Advice on a virtual drum kit?

[K.B.]

I've been thinking of buying the Roland TD-6K 'virtual' drumkit. (I can get it cheaper than the link says)

Several times I've had a play on one in a music shop, and I love it.

But the thing that bothers me is the kit's limitations. You can hit the drums soft, medium, or hard (maybe there's more levels in-between) but that's all they do. Likewise with the cymbals. And it just so happens my favorite drum kit sounds are the ones you get with the brushes. And this kit has no way of doing that. All it can do is access a set of drum samples - albeit an impressively large set.

I can see how brushes (are they called that?) can be implemented technically, but wouldn't that involve extra processing, and maybe more sensors?

They tell me in the shop that I'll be able to upgrade later, but I think it's more likely that when that's available my only real option will be to feel stoopid and buy afresh. Which of vourse would be Roland's more profitable strategy.

Anyone have any thoughts on this?

Or maybe there's another site better suited to this subject?





(BTW I have neighbors who would not appreciate a real drumkit.)

[marcusb]

is a real kit + real brushes an option .. IMHO no sampled, or synthesised kit will ever have the range of expression a real drummer who know how to play with brushes can achieve

[Jorge442]

I´m with Marcus here, quite hard if not impossible to match the sound and dynamics of real brushes.




cheers,


jorge

[K.B.]

Ah well, I thought not. But sometimes you hope that someone will say "Yes you can!"

Anyway, anyone got or tried this kit properly? What do they think of it otherwise?

[nikki-k]

I love my V-Drums For writing with a drummer, far easier than using an acoustic kit. When it comes time to lay tracks, definitely cannot beat, or even match, a good acoustic kit, with good pre's and mic's.

After V-Drums, the old-fashioned drum pads just dont cut it.
I use the internals of the expanded TD-10 while writing, and when the drummer is gone and I work on things with the MIDI recorded from the sessions, I load up Drumkit From Hell into Kontakt and smile the whole time

[K.B.]

It's fun isn't it? I never realised what a kick pounding those skins was until I did it myself.

But is that good enough reason to buy one?

Well, it would be if I knew I wouldn't want to buy a newer better kit in a couple of years.

But then, what are the chances that brushes are ever going to be implemented? Yes, it can be done if enough money is spent on research, but really - where's the market to do that?

So maybe I should just go for it.

As they say: you never regret the things you've done, only the things you haven't.

[Rubii]

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I have a TD10 kit
the brushes feature works really well actually, but i don't know what the td6 kit is like
is that the one with the rubber pads instead of the mesh heads?
I don't use the brush fature much really, just kinda for the odd bit here and there
How much are u spending onthe kit, 'cause my kit is worth over $6,000...but i got it on ebay for just over $2,000 (including a rack, which was admittedly pretty pricey to have shipped to Ireland)
But still WAY cheaper than in store!
Anyway, the drums rock!
Good luck with it
x
Rbi

[K.B.]

There's a link to the TD6 right at the top.

It looks a bit skinny in comparison to your TDK10.

The brushes thing works? I'll give one a try in the shop. But it's seriously more expensive.

How do you know it's going to work ok if you buy on ebay? Wouldn't you have been stuffed if it didn't work once you had it over in Ireland?

[Rubii]

yeah the brushes are cool
re: Ebay, I've bought a ton of stuff on there, so I'm pretty good at spotting the spoofers!
Once u use someone with good feedback (and u have actually looked at the items they have sold) you are pretty safe. I try to get a telephone conversation going too, and some proof of who u are dealing with.
(now go get one!)
x
Rbi

[Rubii]

oh i just looked at the TD6
yeah, it's a pretty basic version of the vdrum series
I can't imagine the brushes could sound very authentic on that to be honest
Maybe u should check out the TD8
it's got the mesh heads
and i think u could buy a PD120 (the Pads supplied with the TD10) and integrate it in there too for more dynamics.
check it out, mister

x
Rbi