Speaking of the mesh heads, they feel great. Be sure to watch out for sellers who do not offer a return policy. On the side of the drum module, you can plug in headphones, output sounds left and right to a PA system or speaker, plug in an aux to play along with music, add two additional pads, and send MIDI data out of the unit. This is the best way to record an electronic drum kit and by far the easiest. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. This feature is huge and a must-have for me. The only prerequisite is having a computer with a digital audio workstation, like Ableton, Pro Tools, Cubase, or Logic. In this guide we'll show you how to determine if your trouble with trigger … First off, despite the module looking outdated, the samples included sound phenomenal. Kits like this Roland somewhat remind me of the Yahama DTX450K, which in my eyes, is a little too overpriced for what you get. Keep in mind that you will need to spend some time tweaking and adjusting settings to fit your playing style. The hardware frame on this e drum kit didn’t exactly impress us. In most cases, trigger problems with a strike kit are caused by misused trigger settings or physical setup. Still, they look fantastic. The drums act just like acoustic drums, as you can tune them higher or lower for feel. Drummers tend to spend more time playing the snare and cymbals than the other drums. An electronic drum kit should be compared to an acoustic kit like a grand piano is to a MIDI controller. The article states that the Surge Mesh module can load custom samples, but I can’t find any other site or document that also confirms this. Often times when buying online, you can check down underneath the product listing to see if the manufacturer or supplier sells a bundle deal with commonly purchased products. While this might not be an issue for beginners, it surely was for me. If you own a laptop, you can use the USB MIDI connection to connect to your laptop or desktop computer. Add depth to your kit with specialty “Trigger” kit pieces like white noise, sine wave or one-shot samples; You can make any MIDI groove which fits with your track’s rhythm and beat; A grid search facility helps you find the right MIDI groove; Drag and drop finished drum … I’m hoping for a 1.5 update that will better address the problem. The Roland V-drum pads feel much nicer, though could be a little bit larger like we see on the more expensive Roland V-drum models. The next-generation mesh heads are similar to that of other Alesis kits. The Command Mesh offers a 10″ dual-zone snare drum pad, three dual-zone drum pads, three cymbals, two pedals, a bass drum pad, and a drum module. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08HM8WR5Y/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=A2LM6ZPY06LT1N&psc=1. I truly appreciate you bringing this to our attention. The drum module had an auxiliary input on the back, so I was able to connect my iPod to it and play along with my favorite tunes. The snare uses the static electricity in your hands to differentiate rim clicks and cross sticks. I see that some kits have drums with only a single zone per tom for example, and others that offer more than one zone per drum head. The snare drum often does not match the kit, for example being a metal or plain wood shell in a kit where the other drums are in a matching finish. You can try your best if you wanna try some options out before buying, but I’m afraid you won’t find much to play around on. Sorry about that. This is basically the same technique as described above and will likely yield the same results. They have similar functions and use, but feel is completely different. Alesis DM6 Review: A Pro Drummer’s Secret Weapon? I still have yet to see any e-drum kit that sells the mounting hardware, rack system, or the drum pads separately. Still, Roland makes great products, so you can’t really go wrong. Honestly, the thing sucked and it was impossible to assemble and disassemble. From my understanding, it plays much nicer than my kit does—though I have no direct experience playing the SE. The Alesis Command Mesh is a perfect option for intermediate drummers who may already have an acoustic drum set and need to practice quietly. What does it all mean? TRIGGER comes stock with a library of the industry standard drum samples created by Steven Slate. There are three primary reasons for buying an e drum kit: practicing, performing live, and recording. This is their flagship drum set and would be any drummer’s dream to own. If practicing is your only concern, I again suggest a lower range budget electronic drum kit like the Alesis Forge. As such, even drummers from the same genre of music may prefer a different brand or size of snare. I highly suggest working with them if you’re planning on picking up an electronic drum set in the near future. Contact Us. I think I’m going to go with the Alesis Nitro. There have been seven different versions of this kit produced. I do a lot of drum programming, so I’d most likely be fine with a single-zone kit. If you plan on playing gigs or touring, be sure to take good care of your instrument. Multiple snare drums, usually in the form of side snares. While you can use your own drum sounds from your module, I guarantee if you use a professional sample library with MIDI, you’ll achieve way better results than any drum module on the market (even the TD-50). Side snares are used similarly to effects cymbals, when an additional and different sound is required. Included as well are 40 free drum lessons from Melodics for newer players. The biggest advantage to electronic drums is the amount of drum and percussion sounds you can program, as well as the built-in, complete drum sets. You can even use your hands to play if you’d like. Is this difference relevant to someone just looking to record MIDI? Shop electronic drum kits at the guaranteed lowest price. The module includes 100+ sounds and 30 play-along songs. This would allow for a greater dynamic range and would make the electronic kit sound more realistic. If you see a USB type B port (the more square-looking one), all you need to get is a standard USB cable (If one didn’t ship with your kit, I’ve used ones that have come with printers before that I had laying around the house). The TD-27KV dominates every kit on this list for the price. These instruments also contain MIDI outputs, so if recording was your plan, you can get away with it on these, as well (though, not as intuitively). While the kit is ready-to-go right out of the box, spending some time to truly optimize the trigger … Alesis Strike Kit - Troubleshooting Trigger Response. I have been screaming for this feature since day one! I own the regular Strike kit and have somewhat mixed feelings about it. Shape and Share Drum Performances Like Never Before. The Alesis Nitro Kit is a complete 8-piece electronic drum kit that includes everything you need to play like a pro. They aren’t bad kits, but for a live show, I would strive for a higher quality drum sound, both to satisfy me as a player and the audience. Alesis has moved away from the regular Nitro kit (which featured rubber pads), and seems to be focusing on selling the mesh version of the kit. The Alesis Strike Sound Module is fantastic when considering their other kits. This might serve the needs of a beginner, but definitely won’t be used at a professional level for touring or recording in a studio. I find that the TD-27KV has the makeup of an ideal kit: The kit features Roland’s newest digital technology. Upon loading up a digital audio workstation, like Logic, you’ll find that most computers that utilize this technology today are Plug and Play. Drum module that is similar to the Alesis Command, Dual-zone pads and a triple-zone ride cymbal, 3.5mm auxiliary input for playing to your favorite songs, An included drum rack and double-braced snare drum stand, Cables, cable wrap, and a drum key are also included. Navigating the user interface is a little tricky, but with some practice, you’ll get used to it. Many forum users complain about the plastic plates cracking within the drum pads themselves, as well. These are my best picks for 2021, ranging from cheap to very expensive. Other highlights of the Alesis Nitro Mesh Kit include virtual instrument compatibility via USB and MIDI … Looms are hand-made “snakes” that keep your cables that reach the same destination together. This feature is great for learning and internalizing time, as well as hearing yourself back to see where you can improve. MIDI was designed with keyboards in mind, and any controller that is not a keyboard is considered an "alternative" controller. Five cymbals come with the Strike Pro! There’s no kick pad, just a small pedal that functions as your bass drum. I can’t say that it actually sounds like its high-end counterparts at all, but this is a good selling feature. My current e kit, the Alesis Strike, has all dual-zone drum pads. You can easily switch through presets using the rotary knob located in the middle of the drum module. A little bit more than half of the cymbal is playable. These types of drums drastically reduce the volume produced by practicing drums. All the electronic drum kits listed here have a MIDI output available, so you’ll be able to connect to your digital audio workstation fairly easily. Get yourself some drum cases (hard are best) and come up with a system for assembling the kit every night in record time. I’m not really buying the whole “enhances stick response” idea from Alesis, but they still feel great. I know some people like using .wav loops for their drums, but I paid a lot of money for high-end drum … Within each pad lies several preset kits to choose. Many users reported that the edge sample will not respond in some cases when playing. It feels and plays like an acoustic kit (to a certain extent), sounds great, and the hardware is of great quality. There’s a lot of value packed into the kit and you can see how you may end up getting lost just finding something to add to your kit with so many options. While they can be reported to eBay for malpractice, it’s not something you want to be dealing with and no one wants to be scammed. You’re stuck with what you get from the start. I wouldn’t even consider buying an electronic drum kit in this scenario. For example, the MIDI output may be broken, the instrument may not power on, the USB jack is faulty, etc…. The Basic Ghost Hexpander MIDI Interface Kit consists of a Hexpander MIDI interface, a 13-pin output jack and mounting plate, and an interface wiring harness. I have two locations within an hour and a half of my house. Assorted accessories such as spare washers, cymbal sleeves, wire snare cords, washers for tension rods, etc. Which one do you use? At this price point, this is one of the best electronic drum kits you can buy. The Alesis Nitro electric drum kit is one of the best selling kits online. We earn a commission if you click this link and make a purchase at no additional cost to you. My question is in regards to the drum pads and their zones. For the purposes here, we will only be discussing the most recent iteration, the studio kit. Another competitor for the used market is Reverb. All drum kits usually require a drum rug, so I’d advise picking up a cheap rug from your local big box store to go underneath your drums. Your digital audio workstation will be able to see these instruments all on different MIDI channels depending on how they are configured at the hardware level. The system features low-latency circuitry that allows for fast and accurate tracking with most any capable pitch-to-MIDI … With this bad news, hopefully, Guitar Center can turn themselves around, hire more knowledgeable workers, and do a better job serving the music industry at large. All technology these days requires a little bit of getting used to. If you’re looking for more realism, Zildjian introduced a line of acoustic-electric cymbals that feel much more accurate than traditional electronic cymbal pads. The onboard sampler gives you the ability to sample any sound in real-time on the way in and route to any trigger you like. Most modules have a USB output on the back, allowing you to connect to your computer easily. While it does have its quirks, the Strike Pro SE is a fantastic option for professional drummers looking for an alternative to Roland’s high-end kits. Want to capture all your drums separately for mixing? Again, like the Alesis Nitro, the Alesis Command Mesh suffers from the same sonic issues that kit did. Jimmy, While I am usually completely against this practice, using programmed drums is an excellent tool for writing music without a drummer. The TD-1K makes a great entry-level kit for the beginning drummer. Even though the kit is made of metal, it is very lightweight. But that’s what a mesh head is! Alesis has produced an insane amount of excellent products for us as drummers. Many drummers use thinner heads on their snare than the other drums. Best Overall Electronic Drum Kit for the Money. The Nitro’s drum module does have expansion features with two inputs in the back and buttons for each expanded pad on the front of the module. E drums can unleash a ton of creativity when writing music, drum parts, and producing music. The drum module itself is a little tricky to get used to if you haven’t used one before. The USB-MIDI functionality is great if you want to connect your electronic drum kit to a computer to record externally. This really isn’t an end all be all solution. I don’t own this kit, but I hope to one day! MODO DRUM’s innovative modal synthesis technology shatters the limitations of traditional drum sample libraries, for a new standard in realistic, natural and customizable drum … The Strike SE may have improved on the hi-hat issues, but I have no firsthand experience with this drum set. While the shape is a little funny looking, the TD-17 does pack a lot of features into an affordable drum module. 65 Drums video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gKeikLmS1pw, I also recently found a free drum library from Power Drum Kit. A dual-zone pad allows for different sounds, whether on the rim, or the main pad. It’s important to know exactly what you’re getting when you make your purchase, as I’m sure you’ll want to be setting this thing up and playing on day one, right? Nick, fantastic guide. I need to stress — this e kit is super basic but extremely affordable. I finally settled on a Yamaha DT-Xpress IV kit, which is old by today’s standards. If you have any problems, be sure to reach out to their support, and they will help. Pearl’s e/Merge comes with a 14″ snare, 18″ full-size bass drum, 10″, 12″, and 14″ toms, 14″ hats, 15″ crash, and an 18″ ride. It provides extraordinary value at such an affordable price. This is a great way to record band demos. You aren’t just limited to traditional acoustic drum sounds. Included are 50 preset drum kits and 100 instruments with many built-in effects. She came over and told me to knock it off and only practice at a certain time during the day. I also have a collection of sound modules that I would have to use a USB to MIDI interface and the USB would have to be powered since there is no power to the malletstation if I am not mistaken. I’d expect this kit to be used live on an arena tour! My most sincere apologies to you. This is something you may have to deal with, as certain walls in buildings can be thin. If budget is a concern, go with the Alesis Surge Mesh. Even though our focus is on … It’s a bit more expensive than a kit like the Alesis Strike Pro SE, but is far better in quality and performance. In addition, most DAWs come included with drum samples and instruments. They also offer a nice return policy on used equipment, which is a plus in my book. Starting off the list, we are going to feature three options that are more budget-friendly. Do you have an electronic drum kit? Most drum modules have a transport bar, so nothing new here really. While there are only a few pads on the module, think of them as genre buttons. I’ve been playing for twenty-plus years. My preferred retailer for buying drums and percussion: You get fast, free shipping, unparalleled support provided by real musicians, additional warranties, and free candies with each order! In addition to a large sample library, you get 60 play-along tracks to practice your drumming to. The USB port on the module connects to either a Mac or PC for use with music software. My conclusion — The Turbo Mesh is by far the best electronic drum set for kids. Although, not the greatest for learning and development, it keeps the kit quiet. This drum has eight sensors across the head and rim to accurately model a real snare drum. Like mentioned earlier, Dual-zone pads allow for rim clicks, rim shots, and customization of multiple sounds on any drum pad you desire. The kit is tough to set up to feel natural. The kit needs to be easily transportable. What Makes for the Best Electronic Drum Set? Steven Slate Drums are the drum sounds of your dreams! Local “chain” music stores are failing, unfortunately. By utilising patented non-contact technology, the Tourtech TT-22M's mesh snare trigger is far more reliable and reponsive than any other drum kit on the market at this price point! For the vast majority of drummers just looking to practice, it is just fine. If I was a super serious drummer in your shoes, this would be the kit for me. The kick pad you get with this set is big enough for using a double kick pedal. The kit includes 54 preset kits and 671 instrument sounds. If you don’t like what you buy, retailers like Amazon offer a simple way to return items. Many users of the Strike Pro have reported the mesh pads failing after just months of use. With Alesis out of the way (for now), let’s take a look at a Roland kit. If that still isn’t working, you may have to come up with a DIY solution. Is this correct information? The Alesis Command Mesh module includes 600+ instruments including snares, world percussion, electronics, effects, and unlike the Alesis Nitro, you can import your own custom sounds to this drum module. I tend to find tons of great deals on used equipment and the best caveat is being able to try before you buy. Most kits do not include the bass drum pedal, drum throne, sticks, or even headphones. This is useful for playing rimshots or rim clicks. The Strike kit has much larger shell sizes, which are great when transitioning from a standard kit to electronic. The snare drum is also no longer attached to the rack with the Pro version. The stick response is decent. It’s definitely not a bad kit, but if you’re willing to fork out this much, I’d move up a step. There is no way to load custom samples into the Alesis Nitro. The hi-hat is very tricky and a bit tough to configure. Update: the new firmware has not completely fixed the issue, but it is better. I love buying used gear, but you must be careful. This one is no different. Some of these instruments are not cheap and require considerable thought and planning prior to purchasing. I look forward to seeing the product once released and videos with more detail before deciding. Prosonic MIDI drum libraries are my "go to" resource for creating drums quickly. While top‑of‑the‑range electronic kits include pads with multiple sensing zones that can give the player access to different articulations for each basic kit … If you plan to play performances out in public, this may not be the best option. Once the MIDI is into the computer, it’s likely to be edited further, so there’s really no point in spending a fortune if all your using is MIDI data. That being said, these types of heads can also give you a false sense of rebound. The SE is the newest version of the Strike. Apps like Melodics also offer a way to learn how to play drums by connecting your kit to your computer, so be sure to give that a shot if you’re a new player. This is the most obvious marketplace for used products, but it needs to be mentioned. If you’re lost and don’t know which kit is right for you, ask yourself these questions: If you answered no, I would suggest you stick with something a little more affordable, like the Alesis Forge. Easy for working in low-light environments, like being on stage. More and more recording studios and producers are using “programmed drums” on modern records via MIDI, as we were speaking above. The Nitro is an 8-piece e-drum kit featuring tom pads, a dual-zone snare pad, cymbals (both chokable and non-chokable), a mounting rack, and a powerful drum … I know for a fact that EZ Drummer works right out of the box with e kits, but I’m not huge on the samples. The drum sound module will not matter at all, as you should already have your own drum VST plugins or acoustic drum sample libraries. Hi Matty. It can be tricky to find, however. The more important thing is that you play the thing. It includes 385 sounds, 60 play-along songs, and a straightforward drum module. I found that these drum samples sounded much better than either Alesis drum modules and had a much greater dynamic control when playing. For the past ten years I’ve ordered with them and have never once had an issue. It’s well worth it to go this route rather than buying a whole new drum module that has USB. There may be affiliate links on this page and on others. I do not not like the lack of MIDI ports (major issue for me) or internal sounds (not a deal breaker) and the exclusive use of an USB output. The offer more protection from bumps than cloth bags. Being a traditional player of acoustic drums, I’d like my e drums to sound as real as possible. The only difference between dual-zoned pads and single-zoned is dual-zone pads have the ability to play different samples on either the rim or the pad. You can with eight outputs. Pads that can trigger a MIDI device can be homemade from a piezoelectric sensor and a practice pad or other piece of foam rubber.