i think the reason the cocktail-Jam Mini didn't sell so good is because it was also acoustic. i think TAMA should re-introduce the cocktail-JAM Mini as an E-drum Shell Pack, ( with internal center trigger systems ); because Multi-Pads are coming out with up to 8 trigger inputs. make the Mini again as E-drums, and people can make them sound as big as they want.
Are there any triggers that can be made to work well with Yamaha modules? Internal/external, whatever? UFO, Ddrum, 2box. Especially for the dtx502. With the Yamaha triggers, are you meaning the DT50 series?
I just found and bought an E Drum kit Alesis DM7X from Goodwill it has a snare, 2 toms upper rack, to the right 2 more toms, plus 4 cymbals. Needs a bass kick pedal and a HH pedal ... How much ya think ? Unbelievable price of ? $44.00 😲 . Now I just have to figure it out. what goes where and sound output🤔🤨😲 if anyone knows where I can pu the two pedals for the DM7X would be very greatful. I've looked around amazon, guitar centre, Ebay. 🤔😵💫 New or used. Thanks
I converted a kit a couple months ago now and was having a hard time getting the setting dialled in on the bass drum. I messaged Justin and he responded and had some great feedback and it’s been working great since I tried what he recommended. Thanks again and keep up the great content🤟
I have several acoustic sets and an older Roland electronic kit. These days, it's so easy to combine the looks of acoustic kits and the sound options of electronic kits. Great video; thank you for taking the time to make it!
Just about finished my acoustic conversion a few weeks back and we are now half way through recording our album. The drums feel amazing and as natural as possible. Our drummer is a drum purist so the transition has been very fast and by the end of the 1st night he was really enjoying the sounds and experience with superior drummer 3. I went the jobeky route for side triggers and 3ply mesh heads. Couldn't have done this without your channel Justin so hats off to you for keeping me right on advise. Also went down the road of a roland td-27 module and went digital ride and hi-hat. Amazing dynamics. Thanks again and keep up the good work.
I built my first kit about 8 years ago and I was certain that this kind of kit would take over the world. I could use them ANYWHERE in my cover band.and they were instrumental (heh heh) in achieving a consistent perfect mix in a living room rehearsal space to a large outdoor venue. My kit evolved over the years and ended up perfect for me. My favorite feature was an additional hi hat on my right hand side. Where has that been all my life :). I had a compact little Sonar kit that I used for my gig kit and kept packed and ready to go. I had the same sized kit (cheap Ludwig, $100 used on CL) set up in the rehearsal space. I only used the SS single ply heads. I beat the crap out of them and only had to replace a couple of snare heads where the cone wore through. In retrospect, I should have not mounted it dead center and it probably would have lasted forever. I did have to constantly tighten the heads to keep the bounce active. I also didn't use a trigger on the bass drum. The mesh felt to mushy so I sprung for as couple Roland KT 10's and loved them immediately. Also, they were much easier to set up. I used hardware from The Home Depot (1" aluminum angle) for crossbars and piezos/cones from Quartz. I always used Roland modules (TD 20's or 30's) and spent HOURS setting up different kits for almost every song. My kick was always the same but the snares we as close to the original song as I could get. The toms only had a bit of variation from deep to normal and I'd tune them accordingly. I was playing 80's R&R at the time and could come very close to that gated reverb sound that was the rage :) I did construction and electrical work all my life so the build was the easy part. I collected enough parts from used kits to easily fabricate and changes I wanted to make. I built my kits so not only would they be easy to play but also to set up transport and set up. I haven't played since the Covid shut down. It seemed like the right time to retire. But damn, I really loved that setup.
Regarding Mesh heads, I found out that doing your own with window screen mesh, you can have awesome results. Just use the hoops of old drumheads, sow the mesh on the hoops, put the layers you want (i did double ply) and I can say these are the most durable and playable meshead I ever used. And they are all white, so aesthetics is a plus as well
I've build an electronic drum set based on Traps A400 with Megadrum 32 as midi controller to AD2. Because I own Yamaha's RHH-135 and PCY-155 and had trouble configuring them I bought a used DTX IV module which is fully compatible with them. Currently I am looking to buy a new module with enough inputs as I have 14 pads and the ability to add custom sounds and I am close to 2box drummit Five MkII which is close to the price range I am looking for and plays also all kinds of cymbal pads. . A lot of drummers out there have learnt so much from your informative videos , so just keep making them. Cheers from Greece
I had an old Alesis DM 10, however, the DM10 sounds like, well, a DM10. So I connected that to a dedicated Macbook Pro (2012 i7 8GB RAM 512GB SSD) with Steven Slate Drums. It sounds amazing. The kick with the UFO eBridge is pretty darn convincing. The biggest difference in both playability and accurate triggering was made by changing out the heads to the Drum-Tec Real Feel heads. If you have a Macbook lying around or care to buy a used one for a couple hundred bucks, you can save a bunch of money by just using a cheaper module as a trigger to MIDI interface. I only use the trigger setup feature of the DM10 which is fairly straightforward and flexible enough to handle a DIY kit. Works great for me since I have my Macbook on stage for another reason anyway. The channel is awesome! Keep up the awesome contributions.
Built my first 14" electronic snare with a Convertible Percussions dual zone trigger. Inexpensive and works well with my Roland td10exp! Used a remo Silentstroke as a bottom head with a Roland batter head. I would recommend used Roland cymbals. As long as they're not obviously abused they should still trigger fine.
Thanks for continuing to make these great vids. I've watched many on your channel as I approach making a final decision on how to convert my acoustic kit to electronic. Your experience and opinions on heads, triggers, modules, and construction have been invaluable. You've created the best resource of its kind.
This video just inspired me to build my own e drum.. I was looking for a good kit with nice sizes and good sounds but I concluded that or you buy nice looks or you buy nice sounds or you buy nice hardware.. Thx so much Justin.. Greetings from Portugal..
I just finished converting my 66 Ludwig set. It looks amazing and plays great! For bass drum I used a 20" Silentstroke with two pillows inside and Evans eq patch. Put a kt10 trigger on top of shell and it works surprisingly well! Feels real similar to the kd140 on the td50 I played at Columbus Percussion.
Brilliant video. You just inspired me to convert my very first acoustic kit (a very simple Pearl Forum) into something new. I was always reluctant to go the DIY road, but the way you explained it, it seems really doable. It will be a hobby next to my go-to electronic kit, always good to learn more about the technology.
I’ve been making a couple diy drums, two 6” a 10” and a 14” snare for an addition to my TD-50kva. Also got a TD-17 rack and made my rack bigger. It’s pretty awesome! My drums are 6,8,10,10,12,12,14- and 10,6,14 on my left. It’s perfect for me.
Hi @Ryan Buckley, that sounds exciting! May you share what the triggers and drum heads you chose? How do your DIY e-drums stand against the original TD-50 drum pads? i.e. sound, trigger sensitivity, playability, etc.
Nice, very informative video. You are so close to 100k Justin! I’d love to hear more about Efnote, as I’m planning to buy an Efnote 5 in the next couple months. Keep up the good content!
My old worn Roland CY-8's rubber has gone a bit soft which is actually pretty cool because it's a little smoother and a bit quiter to play. Thanks for the vid dude!
Good video Justin, I just finished doing my own conversion and built all triggers from scratch! It was a great learning experience. As with you, attempted cymbals but still am not satisfied. I will disagree with you on one item and that is the modules. I use an Alesis Strike module as have a strike kit and that module definetly is comparable the the recommended ones in your list. Adjustments, custom adding of kits etc... couldn't be happier with that module. Keep the videos coming they are great, I always learn something from them! Cheers
@@reezlaw the Strike sounds great. Alesis reliability is what concerns most people. Ive read many comments about Alesis components breaking after not much time or use. Just dont see as many about Roland. I bought a 20 year old used Roland that still works flawlessly. Id be interested to see how any Alesis kit looks after decades of use.
I came up with a drum muffling method years ago for acoustic drums that might help with single layer mesh heads. I hated putting tape on my drums so I went through a lot of experimentation to avoid using it. The proceedure is as follows. Using an old worn out drum head cut it into a ring with the inner edge being around an inch and a half to two inches from the curved edge of the head which would sit on the bearing edge of the drum. You could experiment with wider rings and with larger drums that might be a good idea. Then cut the metal rim off the head as close to the hoop as you can. Take the ring you just made and place it on the bottom of the batter head you want to use (in this case the mesh head). If you use Remo heads the ring may snap nicely into the batter head and stay there. If it doesn't do that just use a small piece of tape to keep it in place until you get everything on to the drum. Tension it normally and the head should vibrate much less. On acoustic drums this creates a pretty good amount of sound control. With single layer mesh heads it may be a good way to avoid double triggers. I did this long before the rings which you can just throw on top of a drum to muffle it were introduced. It's not as easy obviously because you have to take the top head off to do it but it does work.
If I had known all this when building my E-Kit man... Very detailed and nice information - also kind of insane to see a US guy include european companies, thanks for that!
Def one of your best videos, Justin. Thank you esp for the links to the other pages. Old guy, new drummer, after a few months I finally found an incredible used Roland bargain setup on local facebook marketplace - just like your videos say. TD-7 set + extras. You wouldn't believe the price. - - I need to downsize the rack, though, so I'm following custom rack tips.
(I Have Posted A Lot of Good Tips and/or Must Do's Below in anyone is interested) Great Video Man! This Video brought back a lot of memories. I built my own DIY Acoustic E-Kit bout 15 years ago. It survived 5 years of my abuse, I sold it for A LOT Money it was insane during those times. I think the total cost for (everything) was around $500 (minus the Kick Pedals). 5 years after beating the hell out of it, I sold it for around $2000 and I kept my Axis Longboards :). I spent a lot of time making it look "Premium" by wrapping the shells, hidden wires, and all the extra little things. Also, it was around the early 2000's, E-Kits were blowing up, and at the time, no one really brought an Acoustic or Hybrid style Kit to Market unless they were DIY or small batches. I could be wrong. But yeah, That kit has had 3 owners since then. Its still going (with maintenance of course). last year I wished I had that old E-Kit again so I made another but spent a little more money and time on it. Also, Built another 6 Kits that ive Sold on the side to make some side money. But E-Kit are getting popular again, so I im going to sit down, iron out a few "designs", materials, etc) and try to just do a production run of like 20-30 of them and see how it goes. PRO TIPS FOR EVERYTHING: --- #1 - For Toms and a Kick, if you buy a really cheap 3 Piece Kit from china ($100) be aware the hardware most likely will be cheap and you might get hardware so bad they aren't usable or the money to try and replace the hardware isn't worth it. Its like having cheap ass tuners on a guitar, what's the point if it cant keep the thing tight. So keep that in mind. ALSO, Make sure the Rim Mounting hardware is on the Top and Bottom for Each Tom which will make sense in a second. --- #2 - You can also be patient and find good midrange kit with stand, cymbals, hi-hats, etc) for CHEAP. it all just depends on how you're going about making an E-Kit whether its from bits and pieces, less DIY more BUY, you're budget, and time. --- #3 - (What I Did and Suggest you Do) Another Tactic that (Min/Max) your (Money vs. Quality) is to "be patient" and locally find a Single (Good Quality) Tom like a Pearl, Gretsch, etc) for like $20-40 bucks. (Orphaned Toms) are always cheap because no one wants them because its damn near impossible for it to match their own Drumkit, so those Toms can be have High quality hardware and go for nothing. They are perfect for the an E-Kit and Most importantly Good for the next Step. ---#4 (CUT THEM SHELLS IN HALF!) haha. You literally can turn 1 Drum into 2 for the cost of $0. Again, this is depending how you want kit to look and be done. But in my opinion, 2 half length toms still look (acoustic) and you can use one of the Halves of a 12"-14" Tom for your Snare Bob's your Uncle. That's one Snare you dont have to buy :D. Okay, so to reiterate, a 3 piece Kit (2 Toms, 1 Kick, essentially nets you 3xToms, 1xsnare, and 1xKick. Its insanely versatile, practical, and way so much cheaper. Just Think about it. --- #4 If you are Cutting your shells in half, that means the hardware if off and its the perfect time to you (VINYL WRAP) them before the Hardware goes back on. You can dramatically change the look or your Kit for insanely cheap and Look Great. Having the choice of everything from that Thick 1970's Metal Flake, Chrome, to Carbon Fiber or Wood with a Gloss, Satin, Matte, Finish. It's Endless!. Whatever is going to make you just look your kit and say to yourself "Fuck Yeah..." --- #5 If you're doing anything of these techniques, I highly suggest you go the route of a "Rack Mount System". The reasons why are too many to list but ill keep harping on what's important. DIY, Cheap, Adjustability, and you can nearly Build the Entire thing with all the Tom and Cymbal Clamps to mounts the price of 2 or 3 midrange Cymbal stands. (Remember, there is always compromises and I always try to look at it through "will it do its job, be cheap, and sacrifice as little quality as possible". Its like everything else, you reach this point of diminishing returns in where practicality, function, etc has hit a plateau and But the Cost just keep Sky Rocketing for marginal gains, if that. Unless your wealthy I dont know why anyone would ever go into that realm but people do, all the time. ---#6 DIY Rack Mount: If you do try to make one, highly recommend buying PCV Pipe,. But not that shit you just thought of in your head. This type is rated for High Pressure nd its called "Schedule 80 PVC Pipe". its 10x thicker than that low pressure stuff. This shit does not bend and you can get it in 2.5" which is the Stand Clamp Size for the Tom and Cymbal Clamps If I remember correctly. Another great thing about it is that can make your Kit look CLEAN. Where you can even see any wiring unless you get up close. Spend time, turn your OCD on like I did. Drill 1/2" holes into the Rack, right next to every every single Tom and Cymbal Clamp you have. That way, you can snake the wires inside the Rack and have them come out next the your module. its SOO CLEAN. Okay, I think that's good. The Guy in the Video Covered a lot of great info. One more thing about that Schedule 80 PVC being great. I built a Sim Racing Rig with it and and it does not flex one bit, no matter the how much torture I am putting that thing through. It's shaped like most of Full Sizer 80/20 Aluminum Sim Rigs that are popular for the Higher End Rigs. But it only cost me around $150 or less to for everything and its got 400llbs worth worth shit on it with me in it. There's a 12nm Direct Drive Wheel, Pedals that are set up with the Brake to take 70kg force with a load cell sensor, a comfy but sporty Sparco Seat, a Handbrake, Stick Shift, 7 Dayton "Bass Shakers" (1x on each corner, 2x on seat, 1x on the pedals) , and other peripherals. its holds everything without a sweat Its Great Material for this type of shit. Even with this economy, I think it the best option. (unless you that guy chomping at the bit to tell me otherwise because he has a friend or works somewhere that has access to better materials for cheaper :D . Hope that helps or works for anyone. It did for me.
Converted my Tama kit with external triggers, good mesh heads and lemon cymbals with a TD9 module. Pump it all through SD3 and it is perfect for recording. The snare dynamics are always the trade of but usable of you lower levels on the module to avoid machine gunning. So I've got a kit that can be converted back easily at any time, looks cool and is the fraction of the cost of some of these real looking e kits.
How happy are you wih the outside triggers up until now? I am planning to get an acoustic set and do basically the same as you, except I intend to get a snare from an edrum manufacturer. I already have a Roland kit, therfore I have a module and cymbals and the module has presets for the Roland rt-30 triggers I intend to use
I used the CP triggers and made my own cross bars for mounting. turned out much better than the cp mounts and look very similar to the r drums mounts. For the kick, I gutted a kd9 and essentially built a kd a22. I tried a mesh head, with foam behind the beaters and a CP trigger, it worked well, but I didn't like the feel.
5:50 Nice video!!you can get stubby wrenches for not too bad of a price. Less awkward, and easier on the nuts and bolt stripping tendency of pliers. Or go to a wing nut/lock washer on the bottom...
Absolutely amazing video. Thanks a lot. Suuuuper informative. I can only begin to imagine how much time and money it takes to gather this huge amoung of experience. You’re a genius!!! Can I nitpick just a little bit? People lighting themselves with a teal light from the side is such a weird thing IMO. Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for teal and orange looks. When done well, they can be really amazing. But this is just downright weird and unnatural looking.
Justin, this one will be an evergreen piece of content! What a great and comprehensive overview, you clearly didn’t miss anything here. What a funny coincidence you played the exact acoustic kit in the beginning of this video I used for my first conversion. ;) Hope you’re doing well. 🙏
Currently using new Jobeky 3-ply heads on a 14" snare, a 16" floor tom and a 22" kick drum that I converted from acoustic(also using Jobeky triggers) and added to my Alesis Crimson II SE kit. Watching your previous video on DIY conversions was what actually inspired me to go forward with them, and they turned out great!
@@alexanderdavlin Yes, I'm in the US(east coast). I've ordered twice from them so far, and both times it was about a 1-2 week turnaround from order to delivery. IMO not too bad and definitely worth the wait. I honestly can't rave enough about their 3-ply mesh heads; they just feel so much nicer/more natural to play on than 1-ply or some of the cheaper 2-ply heads. And it's not that I necessarily *want* to spend more money or anything, but part of me sort of can't wait until the stock Alesis heads on my other pads are shot and ready to be replaced, just so that I can throw more 3-ply Jobeky ones on them. (And for the record, no, I don't have any kind of connection/affiliation at all with Jobeky; I realize how hard it sounds like I'm plugging/cheerleading for them, but I genuinely am just that happy with their triggers/heads.)
This is an amazing, well-researched video, as usual. But if you went top-end on the triggers and everything else, what kind of price range are we looking at? (say 3 ply heads, the better triggers, the better cymbals)
Excellent video Justin! I couldn't have done my conversion without all your advice and guidance. For the kick drum, I found the UFO bass drum trigger works well. It has a foam pad that makes a mesh head feel more realistic. The only downside of the UFO triggers is their weight. If you lug your conversion kit around, lighter triggers help. I like the Jobeky triggers in snares and toms. Please keep the videos coming!
I picked up a Roland TD-8 on marketplace for $100! I’m using it on my Alesis Command mesh kit. This video really helped me understand what many of the trigger settings mean in my module. Crosstalk is a big one for me because I’m using the Command rack system, which for me is really nice, but I am getting crosstalk on many of my cymbals and it can be super annoying. Does guitar center carry a few of the trigger brands? And the better two ply mesh heads? I’m still using the Command module at the moment to power a extra Simmons cymbal and “floor tom”, honestly imo, but I feel you and most everyone would agree, the Roland module, being over 20 years old, has such a cleaner and what seems like a more realistic sound than the much newer Alesis. Still holding its own to this day. Also this video helped me get a much better understanding of the sensitivity settings and the overall adjustments to dial on your personal style. For me it’s everything from Jamariquai to Lamb of god🤷🏻♂️, hey what can I say. I love playing funk and love some metal as well!
Very informative and helpful video with explaining the entire process of A2E drum conversion. I love the look of ATV 4 piece artist kit especially the 18” kick however at 2500$ a bit out of my budget. I have cymbals/drum modules and cables/stands already, so shells,trigger system and mesh heads on my research list now
Great video Justin! I already converted 2 drumsets several years ago, reusing the triggers since the shellsizes were the same and I can confirm everything you said. I wish such a video existed back then. Nevertheless everyone should go DIY edrums (shells) IMO. It's quite easy to do, way cheaper and you have the freedom to mix and match to your likings and budget. BTW: My built still functions great after almost 7 years of playing it daily.
Your channel is awesome...great info, I am looking to put together a quiet practice kit you channel is a wealth of information. I like how explain things. Subscribed.
+1 on the kick pedal trigger. Built one with piezo behind the felt of the beater and then built one under the pedal. Either works great. Also, GoE mesh heads are great and i like and wondering about RTom lv mesh heads 🤔 Your right on triggers. After spending lots of time and effort building my own internal triggers, never really satisfied on sensitivity even trying different foam for my cones, go with your recommended and save the heart aches later. 👍
Always a great video great advice just finished my conversation recently the KDA 22 is amazing love it and the Jobeky 4spoke is great just put one in my snare works great Easy install
I'm thinking of getting an edrum kit. But I'm leaning more towards the td27k rather than the td17kvx simply becsuee the roland td17kvx is currently £1700 but the roland td27k is £1750. So for £50 more, I'd be getting a bigger rack, a better module and a better quality snare! Do u think its worth the extra £50?
I have done the diy kit but nowdays my build is just roland rt-30 rim triggers with roland mesh heads and roland cymbals on my pearl export kit i bought in 1998, still running my td-9 module but everything works great. I bailed on the diy internal triggers because they were not reliable and a few of them outright stopped working, was able to fix them but it was a big hassle and i am much happier with the roland rt 30s. Around 5 years ago i did a 1 month test of a remo silent stroke head on 1 of my toms and it did trigger just fine with an rt-30 but it was also pretty bouncy so its now a bottom head and i have all roland 2 ply heads. I am very happy with my current setup but do plan to upgrade my module at some point.
Are you still rocking that build? I am intending to do the exact same on a pearl export as well. Except for the snare where I will get one from drum-tec most likely, simply to have more dynamic range available. And since I have a TD-17, it has rt-30 presets, so ideal combination
This video is awesome. What do you think of this plan for a high performing kit? I want to keep my beloved Yamaha drums, but convert the toms and kick to triggers. I think I'll get everything from UFO for that. For HH, Snare, Ride and Cymbals, and module I'll just buy a used TD-27 V2 kit with digital ride, digital snare and digital HH. The cost is roughly $3000 for a used TD-27 V2 plus another $600 or so for the UFO stuff. Would that give me the best performance?
Great info thanks for making this, I need it after getting back into it. I don't get why you put alesis modules on the no list. Had the DM10 head for years. Yes the internal sounds are shit but if you just want something expandable to use with Superior Drummer it's a good choice. Also why no mention of Roland's TD12? You can find great deals on them and its nice, albeit a bit large.
Hello, thank-you for this outstanding video. I’m about to convert my DW kit in an electronic and was wondering if all of this information is still valid today or has improved triggers come out on the market? I did see that recently Roland purchased DW and it appears they have a new mesh head zone technology that will be coming out in 2023……makes me wonder if I should wait. Thank u
How about the RTOM lv mesh heads? They are 1 ply but really thick and they have the rubber pad in the centre. Are these good for building an electric kit?
I disagree with Alesis being on the do not buy their module list. The original strike pro kit had some issues but the module was not one of them. As far as build in sounds go, I think that module can compete with anyone out of the box. It has individual outs on the back, a color screen, etc. As good as Roland is for triggering, their sounds are amazingly awful unless you spend hours tweaking them or buy downloadable kits from Drum-tec or something like that. So buying is an extra cost, and tweaking is time taken away from actually playing.
@@65Drums Fair enough. I never had an issue with it triggering though. But from what I understand it is a little more picky when using non-alesis gear vs Roland which you can get to work with just about everything.
Strike module has the absolute most features for the price hands down no question about that. It has very powerful strike editor software for importing vst multi layer samples (200 mb kit limit) awesome feature. Alesis has less trigger settings available to dial triggers. This can be frustrating. The strike can also be very difficult getting hihat triggering. I used CY-5 and fd-8/9 pedals and it was plug and play for me, others have much more difficulty getting them dialed in. Alesis has not released new firmware in over 2.5 years, almost 2 years for strike multipad, that feels like they are quietly stopping support and getting ready to launch new product. Just sold my strike to buy Dtx Pro. Admittedly I would not have sold my strike if I could have gotten financing from sweetwater/GC/ams/MF b/c I definitely going to miss not having the 8 individual sound outs for live/recording use. I couldn’t afford Dtx Pro X at 1,500$ right now with cost of living prices increasing currently
I'm sure this will not be my last time watching this and it definitely isn't my first. I just got my low volume cymbals in along with some silent stroke heads. Its a simple first step but it feels so good to even have my set back together instead of in a garage collecting cobwebs. Now I just need triggers for the cymbals and drums and a module. Trying to go as cheap as is reasonable and im at $200 for the cymbals and heads. I might need to invest in better heads later but thats the benefit of using acoustic drums as a start isn't it?
First I would like to thank Justin for providing his knowledge and information relative to building your own set of electronic drums. The presentation is well thought out and articulated. That said, this project requires specific mechanical and electronic understanding, and proficiency in order to accomplish correctly and effectively. Else you will simply become frustrated from the lack of ability to assemble or the result of poor assembly. So, a reality check and some decent amount of investigation is in order prior to wading into a project such as this. ....... This is not a project of simply slapping in a few sensors, some wires, and changing your heads, and your off to the races. ....... For instance, I would think the best one could achieve from this approach is two zone (stereo) drum triggering at best, and most likely without any proximity sensing. So, in that light, your basically building an electronic kit that is 10-15 years behind the current market. Your not going to accomplish USB digital inputs like those found on newer Roland drums. That is one of the many things which need to be considered with a project such this. ...... So ..... thanks Justin ..... and for everyone else Reality check
I just converted my old Ludwigs. Even though my Roland set has large toms and snare it just doesn't feel the same as playing a kit with full size shells. Especially the bass drum. 20" mesh head feels alot different than an 8" mesh head. Im really glad I did the conversion and would recommend to anyone whos a little handy.
Man I wish I had this about a year ago. Luckily you already had enough amazing content on your channel to get the job done. Thanks for all your help. Is there somewhere I can post pictures so you can get a look at what I put together?
Damn man! Thank you so much for this video! I'm planning to transform my acoustic Set into an electronic one. Figures out, I only need triggers and Meshheads, so its gonna way morr cheap, because I already own an A-Kit and a regular E-kit. But is there any difference in the loudness of a transformed acoustic kit w/ Meshheads to a regular electronic kit w/ Meshheads, when they are unplugged? And what about the reso head? Do i need those? I want the new e-kit to be as quiet as possible.
I just run them down the stands, and under the kick drum to the module. This requires LONG cables though. Short ones will have to stretch in mid air, and that looks super ugly
any thoughts on making better quality DIY rubber electronic cymbals than the old "mousepad glued to wood" ones? it seems like it should be possible to use some old acoustic cymbals to make moulds and cast some sort of rubber or silicone into a fullsize cymbal profile, and it's possible to make your own FSRs using velostat and copper tape for the edge choke.
You mentioned using a drum module - is a TD-11 a rational option if I'm doing a conversion with the Jobecky pre-wired triggers you talked about? This would be for a 4 piece set.Thanks!
I have a question. Is the alessi DM10 drum module? Okay, module the use. And where would you suggest to buy the parts to convert my acoustic drum kit to an electric kit
This was pretty good. Thanks for the information. QQ: Is there an existing inexpensive kit with a drum module that can work with "floating" hi-hats (on a stand)? Or can I just build/buy one of those hi-hats and simply plug into any existing kit module?
I have a TD-17KL. I also have an old DW beginner kit. I want to make a love child. Keep the Kick/Pad from roland. One or both of the Crashes from roland. Add another better cymbal pad for the ride like the 13R? Then use the shells and put triggers inside them. Upgrade the Hihats to a VH-11. Would it be possible?
Oh Dude!!!......been playing Alesis Strike Pro for over a year now......the Module is Amazing!........The factory samples were better than Roland`s out of the box!......however, DID buy better samples to work from, but will show you soon just how frustrated I get by how ALESIS gets put on a Lower Shelf!.......I love what you DO, but, really think you need to re - approach the Strike Pro more in depth. As a newer E-drummer(30 years of live Acoustic).....been tweaking due to tutorials such as yours, quite happy with my results!........simply don`t understand why ALESIS is underated!..........question mark.
Rob, I like, and have recommended the Alesis Strike Pro SE in other videos. But in this specific context of Conversion drums with 3rd party triggers, the Strike module isn't the best option for DIY projects in my opinion.
Reliability issues are what concerns most people. Roland products not abused can last decades. Not sure how Alesis products would. And just from comments on yt Alesis owners have way more problems. Its a shame because the Strike sounds great.
So I want to convert a Tama Superstar (7pcs) to fully mesh edrum. 3 major reasons: 1) This will be a studio.session-only drum in a studio that has horrible acoustics that at the moment I can't shake w/o a more significant budget 2) Using proper sampling software and/or module generally makes my workflow a bit more streamlined. 3) Well, I've gotta keep it down here - the studio is far too close to some sensitive neighbors. The requirements: a) I need triggers that come in multi-zone configs. 2 is ok for toms - but I know of triggers that can catch more than that (read: Sunhouse Sensory Percussion below). I'd really prefer at least 3 zones for snare. b) As far as cymbals, rubber will probably be it. I think the Roland's fit the bill, but I'm fine with other 3rd party hi-hat/rides that offer 3 zone capability. c) My strong pref would be to use a single interface for the entire shebang - this can be trigger interface (will need oh 15 or so inputs?) or module (i.e. TD-50'ish). What would you recommend? ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- TL;DR ----------- Ok on with my thoughts. As of now, while I'd prefer to go the route of internals, there are some interesting triggers out there that trigger multiple zones quite well. The DT50S comes to mind (the Roland 2 zone isn't bad either, but not on par with their 3 zone triggers built into their v-drum spiders). And then there's Sunhouse Sensory percussion. I've gotten my hands on some of these and, with drum-tec real feels (as well as some 2 ply's I tested) - the trigger latency to their software over my laptop is relatively unnoticeable by me. These triggers have a ton of very melodic uses for percussive instruments and they seem to be quite accurate. However, I've been monitoring Sunhouse for a bit and noticing that their support site is, well, not the most active. Some user complaints of not receiving product is a bit alarming,.. The site mentions some some vague early access deal with Evans now. They don't make cymbal triggers (which I'd prefer). And at least for now I don't see any indication that they plan to develop any - leaving them quite squarely in the hybrid niche.
How do you feel about the RTOM black hole heads- not the snap on pads, but the new mesh heads they have? I have heard from friends that the power dot in the center helps improve the feel. Personally, I have had good results using one of those old school Remo Muff-L trays to help make a Silentstroke suck less- the foam ring lowers the pitch and dampens the vibrations a bit, so less cross talk, but sadly it didn't help to improve the feel much at all.
Yes I've done a review on them too. I believe the dudes behind oriental Gears contacted the factory that makes Lemon and just asked for an unbranded version of the same cymbals. I believe Jobeky did a similar thing because their rubber cymbals look really similar too.
thanks for your video. I would like to have an electronic solution for studio sessions. I have an old, but still working well Roland TD-8 module that I use with ROLAND triggers positioned on the toms and floor toms, while for the snare I use a Roland snare pad, but this doesn't satisfy me, I can't get a good effect during the cross stick. what would you recommend? a new snare drum, a purchase of new triggers to install in the snare drum? What do you think of the old TD-8? thanks for your support
Man I picked a TD-8 up on marketplace for $100, and imo, for the $$ I spent that thing is amazing! I’ve been playing for over 30 years and I know what sounds good as far as realistic drum sounds and samples. The TD-8 also has all the plug In options on it just like something new and recently manufactured! So much better than my Alesis Command module it’s crazy!!
@@GillardPetry You're right, many say that the TD-8 module is one of the best modules among low-mid modules. However, I have gained some experience in recent months and have come to the conclusion that the weak points of electronic drums are also 2: HI HAT and snare drum. The hi-hat that comes closest to the original is the Roland one but I can't connect it to the TD-8. same thing for the snare drum. I've tried many snare drums and I can't get what I'm looking for: sensitivity. rimshot, cross stick in one setting. When you find a good RIMSHOT you don't have the crtoss stick and vice versa. what do you use?
@@massimoresnati I like a slightly ringy higher pitched snare. But not too ringy. I’ll deepen the shell to compensate normally. For me the snare options on the 8, with the pitch adjustments, are infinite. The biggest thing for me is finding a tom selection that doesn’t sound too digital. The “Rose” Tom’s on the td-8, pitched low, like Shepard of Fire intro low, is what I’m using right now. I would love to see roto toms on the dial, but they aren’t. I’m not as tech savy as I wish I was, but I am learning. The computer age has taken over and shows no signs of stopping other than an apocalypse!
For someone that don’t play on stage and only be using superior drummer 3, so no need for sound module, what would be the best choice for the best feeling, let say in the 3k-5k price range for a full set w/ hihat, cymb, rides, etc…?
Updates:
The Yamaha DTXpro and DTXpro X modules work best with Yamaha triggers due to how hot Yamaha modules expect the signal to be.
i think the reason the cocktail-Jam Mini didn't sell so good is because it was also acoustic.
i think TAMA should re-introduce the cocktail-JAM Mini as an E-drum Shell Pack, ( with internal center trigger systems ); because Multi-Pads are coming out with up to 8 trigger inputs.
make the Mini again as E-drums, and people can make them sound as big as they want.
Are there any triggers that can be made to work well with Yamaha modules? Internal/external, whatever? UFO, Ddrum, 2box.
Especially for the dtx502.
With the Yamaha triggers, are you meaning the DT50 series?
Justin works so hard on his content and is a good dude he’s really pushed the industry in exciting ways and he’s one of a kind !!
I appreciate it thanks Mike!
True story!!
I just found and bought an E Drum kit Alesis DM7X from Goodwill it has a snare, 2 toms upper rack, to the right 2 more toms, plus 4 cymbals.
Needs a bass kick pedal and a HH pedal ... How much ya think ? Unbelievable price of ? $44.00 😲 . Now I just have to figure it out. what goes where and sound output🤔🤨😲 if anyone knows where I can pu the two pedals for the DM7X would be very greatful. I've looked around amazon, guitar centre, Ebay. 🤔😵💫 New or used. Thanks
Just finished my conversion kit a few weeks ago! I couldn’t have done it without watching your previous videos, so thank you for your content!
Glad to hear those videos helped!
Look, Mom! I made it in 65 Drums’ video! 😄
Thanks for the shout out Justin! 🙏🏽🙌🏽
thanks for making such great videos! You know more than me about metal cymbal conversion, so it made sense to point people your way
I converted a kit a couple months ago now and was having a hard time getting the setting dialled in on the bass drum.
I messaged Justin and he responded and had some great feedback and it’s been working great since I tried what he recommended.
Thanks again and keep up the great content🤟
I have several acoustic sets and an older Roland electronic kit. These days, it's so easy to combine the looks of acoustic kits and the sound options of electronic kits. Great video; thank you for taking the time to make it!
Justin you are the man . Saved me so much heartache over the years with your research experience and knowledge .
Just about finished my acoustic conversion a few weeks back and we are now half way through recording our album. The drums feel amazing and as natural as possible. Our drummer is a drum purist so the transition has been very fast and by the end of the 1st night he was really enjoying the sounds and experience with superior drummer 3.
I went the jobeky route for side triggers and 3ply mesh heads.
Couldn't have done this without your channel Justin so hats off to you for keeping me right on advise. Also went down the road of a roland td-27 module and went digital ride and hi-hat. Amazing dynamics. Thanks again and keep up the good work.
That's awesome, glad it all worked out
I built my first kit about 8 years ago and I was certain that this kind of kit would take over the world. I could use them ANYWHERE in my cover band.and they were instrumental (heh heh) in achieving a consistent perfect mix in a living room rehearsal space to a large outdoor venue.
My kit evolved over the years and ended up perfect for me. My favorite feature was an additional hi hat on my right hand side. Where has that been all my life :). I had a compact little Sonar kit that I used for my gig kit and kept packed and ready to go. I had the same sized kit (cheap Ludwig, $100 used on CL) set up in the rehearsal space.
I only used the SS single ply heads. I beat the crap out of them and only had to replace a couple of snare heads where the cone wore through. In retrospect, I should have not mounted it dead center and it probably would have lasted forever. I did have to constantly tighten the heads to keep the bounce active. I also didn't use a trigger on the bass drum. The mesh felt to mushy so I sprung for as couple Roland KT 10's and loved them immediately. Also, they were much easier to set up.
I used hardware from The Home Depot (1" aluminum angle) for crossbars and piezos/cones from Quartz.
I always used Roland modules (TD 20's or 30's) and spent HOURS setting up different kits for almost every song. My kick was always the same but the snares we as close to the original song as I could get. The toms only had a bit of variation from deep to normal and I'd tune them accordingly. I was playing 80's R&R at the time and could come very close to that gated reverb sound that was the rage :)
I did construction and electrical work all my life so the build was the easy part. I collected enough parts from used kits to easily fabricate and changes I wanted to make. I built my kits so not only would they be easy to play but also to set up transport and set up.
I haven't played since the Covid shut down. It seemed like the right time to retire. But damn, I really loved that setup.
Regarding Mesh heads, I found out that doing your own with window screen mesh, you can have awesome results.
Just use the hoops of old drumheads, sow the mesh on the hoops, put the layers you want (i did double ply) and I can say these are the most durable and playable meshead I ever used. And they are all white, so aesthetics is a plus as well
i use printing mesh 62T , is cheap and more durable
@@idcashflow yes, when my mesh heads wear out I will look into this option. Mesh heads themselves as they are now are unreasonably frail and expensive
Incredible resource for anyone looking to expand their setup, change the heads, add muffling, commission an A2E - so much great info here! Thanks :)
This guy is extremely awesome. That's why I'm always expecting a new video from him.
Very detailed explanation!!
Thanks, my friend!
After years, now I’m ready to dig in a project like this one, you made it possible with this video. Keep doing your amazing content. Thanks!
I've build an electronic drum set based on Traps A400 with Megadrum 32 as midi controller to AD2. Because I own Yamaha's RHH-135 and PCY-155 and had trouble configuring them I bought a used DTX IV module which is fully compatible with them. Currently I am looking to buy a new module with enough inputs as I have 14 pads and the ability to add custom sounds and I am close to 2box drummit Five MkII which is close to the price range I am looking for and plays also all kinds of cymbal pads. . A lot of drummers out there have learnt so much from your informative videos , so just keep making them. Cheers from Greece
Your videos are so very thorough. I salute you from the drum community for educating us and motivating us.
I had an old Alesis DM 10, however, the DM10 sounds like, well, a DM10. So I connected that to a dedicated Macbook Pro (2012 i7 8GB RAM 512GB SSD) with Steven Slate Drums. It sounds amazing. The kick with the UFO eBridge is pretty darn convincing. The biggest difference in both playability and accurate triggering was made by changing out the heads to the Drum-Tec Real Feel heads. If you have a Macbook lying around or care to buy a used one for a couple hundred bucks, you can save a bunch of money by just using a cheaper module as a trigger to MIDI interface. I only use the trigger setup feature of the DM10 which is fairly straightforward and flexible enough to handle a DIY kit. Works great for me since I have my Macbook on stage for another reason anyway.
The channel is awesome! Keep up the awesome contributions.
Built my first 14" electronic snare with a Convertible Percussions dual zone trigger. Inexpensive and works well with my Roland td10exp! Used a remo Silentstroke as a bottom head with a Roland batter head.
I would recommend used Roland cymbals. As long as they're not obviously abused they should still trigger fine.
Thanks for continuing to make these great vids. I've watched many on your channel as I approach making a final decision on how to convert my acoustic kit to electronic. Your experience and opinions on heads, triggers, modules, and construction have been invaluable. You've created the best resource of its kind.
Agree 🎼🥁🎼
This video just inspired me to build my own e drum.. I was looking for a good kit with nice sizes and good sounds but I concluded that or you buy nice looks or you buy nice sounds or you buy nice hardware.. Thx so much Justin.. Greetings from Portugal..
I just finished converting my 66 Ludwig set. It looks amazing and plays great! For bass drum I used a 20" Silentstroke with two pillows inside and Evans eq patch. Put a kt10 trigger on top of shell and it works surprisingly well! Feels real similar to the kd140 on the td50 I played at Columbus Percussion.
Brilliant video. You just inspired me to convert my very first acoustic kit (a very simple Pearl Forum) into something new. I was always reluctant to go the DIY road, but the way you explained it, it seems really doable. It will be a hobby next to my go-to electronic kit, always good to learn more about the technology.
I just finished my conversion kit. My td 20 is fun but the conversion kit is funner. Feels great to play on a real size kit again. And looks amazing.
I’ve been making a couple diy drums, two 6” a 10” and a 14” snare for an addition to my TD-50kva. Also got a TD-17 rack and made my rack bigger. It’s pretty awesome! My drums are 6,8,10,10,12,12,14- and 10,6,14 on my left. It’s perfect for me.
Hi @Ryan Buckley, that sounds exciting! May you share what the triggers and drum heads you chose? How do your DIY e-drums stand against the original TD-50 drum pads? i.e. sound, trigger sensitivity, playability, etc.
Nice, very informative video. You are so close to 100k Justin! I’d love to hear more about Efnote, as I’m planning to buy an Efnote 5 in the next couple months. Keep up the good content!
My old worn Roland CY-8's rubber has gone a bit soft which is actually pretty cool because it's a little smoother and a bit quiter to play. Thanks for the vid dude!
Good video Justin, I just finished doing my own conversion and built all triggers from scratch! It was a great learning experience. As with you, attempted cymbals but still am not satisfied. I will disagree with you on one item and that is the modules. I use an Alesis Strike module as have a strike kit and that module definetly is comparable the the recommended ones in your list. Adjustments, custom adding of kits etc... couldn't be happier with that module. Keep the videos coming they are great, I always learn something from them! Cheers
He has something against Alesis. The Strike module is awesome
@@reezlaw the Strike sounds great. Alesis reliability is what concerns most people. Ive read many comments about Alesis components breaking after not much time or use. Just dont see as many about Roland. I bought a 20 year old used Roland that still works flawlessly. Id be interested to see how any Alesis kit looks after decades of use.
I came up with a drum muffling method years ago for acoustic drums that might help with single layer mesh heads. I hated putting tape on my drums so I went through a lot of experimentation to avoid using it.
The proceedure is as follows. Using an old worn out drum head cut it into a ring with the inner edge being around an inch and a half to two inches from the curved edge of the head which would sit on the bearing edge of the drum. You could experiment with wider rings and with larger drums that might be a good idea. Then cut the metal rim off the head as close to the hoop as you can. Take the ring you just made and place it on the bottom of the batter head you want to use (in this case the mesh head). If you use Remo heads the ring may snap nicely into the batter head and stay there. If it doesn't do that just use a small piece of tape to keep it in place until you get everything on to the drum. Tension it normally and the head should vibrate much less.
On acoustic drums this creates a pretty good amount of sound control. With single layer mesh heads it may be a good way to avoid double triggers. I did this long before the rings which you can just throw on top of a drum to muffle it were introduced. It's not as easy obviously because you have to take the top head off to do it but it does work.
If I had known all this when building my E-Kit man... Very detailed and nice information - also kind of insane to see a US guy include european companies, thanks for that!
Def one of your best videos, Justin. Thank you esp for the links to the other pages. Old guy, new drummer, after a few months I finally found an incredible used Roland bargain setup on local facebook marketplace - just like your videos say. TD-7 set + extras. You wouldn't believe the price. - - I need to downsize the rack, though, so I'm following custom rack tips.
(I Have Posted A Lot of Good Tips and/or Must Do's Below in anyone is interested)
Great Video Man! This Video brought back a lot of memories. I built my own DIY Acoustic E-Kit bout 15 years ago. It survived 5 years of my abuse, I sold it for A LOT Money it was insane during those times. I think the total cost for (everything) was around $500 (minus the Kick Pedals). 5 years after beating the hell out of it, I sold it for around $2000 and I kept my Axis Longboards :). I spent a lot of time making it look "Premium" by wrapping the shells, hidden wires, and all the extra little things. Also, it was around the early 2000's, E-Kits were blowing up, and at the time, no one really brought an Acoustic or Hybrid style Kit to Market unless they were DIY or small batches. I could be wrong. But yeah, That kit has had 3 owners since then. Its still going (with maintenance of course). last year I wished I had that old E-Kit again so I made another but spent a little more money and time on it. Also, Built another 6 Kits that ive Sold on the side to make some side money. But E-Kit are getting popular again, so I im going to sit down, iron out a few "designs", materials, etc) and try to just do a production run of like 20-30 of them and see how it goes.
PRO TIPS FOR EVERYTHING:
--- #1 - For Toms and a Kick, if you buy a really cheap 3 Piece Kit from china ($100) be aware the hardware most likely will be cheap and you might get hardware so bad they aren't usable or the money to try and replace the hardware isn't worth it. Its like having cheap ass tuners on a guitar, what's the point if it cant keep the thing tight. So keep that in mind. ALSO, Make sure the Rim Mounting hardware is on the Top and Bottom for Each Tom which will make sense in a second.
--- #2 - You can also be patient and find good midrange kit with stand, cymbals, hi-hats, etc) for CHEAP. it all just depends on how you're going about making an E-Kit whether its from bits and pieces, less DIY more BUY, you're budget, and time.
--- #3 - (What I Did and Suggest you Do) Another Tactic that (Min/Max) your (Money vs. Quality) is to "be patient" and locally find a Single (Good Quality) Tom like a Pearl, Gretsch, etc) for like $20-40 bucks. (Orphaned Toms) are always cheap because no one wants them because its damn near impossible for it to match their own Drumkit, so those Toms can be have High quality hardware and go for nothing. They are perfect for the an E-Kit and Most importantly Good for the next Step.
---#4 (CUT THEM SHELLS IN HALF!) haha. You literally can turn 1 Drum into 2 for the cost of $0. Again, this is depending how you want kit to look and be done. But in my opinion, 2 half length toms still look (acoustic) and you can use one of the Halves of a 12"-14" Tom for your Snare Bob's your Uncle. That's one Snare you dont have to buy :D. Okay, so to reiterate, a 3 piece Kit (2 Toms, 1 Kick, essentially nets you 3xToms, 1xsnare, and 1xKick. Its insanely versatile, practical, and way so much cheaper. Just Think about it.
--- #4 If you are Cutting your shells in half, that means the hardware if off and its the perfect time to you (VINYL WRAP) them before the Hardware goes back on. You can dramatically change the look or your Kit for insanely cheap and Look Great. Having the choice of everything from that Thick 1970's Metal Flake, Chrome, to Carbon Fiber or Wood with a Gloss, Satin, Matte, Finish. It's Endless!. Whatever is going to make you just look your kit and say to yourself "Fuck Yeah..."
--- #5 If you're doing anything of these techniques, I highly suggest you go the route of a "Rack Mount System". The reasons why are too many to list but ill keep harping on what's important. DIY, Cheap, Adjustability, and you can nearly Build the Entire thing with all the Tom and Cymbal Clamps to mounts the price of 2 or 3 midrange Cymbal stands. (Remember, there is always compromises and I always try to look at it through "will it do its job, be cheap, and sacrifice as little quality as possible". Its like everything else, you reach this point of diminishing returns in where practicality, function, etc has hit a plateau and But the Cost just keep Sky Rocketing for marginal gains, if that. Unless your wealthy I dont know why anyone would ever go into that realm but people do, all the time.
---#6 DIY Rack Mount: If you do try to make one, highly recommend buying PCV Pipe,. But not that shit you just thought of in your head. This type is rated for High Pressure nd its called "Schedule 80 PVC Pipe". its 10x thicker than that low pressure stuff. This shit does not bend and you can get it in 2.5" which is the Stand Clamp Size for the Tom and Cymbal Clamps If I remember correctly. Another great thing about it is that can make your Kit look CLEAN. Where you can even see any wiring unless you get up close. Spend time, turn your OCD on like I did. Drill 1/2" holes into the Rack, right next to every every single Tom and Cymbal Clamp you have. That way, you can snake the wires inside the Rack and have them come out next the your module. its SOO CLEAN. Okay, I think that's good. The Guy in the Video Covered a lot of great info.
One more thing about that Schedule 80 PVC being great. I built a Sim Racing Rig with it and and it does not flex one bit, no matter the how much torture I am putting that thing through. It's shaped like most of Full Sizer 80/20 Aluminum Sim Rigs that are popular for the Higher End Rigs. But it only cost me around $150 or less to for everything and its got 400llbs worth worth shit on it with me in it. There's a 12nm Direct Drive Wheel, Pedals that are set up with the Brake to take 70kg force with a load cell sensor, a comfy but sporty Sparco Seat, a Handbrake, Stick Shift, 7 Dayton "Bass Shakers" (1x on each corner, 2x on seat, 1x on the pedals) , and other peripherals. its holds everything without a sweat Its Great Material for this type of shit. Even with this economy, I think it the best option. (unless you that guy chomping at the bit to tell me otherwise because he has a friend or works somewhere that has access to better materials for cheaper :D . Hope that helps or works for anyone. It did for me.
Very cool and informative video Justin!!
Thanks Zax!
Converted my Tama kit with external triggers, good mesh heads and lemon cymbals with a TD9 module. Pump it all through SD3 and it is perfect for recording. The snare dynamics are always the trade of but usable of you lower levels on the module to avoid machine gunning. So I've got a kit that can be converted back easily at any time, looks cool and is the fraction of the cost of some of these real looking e kits.
How happy are you wih the outside triggers up until now? I am planning to get an acoustic set and do basically the same as you, except I intend to get a snare from an edrum manufacturer. I already have a Roland kit, therfore I have a module and cymbals and the module has presets for the Roland rt-30 triggers I intend to use
I used the CP triggers and made my own cross bars for mounting. turned out much better than the cp mounts and look very similar to the r drums mounts. For the kick, I gutted a kd9 and essentially built a kd a22. I tried a mesh head, with foam behind the beaters and a CP trigger, it worked well, but I didn't like the feel.
5:50 Nice video!!you can get stubby wrenches for not too bad of a price. Less awkward, and easier on the nuts and bolt stripping tendency of pliers. Or go to a wing nut/lock washer on the bottom...
Wing nuts are probably best idea. I have a snare built with one of those triggers and its very nice.
Absolutely amazing video. Thanks a lot. Suuuuper informative. I can only begin to imagine how much time and money it takes to gather this huge amoung of experience. You’re a genius!!!
Can I nitpick just a little bit? People lighting themselves with a teal light from the side is such a weird thing IMO. Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for teal and orange looks. When done well, they can be really amazing. But this is just downright weird and unnatural looking.
As always a great video Justin! Congrat's! Thank you so much for remembering our work in South America 🤜🥁🤛
Justin, this one will be an evergreen piece of content! What a great and comprehensive overview, you clearly didn’t miss anything here. What a funny coincidence you played the exact acoustic kit in the beginning of this video I used for my first conversion. ;)
Hope you’re doing well. 🙏
Currently using new Jobeky 3-ply heads on a 14" snare, a 16" floor tom and a 22" kick drum that I converted from acoustic(also using Jobeky triggers) and added to my Alesis Crimson II SE kit. Watching your previous video on DIY conversions was what actually inspired me to go forward with them, and they turned out great!
sweet!
are you in the u.s? how long did it take for the jobeky stuff to ship? im thinking about buying them myself.
@@alexanderdavlin Yes, I'm in the US(east coast). I've ordered twice from them so far, and both times it was about a 1-2 week turnaround from order to delivery. IMO not too bad and definitely worth the wait. I honestly can't rave enough about their 3-ply mesh heads; they just feel so much nicer/more natural to play on than 1-ply or some of the cheaper 2-ply heads. And it's not that I necessarily *want* to spend more money or anything, but part of me sort of can't wait until the stock Alesis heads on my other pads are shot and ready to be replaced, just so that I can throw more 3-ply Jobeky ones on them.
(And for the record, no, I don't have any kind of connection/affiliation at all with Jobeky; I realize how hard it sounds like I'm plugging/cheerleading for them, but I genuinely am just that happy with their triggers/heads.)
Haha. I'm glad you added Alesis on your list of Modules To Stay Away From. Had an Alesis kit and it was straitgt up junk.
This is an amazing, well-researched video, as usual. But if you went top-end on the triggers and everything else, what kind of price range are we looking at? (say 3 ply heads, the better triggers, the better cymbals)
Excellent video Justin! I couldn't have done my conversion without all your advice and guidance. For the kick drum, I found the UFO bass drum trigger works well. It has a foam pad that makes a mesh head feel more realistic. The only downside of the UFO triggers is their weight. If you lug your conversion kit around, lighter triggers help. I like the Jobeky triggers in snares and toms. Please keep the videos coming!
Great video!
Hi can anyone tell me if having a Roland td 27 means I can run 2 hi hats?????ty all and ty Justin fer the awesome channel
Hi 65 drums could u do a review on the Millenium mps 850？Seems a little unbelievable that it's so cheap and the drum set is so big
I picked up a Roland TD-8 on marketplace for $100! I’m using it on my Alesis Command mesh kit. This video really helped me understand what many of the trigger settings mean in my module. Crosstalk is a big one for me because I’m using the Command rack system, which for me is really nice, but I am getting crosstalk on many of my cymbals and it can be super annoying. Does guitar center carry a few of the trigger brands? And the better two ply mesh heads? I’m still using the Command module at the moment to power a extra Simmons cymbal and “floor tom”, honestly imo, but I feel you and most everyone would agree, the Roland module, being over 20 years old, has such a cleaner and what seems like a more realistic sound than the much newer Alesis. Still holding its own to this day. Also this video helped me get a much better understanding of the sensitivity settings and the overall adjustments to dial on your personal style. For me it’s everything from Jamariquai to Lamb of god🤷🏻♂️, hey what can I say. I love playing funk and love some metal as well!
Your setup is one of the coolest electronic drum setups I’ve seen 🔥
Thanks man :) There's some really epic stuff out there that my set can't touch. But it works great for me!
@@65Drums of course! Very helpful guide too. It’s always kinda intimidating looking at all the options and you helped break it down really well.
I was just thinking of using the just drum heads no meshed. I'm not worrying about being quiet. At least I can hear myself when we play live, I guess.
Mogami cables, very good indeed but not cheap at all. Especially for running to outboard gear, that's where good cables really make a difference.
Thank you for sharing this wealth of experience. God bless you.
Very informative and helpful video with explaining the entire process of A2E drum conversion. I love the look of ATV 4 piece artist kit especially the 18” kick however at 2500$ a bit out of my budget. I have cymbals/drum modules and cables/stands already, so shells,trigger system and mesh heads on my research list now
Great video Justin! I already converted 2 drumsets several years ago, reusing the triggers since the shellsizes were the same and I can confirm everything you said.
I wish such a video existed back then. Nevertheless everyone should go DIY edrums (shells) IMO. It's quite easy to do, way cheaper and you have the freedom to mix and match to your likings and budget.
BTW: My built still functions great after almost 7 years of playing it daily.
Your channel is awesome...great info, I am looking to put together a quiet practice kit you channel is a wealth of information. I like how explain things. Subscribed.
This is a fantastic video for anyone looking to do this!
+1 on the kick pedal trigger. Built one with piezo behind the felt of the beater and then built one under the pedal. Either works great.
Also, GoE mesh heads are great and i like and wondering about RTom lv mesh heads 🤔
Your right on triggers. After spending lots of time and effort building my own internal triggers, never really satisfied on sensitivity even trying different foam for my cones, go with your recommended and save the heart aches later. 👍
Your channel i just amazing ! Thank you so much for all your advices, I follow
Always a great video great advice just finished my conversation recently the KDA 22 is amazing love it and the Jobeky 4spoke is great just put one in my snare works great
Easy install
Great video and I second your sentiment on converting your own low volume cymbals. I tried a few solutions but none seemed to work reliably.
I'm glad I'm not the only one
Any options you know of for DIYing triple trigger drums like the ones that come with the new Yamaha DTX10 sets?
Is that Remo "GEWA" 2-ply an older/discontinued head? I can't find them on Google.
I'm thinking of getting an edrum kit. But I'm leaning more towards the td27k rather than the td17kvx simply becsuee the roland td17kvx is currently £1700 but the roland td27k is £1750. So for £50 more, I'd be getting a bigger rack, a better module and a better quality snare! Do u think its worth the extra £50?
Thanks for all your great videos and advice.
Excellent
I have done the diy kit but nowdays my build is just roland rt-30 rim triggers with roland mesh heads and roland cymbals on my pearl export kit i bought in 1998, still running my td-9 module but everything works great. I bailed on the diy internal triggers because they were not reliable and a few of them outright stopped working, was able to fix them but it was a big hassle and i am much happier with the roland rt 30s.
Around 5 years ago i did a 1 month test of a remo silent stroke head on 1 of my toms and it did trigger just fine with an rt-30 but it was also pretty bouncy so its now a bottom head and i have all roland 2 ply heads. I am very happy with my current setup but do plan to upgrade my module at some point.
I could never get the rt30 to work well on my td10. Module didnt have a preset for it either.
Are you still rocking that build?
I am intending to do the exact same on a pearl export as well. Except for the snare where I will get one from drum-tec most likely, simply to have more dynamic range available. And since I have a TD-17, it has rt-30 presets, so ideal combination
@@Wollestar yup still have the same build, i did upgrade my pedals to trick dominators though
@@demonocusmetalocus3558 so you are using a mesh head with rt30k and fast double bass drumming on a singe bass drum or two?
@@Wollestar trick dominator double pedal, 1 bass drum with roland mesh head, remo patch and rt30k trigger
This video is awesome. What do you think of this plan for a high performing kit? I want to keep my beloved Yamaha drums, but convert the toms and kick to triggers. I think I'll get everything from UFO for that. For HH, Snare, Ride and Cymbals, and module I'll just buy a used TD-27 V2 kit with digital ride, digital snare and digital HH. The cost is roughly $3000 for a used TD-27 V2 plus another $600 or so for the UFO stuff. Would that give me the best performance?
So much great info! I want to give this conversion a go. Has anyone put a matrix together of his recommendations and compatibility?
This video just changed my life. Sursly. 👍
Same here!!!!😂
Great info thanks for making this, I need it after getting back into it. I don't get why you put alesis modules on the no list. Had the DM10 head for years. Yes the internal sounds are shit but if you just want something expandable to use with Superior Drummer it's a good choice. Also why no mention of Roland's TD12? You can find great deals on them and its nice, albeit a bit large.
Hello, thank-you for this outstanding video. I’m about to convert my DW kit in an electronic and was wondering if all of this information is still valid today or has improved triggers come out on the market? I did see that recently Roland purchased DW and it appears they have a new mesh head zone technology that will be coming out in 2023……makes me wonder if I should wait. Thank u
Awesome and detailed guide! I don’t have any patience to do it, though. 😅
Almost at 100k subs too, let’s go!
Perfect breakdown! Thanks Justin !
Thanks dude!
How about the RTOM lv mesh heads? They are 1 ply but really thick and they have the rubber pad in the centre. Are these good for building an electric kit?
Great video as always Justin!
Awesome video! I just got some shells the other day and looking to convert. Love from Australia!
Best of luck!
I disagree with Alesis being on the do not buy their module list. The original strike pro kit had some issues but the module was not one of them. As far as build in sounds go, I think that module can compete with anyone out of the box. It has individual outs on the back, a color screen, etc. As good as Roland is for triggering, their sounds are amazingly awful unless you spend hours tweaking them or buy downloadable kits from Drum-tec or something like that. So buying is an extra cost, and tweaking is time taken away from actually playing.
We'll just agree to disagree then. I'd rather get good triggering from the module, I can always get better sounds from a plugin later.
@@65Drums Fair enough. I never had an issue with it triggering though. But from what I understand it is a little more picky when using non-alesis gear vs Roland which you can get to work with just about everything.
Strike module has the absolute most features for the price hands down no question about that. It has very powerful strike editor software for importing vst multi layer samples (200 mb kit limit) awesome feature. Alesis has less trigger settings available to dial triggers. This can be frustrating. The strike can also be very difficult getting hihat triggering. I used CY-5 and fd-8/9 pedals and it was plug and play for me, others have much more difficulty getting them dialed in. Alesis has not released new firmware in over 2.5 years, almost 2 years for strike multipad, that feels like they are quietly stopping support and getting ready to launch new product. Just sold my strike to buy Dtx Pro. Admittedly I would not have sold my strike if I could have gotten financing from sweetwater/GC/ams/MF b/c I definitely going to miss not having the 8 individual sound outs for live/recording use. I couldn’t afford Dtx Pro X at 1,500$ right now with cost of living prices increasing currently
Definitely needed this video to finish my set 👍🏻🙏🏻
I'm sure this will not be my last time watching this and it definitely isn't my first. I just got my low volume cymbals in along with some silent stroke heads. Its a simple first step but it feels so good to even have my set back together instead of in a garage collecting cobwebs. Now I just need triggers for the cymbals and drums and a module. Trying to go as cheap as is reasonable and im at $200 for the cymbals and heads. I might need to invest in better heads later but thats the benefit of using acoustic drums as a start isn't it?
I'm using a shitty 100$ acoustic set I bought used and honestly converting it seem very tempting after watching this
First I would like to thank Justin for providing his knowledge and information relative to building your own set of electronic drums. The presentation is well thought out and articulated.
That said, this project requires specific mechanical and electronic understanding, and proficiency in order to accomplish correctly and effectively. Else you will simply become frustrated from the lack of ability to assemble or the result of poor assembly.
So, a reality check and some decent amount of investigation is in order prior to wading into a project such as this.
.......
This is not a project of simply slapping in a few sensors, some wires, and changing your heads, and your off to the races.
.......
For instance, I would think the best one could achieve from this approach is two zone (stereo) drum triggering at best, and most likely without any proximity sensing. So, in that light, your basically building an electronic kit that is 10-15 years behind the current market. Your not going to accomplish USB digital inputs like those found on newer Roland drums.
That is one of the many things which need to be considered with a project such this.
......
So ..... thanks Justin ..... and for everyone else Reality check
So cool, considering doing something like this. Just asked you about a Pearl Icon rack with VAD706
I just converted my old Ludwigs. Even though my Roland set has large toms and snare it just doesn't feel the same as playing a kit with full size shells. Especially the bass drum. 20" mesh head feels alot different than an 8" mesh head. Im really glad I did the conversion and would recommend to anyone whos a little handy.
Man I wish I had this about a year ago. Luckily you already had enough amazing content on your channel to get the job done. Thanks for all your help. Is there somewhere I can post pictures so you can get a look at what I put together?
I have a 65 Drums Facebook group, and a discord where you can share photos :)
Damn man! Thank you so much for this video! I'm planning to transform my acoustic Set into an electronic one. Figures out, I only need triggers and Meshheads, so its gonna way morr cheap, because I already own an A-Kit and a regular E-kit.
But is there any difference in the loudness of a transformed acoustic kit w/ Meshheads to a regular electronic kit w/ Meshheads, when they are unplugged? And what about the reso head? Do i need those? I want the new e-kit to be as quiet as possible.
Do you have a video that shows how you've organized the cords? With a standard e-kit you can usually wrap the cords around the rack.
I just run them down the stands, and under the kick drum to the module. This requires LONG cables though. Short ones will have to stretch in mid air, and that looks super ugly
But...but...many acoustic drumkits have 9 inch toms on them. 9 inch mesh head? Where to find them?
Very nice! Very thorough video. Thanks but now my head is spinning😂
any thoughts on making better quality DIY rubber electronic cymbals than the old "mousepad glued to wood" ones? it seems like it should be possible to use some old acoustic cymbals to make moulds and cast some sort of rubber or silicone into a fullsize cymbal profile, and it's possible to make your own FSRs using velostat and copper tape for the edge choke.
Hi
really nice Video !
What do you think would a relativle standard build cost ?
Under 2000 ?
Thanks for this video! Very clear 👌🏼
You mentioned using a drum module - is a TD-11 a rational option if I'm doing a conversion with the Jobecky pre-wired triggers you talked about? This would be for a 4 piece set.Thanks!
I have a question. Is the alessi DM10 drum module? Okay, module the use. And where would you suggest to buy the parts to convert my acoustic drum kit to an electric kit
This was pretty good. Thanks for the information. QQ: Is there an existing inexpensive kit with a drum module that can work with "floating" hi-hats (on a stand)? Or can I just build/buy one of those hi-hats and simply plug into any existing kit module?
(If anyone comes across this comment, I ended up getting a relatively inexpensive ddrum DTTi interface, not a full drum module.)
I have a TD-17KL. I also have an old DW beginner kit. I want to make a love child. Keep the Kick/Pad from roland. One or both of the Crashes from roland. Add another better cymbal pad for the ride like the 13R? Then use the shells and put triggers inside them. Upgrade the Hihats to a VH-11. Would it be possible?
I went for the lemon cymbal pack and was curious if it would work with my alesis sirge module or if i should upgrade the module to a roland
Awesome video! Love your channel and content! 👍
Oh Dude!!!......been playing Alesis Strike Pro for over a year now......the Module is Amazing!........The factory samples were better than Roland`s out of the box!......however, DID buy better samples to work from, but will show you soon just how frustrated I get by how ALESIS gets put on a Lower Shelf!.......I love what you DO, but, really think you need to re - approach the Strike Pro more in depth. As a newer E-drummer(30 years of live Acoustic).....been tweaking due to tutorials such as yours, quite happy with my results!........simply don`t understand why ALESIS is underated!..........question mark.
.........in all honesty, NO NEED FOR MIDI!!!......................question mark.
ruclips.net/video/BAV3XYR4iK0/видео.html
Rob, I like, and have recommended the Alesis Strike Pro SE in other videos. But in this specific context of Conversion drums with 3rd party triggers, the Strike module isn't the best option for DIY projects in my opinion.
Reliability issues are what concerns most people. Roland products not abused can last decades. Not sure how Alesis products would. And just from comments on yt Alesis owners have way more problems. Its a shame because the Strike sounds great.
So I want to convert a Tama Superstar (7pcs) to fully mesh edrum. 3 major reasons: 1) This will be a studio.session-only drum in a studio that has horrible acoustics that at the moment I can't shake w/o a more significant budget 2) Using proper sampling software and/or module generally makes my workflow a bit more streamlined. 3) Well, I've gotta keep it down here - the studio is far too close to some sensitive neighbors.
The requirements:
a) I need triggers that come in multi-zone configs. 2 is ok for toms - but I know of triggers that can catch more than that (read: Sunhouse Sensory Percussion below). I'd really prefer at least 3 zones for snare.
b) As far as cymbals, rubber will probably be it. I think the Roland's fit the bill, but I'm fine with other 3rd party hi-hat/rides that offer 3 zone capability.
c) My strong pref would be to use a single interface for the entire shebang - this can be trigger interface (will need oh 15 or so inputs?) or module (i.e. TD-50'ish).
What would you recommend?
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Ok on with my thoughts. As of now, while I'd prefer to go the route of internals, there are some interesting triggers out there that trigger multiple zones quite well. The DT50S comes to mind (the Roland 2 zone isn't bad either, but not on par with their 3 zone triggers built into their v-drum spiders). And then there's Sunhouse Sensory percussion. I've gotten my hands on some of these and, with drum-tec real feels (as well as some 2 ply's I tested) - the trigger latency to their software over my laptop is relatively unnoticeable by me. These triggers have a ton of very melodic uses for percussive instruments and they seem to be quite accurate.
However, I've been monitoring Sunhouse for a bit and noticing that their support site is, well, not the most active. Some user complaints of not receiving product is a bit alarming,.. The site mentions some some vague early access deal with Evans now. They don't make cymbal triggers (which I'd prefer). And at least for now I don't see any indication that they plan to develop any - leaving them quite squarely in the hybrid niche.
How do you feel about the RTOM black hole heads- not the snap on pads, but the new mesh heads they have? I have heard from friends that the power dot in the center helps improve the feel.
Personally, I have had good results using one of those old school Remo Muff-L trays to help make a Silentstroke suck less- the foam ring lowers the pitch and dampens the vibrations a bit, so less cross talk, but sadly it didn't help to improve the feel much at all.
Oriental gears cymbals are like a oem version of lemon drums but they offer some more cymbal types including a china might be worth checking out
Yes I've done a review on them too. I believe the dudes behind oriental Gears contacted the factory that makes Lemon and just asked for an unbranded version of the same cymbals. I believe Jobeky did a similar thing because their rubber cymbals look really similar too.
Amazing video!
TY so much.
How do you get the sound where you snap your stick on top of the rim of an acoustic snare (not a rimshot). On electronic drums?
thanks for your video. I would like to have an electronic solution for studio sessions. I have an old, but still working well Roland TD-8 module that I use with ROLAND triggers positioned on the toms and floor toms, while for the snare I use a Roland snare pad, but this doesn't satisfy me, I can't get a good effect during the cross stick. what would you recommend? a new snare drum, a purchase of new triggers to install in the snare drum? What do you think of the old TD-8? thanks for your support
Man I picked a TD-8 up on marketplace for $100, and imo, for the $$ I spent that thing is amazing! I’ve been playing for over 30 years and I know what sounds good as far as realistic drum sounds and samples. The TD-8 also has all the plug In options on it just like something new and recently manufactured! So much better than my Alesis Command module it’s crazy!!
@@GillardPetry You're right, many say that the TD-8 module is one of the best modules among low-mid modules. However, I have gained some experience in recent months and have come to the conclusion that the weak points of electronic drums are also 2: HI HAT and snare drum. The hi-hat that comes closest to the original is the Roland one but I can't connect it to the TD-8. same thing for the snare drum. I've tried many snare drums and I can't get what I'm looking for: sensitivity. rimshot, cross stick in one setting. When you find a good RIMSHOT you don't have the crtoss stick and vice versa. what do you use?
@@massimoresnati I like a slightly ringy higher pitched snare. But not too ringy. I’ll deepen the shell to compensate normally. For me the snare options on the 8, with the pitch adjustments, are infinite. The biggest thing for me is finding a tom selection that doesn’t sound too digital. The “Rose” Tom’s on the td-8, pitched low, like Shepard of Fire intro low, is what I’m using right now. I would love to see roto toms on the dial, but they aren’t. I’m not as tech savy as I wish I was, but I am learning. The computer age has taken over and shows no signs of stopping other than an apocalypse!
For someone that don’t play on stage and only be using superior drummer 3, so no need for sound module, what would be the best choice for the best feeling, let say in the 3k-5k price range for a full set w/ hihat, cymb, rides, etc…?