Alesis, amanufacturer of professional audio equipment and studio
electronics, is now shipping the USB Pro Drum Kit to dealers. It’s an
electronic drum kit designed specifically to take direct advantage of
the power of the computer for sound generation.

The drum set combines the Alesis Trigger|iO trigger-to-MIDI interface
with high-end drum pads and Surge Cymbals. A dual-zone snare pad,
three dual-zone tom pads and a kick pad each feature an eight-inch
mylar, tension-adjustable drumhead and a 2.3mm triple-flanged
counterhoop mirroring the feel of acoustic drums.

Surge Cymbals are made of brass cymbal alloy and feature built-in
triggers. Because they are true, lathed cymbals rather than rubber
pads, the symbals offer the most natural cymbal feel available on any
electronic drumset, according to the folks at Alesis A 12-inch
Hi-Hat, a 13-inch Crash with choke capability and a 16-inch dual-zone
Ride with choke capability are included.

Sound-generation software BFD Lite is included from FXpansion,
placing the sonic flexibility of multiple drum-sound sets with
adjustable articulation, velocity layers and microphone positions at
drummers’ fingertips. USB Pro Drum Kit is compatible with computers
running Mac OS X and Windows.

What’s more, Alesis has created a special configuration file, which
optimizes its SR18 for use as a high-quality drum-sound module for
use with the USB Pro Drum Kit. Drummers need only an inexpensive MIDI
cable and a custom configuration file, available for free download
from http://www.alesis.com.