Rock music, and rock drumming, is purposefully unfussy—it’s all about a great acoustic drum sound. So how does electronic gear improve things? Acoustic drums are still at the core, but electronic sounds can complement the kit by providing those extra sounds that can’t easily be played without adding lots of gear. Learn how established rock drummers are using hybrid kits to enhance their performance on stage.

ENHANCE YOUR ROCK KIT

Rock music has a long and illustrious history. Electronic instruments weren’t around the in the ‘60s and ‘70s, so why are they needed today? Ask Iggy Pop’s drummer Matt Hector—he’s playing legendary rock from the golden era using a modern-day hybrid kit to stay as faithful as possible to the original recordings.

LAYER YOUR ROCK KIT

Don’t be fooled into thinking rock music is only about acoustic sounds—just ask bands like Muse or Nine Inch Nails! Rock bands regularly compose songs which include electronic sounds and the live drummer needs to reproduce those sounds on stage. By layering sounds via an electronic drum module and trigger on the acoustic drums, the two play perfectly in sync, allowing the acoustic kit to vary during the set and sound exactlylike it should for each song. Drummers Richard Jupp (formerly of Elbow) and Mike Joyce (formerly of The Smiths) explain the importance of embracing electronic sounds in today’s rock and indie genres.

EXPAND YOUR ROCK KIT

Look at any modern rock drum kit and you’ll see plenty of electronic drum pads placed between the acoustic toms, snare and cymbals. But why are they there and what do they do? Craig Blundell, drummer for Steven Wilson, explains exactly what the pads and triggers on his touring drum set are doing and how he uses them.