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OF COURSE THE phrase "more cowbell" was immortalised in a Saturday Night Live comedy sketch featuring a fictional recording of the Blue Oyster Cult’s “Don’t fear the Reaper”. But for many edrummers, adding a cowbell, tambourine or even a giant gong is a simple matter of assigning a sound to one of these trigger devices. They come in many shapes and forms, but are mostly compact single-zone units that attach to a regular l-rod or rack mount. Here are some of the popular add-ons: The trigger: NANO-pad by Koby ($40) Form and size: 4” circular pad on an elbow-jointed 12mm rod. Zones: Single Performance: Set up as a PD7/8/9 trigger on a Roland TD-20X module, the pad responds perfectly with good dynamics. The response is even across the playing surface, and the pad has an excellent rebound. It is also fairly quiet, registering less than 60 dB under firm strikes which recorded close to 80 dB on a 10” mesh pad. What we liked: Well made, compact size, discrete, quiet, responsive and available in a range of colours. What we didn’t like: A reasonably small target. The trigger: Pintech Nimrod ($50) Form and size: A 3.5cm diameter, 15cm tube with a rubber strike surface on the top. One end of the tube houses a mount for a 12mm rod such as a cymbal arm. Zones: Single Performance: Set up as a PD7/8/9 trigger on a Roland TD20X module, the pad responds perfectly with good dynamics. Response is even across the surface, but as the rubber strike pad is only 4cm wide, you do need to be careful where you hit. The Nimrod is quiet, also registering under 60 dB, but does have a distinctive tone that sets it apart from other triggers. What we liked: Well made, compact, ergonomic, triggers well and quietly. What we didn’t like: It needs a rod for attachment and the strike surface is smaller than the total area. 14
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