Zendrummer fallen off the wagon...

[peabody58]

Oh forgive me tribe, for I have fallen, and fallen far from the Zen wagon.  

Stopped in at my favorite Pawn Shop yesterday, just to look around, and walked out with a brand new Sonor Special Edition (aka Force 3007) 6-piece Studio size (20x17.5" bass) 9-ply maple Natural Laquer finish shell pack for less than 1/2 the current retail price.  I've been having the itch to play acoustic again, at least one more time before I get to old to haul the gear around.  To get such a high quality set with a wood finish that matches my Zendrum is priceless.

So now I'm searching for bargains on stands and HH/Ride cymbals as I still have my 4 Zildjian crashes from my early 90's rock days.  I've forgotten what a pain it is to tune drums, as I haven't had to since 1999!  Fortunately, I'll be able to set-up and leave the drums at my current jam location, and get some good play time with them as I eventually finish customizing the setup.

I'm hoping having an acoustic set will help me get into a band again, and then I'll spring the Draken on them as icing on the cake.

Surely I'm not the only Zendrummer who doesn't also have a full acoustic trap set, and full edrum set, and Zendrum, and.....

[Pocket Master]

I still have a set of Premier acoustics, and my Roland electronic kit.  I have not played them in some time, especially since the Zendrum, but I have been turned away from many bands due to the fear of not using an instrument that does not resemble "real" drums.  i do have a few projects with some great musicians that appreciate what my Zen is and what it can do to enhance their music.  Good luck with the acoustic kit and remember, you can use the Draken along with the acoustic kit and really blow some people away.

Rob

[paradidl]

I still break out my late 80's Pearl MLX Maple kit for certain gigs.  When there is only enough PA for vocals (no subs, so little to no thump) it's hard to get the crowd grooving with sampled sounds. 

My main rig is a TD-20 & SPD-S triggering Superior Drummer 2.2 and my own samples, with the Zendrum spicing things up on 10-20% of the tunes.  I'm still new to the Zendrum, so I haven't yet played an entire gig with it yet.

I do know a certain Inspector that gigs with acoustics occasionally, so not to worry--you're in good company!

Sean

[Pyrate]

Avast Thar Mateys,

     Alas, if only I had the room on me Pyrate Ship for an acoustic or even an electronic kit, I would definitely have one.  It is precisely teh lack of room (and the next door neighbor annoyance factor) that led me to Zendrum in the first place.  It is one of the few decisions I have made in me salty life that I do not regret (unlike Sinatra, regrets....I got a whole bunch).  Arrggghhhh!!! Curse me lack of foresight in not acquiring a bigger Pyrate Ship.

Fair Winds and Following Seas,
Pyrate 

[Jaay]

I have two acoustic sets: a Pearl Rhythm Traveler and a Tama/Yamaha hybrid.  The RT is my pit orchestra kit.

I stopped using pads when I got the Zendrum; it didn't seem worth the hassle to set up the rack, cables and hardware when I had an out-of-box solution right at my fingertips--literally.

Besides that, when looking at a Zendrum versus an electronic kit, especially now that the developers are trying so hard to make the pads look, feel, and respond like acoustic drums, it seems that the portability aspect of an electronic kit has fallen by the wayside and that was one of the things that drew me to it.  So to me the Zendrum takes that concept and runs with it. 

[zendrumdude]

Old thread...

Why the apologetic tone about acoustic ("real") drums?  Variety is the spice of life!  Yeah, I LOVE the Zendrum.  I also currently own 8 acoustic drumsets, a TrapKat, a MalletKat, an e-drum kit, 20ish snare drums... 60ish cymbals... why not?  I bring the gear to the gig that works best for that gig.  Might be the Zendrum, might be a cocktail drum kit, etc.  This is a GOOD thing!  If I played guitar, I'd need a Paul, a Strat, a Tele, an acoustic, an acoustic/electric... we gotta OWN the world of percussion!  I'd love to see pics of your new kit!

Just for fun, here's a list of my kits, in case anyone likes talkin' gear:

-2003 Tama Exotix III Midnight Storm 7-pc (best kit I have ever heard) #33 of 100 (only 50 avail. in the states!)
-2000 Tama Starclassic Maple 7-pc (Violet Shade with custom gold hardware)
-2008 Tama Starclassic Maple custom cocktail kit 3-pc in Marine Blue Fade (set up with "rock" heads/tuning for acoustic rock gigs/small stages)
-2005 Tama Rockstar Custom 6-pc (with additional customized 16" bop bass drum and 10" popcorn snare)
-1984-6 Tama Swingstar "Nicko McBrain Tribute" 11-pc in Misty Chrome (with custom-made matching 6" tom)
-1984-6 Tama Swingstar 5-pc w/ rare standard-depth toms in Misty Chrome (set up as my "disco kit")
-2009 Eames 3-pc cocktail kit (birch) set up as a jazz/bop sound
-2005 Global Drum Co. custom Zebrawood segmented-shell 8-pc (my pride and joy)
-Roland TD-7 kit

I'd love to hear about your (anybody's) kits too!

Jer

[Anthstep]

You are definitely not alone!  My main kit is a 7 piece PDP that I have over time stripped down to a standard 4 piece so I don't have carry all those drums... But sometimes you play a small room that requires more direct volume control than dynamics on the acoustic kit can deliver (especially playing hard driving rock and dance tunes), so then I use a Roland v-Drum TD-20 rig.  I recently purchased my Zendrum and finally had the stars align with an electronic gig so I decided to play it on a few simple songs.  Totally cool for me and for the crowd, since alot of friends happened to be at this club.  Not sure about the rest of the band... I don't think they liked me hogging the spotlight in the frontline, but that is another story!  As for the future... I had visions of only using the Zendrum, but that just doesn't seem feasible with the music we play and my desire to hit things with sticks.  BUT I am committed to changing things up every now and "zen" and bring the Zendrum out for a few tunes - - whether an electronic or acoustic gig.  The only pain with the plan is that I need to bring extra gear (sound module rig) and work out the monitor mix carefully before the show to equalize the acoustic and electronic presence.  Hey those are just details.  It's gotta be fun or it ain't worth it.  As I have said many times before, I play for free - - I get paid to lug around all the gear!

[peabody58]

My new band loves the hybrid mix of acoustics and Zendrum.  We interact a lot with the crowd, so the Zendrum is working out great.  They keep looking for new songs to use the Zendrum with, as well as the sounds I can utilize.  I'm having a blast playing my Sonor set and the Zendrum.

[Pocket Master]

You are not the only one that is going back to the acoustics.  I play my Zen well enough that you cannot tell the difference betwen an acoustic kit or the Zen when your eyes are closed.  What it is coming down to now is the visual appearance of a "real drummer" versus something that could be mistaken for a drum machine that is just a controller to start and stop sequences.  It is very frustrating me tremendously.  I got into a band and they sound great.  At first they were not sure about the Zendrum, I sat in on the kit just to show them I was a "real drummer" with skills on the kit.  They said they were open to me using the Zen on some songs but have yet to give me any room to do so.  I will just bring it in to practice one day and just start playing it, they have not even heard what I can do with it yet.  They say they know someone else in St. Louis that has one and that they weren't impressed.  I don't know how to get it across to them that everyone plays and sounds different based on their style of playing and the modules or samples they are using.  For now, I will play my acoustics and wait quietly to strike with my Zen and they will not know what hit them.

Rob

[zendrumdude]

Hey Peabody,

You need some tiny acrylic-encased scorpions to replace the badges on those Sonors, man! 

Great looking kit.  I have always loved natural finishes.

Jer