Cheap E Drums to use with Superior Drummer 2.0

Hello all,

I am new to this so be kind!

I want to record drums in cubase and am using the Superior Drummer 2.0 plugin.
I have a midi keyboard, but hate using it for drums, and the piano roll editor annoys the crap outta me.

So, I would like to buy a real cheap E Drum kit just to use as triggers for Superior Drummer.

Is this possible?

Also can you buy a cheap set that is velocity sensitive. ( I think that's what you call it ?)

Any help is greatly appreciated as I am just starting this home recording thing and have absolutely no idea what I'm doing! :grin: :confused: :grin:

Thanks in advance.

Welcome to the world of drum sequencing, Texecaster!

I've been triggering drums via keyboard in real time for 25 years now, so I'm admittedly a bit biased and enjoy doing it that way. Just the same, when I first bought Superior Drummer 2.0 I got a bit excited and went out and bought the cheapest Yamaha triggering set I could find (don't remember the set model, it's been a while) to trigger the drums, assuming that better control over velocity and feel would ensue...It didn't prove to be so and I went back to keyboard triggering.

Anyway, I figure that there are usually two factors to consider:

1. Cheaper sets will usually equal less control(sensitivity) over actual trigger velocity. I've personally been very dissatisfied with "laptop" plastic trigger pad sets, finding actual 0-127 velocity to be this-or-that and having horrible tracking in general, usually registering the MIDI as either "barely there" or tracking at an explosive 110-127. Just the same, I've had good luck with the more expensive Roland kits I've played extensively with, as I really like the feel of their snare heads and response time in particular.

2. "MIDI" delay. Direct to USB is the best bet to trigger SDII from the set, but hardly none are perfect at instantaneous triggering. Also, even with my 12gb RAM iMac G4 i5, if I'm in ambient shoegazer mode and have 1.7gb of RAM uploaded with a full "Kashmir-esque" room and mic setup as my default drum preset, realtime triggering will no doubt be ever-so-slightly late even when triggering from USB keyboard, though not as bad as going via MIDI at my home studio. I for one am so used to the Standard MIDI arrangement of a drumkit across the keys that it's second nature to program, but for both variety in my tom fills and snare crescendos I really do prefer a live kit to trigger by far.

All in all, if live triggering is what you're after I'd save up for a decent Alesis set, as they have USB direct sets that bypass the need for a MIDI converter. Remember, one more step between your sticks and the sequencer will invariably add time.




Wife and I are wrapping up an album of tunes that really exploit more of the SDII's better tweaks, but these older examples we did last year (100% triggered by keyboard in realtime) may give some hope to getting comfy with finger triggering.

Sorry for those who are sick of our arrangements and tunes, I've really posted them here much too often:

E0jzpEFXGkY

3HJ3eNXgkdc

get a Pad controller it's pretty versitile. I have a Korg PadKontrol and it's velocity sensitive and has a little window that has an x-y axis thing for flams and rolls ect. The pads are sorta rubbery,it has a momentary switch input that can act as a bass drum controller. It's sort of like playing drums on a table top but waaay cooler and depending on your program (I use Propellerhead's Kong located in Reason) a easy way to play drums for the 'non-drummer'...like ME!
http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/PadKONTROLbk?utm_source=Google&utm_medium=PPC&utm_campaign=none&gclid=CNnU48eevasCFYxb7AodzDNMvg

AKAI has one for a little less
http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/MPD18/

and there's a 'make do' version for under 60.00 by Korg and AKAI but everything I've seen about either is its more in the toy catagory.

Thanks guys.
I might have to suck it up and save for a decent set.
I just manage to play guitar badly. I SUCK at drums and keys.
So what ever makes life easier for me.

Telegazer, can't beleive you put those drums down using a keyboard.
I got NO CHANCE of doing that! :grin:

Thanks again guys.

LOL...it's easier than playing drums...and you can usually do it in multiple passes for the full kit, then loop it...to me thats easier than playing drums with all 4 appendages moving...and then I have to remember NOT to swallow my gum

I use ToonTrack EZ Drummer, which is a plug in, similar to Superior drummer. Anyway, with that, it comes with a library of grooves and fills. I click around until I find something I think will make a good basis, drag it onto a midi track, apply the soft synth, and there it is.

then later I can add fills and things to the drum track, by just dragging and dropping the clips right onto the midi track. Couldnt be easier, sounds great too.

Being a guitar player, ( and I use the term VERY loosely ) I tend to do things the hard way.

Record a rythm as soon as it gets stuck in my head.
Record the melody / lead after that.
Record a bass line.
Then record drums.
Finally fill it with whatever takes my fancy, acoustic, strings, percussion.

Can you see why i find this harder than it should be. LOL :lol: