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[Spectacle]

Thanks Mikey for your input. I really appreciate it. I was kind of thinking that might be the case with the Alesis kits, despite the attractive price.

And while the RET kits DO look great, it’s a ways beyond my current price range — even at the lowest end.

It appears that the Roland pads and module will allow me to be as articulate as possible, as well as giving me the option of either quickly sitting down and just playing with the module, or going by MIDI into C&V, EZD, and S2.0 (when it shows up…).

I’ll also be running my Alesis Control Pad into the MIDI in of the Module (or vice versa, then into my computer via USB), which will give me 8 more pads and 2 more external trigger ins. So I should be pretty set.

It looks like I’ll probably be headed in the Roland TD direction for now (TD-3, TD-6v, or TD-9), though if anyone wants to stop me and make a great case for Yamaha, I would listen….

[Spectacle]

Thanks very much, grandaddy. This is a tremendous help.

[Spectacle]

Thanks grandaddy.

Will the TD-3 kit, with the FD-8 hi hat controller, give a realistic hi hat sound — gradual closed to open?

And will this translate via MIDI to the Toontrack software? Or will it just be open-close with that?

[Spectacle]

Thanks for the advice, Mikey. And I’ve seen your YouTube videos before. Great stuff. Thanks for that — it’s very useful.

Although I’m coming from playing acoustic drums for years, I stopped by my local Banjo Mart the other day and tried out a couple of kits that they had working. And I actually think that I might PREFER the rubber toms to acoustic-type heads. And I certainly like the mesh snare pad a lot. So the surface for these drums is not so much a concern for me.

What IS a concern, however, is how articulate I can be with the pads:

I want to be able to play a wide range of dynamics on each pad and cymbal.
I want the pads to be able to keep up with me if I’m playing rolls and fast 16ths, etc.
I want to be able to have at least two-zone cymbals so I can play a bell and ride on one, and a mid and edge on another.
I want to be able to have a hi-hat that doesn’t just go open-close, but has some variation from one to the other (if possible).

I WILL be using EZDrummer, Superior Custom & Vintage, and Superior 2.0 when it comes out. And I have the computer and big external hard drives already. So:

I want the two-zone pads to have no trouble triggering different sounds in the software.
But I also wouldn’t mind having at least a decent (passable) module, so that I can just sit down and play quickly when I may not want to get the computer set up, etc.

If the Alesis will get me there for such a low price, I’m all over that.

But if not, perhaps the Roland TD-3 or TD-6? Or the Yamaha DTXpress IV Special?

What do you think, Mikey? I appreciate any advice you (or anyone here) might be able to give.

[Author]

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