SECTOR SPOTLIGHT ELECTRONIC DRUMS
Alesis DM8USB £529.99
This new model uses the company’s acclaimed dynamic articulation, a process that allows the user to grade through samples rather than just velocity switching.
CONTACTS
Yamaha 01908 366700 Roland 01792 702701 Korg
01908 857100 PP Drums (JHS) 0113 286 5381 Numark Alesis 01252 341400 Techtonic (Soar Valley) 0116 230 4926 Bentley (Intermusic) 01202 696963 Session Pro (P&R Howard) 01355 236621
Bentley TD-90 II £POA
The bass drum is isolated – as oppose to the more common ‘switched’ variety – giving it a feel more similar to that of a real kit.
Session Pro DD512 £TBC
Techtonic DD512 £449
Features include USB, MIDI In and MIDI Out connections, a rim shot on the pads, a Choke function with the crash cymbals and a new backlit LCD display.
Over 300 drum and percussion voices are available with this new kit, along with seven hi hat sets, a record and playback feature and a backlit segment LCD display.
designed for ease of use – in one very clean and clear module. The DTXPlorer is equipped with 32
preset drum kits and 192 drum and percussion sounds, which can be experimented with to create 10 drum kit configurations. ‘Groove Check’ and ‘Rhythm Gate’ functions also allow the user to monitor their accuracy and play more evenly and consistently. Although not a full kit, Korg’s
Wavedrum Oriental is well worth a mention. This seems to be another example of the company’s apparent efforts to cater for its surprisingly extensive Eastern fan base, but is also perfect for any musicians looking to add an Asian flavour to their sound. The striking surfaces are very simple, and yet provide a firm platform for exploring a variety of techniques and styles, which is essential when using the instruments it is trying to emulate. With 150 preset programs to choose
from and a total of 300 variations, there is plenty of choice with the Wavedrum Oriental, which also features a body designed to resemble the ceramic body
60 miPRO MARCH 2011
of a dabuka and a deep red wine colour on the outer rim, which is a common shade used for Arabian instruments. Based on the brain used in its DM10
model, the new DM8USB from Alesis has borrowed the sound engine from its well- known predecessor. The DM8 features 750 x 24 bit uncompressed sounds for the 100 presets and a selection of 100 user kits across a variety of musical genres, along with USB connectivity. It is also armed with a sophisticated drum sequencer that offers full editing and real audio sequences, as well as a full rack of internal programmable effects. The DM8 Pro also utilises the DM8
brain, but offers a different hardware set- up. This version offers real drum heads, with a 12-inch snare and eight, ten and 12-inch toms. The snare is attached to a separate standard double braced stand and also includes a rubber ride cymbal and a crash with choke. Also from Alesis is the Performance
Pad Pro, an eight-pad controller with a cutting edge internal sound source plus MIDI connections. This instrument
provides 500 stereo drum, bass, latin and hit samples with effects and it can even be used as a standard drum machine with hundreds of presets. Other features include bass drum and hi hat inputs, as well as a bracket space for industry standard mountings. This product will be available in late March in the UK. The last newcomer from Alesis is the
Percussion Pad – four velocity sensitive pads in a compact chassis, delivering 50 cutting edge internal sounds that can be tuned and edited, making it an ideal addition to any drummer’s set-up. A MIDI out function allows the drummer to record directly on to a computer or use other MIDI devices alongside it. The Bentley brand has become a
favourite for many retailers wanting to stock just a solitary electronic kit in their store. The TD-90 II certainly delivers a great deal for the price, with a library of 215 impressive sample sounds, 20 preset kits and 50 songs all include as part of a set comprised of three tom pads, two cymbal pads, a full-size hi-hat pad, snare pad with hoops and a bass drum, complete with pedal.
Aimed primarily at the beginner – but would also suit the more advanced player – PP Drums has the PP900E electronic drum kit. This fully adjustable set comes complete with four drum pads, two cymbal pads, hi-hat and kick drum pad with pedals. The accompanying digital drum module contains a library of 215 voices, 20 preset kits, ten user-defined kits and 50 preset songs, along with a click track and metronome.
One other new kit that has created a
real buzz is the DD512 from Session Pro. This kit features a rim shot on the snare and the three tom pads, a chokeable crash and a hi hat control pedal with a half open function. Over 300 drum and percussion voices are available, along with seven hi hat sets.
The DD505 kit it still selling steadily, with its high quality pads and standard five-piece setup, hi hat, crash and ride cymbals. Another kit worth mentioning from Session Pro is the entry-level DD402D, an affordable alternative with USB and choke cymbal.
WWW.MI-PRO.CO.UK
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