Need some V-drum advice.

[IOComposer]

Hi.
I just bought a Handsonic percussion thingy and am so far quite dissapointed in the bang-for-buck area. The advertisments state that it utilizes the vdrum technology, but I'm doubting it. The vdrum stuff that I've heard has a pretty wide variation in the velocity response range, but this thing just seems to be doing random sample changes and not really exhibiting the same physically modeled expressiveness experienced on the vdrum kit. Most of the sounds are actually just 1 sample with velocity controlling the amplitude and they sound no better than the sounds in the DM5 (i.e. cheap drum machine crap). For them to charge $1K for this is ludicrous. I'm definitely taking it back (30 day gaurantee!!), but my question is what are my other options? Obviously, the TD6 - SPD-6 combo would be a more economical option, but would it be any better sounding than the Handsonic?

TIA,
IOComposer

[scratchcat]

Hey IO,
Check out the Roland SPD-6. It can be played with sticks or hand and it is only $250 at Musiciansfriend. I've seen the Roland demo of this thing on the Roland product video and it is pretty trick. It may be an alternative to the handsonic. Check it out.
Also:
I agree with your diagnosis of the handsonic and at $1,000 you've got a lot better options.

[IOComposer]

Hey! Thanks for the quick response! I'm wondering if the response of the SPD-6 is comparable to the Handsonic (i.e. no lag). That's one really good thing about the handsonic is that it's very easy to fall into the pocket due to unnoticeable lag. Is it the same with the SPD-6? Also, I know there's not much experience here with the TD-6 as it is so new, but is it reasonable to speculate that the sounds would be comparable to the vdrum kit modules (i.e. physical modeled vs sample-based)?
Thanks again,
IOComposer

[BINARY]

...not really exhibiting the same physically modeled expressiveness experienced on the vdrum kit...

Is your TD-10 different than mine???



BINARY

[IOComposer]

Who said anything about a TD-10??
I was referring to the Handsonic.
-J

[puttenvr]

I don't think the SPD-6 is an option. The unit is far too small (although you can put it between your legs easily) and the pads are not designed for hand playing. I think the SPD-6 sounds aren't any better either.

The key-point of COSM is, that it has 1 sample most of the times with some variations. Otherwise the unit would need tons of single samples.

Perhaps you just don't like the Roland sounds. Sometimes this happens...

[MPCman]

How bout an SPD-20? I think it's much better and more professional then the SPD-6. You can always expand later with extra pads, there's more sounds, there's a midi IN etc etc

[puttenvr]

The SPD-20 isn't a great machine to play with hands either. With sticks it is

[gingerbaker]

Dear IOComposer,

You're going to hate this, but I just attended a Roland clinic on the Handsonic and the V-session. Sounds went straight to a pair of Mackie srs-1500 powered subwoofers, each with a JBL G2 EON on top of it.

I was really impressed with the Handsonic - the sounds were superb, the dynamic range was huge, and the ability to bring out many different sounds on the same "intrument" setting was really impressive. Congas, djembes each made like 5-7 sounds depending on where your hands were on the head etc.

For example, you could press your palm or elbow on the head while slapping with the other hand and walk the tones up and down the scale; there were several different edge slap sounds --palm, finger, heel etc.

On the system used the dynamic range was impressive too. Sound quality, I thought was excellent.


Does this sound like you are getting all you should be getting out of the unit?

[Marc.]

I'll have to go along with gingerbaker here. The hanndsonic has impressed a great many trad. hand players. There's even a handsonic forum of well over a hundred users getting started. I've been around a great deal of software and hardware to know that you cannot expect to master it all over night so to speak. Dive into it, then take action.

As I told someone else that mis-critiqued another peice of equipment. A test drive around the block ain't the same as layin' rubber full-throttle down the 1/4 mile.

------------------------
-~

[IOComposer]

Thanks for all of the great and helpful responses! Perhaps I am being too hard on the unit. I remember sitting down at the vdrum kit (I believe it was a TD10) when it was first introduced with headphones and being blown away at the realism. My main instrument is a Yamaha WX5 wind controller which uses a physical modeling synth for its sound and the acoustic wind instruments sound so real, it's uncanny. I was under the impression that the vdrum (cosm) technology was also physical modeling, so when I sat down to play the handsonic, I was expecting something different. After playing it for a couple of days however, there are some very amazing aspects to it. The tympani are better than any of my samples and the assortment of world sounds are vast enough that it makes some of my sample libraries useless. The most important thing though, is that it's FUN TO PLAY! I'm realizing that's the most important thing.
Getting happier,
IOComposer