New Switch Kick drum Beater available

Here's a video on a new product which was shown at the recent NAMM festival. It looks interesting but I wonder how many of you would bother changing your beater during a performance ? The only two new distinctive sounds for me are the brushes, and the sonic beater with the hole in it - that sound I liked.

See what you think. I don't know the cost of the pedal and each of the beaters are also a separate cost.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZiZDRai47Mo&feature=youtu.be



Peace, TED

"Unrealistic."  Why??!  I was at a Dave Weckl band concert
and a particular song came time to play and he switched one
of his crash cymbals with a sizzle.

They have that beater that sounds like a trigger, so if you're
doing say a hip-hop tune and you want that kind of kick sound
then it looks like it takes much less time to change the beater
with this concept than it does a cymbal.

If you're doing music that requires diverse percussive applications
I think it's far beyond plausible...  It's down right practical. Has
anyone ever changed the snare drum during the show simply
for a different sonic approach to the music? I have and there was
nothing unrealistic about it.

This is a great idea!

"If you're doing music that requires diverse percussive applications
I think it's far beyond plausible...  It's down right practical!"
D
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Depends on one's perception of practicality not saying yours has no significance, because it does. But what if 'during' the song you realized the sound of that beater is not appropriate? Who's stopping a moving train at that point? What may have sound appropriate prior to using a particular beater may suddenly project differently when in context of environment, instrumental volume, dynamics, musician mood changes, etc. Those dynamics can be unpredictable and to assume a specific beater gonna cut the job will entail risk factors - not to say, bending downward to remove, then coming upward reaching for another beater, then proceed back down to insert it in it's shaft.

Having said that my friend; there have been times were I was the boss and stopped the music dead center of a tune suggesting to the percussionist, to my immediate right ear, to stop playing a particular cow bell during my drum solo. So I gave him a minute to make some adjustments. So he replaced it with one that was taped and toned down. That's all; just considering moments where stuff has to be changed.

But other than that if you know that you know that a particular beater will work than yes....changing beaters prior to starting a tune is wonderful.


For the suggestion Box: to the engineering department:  design a beater holder, likened to a stick bag, where it can be placed front of the BD batter head. This way the time to reinstall a different beater takes half the time. Personally, I will not have sticks lay on top of another drum that's because of my tradition of the stick bag immediate access. Switching sticks vs. bass drum beaters are two different worlds when one considers accessibility and time.

My take on it and not to be argumentative about it. It's really a wonderful concept D and if it works for you then knock yourself out.

Well for me, Rac I would never suggest
doing anything like this on impulse.
Whenever I do jazz gigs I ALREADY
know when brushes will work as
opposed to sticks or when I can
switch between the two within
or between given songs.

What do you do in the middle of
a song should you discover that
your snare drum tuning isn't right
for this particular tune, or maybe
the ride cymbal doesn't quite fit?
In other words, the variables you
mention can and do occur over
the entire kit.

Also I would never suggest changing
any of these beaters during a
song but between them and with
the fore knowledge of the sound
this will produce.  To me, that
makes the concept totally practical.

"Also I would never suggest changing
any of these beaters during a
song but between them and with
the fore knowledge of the sound
this will produce."
D
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I can agree with that and that is sound advise especially among drummers that are not as experience in real time and easily captured by the presentation of new products whether it holds to it's integrity or not. And yes in that context it appears very attractive in maybe a studio situation where sound/time usage is controlled and somewhat predictable.

My take on this item is that there only seems to be two beaters which produce a distinctly different sound - the sonic one and the brushes one. With the other beaters, I think a drummer can get the sounds he wants by varying the strength of the hit. I didn't price the pedal, but the beaters run about $40 apiece.


Peace, TED

Ted E. Bear wrote:My take on this item is that there only seems to be two beaters which produce a distinctly different sound -  the sonic one and the brushes one.  With the other beaters,  I think a drummer can get the sounds he wants by varying the strength of the hit. I didn't price the pedal, but the beaters run about $40 apiece.


Peace,   TED

Thats OK
as it is faster , no tools etc.

___________________________

Outtasight
Colin.

I'm assuming the beater is pretty much universal
and would work with just about any pedal, yes?

No, You have to buy their pedal.....



Peace, TED

No, You have to buy their pedal.....
Peace, TED


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And there we have it folks.

Again, great and heroic concept, not to under mind, but could use more time engineering in terms of practicality and feasibility. It wouldn't surprise me if a proprietary bass drum would be needed as a bundle. As ludicrous as that may sound - why not? If it's a Steve Jobs approach of being exclusively and universally reachable, then lets make a beater that is realistically friendly for everyone coupled with the flexibility for individualism. Is that too much to ask? Is it possible? These are age-old questions that has constantly haunted Jobs during his brain storming era.

We know, having not being scientists, that we live in "The Information Age." Research says that 80% percent of the world's total knowledge has been brought forth in the last decade and that 90% percent of all the scientists who have ever lived within the last decade (10 yrs.) are alive today! If these guys were to team with the right people anything is possible and that could hold true for the drum beater. And yes, I love my vintage having one hand there and the other reaching forward to the new.


No pun intended here. I would think it's safe saying that we are all, to some level of consciousness, admitting to that or not, advocators of invention that works - and we have been that market.

Finally for those who are price conscious, why not just sell the interchangeable shaft that would be universal for all pedals? An honest question would you think?

Hold on a minute!  Look at this screen shot I took.
these are not Ahead pedals.

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Seemed a bit odd to me that they would only
feature their beaters and not their pedals.

So, my next question would be do these fit
DW 9000 pedals exclusively?

Just found this.  Gotta do your research, guys.

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www.aheaddrumsticks.com

Just found this.
D
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Great work D. My presupposition blinded me of a given fact. How did that get pass us earlier? These guys are definitely heading in the right direction. Looking forward to more development as flaws begin to iron out. Now add major brands of pedals and that would be more conclusive in promoting the product.

Thanks,
Rac