Ugly Guitar Truth: DigiTech SDRUM Strummable Drums Pedal

NAMM is currently afoot and it is again time for new gear to be debuted. This is a very exciting time for us who enjoy discovering new gear and musical equipment. The thing I look forward to the most is the new pedals at NAMM. I'm a bit of a traditionalist when it comes to guitars, but I always look new and different ideas when it comes to pedals. That what DigiTech has done with the SDRUM. It is a drum machine that takes input from a guitar to create a groove. Much like the pads on a midi controller, you use your guitar strings to play a rhythm and that rhythm becomes the bass or snare beat. Let's take a closer look at this pedal.

A New Kind Of Groove

Continuing to capitalize on the success of the Trio, Digitech has developed a new tool for the solo artist. Taking the lessons learned from their first outing into the "Band in a Box" market, Digitech has given us another tool with even great potential. While the Trio was innovative, it lacked the flexibility that many serious artists needed. DigiTech has been active in the Live Looping scene for a decade or more. The JamMan is a recognized and respected tool by many solo looping artists. While the Trio might be a great practice tool, the SDRUM brings the ability to create any rhythm with nothing more than the pedal and a guitar.

All About The Bass?

The one notable exclusion the SDRUM possess is the bass line. The Trio is named so because it adds drums and bass to a guitar loop. The SDRUM only does drum loops. Let's not get to hung up on that fact. To think that this is an update or replacement for the Trio is a little foolhardy. While the Trio offers to fill in the holes in your ensemble, the SDRUM allows you to be more expressive and in control of your music. Having said that, the solution for a bassline already exists. An octave and looper pedal allows you to create your own bassline in much the same way the SDRUM creates drums.

Teamwork

The SDRUM has another trick up its sleeve. It integrates with the JamMan pedals. If you've ever tried to sync two looping pedals, then you know why this is a major feature. A fraction of a second can become a distracting lag over the course of a 3-minute song. This appears to be a well thought out approach to creating drums of the fly.

Conclusion

I'm impressed with what I've seen from this pedal. It seems to be a straightforward solution for artists that need a flexible tool. Its intuitive design makes it simple yet still elegant. However, this is still a unitasker. It does one job. Also, you will not be seeing this pedal in the bargain bin at your local music shop. At $200, this is a serious tool meant for the working/avid songwriter. This pedal won't be seen on every pedalboard. It is, however, an excellent execution of product design.

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