Can anybody recommend an electronic drum kit?

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Treeline

Treeline

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NEWBIE GRADE?!!

Something to get one's toes wet, as it were... without much of a budget (well, actually, there's no budget at all).

(Yet).


Thanks.


:cool:
 
There is one reason and one reason only, for someone to buy an electric drum set.

Because you cannot make the noise of acoustic drums in your current place.

If that's your reason - then I would just suggest you get the cheapest ones, or the nearly cheapest ones.

A world class drummer can play amazing shit on the cheapest set - so buy that and once you can get better for years until you can make loud noise...


Treeline said:
NEWBIE GRADE?!!

Something to get one's toes wet, as it were... without much of a budget (well, actually, there's no budget at all).

(Yet).


Thanks.


:cool:
Click to expand...
 
For a decent quality e-drum set that won't totally break the bank (like the rolands will) look at Hart dynamics.
 
Newbie grade would definitely be Yamaha DTexpress. Pintech is cheap as well but doesn't come with a module.

Yamaha would be your best bet.
 
I have a DTEXPRESS II kit and I really like it. It also doubles as a midi controller which, if you are using something like sonar to record with, is very handy. The DTEXPRESS is not as nice as a good set of acoustic drums however given the amount of expense and expertise associated with recording acoustic drums they are a fair second best.

A word of advice, get separate symbol stands (you can pick up reasonable TAMA or Premier ones for like 30 bucks each) to avoid cross talk between the symbols and the toms.

Also, if you are upstairs (above) your neighbors be prepared for some grief! I got a bunch of Auralex platform to try and placate my neighbors down stairs and it didn’t work! Im now lookig for a legal way of having them stuffed !
 
Thanx.

It's a reconaissance run to see what's out there. My daughter is becoming interested in percussion and our house isn't big enough to indulge in luxuries like Really Noisy Spaces. This tracks pretty much with what I thought.:cool:
 
i'd go with that Hart Dynamics kit and a used alesis dm5. i used to have a dm5 and i loved it even tho it had a few bugs.

or make your own pads http://www.sospubs.co.uk/sos/1995_articles/diydrumpad.htm

you can make a rack for all of it out of PVC... i did this once and painted it black and it worked and looked awesome but it creaked a lot if you tried to move it.

a friend of mine also has an alesis dm4 and likes it for what he does. has less sounds and seems to be less realistic.

T
 
The Yamaha DTExpress is the lowest cost kit (at $1,000). They are not bad sounding, but I've found them to be somewhat frail.

You may be able to put together a set of Hart pads and pick up a used Alesis module (D4 or DM5) and save maybe $200-$300.

You could build your own pads - but by the time you pay for the materials and put in the sweat equity it may not be that much of a savings.

I don't hate e-drums as much as some of the people on this site (maybe because I've played e-drums on and off for almost 20 years).

Certainly I prefer an accoustic set, but I think a low cost e-kit (like the DTExpress) sounds better than a low cost drum kit. However, for $1,000 (the cost of the Yamaha e-kit) you can get a pretty decent accoustic kit.

It all depends on what your looking to achieve.
 
Re: Re: Can anybody recommend an electronic drum kit?

BPRecords said:
There is one reason and one reason only, for someone to buy an electric drum set.

Because you cannot make the noise of acoustic drums in your current place.

And again - if you're not looking to get the electric for that SINGLE reason, then don't because they sound like shit.
Click to expand...

Yeah, tell that to Bill Bruford, Pat Mastelotto or Danny Carey. They are all incredible drummers who use and love e-drums. Your bias is old-fashioned and silly.

If you want to hear want e-drums can do, listen to any newer King Crimson, or better yet, the Projekct CD set.

Anyway, I saw an old Simmons set of pads and hardware go for $100 on Ebay a week or two ago. Alesis brains go for about $150 or less. You can get old Yamaha equipment pretty cheap, too. I like the sound of all of them. They record great, obviously, and you can trigger samples and sequences with them.

If you're new to e-drums, then I wouldn't spend more than $500 on a set-up. Get your stuff used off of Ebay. If you don't like them you can turn it around and most likely break-even. Pro-level stuff is the way to go, avoid the toy pads and what-knot, and I would avoid thinking you can use an Octa-pad as the centerpiece of a small e-kit.
 
Toorglick. you echo my thoughts exactly! You've mentioned three truly innovative and excellent drummers (Bruford's one of my all-time mentors) wo like *both* acoustic and e-drums. I don't think it's a choice of which--rather, why not both if you like to explore.
I've used both myself and like them for different things, and if neighbors/babies/spouses/animals/cops are a concern, then
the e-drums will do many things nicely--and quieter.

By the way, I'm ordering the set of Bruford loops available for
using in my sampler. The odd rhythms are a trip and encourage some interesting writing on my part.

Best,
J.
 
not a spam!

Hey- speaking of cheap e-drums-
A while ago a friend of mine pointed me to <a href="http://www.electronicdrums.com/frames/byo.htm">This website</a> for LOGIZTIXXXXXX! (Dumb name...)

Basically, they have instructions online on making a trigger out of a regular remo drum pad and you hook that up to a drum module (DM5) and voila. There is a "free" plan on line, but they indicate that the hard part is getting the coating off the piezo transducer (which they just so happen to sell!)

Has anyone tried this? Could this be an answer to a Newbies quest for cheap e-drums? (as long as they can lay hands on a DM5 or equivalent for cheap?)
 
i've done it and it's not near as cool as the v-drums or as responsive. the pads are also noisy.

T
 
ad0lescnts said:
i've done it and it's not near as cool as the v-drums or as responsive. the pads are also noisy.

T
Click to expand...

Thanks for the heads up!


P.S.- I played a pintech kit at the music store and I like those mesh heads, they have a nice bounce.
 
I've got the Hart/Alesis combo that MF used to sell for about $750 on closeout for $550. Upgraded the single zone snare that came with it to a Pintech dual zone (turning the old single zone into a 2nd floor tom)and added 2 cymbals. I've got about $800 in, total.

We use them in my basement studio. Do they sound great? No. Can I track drums at midnight on a Tuesday? Absolutely. Are they passable in the hands of a decent drummer? Yes.
 
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