Okay, I know acoustic drums aren’t every drummer’s favorite and electronic drums have a part to play, BUT what about the crack, crack that only an acoustic snare can produce? You know, that captivating sound that all drummers love. I try to like the sound of electronic drums, I really do, but when I hear the real thing I’m hooked. I’m old school I guess!
Have you ever seen a marching band with an electronic drum line? Boy, would they need some serious extension cords. When playing electronic drums, make sure you always pay the electric bill and pray that the sound guy doesn’t have a hangover. What I’m trying to say is that acoustic drums are self-sufficient while electronic drums depend on many other factors. The drummer is responsible for the sound of his own acoustics and no one else’s. They can be played anytime and anywhere.
The trademark of a drummer is their ability to tune their acoustic to the best sound it will produce. Every acoustic drummer has a magic point. He is a true artist. Acoustic drums are so simple yet so deep. You take a wooden stick and pound a piece of plastic tight onto a wooden cylinder and let the air do its work. You bend the sound waves to make the drum sound just the way you like it. You can add harmonics, remove harmonics, dampen the sound, broaden the sound, all with just the turn of a few screws.
Acoustics are handmade instruments of beauty. Let me loose at a drum shop and I’m one happy camper. I’ve never met an acoustic drum kit that I didn’t like just for its beauty. Some sound much better than others, but they all have a certain kind of beauty.
Acoustic drums are the real thing. I don’t want to call electronic drums fake batteries, so I’ll call them copycat batteries. They imitate acoustic drums. The imitator can never produce a better sound than the real one because it’s not the real one, just the imitator. Some drummers try to make their acoustic drums sound like electronic drums. They got it backwards. Sad but true.
Let’s go guys; don’t take the easy way out with electronic drums. Learn to master your acoustics. You’ll be glad you took the hours and hours to get to know your team. They will produce a sound that none can match.
Happy percussion acoustic style.