Bearable Lightness

Last night I picked up a whole drum kit in one go, put it in the back of the car and went to a rehearsal. Then, all I had to do was carry it into the studio, put it down and, after attaching some cymbals, I was ready to go.

The Traps A400 portable kit is remarkable in several ways: it really is portable; most of its drums are shell-less; the snare and bass drums are only an inch or two deep; and the whole thing (including pedals and stands) costs just under £300.

Oh, and it sounds really good and it's far louder than you think it's going to be. The bass drum and snare enable you to produce a powerful groove, and while the shell-less tom toms may not resonate quite as much as you would like, they still produce satisfying, thwacky sounds.

It's perfect for rehearsals and may even work on small, quiet gigs. It has to be played to be believed. There is so much "innovation" in the drum world that has little point apart from selling new product that the arrival of the Traps portable kit has to be hailed as a genuine breakthrough.