's even a hair louder can still be a turn off for some drummers. I still want to buy one as some point though :)
You could just use a module from a cheap used kit and run your sounds via midi
Pearl E-Pro Live , Pearl Mimic Pro , & NFUZD Audio - Conversion Drum Kits
true, but those drum pads just aren't as fun to play on.
65 Drums The Simmons SD2000 gots everyone beat !!! So does the Nord Drums 1-3 , too !!!
T King W the simmons sd2000 doesn't have great sounds imho it looks goofy with the hexagon shape pads. It has odd size heads so you can only replace them with the simmons heads. the sd2000 has really low memory for adding samples. comes with single zone highhat pad with 5 position not ideal specs in my opinion at all
Your set is 10 times more expend than mine
Or you could stuff your drums with blankets and things like that to make quieter.
Very true
I totally agree with this guy! But.... how come all Americans pronounce the word "SONOR" as it was "SONAR"? - It is a German brand, but no matter what - SONOR is NOR - like "NORway"...... :)
But it is still way cool!
It will still be quieter then the actual acoustic
Absolutely
65 Drums was not at all expecting you to reply.... Well, while your reading comments I want to say good job on the videos man!
Thanks dude :) thanks for stopping by the channel
If a converted kit is too loud for your place than the only option left is aero drums, and make Shure to wear big Elmo slippers so no one can hear you tapping your feet lol jk everyone
lol no it's not too loud for me, I'm just showing the downsides of a conversion in this video, I still recomend doing it. And there are steps you can take to lower the volume
I am basically being forced to buy an electronic drum set. It blows dude. So much money lol. Good lord 🤕
It always sucks to be forced to buy something
Whew. None of these points are relevant to me. Just an idiot that wants to record at home, noise / gigs not an issue. Love the idea of changing drum kits on the fly with superior drummer software. Don't wanna go nuts buying high end mics.