Acoustic drums vs electronic drums (for practice)

yups, thats the one (jeepers pic)

both me and alvin have been trying to bring it in but there're a number of obstacles at the moment. we'll update once there's good news.

the set i have at the lab is my personal set, i bought it on impulse online shopping on late night (drum shopping online is very addictive!!!)

sheylara, feel free to try it when you're at the lab, just ask alvin to let u inside my room. the kids are always trying to "rob" me of my goodies..

cheers
 
lester_music said:
What is the rough price of the DW practice kit....come with pedal?

ANyone know?:)
Click to expand...


hey there lester,

i bought mine off amazon @ USD150 including shipping within US.

it arrived at Vpost and i paid about $100 in volumetric shipping charges. I got a 15% off coupon so it was something like S$85.

total i spent including shipping to singapore was about $300.



one of my students mentioned seeing the practice kit bundle with a DW7000 single pedal for $700 at some shop in peninsular. you'd probably want to explore similar method like me if you want to get one ... ;)

if we (the lab) can bring it in to sell we'll try to make it competitive with amazon-vpost combo as much as possible. no guarantees as its looking pretty much up in the air at the moment.


life in a modern city like sg, limited space and limited time. there is a huge need for "practice anywhere" tools to support the aspiring local drummers, still very much lacking.

cheers
 
I think getting a pedal with a bass drum practice pad is tons better than the Futz pedal. I've tried the futz pedal and it feels way too different from a real pedal...I don't know what it might do to you in the long run. In my humble opinion the futz is ok for heel down practice but it is pretty awkward for heel up players....for those who have tried playing the Roland HD-1...its something like that...you won't feel the beater "throw" that is typical of a conventional pedal.

As for practicing on a practice pad kit or electronic kit...it is fine but like some who have already suggested...getting on a real kit to practice once in a while is still crucial for developing dynamics, feel, touch etc.

Here's Pearl's version of a bass drum practice pad:

resize
 
Thanks Jasper for the Pics
195259.jpg


I love this DW Practice Kit, it looks so different isn't it from other Practice Kit. The White Pads looks Classy (with the DW Logo) - the entire Practice Kit seems to worth more than it's Price.......and it's very true that it's Compact (easily Kept)....

In Fact the Actual Thing I saw really looks better than the Pics.....come with Pedal or no Pedal doesn't really matter at all...........as most drummers will use their own Choice-Pedal (my preferred is Eliminator, for others it could be Cobra etc.etc.)

The Objective is to be able to do Practice (so that neighbour won't complain me), and I can practice it even late in the night......most of all - It really look so nice.eee and classy - I love it !.

Alfe/Alvin - once Music Lab intend to bring in this DW Practice Kit please let me know the price ok ... I might buy one of this....cool.lllllllll...Students Have It's Priviledges right?.
 
Yo,
I too, living in a small unit, have been thinking about using an e-kit for practice and i find 'the feel' is a big deciding factor for me.

because i work nights and irregular shifts during the day i tend to practice on an acoustic kit but....

i teach on a set of yamaha electronic drums once a week and then go to a rehearsal at night and i have to say, imho, the difference in feel is pretty dramatic.
not that i'm saying it's a bad thing

I would prefer to practice on an acoustic kit for feel, touch, tone etc...
but the instant feedback, through headphones etc.., that an electronic kit gives to me and my students is pretty worthwhile
I definately go to acoustic for feel, but for time, an e-kit can kick your musical arse in a good way. Especially playing with samples etc...

Ultimately, if you practice on a e-kit, great, they can help in heaps of ways, but make sure you play on an acoustic kit regularly as well

As usual, i agree with Alvin too, the feel of the throw of a bass drum pedal is pretty important to me. means you can transfer more easily between drums and pads etc...

Those DW kits do look very classy in white too
 
=RD: Hey no worries whatsoever! Since I was online and was checking out this thread already, I figured I just do it.

=plainsman: YEAHH late night drum shopping is killing me. Just won a bid off eBay Australia for a pair of 15" Sweet hats. DIEEE. Then now this DW practice kit. GAS.

Like most of the others here who have expressed their opinions on the topic, my issue is difference in feel between an acoustic and electronic kit. It just a different vibe altogether.

But I guess if you get enough time on an acoustic kit, it's not really an issue, or is it? You get to enjoy the best of both worlds.

I get to play on a Roland TD-3KW every Sunday 'cos my church has one. Very nice. Versatile and it's good to go anytime. No worries about tone or volume or anything like that. Very quick way to get your ideas out.

Especially if you're as random as I am and stay up as late as I do on a nightly basis, an e-kit would be good. :D

With all the limitations that us drummers face here, it's a tough tough order. You play on the electronic kit, you get complaints. Even more so when you play on the acoustic kit. I'm thankful I've got absolutely lovely neighbours, very understanding people.
 
Last edited:
Hi Sheylara, everyone else have said what I want to say, but to be honest, if you're worried about the acoustic drums being too loud for your grandmother to take, of course the practice kit or an e-drum is the way to go.

A few things that the e-drums can do actually, in my opinion, or at least with my DTXplorer.

1. Simple recording, just plug a 3.5mm male-to-male cable into your computer and the e-drum and you're ready to record your grooves.
2. Gaming, since Sheylara is a gamer girl as I've read, e-drums, or at least the DTXplorer/DTXpress can play the console version of Drummania(that drum game in arcades) and if you are daring to mod it, Rock Band is possible too.

I had the same dilemma as you when I'm planning to get a proper drumset since I prefer playing on a real set than using practice pads or air drums.
I could play my drums at 3am without waking anyone up while playing with my favourite songs without blasting them out loud.

I agree that playing on the e-drums affects your control on acoustic drums as I'm finding myself producing loud volumes during my drum lessons at Yamaha. The feel is different too, especially on the hi-hats/cymbals. Well, I guess its all about adapting to different sets?
 
Wow, this is better than I imagined! Thanks everyone for sharing your opinions!

Schtauffen: Ooh, interesting! So, how do I hook up the DTX to play Drummania? I never heard of it being made as a console or PC software.
 
You can use it to play Drummania or the PC version DTXmania.

I'll hook mine up to my PS2 and take a pic or maybe a video of it someday =)
Simply get a UX-16 MIDI-USB Interface from Yamaha, $145 retail, hook it up on the module and the USB to the PS2 and you're ready =D
 
I'm not so sure, not a proud owner of the PS3 yet thanks to my brother purchasing the Xbox 360 -_- But I doubt the PS3 is backward-compatible, since my school gaming club has a PS3 but we still have a guy bringing his PS2 Slim to school.

If you don't have a PS2, there's always DTXmania, a PC version. Or maybe Konami might do something to for the console Guitarfreaks/Drummania. No news so far.

In any case, this topic is about acoustic drums vs e-drums, lets not get outta topic. xD
 
Hahaa cool! I guess I can go do more research on the topic if I really buy the e-drums! :) Thanks for the info!
 
I got myself an electronic drum set this year.
Had the same dilemma as you,
could not decide between the electronic set, or to stick with the acoustic set.
For me, the problem was recording in my band's studio.
Neighbours were complaining that we were too loud, especially the drums.
We had to defunct the whole place for a year or so.
We tried looking into sound-proofing the studio, but it was way too costly.
The only solution we had was electronic drums.
I wasn't comfortable with it.
We all know the amazing range of sound we can experiment on with an acoustic drum set.
I guess we all have to learn to adapt.
Just to let you know, i got myself a Roland td-3k,
and up to this moment,
i have never once regretted.
Like the rest have said and shared,
this electronic set makes practice such an ease, in or out of the studio.
Just to let you know, i transport my set from my home to the studio, and back again each jamming session.
Set-up takes barely 20 mins.
It's a breeze. :)

The good thing about an electronic set, like my friends have said it,
it's a buy-and-forget drumset.
There's is totally NO need for constant upkeep,
changing of skins,
tuning, cleaning.
It's a plug and play kinda equipment.
regarding range of sound,
i myself was pleasantly surprised at the range of sounds the sound module was providing me with,
from shakers, to tambourines, to rimshots and kettle-drums.
It really helped me experiment more each time i practiced, and everything at the touch of a finger.
Regarding the feel and control of the drumset,
i must say electronic sets have come a long way.
i was quite stunned when my snare drum(electronic) could register soft shuffles and minute touches with my brushes!
With the addition of a metronome, my drumming and timing have improved tremendously.

All in all,
i would highly recommend a good electronic drum set.
It makes practice so very enjoyable,
so very available,
yet so very realistic, as electronic as it may be.
just be careful to get a set that has a realistic snare and hi-hat at least.

Also, its a breeze should you ever need to record something.
But yes,
make time to head down to a practice studio and oil yourself at an acoustic set regularly.
It's very important.
Something i'm trying to do myself.

Just my 2 cents.
hope it helps.
Rock on.
 
Last edited:
somebody said:
I got myself an electronic drum set this year.
Had the same dilemma as you,
could not decide between the electronic set, or to stick with the acoustic set.
For me, the problem was recording in my band's studio.
Neighbors were complaining that we were too loud, especially the drums.
We had to defunct the whole place for a year or so.
We tried looking into sound-proofing the studio, but it was way too costly.
The only solution we had was electronic drums.
I wasn't comfortable with it.
We all know the amazing range of sound we can experiment on with an acoustic drum set.
I guess we all have to learn to adapt.
Just to let you know, i got myself a Roland td-3k,
and up to this moment,
i have never once regretted.
Like the rest have said and shared,
this electronic set makes practice such an ease, in or out of the studio.
Just to let you know, i transport my set from my home to the studio, and back again each jamming session.
Set-up takes barely 20 mins.
It's a breeze. :)

The good thing about an electronic set, like my friends have said it,
it's a buy-and-forget drumset.
There's is totally NO need for constant upkeep,
changing of skins,
tuning, cleaning.
It's a plug and play kinda equipment.
regarding range of sound,
i myself was pleasantly surprised at the range of sounds the sound module was providing me with,
from shakers, to tambourines, to rimshots and kettle-drums.
It really helped me experiment more each time i practiced, and everything at the touch of a finger.
Regarding the feel and control of the drumset,
i must say electronic sets have come a long way.
i was quite stunned when my snare drum(electronic) could register soft shuffles and minute touches with my brushes!
With the addition of a metronome, my drumming and timing have improved tremendously.

All in all,
i would highly recommend a good electronic drum set.
It makes practice so very enjoyable,
so very available,
yet so very realistic, as electronic as it may be.
just be careful to get a set that has a realistic snare and hi-hat at least.

Also, its a breeze should you ever need to record something.
But yes,
make time to head down to a practice studio and oil yourself at an acoustic set regularly.
It's very important.
Something i'm trying to do myself.

Just my 2 cents.
hope it helps.
Rock on.
Click to expand...

Hey I finally made the crossover to a E-Kit since last October and got myself a TD-12 and it has been a blast ever since. Granted, it takes time to get used to with the different tensions and diameters' of drum heads but once you do, you will only grow to love it more and more.

Personally, my basic reasons for getting an E-Kit were and still are:

1. To be able to practice in convenience without having to haul all my gear around to studios for jamming or practice.

2. To play along with songs within a controlled environment and being able to balance out the volumes. (amazing experience with studio sound-off headphones!!)

3. To be able to play and enjoy the experience and sound of drums anytime without disturbing family members or friends.

Well after coming close to a year of playing it, I have to say that it more than surpassed my expectations of it and furthermore, there is so much more value it adds and I know that the kit can do wonders whether be it EQing, customizing sound patches, recording, its only that I'm focused on practicing that I have not really explored those avenues apart from customizing all my triggers.

In fact, I honestly feel that I've improved in 8 months more than I would ever had in 2 years simply because it is that more convenient to practice and it is a real JOY to practice/play. It is no longer a chore to me to practice drums (sry I just can't stand practicing to no music) and it drives me on and on to play the kit. Trust me, if it motivates you to clock in 15hrs of play time a week, you will definitely improve by leaps and bounds.

Additional pros after 10 months of usage:

1. I can jam with my friends and band without disturbing people and I can actually hear them CLEARLY for once along with the MUSIC from my Ipod. It is SO fun, be it for writing songs or just plain jamming. I actually went through 3 albums and put my ipod on random with a friend once, clocking in 5 hrs of jamming!!

2. I love the E-Kit, well the Roland TD-12 in this case because just about everything is customizable, compact and convenient! Most of my cymbals have multiple functions. My main ride cymbal doubles up as a china crash, my two crashes are splashes when hit on the bell, my left most fast crash doubles as a 2nd ride etc.!! All this would not be physically possible with a acoustic kit, not with the space in my room or the lack of it so to speak. Admittedly, all this depends on your module and I have used up all the expansion slots.

Well to me, the TD-12 isn't cheap but it is the best musical "investment" I've ever made.......well along side my Trick Pr0-V Pedals!


Now as for the cons, most of the other guys have stated them and they are right, no doubt about it. However, think about why you want to get it in the first place and make a judgment call from there. If you have the cash to spare, not only will it be the platform for you to practice endlessly and in peace, but the sounds you hear coming from the kit will actually sound decent and coupled with music from your mp3 player equals.......blissful heaven heaven or infernal hell! Depends on what you like to play haha!

Hope all this helps, cheers!
 
Tjinn said:
Hey I finally made the crossover to a E-Kit since last October and got myself a TD-12 and it has been a blast ever since. Granted, it takes time to get used to with the different tensions and diameters' of drum heads but once you do, you will only grow to love it more and more.

Personally, my basic reasons for getting an E-Kit were and still are:

1. To be able to practice in convenience without having to haul all my gear around to studios for jamming or practice.

2. To play along with songs within a controlled environment and being able to balance out the volumes. (amazing experience with studio sound-off headphones!!)

3. To be able to play and enjoy the experience and sound of drums anytime without disturbing family members or friends.

Well after coming close to a year of playing it, I have to say that it more than surpassed my expectations of it and furthermore, there is so much more value it adds and I know that the kit can do wonders whether be it EQing, customizing sound patches, recording, its only that I'm focused on practicing that I have not really explored those avenues apart from customizing all my triggers.

In fact, I honestly feel that I've improved in 8 months more than I would ever had in 2 years simply because it is that more convenient to practice and it is a real JOY to practice/play. It is no longer a chore to me to practice drums (sry I just can't stand practicing to no music) and it drives me on and on to play the kit. Trust me, if it motivates you to clock in 15hrs of play time a week, you will definitely improve by leaps and bounds.

Additional pros after 10 months of usage:

1. I can jam with my friends and band without disturbing people and I can actually hear them CLEARLY for once along with the MUSIC from my Ipod. It is SO fun, be it for writing songs or just plain jamming. I actually went through 3 albums and put my ipod on random with a friend once, clocking in 5 hrs of jamming!!

2. I love the E-Kit, well the Roland TD-12 in this case because just about everything is customizable, compact and convenient! Most of my cymbals have multiple functions. My main ride cymbal doubles up as a china crash, my two crashes are splashes when hit on the bell, my left most fast crash doubles as a 2nd ride etc.!! All this would not be physically possible with a acoustic kit, not with the space in my room or the lack of it so to speak. Admittedly, all this depends on your module and I have used up all the expansion slots.

Well to me, the TD-12 isn't cheap but it is the best musical "investment" I've ever made.......well along side my Trick Pr0-V Pedals!


Now as for the cons, most of the other guys have stated them and they are right, no doubt about it. However, think about why you want to get it in the first place and make a judgment call from there. If you have the cash to spare, not only will it be the platform for you to practice endlessly and in peace, but the sounds you hear coming from the kit will actually sound decent and coupled with music from your mp3 player equals.......blissful heaven heaven or infernal hell! Depends on what you like to play haha!

Hope all this helps, cheers!
Click to expand...

I totally second wat is said as I own a td 12 too. Really love playing with it. It's true that the feel might not be 100% similar to an acoustic set but it took very little adjustments for me to get used to this set.
If you are into drum recording this would be a good investment as it contains the COSM features in which you can alter the drum sounds. Furthermore multiple outputs can be assigned for different drum tracks to be processed independently using your own effects and vsts. I however use midi out into VSTi drum samplers for recording so I'm not really using those features. There is midi in and out ports so you can actually use midi to playback sounds through the TD-12 module which is very useful if you want to quantise your recorded midi and then record the quantized track into your software recorder.
All in all, I really had and am still having fun with this set, especially by jamming with mp3s and stuff. My drumming skills have improved too since i sort of play it whenever i want, which is the advantage of an ekit. Gotta watch for the floor vibrations at night though, but I settled that by using foam mats which is found in home-fix and a carpet underneath those mats.
The only complaint about this kit however is that I do not like the VH-11 hi hat as i find it is difficult to set it at a level which i normally do with an acoustic kit... cus of the 3mm spacing thingi between the pad and the hi hat controller. As a result the hat opens too much for me when it is not depressed. I have adapted to that new spacing for my hi hat setting over time though so that's not an issue anymore.
This set is around 5-6k first hand at swee lee if I'm correct. If you can wait or have the means, do save up for this as I assure you this would really go much further than those rubber pad type yamaha dtx drums in terms of the feeling and touch of the pads. I tried the DTXpress IV when I was looking for an e kit and I did not really like the feel of it. I ended up saving a long time for the TD-12 as I am a UNI student.
There is a new Roland TD-9 set which i think might be a worthy investment even though it is not cheap too, but it does not come with the VH-11 or VH-12 hi hat which is mounted on a hi hat pedal. I find this a vital component in achieving a proper simulation of an acoustic kit thou.
Cheers!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

L
Drummer for Band wanted!!
Replies
1
Views
2K
LaraHa
L
M
How do i soundproof my electronic drum kit?
Replies
2
Views
7K
Mithcele
M
W
  • Locked
SOLD Vault DM 10 e Drum Mesh Kit Full Set with Tama Double Pedal $600
Replies
0
Views
2K
whatever
W
D
[WTS] Tama SG518C Stagestar 5-Piece Compact Drum Kit [Beginner-friendly]
Replies
1
Views
2K
Drummerjoe
D
B
best option for e drum
Replies
3
Views
13K
Tanzhenhe
T

Latest posts

Share this page

Back
Top