drums: Roland V set vs. acoustic?

Question

I really want a drum set, and my parents finally said yes. I have not told them about electric sets yet, cause i don't want them to only let me have an electric set because of volume control.

I've looked at the Roland TD-6SXT V-Tour Series Electronic Drum Set, and it seems nice. It has mesh heads which i hear are imortant.

but should i get electric or acoustic?

all my musician friends tell me the only reason they would ever get electric is to be able to play at night (volume control).

Is it easy to learn on an electric set then switch to acoustic?

how good is the sound quality?

i suppose i would mainly just be playing by myself for now, becuase i play bass and guitar and in bands playing both guitar and bass. drums would be more of a hobby until i get good.

am i able to plug the electric sets into my mac for recording?

i am leaning towards electric, but all my musican friends say acoustic. what should i get?

please be descriptive as possible.

thanks.

-Kev

i am interested in learning how to play on an electric set then eventually move to acoustic. the pro i understand of learning on an electric set is learning to play with a metronome and having a tuned set all the time. learing to play with a metronome is key, as it is the basis for all drumming.

Answer 1

The V-Drums are nice, My drummer uses them for practice and they take up little space. I've actually started recording with them, and it's so much easier than mic'ing acoustics. I just plug them into my mixing board via 2 1/4 inch stereo jacks, and set levels.

The only drawback is that you have to program each individual head for a sound, EQ it, set volume, and set the overall mix of the set. When you play live, you have to have an amp or PA to push them, and EQ that as well. Once it's done though, they're great to work with.

One of the best features is the ability to record your drum tracks right into the brain for future playback - it lets you be a one-man band. I've recorded my drummer playing, taken just the brain to an acoustic show, and plugged it in to the PA for my backing tracks while I played solo. I've also done my practice sessions that way - I'm learning to play drums myself, and this lets me jam along with my drummer's tracks as a practice demo. I also record my practice tracks to see where I need improvement.

Mesh heads are very important as well - they give the feel of real drum heads, and they can be adjusted like normal heads to your preference of the stick response and bounce-back. This is a big deal because it helps you make a smooth transition between acoustic & electric sets - the feel is identical, as long as you have the tention set right on the heads.

For a live show, I prefer acoustic drums any day. Nothing beats the sound, and it just looks better on stage (the V-Drums are so smalll the riser looks empty). I have played shows with the V-Drums, but we had to lug the extra PA with us, and 2 extra cabinets for a stereo setup. We also broke a couple of the clamps & the kick drum during transport - unless you have a road case for the set, leave it home... very fragile.

If you want to hear how it sounds for a basic recording, I have stuff posted on www.myspace.com/GDAgroup that was recorded with the V-Drums. I hope this helps a little with your question/decision. Feel free to contact me if you think I can help a little more.

-Dan Acosta
singer/songwriter/guitarist,
voice-over & jingle producer
AXIS UNKNOWN
www.myspace.com/axisunknown
www.myspace.com/danacosta
www.myspace.com/GDAgroup

Answer 2

The only reason to own an electric set is for volume control.

They don't sound as good in my opinion (you can always tell if it's electric when you listen)

They have no sound variation between parts of a drum. Most sets don't have rims that make sound and you may get used to hitting on what would be the wrong part of the drum head on an acoustic set.

The heads are bouncier than on acoustic sets, so you will probably have a hard time getting used to things like bouncing if you switch to acoustic sets.

I don't think they're expandable. If you plan on having more than the basic snare, three tom, one bass drum, one hi hat, one crash, and ride set, use an acoustic.

They cost WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYYY more. You may spend just as much money getting an acoustic set, then sound-proofing the room it's in.

Answer 3

Both had simple messages of discarding the complex dogmas of their parent's religion and focusing on actually being a better person. Both had people coming after them that re-complexified what they said. Sadly, their similarities are lost on most modern Christians who view their own dogma as something that must be given their undying loyalty, as opposed to a reasoned set of rules that must make sense (and I only point to Christians because Buddhists don't tend to say things like "there is no similarity").

Answer 4

I would go for the acoustic dude!!!

Answer 5

Rogers.........the best in acoustic