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Drumming Electrified
By Tyler Timpe - website

Do you wish you could take your playing to the level of your favorite drum legend? Wish you could play that gig at the small coffeeshop without bringing out the brushes or passing out earplugs? Wish you could lay down your studio tracks in one pass and fix any flubs with a simple mouse click? Ever wish you had tympanis, a huge gong, and an active bank account? You can have all your wishes and more when your Drums are Electrified.
So, if you are thinking about buying electronic drums, but not sure, here are some pros and cons of owning and playing your own kit suggested by electronic drummers. Send me e-mail if you wish to add to either list.
These are not absolutes, yet are important things to consider. Like comparing a MIDI keyboard to a piano, electronic and acoustic drums are very different instruments. Keep in mind, you get what you pay for, so you will find many more pros and much less cons with a quality electronic set.

Pros of Electronic Drums
* Can trigger a multitude of sounds and gear - drums, samples, other MIDI instruments, effects, or even MIDI devices such as lighting rigs.
* Program unlimited range of drum sounds & kit configurations and utilize on the fly.
* Easy to alter the pitch and put effects (reverbs, delays) on a sound, without the need of mics and expensive external outboard gear.
* Many sounds are professionally pre-EQed and compressed, making for quick mix
Volume
* Quiet for practicing - can be played with headphones.
* Reduces risk of hearing damage, and police visits.
* Can play in apartment or dorm room late at all hours.
* Separate volume control for each drum.
* You can play as loud as you want without feedback. In fact you could drown out the WHO if you have enough power!

Size
* More compact - takes up less space on that Holiday Inn 8'X10' concert stage.
* Lighter and more portable. Sometimes you can even get away with transporting the whole kit intact! Virtually no set up or tear down time!

MIDI
* Can record a sequence on a computer.
* Can store exact sounds parameters using MIDI.
* Can put MIDI drum tracks online.
Recording and Gigs
* No hassle setting up mics for recording or gigs.
* Easier to sound check at a show - no moving mics.
* Can perform in quieter environments, like a church or coffee shop.
* Much easier for a sound engineer to control the volume.
* Easier to record - you will always get "exact" sound during different sessions.

Practice
* Easy to practice along with CDs with many modules.
* Many heads (such as Roland TD-10) come with built-in metronomes

Maintenance
* No broken heads.
* No tuning hassle (though you can change the pitch of each sound).
* Fewer broken drumsticks.

Looks
* Electronic set looks better (?).

Costs
* 1000's of quality drum and percussion instruments cost tons less when they are contained in one small box. Ever price a single timpani?

Cons of Electronic Drums
* Some less expensive modules don't sound like acoustic drums, especially cymbal sounds.
* Don't have full range of dynamics (volume) and expression.
* Some systems don't have hi-hat open-closed range.
* While playing live you won't be able to hear yourself unless you have a good monitoring system.
* Your audience won't be able to hear you unless you have a good PA or amplifier.

Triggering
* False (double) triggering.
* Missed triggers.
* Harder to play rolls on some systems.
* Harder/impossible to play with brushes.
* Cables and plugs CAN short out.
Feel
* Most pads don't feel like acoustic drums - different stick bounce.
* Systems designed with "flat stationary pads" for cymbals do not allow the stick to follow through as with acoustic kit. (Roland fixes this with its new V-Cymbals)

Looks
* Acoustic set looks better when being destroyed by a punk band at the end of a show. Plus it's louder when you do it.

Size
* Smaller pads - harder to hit if you are cross eyed.

New Revisions
* Gets outdated quicker -- new, better, cheaper modules come out and leave you ranting "why did I pay so much more 5 years ago?".

Final Thought
* Can't play MTV's unplugged -unless you like the practice pad sound.

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