Simmons SDSV Analogue electronic drum set demo SDS5 # 1

While searching for electronic drum videos here I noticed that there wasn't any for the SDSV.
A couple have turned up, but this is the first one to actually explain the sounds........

[@gwugluud]

I wanted those so bad back in the day. And no electronic drums have looked even 1% as cool as these since. They should be reissued.

[@FrenchToasted1995]

the br00f will always the flagship drummer for these

[@timitonagain]

​@@FrenchToasted1995to me it's Phil Collins

[@beemo9]

The official drum of the 1980s.

[@ShadowACE1998]

Very "corporate rock". I love it.

[@spoonerlee2908]

Awsome

[@jsplinc2000]

Yup, it is

[@SONORSQ2guy]

I used to work in a music store (1992) a guy brought in a SDSV brain only with the 5 piece kit modules. I met him in the parking lot behind the store. I paid a $100 for it! I still own it, works great. Thanks for your wonderful video.

[@joedel-grande1915]

4:16 *war flashback intensifies*

[@davidhale8127]

😂

[@scottlowell493]

DSSHH! BEEEW! 80's icons. Red hexagons were my favorite.

[@RastaSaiyaman]

I remember seeing those Simmons drums everywhere during the eighties, but I also remember many players using them in conjunction with acoustic cymbals and ditto snare, because it was pretty much impossible to do dynamic playing on a Simmons alone. Jim Brown from UB40 for example used both an acoustic snare and a Simmons snare side by side, since drumming for UB40 meant that he'd have to do rimshots. His parts on "Cherry oh baby" being a good showcase of him using his Simmons with an acoustic snare.

[@simmonsdrums9422]

+RastaSaiyaman Brown have also Pearl Drum X.

[@Kohntarkosz]

And some of them used the Simmons kits onstage and in videos, but on the record, it'd be acoustic drums.

[@RastaSaiyaman]

@@Kohntarkosz On UB40's "Cherry oh baby" that certainly wasn't the case, listen for yourself, that "Toove" is unmistakable.

[@Kohntarkosz]

@@RastaSaiyaman Oh, ther'es lots of records with Simmons on them, to be sure. But that I remember in particular was Spandau Ballet. In the videos, their drummer is playing a Simmons kit, albeit with acoustic cymbals and snare. If I remember correctly, in the True video, he has a double bass drum setup. But on the records, it's all acoustic. Another one I remember was a clip of Culture Club doing Do You Really Want To Hurt Me on Top Of The Pops, where Jon Moss is playing a bunch of Simmons pads (standing up, no less), but again, on the record, it's an acoustic kit.

[@ConceptualGarbage]

The jam you start playing at the 2:50 mark is off the chain..much respect. These drums sound incredible. Thank you for posting!!

[@rollyperry6867]

I agree!

[@MrLawrence0071]

ConceptualGarbage I agree too :-D

[@earthacademy]

I have the same kit in my house, which I bought off a guy who had a hit in the UK charts (previously we had Adam and the Ants white (with twinkly stars) Simmons kit).... excellent work! you reminded me again of why these electronic drums are so cool. For me the best example of these drums you can hear in the live show in Japan, Yellow Magic Orchestra's "Service" album (drummers: David Palmer & Yukihiro Takahashi)

[@dcplyr]

Best electronic drum kit ever made!

[@officialmikethompson]

You can change the factory sounds with the internal trimpots on each card. Actually I just discovered that the extended service manual includes notes with the positions set by the factory. Oh yeah, nice fills btw :) Looks so fluid, even though we both know it feels like playing on your kitchen counter lol

[@EphemeralProductions]

The sound at around 4:20 was used in a LOT of 1980's songs. I recognize it well! :)

[@numanuma20]

I can see why most people used this drum in th 80's. This thing is so cool, and you can use real drum cymbals.

[@cwoodfield]

Something I remember reading about Neil Peart's use of these - since the sounds were more-or-less hard coded, he took an entire RACK of SDS7 (and later SDS9) brains on tour, each with a different sound set, and had a custom switchbox built to route the signals from the pads to the appropriate brain for each song. Oh, the days of analogue.

[@tinymagneticpets]

Loving it! We are loving using vintage Simmons on our new track

[@adamharris7775]

The SDSV and SDS5 were heard in “Bizzare Love Triangle”.

[@DanMowry]

I miss this stuff. These were the bomb back in the day!

[@Meteotrance]

the tom sound of this is a classic, you can heard on a lot of Jan Hammer track or a lot of New Wave and 80's pop ^^

[@tertiaryobjective]

This looks like so much fun, don't get me started, I'm already painting my synth controllers and guitars UV reactive to bring a retro new wave / cyberpunk visual style to my music. This.... might end up in the final form in a few years though.

[@anthonyhussey3997]

I used to have this kit along with a Gretsch snare, was the best.

[@binarydreamz]

Front 242 used these frequently especially at live shows back in the day

[@egyptianminor]

Totally '80s, very 'Techno-Pop'. Roger Taylor of Queen had in 1984/85 a composite drum kit combining his regular acoustic kit w/ two pairs of Simmons pads - a nice combo.

[@vitormachado4877]

Yes, and he used it in 1982 on the Hot Space tour. He sold before 1986

[@egyptianminor]

@@vitormachado4877 He still used it for the recording of 1984's 'The Works', and for the subsequent tour, I saw him on stage at the original January 1985 Rock In Rio and he still had 'em on his kit then, you can also see him w/ the same kit on the video for 'Hammer To Fall'.

[@Yagga97]

Have u noticed how good u play?

[@RootsAddicts]

I hope you play with a band because you are incredible on those drums! Pure inspiration!

[@Pied777]

Sounds really great ! Awesome analog drums kit

[@DrumsbiblebikeGodspeed]

Great drums really like the 80,s Simmons ,,Thanks for posting !

[@martinblom-skavnes9786]

Nice playing! Really liked the sounds at around 5.00

[@earldrum]

I so wanted a set of these drums in the 80s! But $5000 was out of my league then. As time went by they went out of vogue …. But it’s cool you have this working set of these amazing drums! I subbed … I hope to see you play some music with them some day. Thanks for the video!

[@M3urs]

Amazing video, amazing sound and amazing playing. Thank you for the sharing.

[@rollyperry6867]

I saw a set of these in Friendly Music in Lewiston Maine when they first came. This video IS why I wanted them!

[@Edwardo1993]

It's amazing how the electric drum kit has come along. Just look at the new Yamaha's available!

[@kahitaknows5366]

damn!who's watching 2019???

[@TheBorderlineWarrior]

Each time I watch this video of you playing these super awesome electronic drum kits that were once used by Duran Duran just make me want the Simmons SDSV more and more and more! =)

[@TheBorderlineWarrior]

Update: I finally got one two years ago... great piece of 80’s machinery. God I was so obsessed with Duran Duran when I was younger

[@WiiClassic2usb]

@MrRitchieDrums - The sound of these drums reminds me of a toy I had when I was like 5... I think they were called Kik Stiks" or something like that and you played them in the air... also that "cut to commercial" outro in Knight Rider. *doov-doov-doov-dit-dit-doov*

[@marco-2013-t]

wow, what a sound! Absolutely great and powerfull!

[@MrRitchieDrums]

@FanManLover This set was purchased in 1982

[@AdamSmithNES]

I remember seeing sets like this at a Music Go Round maybe a decade ago. Thought they looked really stupid, but damn that's an impressive demo! Might have to keep my eye on Craigslist for a set...

[@144wychwood]

I believe Alex Van Halen used Simmons SDS5 to record 1984 and 5150 albums along with acoustic snare and Paiste cymbals. It was only recently I learned he used them on those tours too. The humongous Ludwig bass drum setup was merely for appearance. All the time he was pounding away on Simmons kit hidden behind Ludwig hardware. Many fans hated them but I think they sounded cool.

[@MrRitchieDrums]

1984 album was rototoms

[@144wychwood]

@@MrRitchieDrums Didn't he at least use Simmons double bass drums along with rototoms for 1984 sessions? in Ted Templeman book, he stated “He (Alex) decided to record with a Simmons electronic kit rather than traditional acoustic” and neither he nor engineer Don Landee were happy about it. In same book there's a photo of Simmons kit complete with pads. On other hand, I came across another photo online of 5150 studio drum set up with Simmons bass drum and rototoms. Guess we'll never no for sure.

[@JohtoJTS]

back when electric sets looked cool! Why did they ruin them?

[@Iceiarz]

GREAT SIMMONS - THIS SOUND IS...EWERYWHERE OF MY LIFE. Thank You for You working & presentation. You'are BIG presentation men. Thank You. Jacek Lodowski POLAND.

[@EvLoutonian]

FANTASTIC sounds and playing!

[@erebousde]

4:20 German NDW band "Spliff" used this set ALOT.

[@ShawnBarnesbass]

The song "Shades Of 45" by the Canadian musician Gary O' is great track that prominently features these drums.

[@SovereignG]

I own a few of these. A main rack and some spares, including the hi-hat and cymbal. It's funny how people know so little about these and tend to write them off as being goofy relics from the '80s. Through proper monitoring they will easily produce the elusive brown note. They're outstanding in a studio environment. Programming is a cinch and they blend well, once EQ'd & compressed when using them to supplement a poor drum sound on a recording.

[@briancrainakacain9780]

excellent...great drummer...simmons sound great...good stuff...

[@olofoniq]

Very nice performance! Good job! Thank you!

[@robertcroxtonjr.7623]

these are my favorite kind of electronic drums. i like the shapes of the pads and the sounds they make. these electronic drums remind me so much of the ones that bobby z played on the purple rain and 1999 tours. can you make them sound just like the purple rain or 1999 drums?

[@JohnJohn-do2oj]

Prince used Pearl syncussions in conjunction with these. Also the bass drum was custom made with the light in it. I read on a website the kit he had was extremely expensive for the time.

[@isher9035]

@@JohnJohn-do2oj Purple Rain album used almost entirely Linn LM-1 sounds.

[@kamikuru4014]

I love that sound!

[@TheAuralab]

love this demo!!

[@cwoodfield]

I had a kit with an SDS9 brain - you're correct that the drum heads are literally blocks of wood in a plastic case with a rubber drum head and a contact mic inside. If you ran the cable from the pad into an amp instead of to the brain, you'd be able to hear the stick hits. I wound up wearing gloves when I played them because of the vibrations going back to the sticks instead of to the drum head.

[@nielswil]

@sauermusicDE The SD9K isn't Simmons btw. It's an i believe an American company which lets this sets manufacturing in Asia with different names= Simmons, Fame. If you look any closer to the eectronics you see to many similarities.

[@sauermusicDE]

@armouredantz Yes, indeed. Those hexa-pads looked soooo cool. But at least the company is back with a new kit called SD9K (unfortunately it looks like any other modern kit from Roland etc.).

[@marc-olivierjohnson8569]

Sounds start at 1:18

[@NickyMetropolis1313]

They sound like roto toms to me. Cool 😎

[@burleyant274]

Stop at 2:50 right now, and then the 1980s jungle music begins 🤩🐯🐊🐟🐵🦁🐍🦥🐼

[@organfairy]

I remember that many classic rock fans hated "those awfull un-natural sounding hexagonal things". I think they started making electric drums that looks (almost) like real drums at about the same time as they started using sampled drum sounds - like to show that now the electric drums look and sound like the real thing. I do like the "space age" design though.

[@OfficialSoundtracker]

@VinskieZ awesome song. i listened to it on cassette yesterday. :)

[@garethlee2943]

awsome drumming

[@OfficialSoundtracker]

wow that was cool. Ive been thinkin about getting a kit, and that video pushed me more toward the "yes." my only problem is my neighbours...

[@windsofmarchjourneyperrytr2823]

My childhood is flashing before my eyes! These are more rudemtary than the V-drums out now. Guitar Center has the Simmons name, but they're nothing like the ones from the 80's. They're mostly just cheap, poor replicas of the V-drums. Where these drums appear: Sunglasses at Night, Kenny Aranoff on drums. Mad Max 48 hours. I think there were some when Travolta is riding on the train after his friend died. Those would have been very early ones, I'd imagine. Total Eclipse of the Heart. Like the much later Roland TD-12 series, there are no cymbals because they're abysmally bad in electronic drums, particularly way back then. Mine from about 10 years ago were over 3,000 used and the cymbals don't choke. They do now, I believe. But for twice as much as a REALLY nice kit complete. You're also not going to get a full high hat or ride sound. the plus side, no matter how hard you hit it, you won't accidentally deafen yoursekf, either (which I've done, my ride will ring until Thursday if I hit it right now, and it's called Paiste signature 19 inch Power Ride for a very good reason. It cuts through anyone else like a chain saw through a tree. Perhaps if I used Q-tips as beaters, I'll be quiet enough... There might have been some of these in Trading Places. Yeah, that sounds right. The plus side, it's way easier to mix these into a pre-recorded track. They also use the same pedals as an acoustic kit. Mine came with a DW 5000 on the hat and a 4000 on the bass. The 4000 is my favorite bass pedal so far, and I have 9000s on my big acoustic. I like the more modern mesh heads for feel and give. They should move so you don't destroy the tendons in your hands and wrists by hitting solid things. The newest V/E drums understand small hits from big hits. Mine understands only soft and hard. The newest and coolest are 7,500 (twice a new, decent full kit) and seem to understand all kinda of things, including cymbal chokes, sloppy hats, and different kinds of hits. There are no rims for cross-sticks on the Simmons, and they've understood those for only a few years of all drumming history. I got a big kick out of how 1980 that module looks...

[@FirestormAudio]

I would love to get my hands on one of these.

[@drjeffamatrixx]

THIS IS COSMIC. LONG LIVE HExAGONS!!! WORLDPEACE.

[@crenshawblaster3982]

Simmons fills on Whodini's Magic's Wand from '82... uh, sublime... it was the very first hip-hop / electro hit features the SDSV in the 80's, thanks to Thomas Dolby...

[@iBaraban]

some of the people here need to open their dictionaries and find words "analogue" and "digital", compare those two, then come back here and erase their comments.

[@Mr-Keyes]

Larry Blackmon of Cameo used these drums on their album "Style" and the album "She's Strange," which was a big #1 hit in 1984

[@sirlancelot2171]

It’s now officially, 5150 TIME!!!!

[@TrainmasterCurt]

Naked Eyes "Always Something There To Remind Me" would be nothing without Simmons drums!

[@MrDirt86]

"Open fire BASSSHHHH at my burning heart..."

[@Shred_The_Weapon]

My defenses are down, a kiss or a frown.

[@Shred_The_Weapon]

For those of you with Netflix streaming (and a fondest for 80s animated series for girls), check out the season 2 premiere of Jem and the Holograms. This exact drum kit model is depicted in the animation.

[@Shred_The_Weapon]

One thing that would be cool about owning two of these is the potential for creating pitched percussion sounds of several kinds. The click filter could create a cowbell sound when applied to a short blast of a high-pitched tone with no bend.

[@McSynth]

Excellent review / demo !

[@carlreynolds1111]

The tom lick at 5:27 is cool. Great phrasing. Where on earth can you get or find some used simmons kits like this? Just the look of them alone is cool enough.

[@MrRitchieDrums]

Well, considering a decent Used Car was about $2000.00 in 1983, the same year this drumset was $3000.00. I'm not sure how Simmons made electronic drums affordable. Also, the SDSV appeared on just about every Pop-Rock album from 1984 to 1986. Even Alex Van Halen used them on the Entire 5150 album.......So eventhough most drummers found the pads uncomfortable, they certainly used them A LOT!

[@uncled39]

Great sound.

[@potrezaml]

@static1994 Yes, try it and see... I don't know,though, about Moog... they were rather specialised in keyboards,but it's possible that they created drum kits, I know that Pearl - for Instance- created drums in the 1980s , with a shape copied on the Simmons (hexagonal). On eBay, I know that there were still two or three, between 400 and 600 $, approximately...you gotta check if they are still there. As for the electronic drums, I think that they went out of style cause it was a 1980s thing..

[@afterstars]

Cool video and drumset. good playing also

[@virgil5650]

Waiting Man...Crimson

[@mefistofeles666111]

Very nice!

[@MinakoAinoFullMusic]

Awesome!!!! Fantastic drums!!!!

[@annother3350]

Drum skills!!

[@verstrahlt1907]

very nice. I had SDS1000 (and the playing was super). @2:50 I had a wish, that you are dressed in a funny bee; and the pads are arranged as a honeycomb. Would you make a video like this, please... and play with similar effects... Be a happy Bee, for me.

[@InflatablePlane]

I keep throwing my wallet at the screen trying to get one of these kits and nothing happens!! Man Simmons kits are so sick!

[@MrRitchieDrums]

@Dojocho These Hex-Pads were the original. That "Mt Rushmore" set with the human heads was a custom order...........

[@MrLawrence0071]

Awesome. Love it!

[@Yeseniaschick]

wow back then it was a lot of money. Hell its a lot even today.

[@catnip213]

BADASS. 80s music is the best

[@DrunkDuckXD]

Ur fills are amazing!

[@albundie3]

Wow reminds me of king crimson's good ol days

[@akaicollector694]

realy nice sounds good

[@MassRapidTransport]

Wow, who is this drummer, such original drum patterns....

[@MrRitchieDrums]

check out my other videos here :)

[@WillyWonkaIsSatanic]

hahaha this is awesome.. i wish i had something more than acoustic drums

[@seeyouintheeighties]

great vid... is this the same snare used on the track "talk talk - today" on the first verse?

[@potrezaml]

@static1994 Be ready to pay the price ! They are quite rare by now; and if you find some on eBay or somewhere else, they might not be in the best condition...(or in spare parts : exple : only the brain, or one or two pads alone...)

[@OfficialSoundtracker]

@MrRitchieDrums thanks. so that means two sets of those knobs have no function because there are only 5 channels right? thats pretty cool... Why not purchase the extra two modules for added functionality? (or would they have made much of a difference?)

[@aeromaximon]

These drums were popular in the 80s and early 90s

[@TAILLGUNNERR]

This would be an awesome add-on for an acoustic drumkit as a stand alone piece this is nothing more than an expencive toy however as an expansion pack its a great instrument.

[@pergunnarvikmjlhus3597]

Do you know of any good Simmon's sample packs out there for drum fills?

[@OfficialSoundtracker]

@potrezaml i suppose you're right... whose to say what condition the parts would come in, and if i purchase the right one? a full set is probably the way to go, but you say that they're scarce.... i wonder if Moog synthesizers ever created a drum kit... they said in a video on this site that they still use analog circuitry to make sounds, so i could try there. how does something as amazing as the electric drum kit go out of style?

[@cokebub3]

@Kadyium The new ones are more portable and i think cheaper.

[@SandraLourencopt]

Is it wrong for me to want these just because of its looks? 😍

[@MrRitchieDrums]

not at all....🙃

[@MrRitchieDrums]

@static1994 Volume & sensitivity for each channel

[@Shred_The_Weapon]

What about stereo panning? Is that automatic?

[@MrRitchieDrums]

He probably did that for the SDSV set. 99 presets were available on the SDS7(which was 50% digital). I have no idea why Peart would have ever used the SDS9.........strange.