A hybrid drum kit combines acoustic drums with electronic drums or percussion. This could be as simple as adding a single electronic pad next to your kit, or as advanced as putting triggers on your acoustic drums and using them to play electronic sounds.
The great thing about hybrid drums is that you can build your setup gradually. You don't need to replace your acoustic kit or invest in a huge electronic setup straight away.
One of the easiest ways to start is with a sample pad. These compact electronic instruments contain multiple playing surfaces that can be assigned to different sounds. For example, you could use one pad for an electronic kick, another for a clap, and another for a percussion sound.
They're also useful for playing backing tracks, loops and samples during live performances.
Look at sample pads such as the Roland SPD-SX PRO, which offers multiple pads, sample storage and inputs for additional triggers.
If you want your acoustic drums themselves to trigger electronic sounds, you'll need drum triggers.
A trigger attaches to an acoustic drum and detects when you hit it. The signal is then sent to a compatible module or electronic percussion pad, which plays the electronic sound you've selected.
For example, the Roland RT-30H attaches to the rim of an acoustic drum and can be used with Roland's compatible modules and percussion pads. There's also the RT-30K, designed specifically for kick drums. Also check out other alternative, like the 2box triggers!
A drum module is the part of the setup that provides the electronic sounds. You connect your triggers to the module, and it turns the hits on your acoustic drums into electronic sounds. This means you could hit your acoustic snare normally but have it trigger a completely different snare sound, electronic clap or sample.
Andertons stocks electronic drum modules that can be used to expand both electronic and acoustic setups.
One of the biggest advantages of a hybrid kit is that you don't have to choose between acoustic and electronic sounds. You can layer them together. For example, an acoustic kick can be combined with an electronic kick sound to create a bigger sound, while a snare can be layered with a clap or another sample. This is particularly useful for modern pop, rock, electronic and live music, where recorded sounds can be difficult to reproduce using an acoustic kit alone.
If you want more control, a sample pad such as the Roland SPD-SX PRO or Alesis Strike MultiPad can become the centre of your setup. Both are designed to provide a wide range of samples while also allowing you to connect additional triggers and pedals.
You can also connect your hybrid setup to a computer and use software to access even more sounds and samples.
For live use, you can send the electronic sounds directly to a PA system while keeping your acoustic drums sounding naturally through microphones.
If you're new to hybrid drums, there's no need to overcomplicate things. A basic setup could consist of:
From there, you can add more triggers, pads and sounds as you become more comfortable with the setup. The Roland TM-2 remains a particularly straightforward way of adding electronic sounds to acoustic drums, while Roland's RT-30 triggers are designed specifically for this type of application.
You don't necessarily have to trigger your acoustic bass drum. A dedicated electronic kick trigger can be another way to add electronic bass drum sounds.
The Roland KT-10, for example, is a compact, low-noise kick trigger pedal that can work alongside other electronic percussion equipment and is particularly useful where space or volume is a concern.
Live performance
Hybrid setups are particularly popular for live work because they allow one drummer to produce sounds that would otherwise require additional musicians, backing tracks or equipment.
You can use electronic sounds for claps, electronic kicks, percussion, effects and samples, while continuing to play your acoustic drums normally.
A sample pad can also make it easy to trigger specific sounds at exactly the right moment
Recording
Hybrid kits are equally useful in the studio. Triggers allow you to capture the performance of an acoustic drummer while giving you the option of changing or layering the sounds afterwards.
This can be a great way of combining the natural feel of acoustic drums with the consistency and flexibility of electronic sounds.
The best thing about building a hybrid drum kit is that there's no single way to do it. You can start with one sample pad, add a trigger to your kick or snare, or build a much more advanced setup with multiple triggers and an electronic module.
For most players, starting small is the best approach. Add one electronic element to your existing kit, see how you get on, and expand from there.
Andertons stocks Roland and Alesis triggers, sample pads, modules and electronic percussion, giving you plenty of options for building a hybrid setup around the equipment you already own.
What do i need to build a hybrid drum kit?
You can start with just an acoustic kit and a sample pad. If you want your acoustic drums to trigger electronic sounds, you'll also need drum triggers and a compatible module or sample pad.
Do i need to replace my acoustic drum kit?
No. That's one of the main advantages of a hybrid setup. You can keep your existing acoustic kit and simply add electronic equipment around it.
What is a drum trigger?
A drum trigger attaches to an acoustic drum and detects when you hit it. It sends that information to an electronic module, which then produces the selected sound.
What's the best way to start buidling my hybrid set up?
