The latest chart-topping artists and bands often feature processed drum and percussion sounds. Performing with those processed sounds can make all the difference in sounding faithful to the original recording—essential for pop drummers and cover band drummers everywhere. Learn about how pop drummers are using hybrid in their performance.

ENHANCE YOUR POP KIT

A standard acoustic kick can sound great in a stadium, but if it doesn’t sound like the original track, it won’t cut it. Taking a percussive sound and triggering it in perfect sync with the acoustic kick and snare can make it come to life, but it also allows the kit to sound just like the original. Joe Clegg, musical director and drummer for Ellie Goulding, explains how he uses his hybrid rig in stadiums everywhere to enhance his drum sound.

LAYER YOUR POP KIT

Electronic-sounding drum samples are an important part of the music from artists like Zara Larsson. When it comes to live stage performance, the acoustic kit is needed for visual presence on stage and for a basic drum sound. But by taking the original drum sounds from the studio session (known as stems) and layering them on the acoustic drums via a drum module and triggers, it’s possible to have the right look for stage and the right sound for the music. Simon Santunione, drummer for Zara Larsson, explains how.

EXPAND YOUR POP KIT

Sometimes you just want the acoustic drums to be acoustic, but you still need extra sounds for the gig. Without them, the track you’re performing just wouldn’t sound right. By adding pads to your acoustic kit and connecting them to a drum module, it’s possible to perform with those extra percussive sounds that can’t be created by acoustic drums alone. Oli Wiseman, drummer for Anne-Marie, explains how he uses pads to expand the sounds available from his kit—and more importantly, to play the sounds and samples from the original track.