HyperDrum User Reviews

By Vicor Proche 

So after owning Hyperdrum for a while now, I come to a very strict conclusion.

They need work and training, in order to work to their potential. Also they -need- to be connected to a proper DAW to show their mettle.

So how do I come to this conclusion?
The internal Sounds of the Drums are unbalanced and very meek, also they only trigger at one velocity.
But they work out of the box in less than 15 Seconds from picking up the set. I would even say less than 10 Seconds, as it really depends on how quick you are pushing all the buttons.
I did a test with a friend of mine, pushing all the buttons at the same time, with only the head unit active, and they synced instantly.

Latency... well... it is good, definitely good, but not perfect. But at the same time... no OTA device is latency-free, it´s simply not possible, because Information needs to travel. But it´s most importantly one thing: Stable.
This means, the more you play the more you account for the latency, just like when you play "monitor only" in a band.
There are no surprises, no traveling, no loss of connection. It simply works within its parameters, and it does that exactly like it´s supposed to.

The weak link is the operator.
Coming to said weak link.
You need to let go of certain habits when you play Hyperdrum. Just hitting it fast and loose won´t get you any benefits. There´s no rebound, and the sensors react to every movement. So using a steady grip is essential for clarity of commands. But a steady grip is anything but natural for a drummer.
This has to be trained, and trained a lot, for precision, speed, and fun. Think of it of driving stick vs automatic. When driving Stick, there´s wiggle room for playing with your clutch, and you can choose the gear you think is right. When driving automatic, you have to adhere to the rules of the gearbox, in order to get, what you want.

So is Hyperdrum a "Drum-Training-Exercise"?
No! It is its own (percussion) Instrument. It is very Drum-Like, as it has the same positioning and basic sounds, but you need to adapt to its properties in order to get it to do what you want.
So how to get the most out of it?
When connected to a DAW, velocities are active, which means, you can play a lot more nuanced and "realistic" Which is great, like, really great. Also, you can access literally any instrument, you would like it to sound like. Steel drum? Check. Congas? Check. Bass? Well... why not?
it is important to understand, what you are dealing with, in order to make an informed decision about its quality. As soon as I don´t feel like I look like sh.... arks... I will try to put up a couple of videos to elaborate.

Reference https://www.facebook.com/groups/3986586144727480/permalink/4932620766790675/