Rock Band Drum Kit Modded

Brett "Buzz" Dawson writes "Seeing all of the Guitar Hero guitar mods I thought it would be an interesting change of pace to mod a full-sized drum kit for use as a Rock Band game controller. With everything that I build I take lots of pictures to document the build process so here is the full build of my drum kit." Fortunately at my house Kathleen has been doing the drumming, so I don't think I need to go to these extremes to handle the abuse. I'm more interested in mods that let you use the original drums as a real instrument like the guitar mods that are floating out there. The tiny bits of drum solo time in Rock Band don't satisfy my internal Keith Moon.

Using the Rock Band drum kit as an instrument

[Digital_Quartz]

If you have the PS3 version of Rock Band, then here's how to mod your drum kit:

Step 1: Plug drum kit into PC.

Done. Your PC will detect the PS3 drum kit as a MIDI device.

Check out this link for details for the Xbox-360 version:

http://news.filefront.com/rock-band-drums-for-pc-xbox-360-vs-ps3-kit/ [filefront.com]

Re:Using the Rock Band drum kit as an instrument

[AsnFkr]

For the PS3 version, try this: http://www.adventure-today.com/crap/RockBandDrums.zip [adventure-today.com] It's a small java app my buddy wrote that does exactly what the cmdr wants. Make sure you have the newest version of java, plug in the USB controller and go. It's brainless to setup.

**It does not yet work with the 360 controller, but he is working that out.

Re:

[corby]

For the 360 version, this program will allow you to hook up to your PC and jam out free-form:

http://www.rockband.com/forums/showthread.php?t=14053 [rockband.com]

Re:

[jgeeky]

for the real "keith moon feel", you just have to get sloppy drunk and pass out mid-song. for a more authentic touch, someone from the audience should take over for you. the john bonham mod comes with an optional spanking fish.

Re:

[jgeeky]

they could turn it into a richard simmons workout if you just had to do the drum solo from Iron Butterfly's Inna Godda Da Vida

Ambient music created with Rock Band drums.

[mpathetiq]

In response to the editor comment: I hooked up my drum controller to my MacBook and used GamePad Companion to feed keystrokes into Ableton Live. I was able to use it as a real drum kit for a bit but I'm not a drummer, so instead I started using pitched tones for each of the pads.... much more interesting!

I posted the results on my blog. [blogspot.com]

Re:

[mpathetiq]

To be fair, I didn't figure this out myself, someone else did: http://gizmodo.com/gadgets/rock-band/ps3-rock-band-drums-work-with-garageband-330641.php [gizmodo.com]

More Cowbell

[SneakyBushNinja]

And here I thought I was a bad-ass hanging a cow bell from mine.

Re:

[Loibisch]

Yeah man, that rocks...start living the big rockstar life and stop fearing the reaper!

Re:

[jweller]

I gotta have more cowbell

Re:

[NickDngr]

Guess what?! I got a fever, and the only prescription... is more cowbell! [wikipedia.org]

Wowee...

[AndGodSed]

This HAS to be one of the coolest game controllers out there. And it lets you get your rock on extra special loud I bet. Hate the neighbors? Get their kids one of these.

a real band?

[192939495969798999]

Modding real guitar to be guitar controller, friend has modded drums for a drum controller... given how much lip syncing is done in music now, at this point you'd basically be in "real" band!

Mods are great, but...

[Techbear1980]

Mods are great, but hard work. I designed my GHX software to work with an unmodified guitar hero controller.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vkyRRSSKHLU [youtube.com]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8do51fVRyzY [youtube.com]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vMTHozq4XPI [youtube.com]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W3ohtqvF33c [youtube.com]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k2wk70ZSZNc [youtube.com]

I think the sky's the limit on this whole guitar hero/rock band thing. Practically every kid I know got Rock Band for Christmas, and every one of their parents took a turn on the drums or micr

still waiting...

[Connie_Lingus]

for a video showing someone fraggin in COD4 with a drumkit controller...

Re:

[Rob T Firefly]

I'd just like to get my spreadsheets done with one.

Keith Moon??

[charlesbakerharris]

The tiny bits of drum solo time in Rock Band don't satisfy my internal Keith Moon.

You mean, they don't satisfy your desire to be an energetic and entertaining, yet alcoholic drummer with only a vague sense of rhythm?

Rock Band Rocks

[Is0m0rph]

Cool we can't stop playing Rock Band at my house. Too addicting...

Not The First Drum Kit Mod

[FreeRadicalX]

The crazy kids over at the rockband.scorehero.com forums have been modding the drum controller since like a week after the game came out: http://rockband.scorehero.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=1038&sid=d1748155f6f141a8f805db1bf5df84b3 [scorehero.com]

Double bass pedals, yamaha midi kit mods, alternative bass pedals, analyzing how the piezos in the drum kid actually register hits and improving on them... List goes on.

I've modded my pedal after the cheap one that came with the kit inevitably broke after the third day of playing. Since the bass pedal connects to the rest of the kit using a mono audio plug, it's easy for someone with even the most rudimentary knowledge of electronics (me) to rig a real bass pedal to work with the kit. Documented here: http://rockband.scorehero.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2029 [scorehero.com]

Re:

[Technician]

I've modded my pedal after the cheap one that came with the kit inevitably broke after the third day of playing. Since the bass pedal connects to the rest of the kit using a mono audio plug, it's easy for someone with even the most rudimentary knowledge of electronics (me) to rig a real bass pedal to work with the kit. Documented here: http://rockband.scorehero.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2029 [scorehero.com] [scorehero.com]

Having a background in high reliability electronics, I know many switches are rated for a limited numb

Re:

[FreeRadicalX]

I've already replaced the push-button once. At the rate I play (frequently and vigorously) it wears out after about a month. It only costs a few bucks from radioshack, so I don't mind too much, but I have been considering more durable options. Thanks a bunch- for the most part the guys at scorehero are just tinkering gamers, not actual electronics guys, so I really appreciate your post.

And I can tell you that magnetic switches don't work well. That's the type of switch that comes with the kit's pedal. It

My tips for modding

[slagheap]

My only mod so far is to replace the bass drum pedal. I'm a "real" drummer (though I don't play much)... and I couldn't stand the included drum pedal. It has a huge springy travel, and it triggers somewhere in the middle of that travel (rather than right at the end like a real pedal would).

I have a Yamaha DTXPress electronic drum kit, and was able to use a cymbal pad from that, mounted (on a cymbal stand) right in front of the DTX's bass drum trigger. The bass drum trigger itself doesn't work for some

Pfft. Too much work.

[RyuuzakiTetsuya]

Drummania players have been doing this for years with a Yamaha DTX or similar. Just plug it into the usb socket.

Keith Moon?

[Khyber]

Dennis Chambers. 'Nuff said.

Re:

[foreverpuppy]

Dennis Chambers. 'Nuff said.

I think I just threw up in my mouth a little.

I'll have to wait...

[treeves]

...for them to come out with French Horn Hero for Xbox 360 in order to make a mod I want to play on. Don't know that I want to put limit switches on the valves on my horn, though...maybe all it would need is a mic.

No Hi-Hat?

[Aqua OS X]

No Hi-Hat? You can't be a real rock drummer without a hi hat. That set of glorified quad toms just wonon't do.

What I'd like to know

[iwein]

What is this guy on?

This stuff is so strong that I played one song on the drums using two crescent wrenches and didn't even leave a scratch on them.

I bet I could break them easily.

Re:

[log1385]

It's about video games and hardware hacks. Why not?

You get to play games and bang stuff.

[AndGodSed]

What's not to like?

Re:Really

[Thansal]

Seriously, stop having fun!

http://xkcd.com/359/ [xkcd.com]

Re:

[kellyb9]

Actually... I prefer this one:

http://xkcd.com/70/ [xkcd.com]

Re:Really

[Mister Whirly]

What, you would prefer another "BSD is Dead" article or perhaps one pointing out that Microsoft doesn't make the most secure products? At least it isn't a dupe. Yet.

Re:

[eat here_get gas]

the mod link in the summary leads to a black page with dark blue writing. nice.

Re:

[cowscows]

Yes, we get it. You're a real musician, while all us fakers are just crappy little fools completely incapable of understanding what music really is. Thanks for reminding us that we're not real rock stars, and that video games are not the real world. I will stop enjoying my rock band drumsticks immediately.

Re:

[techpawn]

Thanks for reminding us that we're not real rock stars, and that video games are not the real world. I will stop enjoying my rock band drumsticks immediately.

I just play drums, can't play guitar for the life of me and I Really enjoy guitar hero. I'm just saying the sticks that come with it are not what most people would use in a show. Modding the set into something of a more full sized drum set while, yes, taking up FAR more room will make it a lot easier for people like me to play. It's like have to unlea

Re:

[ResidntGeek]

I quite agree. I'm not a drummer, though I think I was born to be one (always wanted to, never was allowed growing up and can't afford drums now), and I keep having to drastically weaken my blows because I'm whaling away and I'm worried I'll break the drums. Also, they're so bloody small and close together I can't flail around while playing like God intended. It's a problem.

Re:

[techpawn]

Exactly, they're set up more like orchestra tom-toms with a foot petal! Which fine for mimicking some tonal things isn't the right feel for a rock band's drum set. Also, they're the soft practice pads. Good for the game and the people around you HORRIBLE for the proper recoil from the stick for the faster movements. There is an arcade game where you play drum set and I like its layout MUCH better... Can't think of its name though...

Re:

[Durzel]

Still, in terms of timing and the logistics of where your hands and feet are I still believe the drums in Rock Band are about as faithful a reproduction of the real thing as you're likely to get in a virtual setting.

Re:

[somersault]

Did you even read the summary? :p

Re:

[ResidntGeek]

In terms of the mechanics, sure, but that's the easiest part of playing the drums. Rock Band's timing is forgiving enough that you can correct your timing over several bars. Real drummers don't have the soundtrack correcting their slightly mistimed hits, and a drummer whose tempo would fluctuate wildly until his bassist killed him could do fine on Rock Band. You can usually get a good idea of whether a Rock Band drummer would be a good drummer from the free-form solos - if he stays on the beat during the lo

Re:

[TENTH SHOW JAM]

Which is why I play a pointy bass. There is nothing like being clocked in the head with the nut of a P bass 4 times a bar to teach you timing.

Re:

[aikouka]

Is it DrumMania? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drummania [wikipedia.org]

Re:

[techpawn]

Is it DrumMania? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drummania [wikipedia.org]

YES! Thank you! I probably like it because it's controller is a modified electric Yamaha set.

Re:

[mrbcs]

Drums are cheap now dude... go for it!

I was the same, didn't buy my first kit until I was 25. Cost me about $400 then and pieced it together to get a double bass kit. I'm now 45 with an 8 pc pearl kit and I'm finally starting to learn Red Barchetta by Rush. (the musicians, not the fat tard ;-) stolen from slashdot sig. )

I use big sticks so I've never broken a set, but man these drums are loud at times!

Drums on these games kill me, I mean, you hit the damn things... If you can get the chops to play the

Re:

[techpawn]

I use big sticks so I've never broken a set, but man these drums are loud at times!

The ones that come with Rockband are Ludwig, look to be about A4's... twice as thick as a pencil. The kind you'd use for concert snare to get that light/crisp sound. That's why I called em toothpicks man, if they came with a nice pair of fatties like what it sounds like you wield I wouldn't have a problem. But, people would probably be a lot rougher with the controller.

Re:

[rk]

Drums are cheap now dude... go for it!

Agreed. I've seen some great deals at music stores for decent semi-pro gear for just a few hundred dollars. More than adequate for beginners and you won't soon outgrow it. I don't even play drums and I've been considering picking a set up and learning because of it.

Guitar is WAY different, you're not going to learn to play guitar with those colored buttons.

No, but I think it could be good for us guitarists. Most guitarists can't count worth a golly good damn, but Guitar Hero makes a decent rhythm trainer. You're right: not so much for the notes, though. But then, that's not really the poi

Re:

[mrbcs]

And "Red Barchetta" is a great song. :-) I actually started as a bass player and it was mostly Geddy Lee who responsible for that.

hehe Cool. Farewell to Kings... I HAD to learn drums after that album! I finally bought two of Neils DVD's so that I can finally learn how to solo.

I got to see Rush in concert when they were touring hemispheres. I saw them in a small arena in Geulph Ontario with about 500 other people. It was like our own private show.. Incredible. It was my second concert so I wasn't really aware of encores.. I waited patiently all night for 2112 and was pissed when they "ended" the show without playing anything of that.

Re:

[rk]

Ha, wow, Hemispheres. You're probably a little bit older than me, I would guess. I was only 10 when that came out and still about three to four years from catching the Rush bug. My first Rush concert was the Signals tour.

Re:

[bhsurfer]

For what the game console and game itself cost you could have a decent entry-level drum set, but I guess it's all a matter of priorities. Personally I have 3 drum sets and my newest game system is a several-year old X-box, so I guess it's easy to see which way I lean. Of course, you can't do all manner of fragging and such on a drum set either so it's a bit of a trade-off.

I think these games have an upside & downside - the upside is that it kind of lets the player know what it's like to play in a band

Re:

[ResidntGeek]

I don't own the game, a friend does. You're perfectly correct, if I could afford the game I could have a drum set. I think you are over-analyzing it, personally. Rock Band may help with reading tabs and such, but honestly, it doesn't matter - it's the most fun I've ever had without women or hydrocodone (and it can definitely give the latter a run for its money). That's enough for me.

Re:

[bhsurfer]

I probably am over analyzing it - I tend to do that. No offense intended. It does look like a pretty fun game. Having a bit of history as a musician though I can say that gigging can be a pretty fun game too (and can sometimes involve the aforementioned women & hydrocodone as well if you choose). Maybe having the "real" musical outlet makes me less likely to seek out one in a game, I don't know. I do know that having kids & a job & stuff made me basically hate the "Sims" games because telli

Re:

[tm2b]

It's really helpful to see these games not as music games, but rhythm games.

I'm a guitarist, but my rhythm sucks and metronomes are nearly useless to me. Playing Rock Band has already markedly improved my ability to stay on tempo - this thing is a metronome on steroids that will whack you when you get too far off beat. That's exactly what I need and short of a whole lot of expensive instructor time or being constantly mauled by disgusted band mates, I can't see any other way that I could have improved

Re:

[leenks]

I seriously doubt you can't afford to learn drums. All you need is a practice pad, a pair of sticks, and a couple of firm pillows. Plus a lot of dedication.

If you want a real kit you can pick up something to begin on for a couple of hundred bucks easily - you can nearly buy a new kit for that kind of money!

Electric kits start at that kind of money too, and you can modify the most awful acoustic kits into really nice electronic sensors for a few bucks per drum.

Re:A friend got Rockband

[poot_rootbeer]

Modding the set into something of a more full sized drum set while, yes, taking up FAR more room will make it a lot easier for people like me to play

Also, the guitar controller should have six strings instead of just a toggle switch, and 22+ frets instead of five colored buttons. You know, so it's easier for real guitarists to play.

Re:

[mfnickster]

Q: What do drummers and groupies have in common?
A: They both like to hang out with musicians. :)

Re:

[flitty]

Q: How do you know the stage is flat?
A: The drool comes out of both sides of the drummer's mouth.

Re:

[kaizokuace]

From my experience I find that the drum kit in rock band is the easiest to transfer actual drum experience to game skill. Now I myself am no musician but my brother is a drummer (he also plays guitar and bass). And he turned out to be the best at the drums on rock band that I know, and he sucks at every other type of music timing game. The guitar on rock band/guitar hero, DDR, and all those other bemani games he sucks at. He was able to pick up the drums on rock band and easily do some of the harder stuff

Re:

[stupidsocialscientis]

hey, as a former semi-pro drummer (i paid for grad school playing in bands,)i find the drums on rock band to be exceedingly hard. I am curious, do guitarists have similar difficulty playing guitar? I can't play guitar for crap in real-life, but it's totally easy on rockband... funny.

Re:

[kaizokuace]

From what i have seen, most people that play guitar suck at guitar on rockband or guitar hero. I think its just a matter of how different the controls are from the real thing. The drum setup is essentially no different that real drums in that u hit them and have to have timing and all that. Even having skills with bounce control help. Real guitar is just too different than hitting some buttons because you are not making chords or hitting strings. If the guitar controller has buttons for each string stacke

Guitar Hero/RockBand - quite diff than bass

[spineboy]

I've played bass for 25 years, and playing on Rock Band is quite fun, but really different than the real thing. Many of the notes are absent , and so when you play the notes that you know are there - the game dings you. SOme of the fingerings are screwy too, since the difficult/difficult+ levels just move your hand around to use 5 "frets", which doesn't always make sense from the chords used. I hear a major 4th interval, and the fret the game wants me to hit is waaay up the neck, instead of just moving

Re:A friend got Rockband

[Winckle]

I fucking agree!

I bought the computer game "Civilization 4" and found it to be totally unrealistic, if I applied my usual style of leadership, the America in-game would be wiped out quickly, no matter how I tried to save it!

-George W Bush

Re:

[wed128]

I am sick and tired of you damn liberals turning every topic into a George W Bush Bash-a-thon. For god's sake, can we have ONE article where we just leave the politics out of it? His term is almost over...quit bitching and vote in November.

Re:

[Winckle]

I wasn't bashing him! I just used his name because he's the current US president. I based my comment on an old Sid Meier (the creator of civ) quote. When he was criticized for civ not being very realistic, he replied "I don't make civilization for presidents."

Re:

[kellyb9]

Actually - as someone who plays guitar - I can't fully agree with your comment. Although, in part, being good at Rockband is not going to make you a better guitarist, I believe it does help beginners move their fingers independently. Which is one of the early battles people face when trying to learn how to play guitar correctly.

I can't really say the same thing for drums or singing. On a side note, has anyone actually used the microphone yet, and is it really lame?

Re:

[Phybersyk0]

Kellyb9 said: Actually - as someone who plays guitar - I can't fully agree with your comment. Although, in part, being good at Rockband is not going to make you a better guitarist, I believe it does help beginners move their fingers independently. Which is one of the early battles people face when trying to learn how to play guitar correctly.

I can't really say the same thing for drums or singing. On a side note, has anyone actually used the microphone yet, and is it really lame?

As an owner of Rock Band,

Re:

[cvd6262]

I play guitar, I can hold a tune, and I've played Rock Band once. It *almost* made me want to buy a 60" HDTV and an Xbox 360 (the setup I played).
The microphone isn't lame, but seemed really easy, even on advanced settings. Either I was *really* on key, or the mic looks more for tempo and relative pitch than true accuracy.

The guitar was not as easy (and I only went up to medium difficulty), but, like you said, strumming was simple because I already play. As for "finger independence," Rock Band only makes yo

Re:

[ari_j]

As someone who plays guitar but has relatively short pinkies, I actually found that, once I stopped constantly tormenting anyone who played Guitar Hero for being a geek (read: when I started dating an addict), playing Guitar Hero forced me to use my pinkies more than playing guitar did, which in turn improved my actual guitar playing. Plus, it was fun to pick up the game and beat it on Expert when the addict who got me into it can't play on Hard. What is it that I enjoy so much about being better than peo

Re:

[aredubya74]

I can't really say the same thing for drums or singing. On a side note, has anyone actually used the microphone yet, and is it really lame? I've never sang in a band before, but I did years of choral and musial theater singing, and I sing for our band (though I sub in on drums - poorly - when our female drummer wants to do the female-voiced songs). The included microphone is fairly heavy, and I'd much prefer a headset or stick mic, but it is shaped appropriately for the "tamborine/cowbell" tapping sections

Re:

[scragz]

Tremolo is amplitude; that would be vibrato.

Re:A friend got Rockband - Vocals Rock!

[trdrstv]

On a side note, has anyone actually used the microphone yet, and is it really lame?

Actually I sing more than anything else. I'm a Karaoke type, and it works real well. The trick is to sing like you actually want to sing and not like someone forced you to hold the microphone. Get up there and have fun. If you know the song and can anticipate what's coming up you are ahead of the game. Some people hum to get through songs which is really boring IMHO. If you have to do that to maintain pitch, turn the mic se

Re:

[Broken Toys]

And here I thought rock guitarists were usually the whiny divas.

Re:

[pedestrian crossing]

Q: What do you call someone who hangs out with musicians?
A: A drummer!

Re:

[Broken Toys]

Q: What do you call a guitar player without a girl friend?
A: Homeless. ;-)

Re:

[bhsurfer]

Q: What do you say to a drummer in a suit? A: "Will the defendant please rise."

Re:

[dryueh]

Man, I didn't get ANY oral hygene products with my kit. Not a one.

Re:

[Anonymous Coward]

Haha, nice flamebait attempt there, you asshat. Unfortunately for you, machine dance is officially recognised as a dance discipline by the International Dance Organisation (IDO).

Re:

[Mister Whirly]

"machine dance is officially recognised as a dance discipline by the International Dance Organisation (IDO)."

And the IDO are officially recognized as asshats to me.

Re:

[Nebu]

machine dance is officially recognised as a dance discipline by the International Dance Organisation (IDO).

[Citation needed]

Re:

[FreeRadicalX]

Well here's a hater. I thought it was established by now that these kinds of gripes against rhythm games were moot. It has nothing to do with playing the real instrument, it's about the feeling you get. And actually, for the record, practicing real guitar did make me a bit more comfortable on the guitar in Guitar Hero, and my pal Ray who actually is a drummer is clearly the best Rock Band drummer amongst me and my friends, since the drums come much closer to their simulated instrument than the guitars do. N

Re:

[Anonymous Coward]

You win, you're a better musician than someone that spent $150 to buy a video game. I can't imagine why someone would want to sit down and play a simulation for fun when they'll never be as good at the real thing as you are.

Re:

[poot_rootbeer]

This thread is to suggest who should be considered best drummer ....
I nominate Neal Peart from RUSH

If we all humor you and 'agree' that he's the best, can we let this boring and pointless debate end here and now...?

Re:

[haplo21112]

1. Neal Peart - Rush
2. Mike Portnoy - Dream Theater

Its a close race...

Re:

[The Analog Kid]

Peart is probably the top rock drummer, but as far as jazz goes, Peart's pretty lousy (even by his own admission). Buddy Rich takes the crown there, but I think Rich wouldn't be as good of a rock drummer, too many drums, and he wouldn't be the center of attention. (not that I'm saying he was egotistic).

Re:

[Apathy451]

What about Gavin Harrison from Porcupine Tree? He gets my vote - his stuff isn't as masterbatory as the rest.

Re:

[evilmike1310]

Another vote for Gavin Harrison, please. Porcupine Tree ftw. Also a good example of how you just can't have enough drums. Or cymbals, for that matter.

Re:

[stupidsocialscientis]

he can't play a slate? as in tabula rasa? how odd. after 30 years of drums or so, i never played one either. however, i have played tabla...

Re:

[mink]

Alan White from YES.