Roland Offers Free Software For Young V-Drummers
- By Andy Doerschuk
- Published April 8, 2013
While sales of drums and percussion remained sluggish last year, the market saw the greatest growth in the electronic drum kit sector. And we know which buyers help spur those sales – moms and dads who much preferred for their youngster to be downstairs playing virtually while wearing headphones rather than bashing and crashing on acoustic drums and cymbals.
So it’s pretty darn smart that the mighty Roland has now introduced V-Drums Friend Jam Kids, a free software application for children to build drumming skills and compare their progress with other V-Drums users around the world. By accessing a child’s “player page” with their computer or smart phone, family members can easily check practice time, scoring, and more to keep up with playing progress and encourage improvement.
Available for both Windows and Mac OS X, V-Drums Friend Jam Kids helps young drummers improve their skills with enjoyable songs and fun practice evaluation features. It offers a friendly and inviting user interface, plus a continuously growing library of play-along songs that can be downloaded directly within the application from the web.
By connecting their V-Drums kit to their computer via USB or MIDI, players can capture and evaluate individual performance elements such as rhythm, technique, and variation, then see how their results compare with other V-Drums Friend Jam Kids users around the world via the Internet. The software supports 13 different languages, including English, Spanish, French, German, Polish, Russian, Turkish, and more.
DW Upgrades Key Features Of Popular 9000 Pedals
- By Andy Doerschuk
- Published January 24, 2013
You might think a company wouldn’t dare change one of the best selling bass drum pedals on the market. But Drum Workshop does’t tend to rest on its laurels, which is why you can expect to see a bunch of new features on the 2013 model of company’s revered 9000 pedals, all designed to fine-tune performance and functionality.
The pedal’s new Tri-Pivot Toe Clamp includes three self-adjusting rubber-coated pads that securely anchors the pedal to a variety of bass drum counter hoop sizes. But that’s not all! The EZ-Adjust Infinite Cam allows drummers to change from an Accelerator to Turbo cam, or anywhere in-between, with the twist of a drum key. But there’s more! The new non- skid rubber pad under the base plate, which is designed for wood floors, carpet, and other playing surfaces.
The 9000 Series single pedal retails for $499.99 and the 9002 double version retails for $966.99. The 9002 double pedal comes with a free, upgraded ballistic nylon pedal case, and all DW pedals include a limited 5-year warranty.
RBH Introduces The Monarch Drum Set Series
- By Andy Doerschuk
- Published January 23, 2013
We first ran across the RBH Drum Company at last year’s PASIC convention, and were knocked out by the flawless workmanship and classic-looking snares and kits offered in the company’s Vintage line. Now it looks like RBH is on the move, as the custom shop has introduced its new Monarch line, which employs the time-honored mahogany-poplar-mahogany shell configuration.
Updating and upgrading this traditional method of drum construction not only produces a flawless, vintage-style drum shell, it also produces a deep, dark, warm, punchy, thicker, and tighter sound. Monarch drums are low in pitch with naturally controlled resonance, extremely musical, and relevant for a wide range of classical and contemporary drumming situations.
Zildjian Enhances The Sound Of Its A Series
- By Andy Doerschuk
- Published January 21, 2013
The age-old adage – “don't fix it if it ain’t broken” – may be wrong after all. At least that’s how it appears with the new and improved profile of the Zildjian’s legacy A Zildjian line.
Don’t worry – Zildjian’s cymbalsmiths haven’t thrown the baby out with the bathwater. Instead, the factory has adjusted the curvature and weights of the line to capture the sweet spot of the A sound, resulting in enhanced crashes, rides, and hats.
Besides the overall facelift, you can look forward to some new A Zildjians in 2013, as well as the return of a couple familiar models. The company will reintroduce the larger sized 19" and 20" A Zildjian Thin Crashes, with their classic, full-bodied sound, and broad sonic range and wash.
You should also check out the all-new 23" Medium Thin A Zildjian Sweet Ride, inspired by the best selling 21" model, which offers clean stick definition for riding as well as a powerful crash component.
Lots of beautiful bronze. So little time!
NAMM Preview: Gibraltar G-Class Pedal
- By Andy Doerschuk
- Published January 16, 2013
We definitely look forward to tromping on Gibraltar’s new G-Class bass drum pedal at the NAMM show in a couple weeks. The latest addition to the company’s Turning Point hardware line features a sculpted single-pillar frame, two cam drive adjustment points, and a variable-weight beater. The sleek-looking pedal also includes an updated mounting system and independent adjustments for footboard height and beater angle. For changes on the fly, each G-Class pedal has an on-board tool kit secured to the cast-metal baseplate – very nice feature. The Gibraltar G-Class bass drum pedal is supplied with a “sling” style molded travel case with shoulder strap and carries a suggested retail price of $349.
