How Electric Drums Work
Electronic drum kits have revolutionized the realm of percussion in much the same way that the synthesizer has widened the possibilities of keyboard instruments. While the sounds coaxed from a traditional acoustic drum set can only be varied by rhythm or dynamics, an electronic drum kit is able to produce a nearly infinite range of sounds, from jazz kit brushes to farm animal noises.
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Function
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An electronic drum set consists of three main components: a trigger, a "brain," and an output. The trigger, usually a drum pad that is struck with stick, much like a normal drum, sends a signal to the brain (called a module), which then registers the intensity of the hit and assigns the signal a sound, which is transmitted to the output, usually a speaker or headphones.
Each module can be connected to several triggers or drum pads--thus a drum set is built. The module contains pre-programmed virtual drum kits (or custom drum kits defined by the user) and assigns each trigger a different sound. From the musicians end, the instrument is played exactly as an acoustic drum set would be played. The only differences are the sounds that it produces and the subtle tactile differences between striking an actual drum head and an electronic drum pad.
Types
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Although, in theory, a drum trigger can produce any given sound, depending on the module, most drum triggers are specifically designed to resemble its acoustic counterpart. As with a traditional drum set, an electronic drum kit is composed of a snare drum, a hi-hat, a kick drum, toms, a crash cymbal and a ride cymbal.
The snare drum and tom use the same pads--their function depends on their positioning on the rack and the sound that it is assigned to. The pads are struck with a stick to activate the trigger. Most pads will be able to detect the velocity of the hit and have varying levels of volume depending on how hard they are hit. Higher end pads will even have concentric zones which produce different sounds depending on where you strike the pad. For example, a hit directly in the center of the snare drum produces a full, strong hit, while a hit near the edge produces a "rim shot" sound.
The crash and ride cymbals function similarly, though they are shaped differently in order to mimic the look and feel of an actual cymbal. A strike in the center of the pad produces a clearer sound, as if you were striking the bell of a cymbal, while a strike near the edge produces the familiar splashy crash sound.
The kick drum trigger comes in two main types: a pad that is struck by a traditional kick pedal or an electronic pedal with a built in trigger. The pad and traditional kick pedal combination is advantageous in that it can be used with any pedal, giving it a more genuine feel and action. The pedal with a built-in trigger is simpler and a bit more sensitive as there are fewer moving parts.
The hi-hat is a combination between the standard drum pad with a foot pedal switch. Depressing the switch "closes" the hi-hat, producing a tighter sound when the pad is struck. In this way, the pad and foot switch work in conjunction to function much like a traditional hi-hat set. -
Benefits
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The main benefits for electronic drum kits over acoustic drum sets are its ease of recording and adjusting the sound. Obviously, any given drum on an acoustic set only produces one sound and is only variable in how hard it is struck and the tuning of the drum. Meanwhile, an electronic pad can be assigned to trigger any sound. Configurations can be swapped on the fly, allowing your drummer to play with an reverberating, dirty garage rock kit for one song, a subdued jazz kit for another and a glitch techno kit for the next.
Acoustic drums are also notoriously hard to record, requiring multiple expensive microphones and expert placement. Recording and producing live drums in the studio is a fine art that few amateur producers can do successfully. Recording an electronic drum kit, on the other hand, is as easy as recording the output from the module. For a basic setup, you can simply run a line from the module into the mixer. For more advanced productions, you can record it into MIDI, where you can further tweak the recording and sounds.
Considerations
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In spite of the electronic drum kit's benefits, it remains less popular than the acoustic drum kit in most genres of music. There are a couple of reasons for this.
For one, electronic drum sets are typically more expensive than acoustic drum set. While some big box retailers offer electronic drum sets for under $500, you often get what you pay for. A reliable and versatile electronic drum set will likely be a bit costlier. Plus, while an acoustic drum set needs no amplification (in fact, it often needs dampening), an electronic drum set requires headphones or a monitor in order to be audible. This also adds to the costs.
The failure rate for electronic components is also a bit of a gamble. While name brand drum kits are fairly reliable, generic kits may not be as responsive or may have other technical glitches. Being a sophisticated piece of electronic equipment, there is far more that can breakdown in a digital drum kit than an acoustic drum.
The main complaint about electronic drum kits among musicians is the authenticity of the sound. While technology has advanced in leaps and bounds, it is nearly impossible to pass off a digital drum kit as an acoustic drum set on a recording. Except for some of the very high end kits and drum samples, any musician will be able to spot an electronic drum set in the mix and in many genres, the generated tone detracts from the overall sound. In short, nothing beats the real thing.
Misconceptions
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Continuing on the thread of the purists' disdain for the electronic drum kit, it is important to note the difference between an electronic drum set and pre-programmed drum loops. The musician sitting behind an electronic drum kit is equally as skilled as one sitting behind an acoustic drum set, as the same level of musicianship is needed in order to play the instrument. The only difference is in how the sound is produced.
Sequenced drum loops, on the other hand, are programmed before hand on a computer or a sequencer and are merely played back as if they were on a tape. Though this may seem similar on a sonic level--as the individual drum sounds are both digitally produced--the way in which the beats are recreated in real time is starkly different. Drum loops are being played by a computer, in the same way programs are executed. An electronic drum kit is played "live," by a human, just like an electric guitar or a synthesizer is played live.
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