Cons of an electronic kit?

shawnonghs

New member
Hi guys!

I used to play an e-kit but sold it off as it just wasn't keeping up with my progress. Since then I have stopped drumming but I feel like getting into it again. The problem is, e-drums are wayyy more expensive than acoustic kits and leave much to be desired after playing.

Some points I dislike about an e-kit are:
1. Small pads
2. Pads with no depth, makes it feel like I'm playing a toy
3. Sub-par sound quality
4. Rubber pads which feel weird
5. Hi-hats which can't open and close physically
6. No rim-shots
7. Rides without bell

Some of the above are because I purchased quite a beginner set, but the better sets out there cost a bomb and I just cannot justify the price.

I was wondering if you guys face the same problems as I do or what are some of your troubles when playing/buying an e-kit? I'm real interested to know, please comment!

P.S I might be thinking of building my own kit
 
Hi there! I own an electric kit too so I thought I'll chip in:

Most of the points you dislike about an e-kit can probably be attributed to the type of e-kit you buy. I generally only trust either Yamaha or Roland, if you go for the cheaper unknown brands like Medeli such problems like lag are bound to happen. And the features you mentioned that are missing.. well if you buy the newer e-kits they have all those features actually. Personally I own a Yamaha Dtxpress, it has worked fined for me but poses the following problems:

1. The feel of the rubber pads are extremely different compared to a real kit, I guess that's a common problem with all electronic drum sets.
2. Difficult to control dynamics - having always played with an electronic kit I realise I tend to hit a lot harder and the ghost notes don't translate well when I switch over to a normal acoustic kit
3. Sound of the bass drum can still be heard by neighbours downstairs - HUGE problem, needed to muffle the kick drum pad with socks etc which honestly took away a bit of the responsiveness

But these problems are not really that major to me, and anyway most modern e-kits today are shifting towards mesh heads, which tend to emulate the feel of a real drumset more to me. Also for rimshots I'm sure if you get the e-kits with the newer snares (3-trigger zone) that shouldn't be a problem too. Can try Roland I think even their older kits have this feature.

If you think price is a problem, just get a secondhand one, there are tons of people selling their e-kits on carousell and as long as you try it out before buying it shouldn't be a problem.

Personally if I were to choose I would go for an acoustic kit over an e-kit, but my parents/neighbours would never allow it lol cos the noise would be incredible. But if your neighbours are fine with it why not. Haha.
 
Even with an e-kit, neighbours can be an issue. I've had a complaint about the noise of pounding, because the sound of hitting the pads and bass drum is quite loud. Need to figure out some way of reducing the impact noise.

Also, a cheap acoustic drumkit is probably way better than a cheap electronic kit, or even one that's more expensive. They are much better playing, with none of the limitations of electronic drums.

That said, I have an electronic kit because it is low volume. Also, it's great for recording at home.
 
Hi guys!

I used to play an e-kit but sold it off as it just wasn't keeping up with my progress. Since then I have stopped drumming but I feel like getting into it again. The problem is, e-drums are wayyy more exp


there're utter shite, keep away from them, also hesitation is a disease so I salute you but cannot congratulate you. Find a studio, it'll cost you 20 and hr if they charge 40, you are being ripped off. If you must buy one, as you know, it's really the good cymbals what cost a fortune. There was a proper kit for sale somewhere 1200 open to ego. complete with stands snares and everything else.
 
elec kits are really interesting if you build your own sound, if you go really futuristic but futursitic was 1981, so a lot of people have had a head start. AVENUE A re-jigged and re-enregistrated a title by a singer called HOLLY SMITH. That song (which I can vaguely reminder the melody) was really outstanding but it was a DJ reworking, not produced by a band. using Holly's original vocal take. That's when I thought : mhm technology can be good a little. otherwise gadgets surround us but there is very little soul about.
 
Let's say you rent a studio at $20 an hour for two hours at a time.

Every five days you would wind up spending $200. So in 25 days $1000. 50 days $2000.

A good electronic kit costs a lot of money. But do you really need TOP of the line?

An intermediate kit like the Alesis would cost you less than playing at a studio.

The idea is more practice than using it live.

But at the same time, I think Keith misses out on a big plus, which is recording situations. Paying to record drums at a studio can be very expensive, as it is time consuming.

With an electronic kit, plug into a computer and record midi. It's like recording with many mics. And the quality of sounds with a VST is better than many studios you would record in.

Professional bands like Meshuggah and Periphery have recorded albums using VSTs.

An alternative to an ekit for practice is a silent kit like a Traps. Low volume for home practice, which is great.
 
Let's say you rent a studio at $20 an hour for two hours at a time.

Every five days you would wind up spending $200. So in 25 days $1000. 50 days $2000.

A good electronic kit costs a lot of money. But do you really need TOP of the line?

An intermediate kit like the Alesis would cost you less than playing at a studio.

The idea is more practice than using it live.

But at the same time, I think Keith misses out on a big plus, which is recording situations. Paying to record drums at a studio can be very expensive, as it is time consuming.

With an electronic kit, plug into a computer and record midi. It's like recording with many mics. And the quality of sounds with a VST is better than many studios you would record in.

Professional bands like Meshuggah and Periphery have recorded albums using VSTs.

An alternative to an ekit for practice is a silent kit like a Traps. Low volume for home practice, which is great.



pleasure cannot be measured in Shillings, Dollars or pence. The studio, the space is where it all happens.

I'm no good at it but find some dosh so you can feel the incomparable urge of going in and bashing the skins. Failing that, ask around to see if someone has a studio you could use. The space, big or small, is where it all happens, and you have to feel it, fill it and master it. If you have your kit that's best.

It's all about "letting it all out"

thank you
 
pleasure cannot be measured in Shillings, Dollars or pence. The studio, the space is where it all happens.

I'm no good at it but find some dosh so you can feel the incomparable urge of going in and bashing the skins. Failing that, ask around to see if someone has a studio you could use. The space, big or small, is where it all happens, and you have to feel it, fill it and master it. If you have your kit that's best.

It's all about "letting it all out"

thank you











That's not feasible for a lot of people though. Getting to the studio takes time, unless you live next door it will always be difficult to practice.

On the other hand, having your own kit and home allows you to practice for as many hours as you like, whenever you want to play. I agree, an e-kit is no substitute for an acoustic kit, I know which one I would take for a gig. But I can't keep an acoustic kit at home because it makes too much noise. And I can't travel to the jampad very easily, none near my place and I work too, so it's hard to find free time.


An e-kit helps me refine my chops so that I can play well on an acoustic kit when I get behind one.
 
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