vtjustinb
11-24-2007, 05:00 PM
Playing Rock Band has reminded me just how much I love playing kit, and how through college, grad school, and apartment life I've not been able to play my kit at all for about 7 years, so today I decided to make the plunge and get a set of Roland V-Drums:
http://just-in.org/etc/vdrums.jpg
Simply put these are probably the most amazing things I've ever played. I briefly checked out V-Drums when Roland first put them out in the mid 90s and they were light years ahead of rubber pads, but the feel still wasn't good enough to justify the massive price.
The TD-12s is a great set, and features the same sounds and module editing as the flagship TD-20. The pads are dual-sensor, so you get edge and center sounds (as well as shallow and full rimshots), and the cymbal pads are probably some of the best I've ever played (with choking, bells, and increasing "wash" the harder you hit them).
The VH-11 hi-hat is an absolute joy to play, with a sloshy rubber UFO-shaped disc that feels about as close to a real hi-hat that electrics can come (I tried the VH-12 that ships with the TD-20 which has two separate rubber plates, and it just isn't as responsive).
It's been fun connecting the set to my computer--recording myself along with iTunes stuff, driving some MIDI compositions in Sibelius with mapped drums, playing around with DAW in Logic Studio, all kinds of stuff.
Also if you're a V-Drums user I'd definitely check out VExpressions Ltd. They sell some unbelievably high-quality kits for use in V-Drums, and their "top 50 drummers" packs gives you sampled kits of some great names in drumming (Jack DeJohnette, Peart, Portnoy, Beauford, Chamberlin, Weckl, Gadd, Chambers, etc.).
In short they're awesome and feel as close to acoustic as I've ever came with an electronic. If you are looking for a true-to-life drumming experience with a quiet electric set that won't make the neighbors come out with torches and pitchforks I highly recommend.
http://just-in.org/etc/vdrums.jpg
Simply put these are probably the most amazing things I've ever played. I briefly checked out V-Drums when Roland first put them out in the mid 90s and they were light years ahead of rubber pads, but the feel still wasn't good enough to justify the massive price.
The TD-12s is a great set, and features the same sounds and module editing as the flagship TD-20. The pads are dual-sensor, so you get edge and center sounds (as well as shallow and full rimshots), and the cymbal pads are probably some of the best I've ever played (with choking, bells, and increasing "wash" the harder you hit them).
The VH-11 hi-hat is an absolute joy to play, with a sloshy rubber UFO-shaped disc that feels about as close to a real hi-hat that electrics can come (I tried the VH-12 that ships with the TD-20 which has two separate rubber plates, and it just isn't as responsive).
It's been fun connecting the set to my computer--recording myself along with iTunes stuff, driving some MIDI compositions in Sibelius with mapped drums, playing around with DAW in Logic Studio, all kinds of stuff.
Also if you're a V-Drums user I'd definitely check out VExpressions Ltd. They sell some unbelievably high-quality kits for use in V-Drums, and their "top 50 drummers" packs gives you sampled kits of some great names in drumming (Jack DeJohnette, Peart, Portnoy, Beauford, Chamberlin, Weckl, Gadd, Chambers, etc.).
In short they're awesome and feel as close to acoustic as I've ever came with an electronic. If you are looking for a true-to-life drumming experience with a quiet electric set that won't make the neighbors come out with torches and pitchforks I highly recommend.
