Possible new drumhead style

[Pyrettablaze]

How about creating a sandwich of materials in the following order.

1. Round plastic much like what is currently used.
2. Round gum rubber pad 1/8" thick
3. 1/8" cotton padding(giving the top gum rubber pad more movement so that the strain gauge can pick up the change of state)
4. Strain gauge that covers said round gum rubber pad.
5. 1/16" gum rubber pad.

This could(<--) solve 4 issues.
1. Quiet annyoingly loud clacking
2. Get rid of the center piezo sensor for a larger sensor that could pick up outer head hits
3. Help prevent the plastic from cracking.
4. Save money from all the 2nd day air charges.

:D

[Project_Mercy]

It has a few issues. The biggest being that the cotton layer doesn't have the rate of restitution sufficent to be able to deal with the faster drum rolls. Also, while gum rubber can sorta represent how a drum works, it's ****ty compared to a real drum. Playing on gum rubber for long periods is hard on you, and inferior to the current pad design.

Mostly though, that would be pricey to assemble and manufacture. It would be cheaper to just use a cheap mesh-head drum like the low end mesh-head electronic kits.

They want REALLY cheap though, hence plastic and spring loaded piezo ;)

Mesh heads are quiet, have good response, and play well. So they have an answer if they wanted it. They just want something cheap.

[Pyrettablaze]

I just hope that they bite the bullet and toss some cash into R&D. I am sure that I will break my next set when I get them so i'll probably put some work into building a different drum head that can withstand the hours of expert drumming. My current broken set is an EL. Hopefully i'll get the QM version and the rubber pads will help with the plastic head breaking.

It is one thing to try and go cheap but they are tossing tons of cash out the window with the RMAs that are going on.

[Project_Mercy]

If you cracked one (or both) of the inside pads on the EL, then the QM will be better. If you dented a head on the EL, then the QM probably won't be better. That's just the head won't take the stress you're putting into it. If you're having a hard time getting rebound out of it, you might try putting some elastic pads on top.

I'm kinda more looking to the aftermarket for this. Someone just needs to make a CV->Rockband converter so people can hack up some cheap normal e-drums. I realize we see the Ion prototype, but it hasn't seen the light of day yet either.

I honestly have grown to detest playing on the elastic pads (gum/neoprene/latex rubber) though. Its hard on your body and it really doesn't have the same action as a drum head.

[chugabeer]

I agree about the aftermarket converter as being the most obvious answer.
I think that it will likely come from the manufacturers of the other drum sets. They just need to step up and deliver. I think it would only help with their own sales as well.

I look at the electronic set my son has and I understand why he is unimpressed with the RB drums.