Combining your acoustic drums with electronic samples is becoming more and more popular - Sensory Percussion takes this format to a whole new level.

You've probably heard of ‘hybrid drumming' but if you haven't taken a look at the concept, you could be missing out on the chance to add new and exciting elements to your drumming. Stepping into the world of Sensory Percussion offers you the ultimate hybrid drumming experience.

Drum triggers have been around for decades with very little advancements in the technology. For a long time they were popular with sound engineers looking to recreate the sound of a recorded song in a live environment - why mic a drum kit in painstaking fashion when you could just have a pre-recorded sample that sounds perfect every time? More recently musical trends have evolved and with audiences seeking a more authentic live experience, the application of triggers has also changed. The concept of ‘hybrid drums' was born.

Rather than using a trigger to override the acoustic sound of the drums, hybrid drumming takes a combination of the acoustic tone with an overlaid sample - for example, a snare sample from an iconic drum machine or an electronic clap - to create an entirely new sonic palette. But whilst drum triggers tend to offer the user one or maybe two samples per drum, Sensory Percussion offers up to ten zones per sensor, with the ability to stack unlimited samples in each zone - giving drummers the possibility of combining hundreds of sounds with their acoustic tone. Imagine being able to change up your hybrid sounds completely by moving from the center of the head to the edge, or even by throwing in some cross sticking.

Unlike drum triggers, with Sensory Percussion, things don't stop with just adding pre-recorded samples into the mix. Thanks to some ingenious features in the software, samples can be manipulated and controlled to jaw-dropping effect. With a pair of drumsticks you can begin to take control of sample pitch and quantizing, studio quality effects and remixing on the fly, all with your skills behind a drum kit. For the first time all of the technology and tools that have given joy to producers and DJs are at the disposal of the drummer. Combine these with the rich resonant crack of your beloved acoustic drums, and you're opening up a world of sounds that will take everything to the next level.

It sounds like a cliche to say the possibilities are endless but...they really are! Here are just a few examples of some of the killer techniques that will set your performance out from the hybrid crowd:

• Pitch samples up or down based on where you strike the drum, or how fast you play.
• Layer complex chord sequences that only sound when you strike your drum with more velocity. Cycle through or randomize the chord sequence.
• Mix in studio quality effects based on your playing - increase reverb with speed or achieve a classic snare delay when you hit harder.
• Add vocal hooks to your performance - for example on Sensory Percussion's three rim zones - and remix songs on the fly like a DJ.

So, whether you're a hybrid hero or taking your first steps into the digital realm, we're confident that you're going to be amazed at what Sensory Percussion can offer you when compared to other solutions. In fact, the differences are so extreme, we put together a handy comparison chart to outline how vast the gulf is.