Electronic drum kits

[tigersaw]

I was impressed with a cheap and cheerful electronic drum kit in PC World the other day, and thought it would be something interesting to put in the conservatory rather than expensive and useless wicker furniture.

A bit of research concluded that the supplied software is pants, the build quality is fisher price and it wont last 5 minutes.

However, still might get something else, like a Alesis DM5 pro kit - but no use to me without tuition. Anyone know if there is a midi drum kit tuition software package out there - free or otherwise?

[Warthog]

I was strongly thinking about getting an electronic kit recently. There are many things I buy the cheapest version of, but on big electronic kit is not something I would skimp on, it'll only let you down. Roland do great kits now, but I think you should be prepared to spend in the region of ?500 at least.

[Davido]

Its called 'rock band'.

Buy it and the drum set. Its freaking awesome and is surprisingly close to real drums (or so I have been told, I'm musically challenged).

Plus its great fun just beating on it.

[Woz]

Electronic? Pah!

Get a real one... your neighbours will love you for it. Mine did :smt077

[Alpinestarhero]

Electronic? Pah!

Get a real one... your neighbours will love you for it. Mine did :smt077

Trapps do a space-saving acoustic drum kit, my mate has one and its pretty good

Matt

[kwak zzr]

Buy Roland, my mates lad is into this big time and they are the dog's! he did pay ?1500 for his tho.

[Alpinestarhero]

Buy Roland, my mates lad is into this big time and they are the dog's! he did pay ?1500 for his tho.

y'ouch, thats serious money, maybe a bit too serious if you are a beginner

I wish could spare ?1500 for a new guitar

[Scoobs]

Yamaha also do some good kits.

[rob13]

I would love to get into percussion, always something I wanted to do but couldnt get the space for the kit nor could I complain when I already had a pro-keyboard & had 2 guitars & an amp sitting there.

[Camel]

The Yamaha DTS Express III (i think it's called) is a decent kit, for entry level.

There was another one I was recommended, £500 all in, but I can't remember the brand. :(

I am considering one at the moment, just to get back into it really.

[Davido]

Rock. Band

£150 with drums, guitar,mic and game.

You know it makes sense.

To recap. Rock band.

[Manguish]

And there is a great prog to use the set with windows with assignable pads to different samples. Awesome.

[Jayneflakes]

Carol here, Jaynes partner.
I have a roland TD3 Electric kit (http://www.roland.co.uk/drum_room_catdet.asp?id=TD3KW) and SPD-6 Drum pad (http://www.roland.com/products/en/SPD-6/) and would recommend them both.
You will find cheaper but the drum pad sensors will be rubbish the way the pads react on the Roland V drums is very much like a normal kit. It is very easy to keep spending, they do V drums with proper snares and skins for instance. But I can't afford them at the mo.
If you want a starter then the Drum pad would be a good place to start, it is compact and a lot cheaper than the bigger kits, the sound reproduction is also very good on the whole Roland range.

I have used proper drums, but as my band and friends tend to come and 'jam' in my front room I need to be able to turn the volume down, the other advantage is that I can change the sounds of the pads even as I play giving me far more choice in the the music I create.

You can see me playing drums here (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hfpjj26Zf7A)


And the drum pad here (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SeaWX6WoLLU)

[rob13]

I like the look of the Roland Handsonic. Always fancied an electronic percussion machine.

[Gordon B]

Rock. Band

£150 with drums, guitar,mic and game.

You know it makes sense.

To recap. Rock band.

Nope.

Wait for either RB2, out in September or Guitar Hero 4 which I believe will come with drums as well.

[the_elements_600]

I'm not a fan of electronic drumkits to be honest. The acoustic ones feel so much more authentic and proper to play on and you have the ability to use dynamics much more on a real one.

[stewie]

Have a look at this http://www.manchesterdrum.com/prodtype.asp?PT_ID=255&strPageHistory=cat or here http://www.manchesterdrum.com/default.asp they,ve got a good rep up here, Im always taking me daughter in for sticks etc...

[Ceri JC]

+1 for Roland's V-Drums.

[amnesia]

We had a drummer change his acoustic kit for an electronic one...it sounded pants.

The reason for this was that it only had a single stereo output which meant that you could do nothing with the balance of the individual 'drums'.

If electronic drums are your thing (and they are better now than they were) then make sure they are versatile enough for your needs.


Remember..you can't polish a turd! Although Pro-tools will get you fairly close.

[Davido]

Nope.

Wait for either RB2, out in September or Guitar Hero 4 which I believe will come with drums as well.

Or buy the rock band drum kit now and get some practicein,then just get the newer game when its out.

:)

[Davido]

Carol here, Jaynes partner.
I have a roland TD3 Electric kit (http://www.roland.co.uk/drum_room_catdet.asp?id=TD3KW) and SPD-6 Drum pad (http://www.roland.com/products/en/SPD-6/) and would recommend them both.
You will find cheaper but the drum pad sensors will be rubbish the way the pads react on the Roland V drums is very much like a normal kit. It is very easy to keep spending, they do V drums with proper snares and skins for instance. But I can't afford them at the mo.
If you want a starter then the Drum pad would be a good place to start, it is compact and a lot cheaper than the bigger kits, the sound reproduction is also very good on the whole Roland range.

I have used proper drums, but as my band and friends tend to come and 'jam' in my front room I need to be able to turn the volume down, the other advantage is that I can change the sounds of the pads even as I play giving me far more choice in the the music I create.

You can see me playing drums here (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hfpjj26Zf7A)


And the drum pad here (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SeaWX6WoLLU)

Are you wearing sunglasses indoors?

[SoulKiss]

Or buy the rock band drum kit now and get some practicein,then just get the newer game when its out.

:)

Kit from one game may not work with the other.............

[Davido]

It should do if its made by the same people.

Harmonix made guitar hero one and two, but another company made guitar hero three. Harmonix made rock band, so the guitars from one and two will work on it, so if the trend continues then the drum kits should work too.

The rock band guitar doesn't work on GH 2 though. :(

[_drummer_]

Yay talking drums :) Nothing will ever replace my acoustic (Tama) set, but I wanted something I could play whenever I wanted in my living room & also gig/teach with. Personally I was looking at Roland TD20 set or Hart Dynamics Professional series, I went with a TD20 module & got a Hart Professional 6.4, with some extra bits.
The kit is awesome, feels similar to an acoustic kit without the neighbours plotting my death but it all did cost a lot, but have a look at Harts range (http://www.hartdynamics.com/products/drumsets/index.html), they do kick ****, I haven't tried the cheaper versions but have read good reports about them. -Although nothing will ever replace the dynamics you can get with a real drum (well nothing I've tried anyway).
The clips on my myspace drumming site are all recorded from the the Hart/Roland kit, have a listen :) tbh some musos I know couldn't tell the difference in sound between it & an acoustic kit. :D

[rob13]

Tigersaw did you get any further? The DM5 Pro kit is available for £299 at the moment with stool so sounds like a real good deal. The way the kit is designed gives the feel of an acoustic kit however i just wonder where the money goes on more expensive stuff - build quality? I know theyre not real cymbals (£699 for the surge cymbal pack) but surely for a beginner theyre a good kit to start with?

[Spokey]

I have a Yamaha DTExpress III - I think it's fine for a thrash around on - you can plug an MP3 player etc in to it to play along to your favourite tunes - doesn't annoy the neighbours ( which unless you can play like Neil Peart you will do with an acoustic kit ) has 99 different kits and hundreds of different sounds which you can assign to each pad and even tailor the sounds if you want - it folds up and takes up very little space, and ok, it's not got the feel of an acoustic kit, bit comes close enough for a bit of fun.

worth looking at

Spokey

[tigersaw]

Tigersaw did you get any further? The DM5 Pro kit is available for £299 at the moment with stool so sounds like a real good deal. The way the kit is designed gives the feel of an acoustic kit however i just wonder where the money goes on more expensive stuff - build quality? I know theyre not real cymbals (£699 for the surge cymbal pack) but surely for a beginner theyre a good kit to start with?

Hi, thanks for the heads up - do you have a link? I see it at £299 with a quick google, but pic does not show the stool.
Currently the conservatory area I had earmarked for it is freezing cold and has a christmas tree sitting there, but theres still a possible budget for a 'santa to me' present :)

[rob13]

http://www.dolphinmusic.co.uk/shop/flypage/product_id/37596/r/base

[tigersaw]

http://www.dolphinmusic.co.uk/shop/flypage/product_id/37596/r/base

Thanks, have mailed them to confirm it includes kick drum pedal - many other vendors seem to exclude it

[Mr Speirs]

Aslong as you don't take it gigging. I don't like mixing electronic drum kits.

[vardypeeps]

I agree that Rockband is ace.
Just feels like playing the drums in fact you are. If you took what you play and copied onto real drums you would be a master.

And for the pros expert on it is really difficult