Consuming Worship - Message Board

Discussion: Bring back the real drums!!!

6 | » RE: Bring back the real drums!!!

As a drummer, singer, sound tech, and worship pastor, this issue is a real debate for me. Our church has been working hard to eliminate stage noise bleeding into the house, and this is our last biggest hurdle. As a drummer, I hate the feel of electric drums...plastic, rubber, and mesh simply cannot compete with the skins of a well tuned kit. But as a worship pastor who has to be concerned with the overall balance, there are very few solutions to the volume issue with an acoustic kit. Currently, I am looking into acoustic/electric kits like RET produces. They look and feel like real drums (because they are), and even have metal cymbals, but they are almost soundless compared to a true acoustic, and use a module like any other electric kit to produce sounds. While this doesn't help tremendously with the instrumentalists complaint of not hearing the drums as they are used to, it does address virtually all other issues of sound and playability. As far as hearing the drummer the way you want to, might I suggest in-ears, combined with something like an AVIOM outfit? Then you would have personal control of the volumes without creating complaints from the grey-hairs out there! It's worth a shot. And by the way, "You'll just have to live with it" is not an legitimate response. Ever. If it is, then it applies as much to you as a musician as it does to the congregant. We aren't there to perform, we are there to help create an atmosphere where our people can become aware of the ever-present God. The moment we get in the way of that for any reason, we have failed radically as worship leaders. Something to think about.

posted at 3/31/09 4:19 PM by COCONUT92

5 | » RE: Bring back the real drums!!!

interesting conversation...It's strange about the resistance we see with drums going electronic, although not so strange I suppose. Drums are kind of the last of the 'rock' instruments to enter the electronic world and it is meeting resistance just as the guitar, the bass, and the piano did in their time of transition to electronic from acoustic. There are pros and cons just as there are with other electronic instruments. Although we tend to see electronic drums as 'quieter,' it doesn't have to be that way. There are some great powered monitors on the market just for drums. Whether you like it or dislike it, drums are going electronic. The world of drums will never replace the acoustic drums with electronic, but we will soon see a 50/50 market in the world of percussion. I recently worked in a pro music outfitter shop in Colorado and I was the drum sales guy. I never could have predicted it, but electronic kits outsold acoustic kits 5 to 1 easy. They're quiet or loud depending on the player's choice, they're more portable and rugged, and there is a whole new world of sounds that can be accomplished without purchasing every percussion instrument out there (which is part of the reason guitar, pianos, and the bass have made successful entrances into the world of electronic music). I wish they would begin making electronic drums with some asthetic value rather than the space-ship-looking sets we have seen so far.

posted at 1/28/09 1:42 PM by EPHESIANSFIVE

4 | » RE: Bring back the real drums!!!

I stand beside the drums (electronic) and play the bass. All I hear is the snap of the sticks on the pads. I want the real McCoy. When we crank them up so you can hear them, there always someone complaining it's too loud. I know conforming to the whims of non musical talent only stagnates the growth of any worship program. With a set of real drums in a booth of course, gives legitimacy to a "you'll just have to live with it " response to any complaint. I love it loud. It's tough as a bassist to interact with the drummer when you can't hear him.

posted at 12/12/08 5:52 AM by SONGSMITHDAN

3 | » RE: Bring back the real drums!!!

I never thought I would say this, but they both definitely have their pros and cons. As a drummer, I love a good acoustic kit (a "real" drumset) but I have also had opportunity to play an electronic kit, and the ability to program in different sounds just opens up a whole new world.

I would also add that I have not been seeing more electronic drum sets lately - Last fall was the first one I have seen in a church in about 7 years.

posted at 2/6/08 6:59 AM by PISOMOJADO

2 | » RE: Bring back the real drums!!!

We have the opposite problem.

Our drum set takes up half of our stage (not really, but it seems like it). With a Gibraltar rack, drum shield, two floor monitors, it's huge.

Being a sound man, it's been a challenge to get the right mix with the drums if you don't have all of your musicians using sort of in-ear monitor.

posted at 1/29/08 8:33 AM by CRASHDUMMY

1 | » Bring back the real drums!!!

Where have all the real drums gone? Most of the churches I've been to lately are using electronic drum pads and they are my pet peeve! (Can you tell that I'm a pianist? I'm not even sure if electronic drum pads is the right term). I'm sure they're much easier to move and much more cost effective. But you lose that sense of being truly enveloped by the vibrations of a real drum set. You lose the experience of being swept up in the music. So if you're considering a change, remember what you're losing when you gain convenience!

posted at 1/24/08 3:22 PM by GABUDELL