Roland SPD 30 to start hitting "something"

[Andromeda]

Hi to everybody,
I play synthesizer and I like creating all the instrument part of my tracks. I usually do the rythm part using drum machines like Elektron Machinedrum or vsti triggered by fingers on the keyboard. It's quite obvious I feel that my rythm parts are usually quite lifeless and I would like to improve that. So I'm thinking on buying a Roland SPD 30 and start hitting those pads. Do you think it's a good idea or I'll end throwing the spd out of the windows because I never used sticks before ? I mean, I know that percussions it's a new instruments and It takes time to learn and develope the tecnique, but do you think it's possible to have some "instant" result thanks to my previous experience or it will be a total disaster ? Thanks in advance for your suggestions. oh... you can listen some of my tracks on soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/effe-emme

[kurth83]

I wanted to reply to this thread the day it was posted but couldn't, but somehow I saved what I wrote back then, here ya go:

For basic playing, assuming you get hat and bass pedals, you could start out on an SPD-30.
I started on a traditional kit layout, later I moved to a kit based on an 8-pad, but I kept an external hat and snare.
Without an external snare you will have to play open handed on the SPD-30 so I would get at least that,
external hat isn't as necessary unless you are doing fancy hat work, then it is pretty much required.

The SPD-30 is a nice instrument too, you won't regret having one if you are a drummer.

Learning to play drums is about both technique and learning what drummers do.
A lot of drumming is standard fills and beats.

Roland DT-1 (drum tutor) is a surprisingly good tutorial program, it teaches you basic fills and drum beats in a variety of styles,
and you learn to read drum music (a bonus).

[evilcartman]

I think you will find your past experience doesn't count for much. Don't take my word for it, go to a music shop and just play a floor tom, or even take the sticks out of the equation and get some bongos. You will have you answer pretty quick.

There is much more to playing drums than hitting something, in fact percussion is a wide variety of related and unrelated skills brought together for a set of related tasks and all linked rhythmically. The fact is - if your rhythm parts are dull and lifeless, that probably comes from you, not your method of triggering.

You may be best served by buying a cheap hand drum and taking lessons, and really learning to set a groove first. Then seeing if you can move that groove over to another instrument etc.Good drummers can use literally ANYTHING and it will not sound lifeless. You could start with the much more expensive Roland, but a think a real hand drum will teach you more.

Here is my snarkey answer: I have a cheese cutter that uses a wire under high tension, can I play guitar now?.

[Kenster]

Andromeda, welcome to the forums!!! Sorry if evilcartman was a little rough lol. How about some pics?

I do agree tho, your music creation my be limited by your playing ability/timing rather than the instrument/machine you are using to create said beats. Otherwise, play around with a display model or if you can get to a demo someplace of an SPD 30. Youtube prolly has some vids you can watch to see if the thing will sample/loop/play what you need.

K

[KennyinDundee]

Why not try some drum lessons and see how you go?