PETER ERSKINE - Playing Electronic drums

[Josiah]

[quote="willyz"
Josiah you seem to assume that what was brought up in the previous post was that he thought electronic drums/e-kits would replace the drumset- I doubt that's going to be a case. I mean, why on earth would you try to do a buzz roll on an electronic pad, when that's something that really hasn't been sampled well yet or employed as well on an electronic kit?

People have been using pads with a brain on the kit for years- is this not a new concept for you? I think the technology is still going to improve going forward, in a way that's not meant to replicate the acoustic side of things, but rather compliment them a bit better.[/quote]

Willyz, you obviously didn't read the second half of my post.


I use Superior Drummer for all my programming, and using various pads to trigger samples makes things go a lot faster then physically putting them into the grid. But even then it requires a lot of tweaking after the fact to get samples to sound real.


I use electronics live for a wide variety of uses, FX, triggering loops, pads, etc...

But watching a jazz master on a ekit is just bad. And it sounds bad. Almost insulting to the instrument bad.

[willyz]

[quote="willyz"
Willyz, you obviously didn't read the second half of my post.


But watching a jazz master on a ekit is just bad. And it sounds bad. Almost insulting to the instrument bad.

Maybe it was a miscommunication, but I didn't get any of how you use technology from the second half of the post- just seemed like bashing on the concept. Regardless, yes- jazz should not be played on an e-kit. A bit of common sense there, I'd hope.

[DSOP]

I think jazz can be played on anything; from electronic drums to paint buckets. Do I prefer acoustic drums? Of course. Nothing like them. Visually, or sonically.

I think electronic drums will definitely become more popular though. Especially with all these kids who are growing up with those video games that have electronic drums.

I would prefer if electronic drums stopped trying to duplicate acoustic drums and just blazed their own trail with regard to sounds (sort of like how Simmons started off).

Look at the Fender Rhodes; it's an electric piano, but it doesn't try to sound anything like an acoustic piano (grand or upright) and it is still a relevant sound, in jazz or any other genre.

I owned a Roland kit a few years ago, and sold it after a few months. I think the only way to go with these types of kits is with the high end stuff, but then you're paying more than what a great acoustic kit would cost.

[MRhet]

I think jazz can be played on anything; from electronic drums to paint buckets. Do I prefer acoustic drums? Of course. Nothing like them. Visually, or sonically.

Look at the Fender Rhodes; it's an electric piano, but it doesn't try to sound anything like an acoustic piano (grand or upright) and it is still a relevant sound, in jazz or any other genre.

This is what I think too.

[Yussuf]

Erskine can make anything sound good cause his time feels so good. I was pleasantly surprised by this. Of course it sounded shitty in the beginning with the room mic blended in there(why?). But after that it was ok.

I'd love to get me those old Simmons drums. Maybe someone here has those lying in the garage or something and wants to get rid of them..?

[sejuba]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZwFmaZ1QLE

Perhaps this is the video that should have been post initially.
A few considerations: hi hat on e kit doesn't sound very good neither did the other cymbals when he crashed on them
overall sound of both acoustic/electronic wasn't very impressive
cudos to the single stroke roll played from 2:47-2:50 the ekit response was very good


all being said, what a great tool for writing/composing music !

[drumnhands]

I wonder how many piano players said "the electronic keyboard will never be accepted as it's own instrument"? And the thought that jazz should only be played on acoustic instruments is just silly. In many jazz groups, the drums are the ONLY acoustic instrument. At the rate that technology progresses in regards to sampling, and new materials are being developed you just can't say that electronic drums will never be accepted as their own instrument. Even the sound of acoustic drums is electronically altered on virtually all modern recoedings and the majority of live performances. Reverb, compression, EQ, etc. are all electronic alterations of the drums original sound.

The phrase "never say never" certainly applies here.