Expanding your Electronic Drum Kit
My drum set is my castle! For many of us drummers, this saying couldn’t be more true. And just like any castle, it’s always tempting to expand. Of course, in the world of electronic drums, we’re not adding towers and walls, but more drums and cymbals. It’s all about making your setup bigger and more fun to play. In this article, we’ll show you how you can expand some of the models in our lineup and unlock their full potential.
Millenium MPS-1000: Add One Pad of Your Choice
The MPS-1000 is already bigger than most standard kits right out of the box. While typical electronic drum sets usually include a kick, snare, three toms, a ride, hi-hat, and one crash, our flagship comes with two crash cymbals from the start.
However, the MPS-1000 can still be expanded. Its module includes an extra input for external triggers, allowing you to add a pad of your choice. A popular option is the matching 16” floor tom, resulting in a 2-up-2down configuration. You can also choose to add a second snare, a third crash, or even a bar trigger.
The module supports dual-zone pads (sometimes called stereo pads), letting you assign any sound to any zone (like head or rim of a tom). And, of course, with the MPS-1000, you can also use your own imported sounds.
Millenium MPS-750X & 750X PRO: Two Additional Pads Possible
The main difference between the MPS-750X and the larger MPS-750X PRO is the PRO version’s real wooden shells. Aside from that, both models offer the same expansion capabilities. Both come with two additional trigger inputs, one for a cymbal and one for a drum pad or bar trigger. Just like with the MPS-1000, it’s possible to use dual-zone (or stereo pads) pads for all inputs.
If you’re looking to expand the standard MPS-750X, there’s a dedicated expansion pack that includes an extra tom and crash cymbal. Alternatively, you can purchase the matching pads separately. For those with the PRO version, it’s best to stick with wood for your additional pads to match the existing shells. But keep in mind that we offer different pad options for both the 750X PRO and the MPS-1000, so be sure to choose the matching model.
Millenium MPS-450: Add up to two Mono Pads
While the MPS-450 is a more compact kit, it’s still got room to grow. Just like with the MPS-750X, you can add an extra tom and crash. The inputs are mono though and support only one zone.
That means no rim zone on toms and no bow zone on crashes. Yet, for drum pads, the 8” or 10” tom pad from the MPS-850 are your best option although they are dual-zone pads. For the cymbal, we’ve got a 12” mono pad for the MPS-450 that fits right in.
DIY Custom Solutions: For the Tinkerers
Feeling adventurous? You can take your kit even further with a bit of DIY magic. By using splitter cables, you can “borrow” rim zones from toms and use these channels for additional pads. This trick works with any kit that supports dual-zone pads, such as the MPS-750X, 750X PRO, MPS-850, and MPS-1000.
To make it work, you’ll need a cable that splits the channels of a single TRS cable into two separate TS cables. For example, the Pro Snake TPY 2003 BPP cable is a reliable option. Then just get an additional pad and connect it to your new input. Just keep in mind that you won’t be able to play both pads on the same channel at once.