Dave Hicks (The Eyeball Kicks): Put simply, it sounded great.

15. XM: There is 128Mb storage in the module. Do you think this is enough for you?

Dave Hicks: I can understand why there is a smaller data allowance. Simple software and less memory make for a more responsive experience with no lag between hit and sound. You create your bank of sounds in your laptop and load them up when you need them. It works for me.

16.XM: You get Midi-in and Midi-out, essentially a MIDI interface. Your thoughts?

Dave Hicks: At the moment it only works with a Windows-based PC, and not on a Mac, which is what I use. More and more people around the world are using Macs now, so I think XM needs to make this happen for us too.

17. XM: There is a maximum of 14 inputs, with auxiliaries for extra drums or cymbals. Is this enough?

Dave Hicks: This is heaps!

18. XM: The metronome function does time signatures of 1/4 up to 6/4. You can adjust the tempo and the beat. Your thoughts?

Dave Hicks: This is very cool. It’s good for working on your timing. Drummers should always keep working on their timing. It’s also great for learning odd time meters – for advanced drummers.

19. XM: The Tempo beats run from 30bpm to 250bpm. What do you think?

Dave Hicks: It’s good for most drummers, but maybe not all heavy metal. I’m not sure.

20. XM: What do you think of the touchscreen interface?

Dave Hicks: It’s very easy to use. After 15 minutes I fully understood how it worked.

21. XM: What do you think of the XM Drum Recorder program that automatically shows you the beat you played in notation form?

Dave Hicks: Wild!

Drummer Dave Hicks of Melbourne Australian band ‘The Eyeball Kicks’

22. XM: You said you’d like to play along to your own drum loops. These loops can play for up to 6 seconds. Is that enough for you?

Dave Hicks: I’d like it to be longer – 30 seconds would be great. For example, I’d like to have software that could close the rest of the Edrum kit down, so it wouldn’t affect memory or responsiveness when I played a 30 second Nelson Mandela speech over an entire intro to a song.

23. XM: You can change sounds on the fly with the highly intuitive interface, which shows a picture of the drum kit configuration you’ve programmed. All you have to do is hit the drum 3 times to rotate the drum function. How was it?

Dave Hicks: Cool, once you get used to it. Is there a ‘Master Save’ to change the whole kit you’re on? Of course there would be. I’d like it if you were able to change between entire kits you created the sounds for, as well as between standard kits.

24. What do you think of the XM Rock Steady Bass Drum System and its special brace bar that holds the bass drum?

Dave Hicks: It never moves. Let me tell you, the Roland one I’ve used moves, and the pin scratches the floor! I scratched our tiles at home, because I forgot to put down a piece of carpet. This XM bass drum is safe. It feels very secure.

25. XM We let you try out the XM noise cancelling headphones. What did you think of them?

Dave Hicks: They make drumming a very intimate experience. It’s just you and the drums and a candlelit dinner. It doesn’t matter if the TV is on, or if the kids are fighting outside; you can still be in your own world.

26. What do you think of the XM Learning machine?

Dave Hicks: I didn’t get a chance to use it, but it sounds very cool.

27. We know this doesn’t relate to the Classy Series C-Plus-9SR Edrum kit you played, but you sounded very excited when you heard about the XM Evolution Meshhead Edrum Skin. What do you think of the concept?

Dave Hicks: It sounds like a secret Edrum – you can keep your own acoustic kit. The skin is easy to change over, as there’s no screwdriver or alterations needed. Digital drums normally appeal to non-live drumming scenarios, but now you can easily crossover. There’s also no stigma, as your kit looks the same as everyone else’s. It’s great for people who already have kits and don’t want a second one. I’d mix acoustic and digital sounds, for example, use sensitivity of drum hits to trigger the second sound. You could have a bass guitar sound together with your acoustic bass drum. Awesome!

By Jesse S. Somer, XM eDrum

If you haven’t read the ‘Interview with Dave Hicks of rock band ‘The Eyeball Kicks’ about the XM Classy Series C-Plus-9SR Edrum kit (Part 1)’, click here.