Cool site, but I don't see why anyone would actually pay for E-drums. I've seen a few guys who have a decent set up and will record real drums for people who want that kind of service. The thing is they don't get a lot of work because the prices are way too high. One guy was charging 50 dollars per song, just to sit at home and beat on his drums like he would of been doing and not getting paid for anyway... If it's not cheap as hell, borderline free, it doesn't make sense... But that's just my opinion...
Thanks for your opinion FP. I have had this discussion more times than I can count. I assume you read what is written under the "electronic drums"-section?
The point is that you do not pay for e-drums, and you do not pay for acoustic drums. You pay for the performance played in full by an actual drummer who knows his stuff.
In the end it's the result that counts, and when I display tunes played by me on an digital kit through sample banks people ask what kit I used. I might as well had said that I played
my miced-up Gretsch and they would have believed it. The attitude may be something like "man that sounds great" - I want you to lay down some tracks for me", and when
they figure out that I played samples in real time instead of an acoustic kit (for now), the interest cools off. What's the difference? I could easily have said that I played Pearl Masterworks and that would be it. The result is what counts. Seems like placebo is very prominent here.
And the thing to point out is that everything is played - never programmed or looped. Many might think "why should I get you when I can easily get a copy of AD, SDX, SSD, whatever, myself and import some loops or program?". That's just it. It WILL sound programmed if you don't play it. In an average bar I have, perhaps, between 40-60 notes with varying velocities, which emanates from me tickling the hats, while ruffing the ride, and double pedalling the bass, along with multiple flams on snare & toms. And loops are loops.
A section that repeats itself, and does not respond to the tiny microchanges in the flow of the music. Even if people play to a click they may drag, or rush the beat. You need to play it to get it and "respond" to it, I think.
There are actually quite a few that's doing what I'm doing- both with acoustic setups, and recently "my way" with e-kits and sample banks.
Appr 1000-1500 drummers worldwide are into this biz (according to Tim @ timlovesdrums.com). Some do this full-time, some nothing.
Right now I'm doing an album for a guy in Virginia through february. Country-pop sort of. Before that I did some metal, R'n'b for a guy in Hong Kong.
A funk tune for a swedish guy nearby etc. As long as I put my heart into it and make the performance sound convincing I'm happy. It's just as important
to me as it is to the one who needs my services. Probably more.