|
Product Description 7 touch-sensitive drum pads174 percussion voices assignable to any pad100 built-in rhythm and general MIDI50 programmed drum kits and large 3-digit LEDHand percussion mode adds realism when playing with handsUses PA-6 power adapter or six C batteries (not included)Includes two assignable foot pedals drum sticks and headphone jackShipping package dimensions: 10.25x25x18.25 (len x wid x dep) ... Read more
Features Pair of 5-watt stereo speakers; 22.3 x 6.9 x 14.2 inches (W x H x D)Digital drum system with 7 touch-sensitive drum pads174 stereo-sampled percussion voices assignable to any of the pads2 assignable foot pedals; 100 built-in rhythm styles50 programmed drum kits and 1 user-programmable drum kit
Reviews (2) 
Versatile percussion
This drum is the instrument of choice to begin in the professional percussion. If you are an appassionate of real drums, you will miss the feel of a traditional drum (the sound of the perimeter of the snare, the multiple variations in the sound of the ride cymbal, the subtleness of opening and closing the hi-hat -though this drum system is sensible enough to allow some basic opening/closing playing-). If you are not, you'll get high quality drum sounds (hard to distinguish from real ones), together with a nice atmosphere (due to the DSP effects that the DD55 includes).
Moreover, if you turn the hand-percussion mode on, you will enjoy some basic (yet high quality again) percussion instruments.
All the pads and the bass drum pedal provide fine sensitivity, so you will usually not need to strike them hard - simply give gentle touchs and enjoy
The MIDI implementation is also very good, so you can record your performances or use the DD55 as a external sound module.
In sum, it's probably the best choice in its price range.
Fantastic way to learn to play the drums
I bought this item after testing it out for a few minutes at a local store, and found that it is much more versatiel that it may first appear. Pads are responsive, but not too responsive - sensitivity is adjustable. I recommend trying to find the kit with the drum stand included - it makes it very easy to have a setup at home.
Drum sounds are great, comparable to more MIDI modules that would otherwise come separately, or if you want to you could run the MIDI through the wavetable on the soundcard of your computer (or run virtual samplers or whatever off of it - everything comes across standard channel 10 (drum channel) but you can also program is for other channels or even separate pads by channel.
You may read complaints about the hat being hard to use... I found that if you hold the sticks properly this becomes less of an issue - the set is designed to trim back double-hits and so if you are sloppy, you will not get the clean hat sounds you are looking for - so yes, it works, clean up your playing! :)
The rubber pads also have a very similar feel to rubber practice pads used by teachers and students all over... so the feel of the drum hits is excellent. As I have gotten better and more confident I find I am able to bash away at the set and it's responsive nature is excellent.
However I have two recommendations -
1. Get headphones - you can practice anytime!
2. Get a carpet - this is an old trick to keep gear in place while you play, but it really works for this kit. The trigger pedals are plastic and light and so although they have rubber feet, they have the tendency to bounce if you are a good stomper! So you hear the trigger of your stomp but then the trigger when the pedal hits the floor! On hardwood floor this happens easily. So get yourself a small carpet or else attach some sort of plate to the bottom of the pedals so they won't slip...
Word has it this kit can use the fancier Yamaha pro kick and hat pedals also, so if you really want to get serious about it, well there you go.
I tried taking lessons on a conventional drum kit and found that it made too much noise and that I wouldn't practice because I hated having people hear how bad I was... This kit eliminates that problem, and you can focus more on the essentials of separating your limbs and on timing... It includes an onboard metronome also, and the black circle is a dialing control that can be used to select kits, sounds, songs, and metronome speed...
Alternative in pad mode, you just hit the pad you want to change and it cycles through the sounds and roll patterns until you find one you like. I find myself dialing back and forth playing around with different sounds.
Also, there are voices with multiple patch triggers based on velocity - meaning that one those voices, not only will the sound be louder as you hit harder, but the sound will changed from a more subdued snare sample to a rimshot or a louder snare sample as well as get louder.
Final rec, if the sounds themselves don't do it for you, I have found two things help expand the possibilities of this kit:
1. a POD or Roland Cube15 or another modeling amplifier - like having a drum mic mixer in your home...
2. an actual mixer... I suggest one of the home varieties - I personally run it through a Peavy RQ100 along with my stereo and play along - 30 hour jam sessions and you can play along great. My brother just bought the small Behringer home mixer and really likes it as well, although it is geared more towards being portable with the Peavey RQ100 has inputs that are computer friendly...
Well that's about it - it's a great starter kit for someone who has always wanted to try drums - that was me 2 months ago, and now I am actually doing it thanks to this machine.
... Read more |
