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wiring loom, there is no option to mix and match with other pads or cymbals.
At the heart of the YES module are 10,000 real samples for the 24 kits. There’s 8 GB of memory onboard, and more sounds and kits will be available for download and installation via a memory card. The kit will sell for around $2,000.
Sweden’s 2box was back at NAMM courtesy of Canadian distributor Efcee, with Britain’s Hand in Hand also on the stand to show off a couple of new developments. One of the display kits was equipped with 2box’s new rubber heads — actually mesh heads with rubber pads underneath. These will be available in the summer as an optional head on new kits. Following a little later will be the maker’s first external triggers. 2box recently updated its operating system, and founder Bengt Lilja says the company is committed to ongoing improvement and to providing new samples on a regular basis. Taiwanese drum maker Peace had its new JPE (jazz, practice and electronic) hybrid kit on show, along with two sub$1,000 entry-level e-kits. Priced at $2,699, the Peace e-kit consists of fullsize drums: an 18”x14” bass; 14”x5.5” snare; 10”x6.5”, 12”x7” and 14”x8” toms. It was displayed with solid brass cymbals at the show, but generally ships without pies. The kit is clad in regular mylar heads and fitted with internal triggers that can be disengaged from the outside of the shells using a drum key to turn the kit into an acoustic instrument.
At the show, it was paired with a “vintage” Roland module and it appears that all the triggers are single zone.
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The pads seemed quite responsive, but obviously they weren’t as quiet as rubber or mesh.
The biggest development at NAMM was the proliferation of iPad music applications, with everything from amplification to training packages tailored to the tablet device. The big news from Alesis was the launch of the DM Dock, dubbed the “drum module for iPad”. The DM Dock — compatible with Alesis’ and most other brands’ dual-zone drum and cymbal pads, triple-zone ride cymbals, continuous-control hi-hats, multiplechoke cymbals, and acoustic drum triggers - is a virtual module that works with a variety of apps including GarageBand. It is backed by an Alesis sample library and comes equipped with 13 6.5mm TRS trigger inputs, a headphone jack, mix input for connecting external audio sources, and balanced stereo outputs.
The product should ship in May or June.
Zildjian’s Gen16 division attracted plenty of attention with its AE cymbals which were available for playing this year after being kept behind closed doors last year. They were also repeatedly demonstrated by Russell Miller, the drummer who demos them on YouTube.
Pintech’s Landry (top); Porter & Davies’ Paul Barretta (middle); John Emrich at the Yamaha keyboard stand (bottom). www.digitaldrummermag.com