Electric Drum Set?

[sdmfinada]

Ok so I'm moving for the summer and Im going to be in an apartment so I can't really play my acoustic set for fear of neighbor complaints. I've never owned an electric drum kit but I would like to know which kit would be best for my situation considering how expensive these things are.
Thanks in advance

cheers
:chug:

[Pauly]

The main question is, what's your budget?

You CAN'T go wrong with a Roland. I have a Roland TD6 and its amazing. The Yamaha lines aren't too bad either, but if I were you I'd aim for at least a Roland TD3. Fantastic sensitivity/triggering and a great sound.

[an_original_name]

In my experience you have to spend quit a bit of money to get anything that is as usable as a normal acoustic kit. We have a Roland td-8 at college and I hate it, although thats mostly because its highly unreliable and stops working at least twice a week.

T

[abandonthetruth]

TD-8 is old ... that could explain part of it.

Theres no such thing at TD-6 anymore. They discontinued it and released a new brain, the TD-9 which has some really cool features BUT costs a little more then the TD-6 did.

Theres the TD-3 which is midi sounds, doesn't sound or feel th most real.

Then a huge step up would be the TD-12 or TD-20, but yours looking at thousands and thousands for the all mesh pads etc...

And lastly theres the HD-1, ... its small .. cool for practice, but again sounds fake and isn't very practical.

[DxRocker]

In my experience you have to spend quit a bit of money to get anything that is as usable as a normal acoustic kit.

No electric kit, no matter how much cash you spend, is going to be as "usable" as a normal acoustic kit.

My advice:

if it's just for home practice (and thus not for use with a band, let alone on gigs): td6kv with a nice pair of headphones (might be discontinued, but i'm sure you'll have no problems finding a td6 in good condition on e-bay for a reasonable price - especially if there is a td9 now)

if you want to use it for band practice and/gigging as well: I wouldn't go lower then TD12 with a seriously booming audio system to complement it.

[abandonthetruth]

Dx, .. the new TD-9 has an all mesh option for 2250 CAD. It is an amazing kit. It's got many new features, a completely redesigned brain, ... its absolutely killer.

I would def look into that, and price pending then look into getting one of the few last TD-6's available for retail out there, other wise its ebay for you.

[bobby__johnny]

i'm a solid fan of Yamaha's E-kits...very well built.


if you can find a DTXtreme IIs, those kits are winners. loaded with plenty of sounds, and expandable through a smart media flash card for presets and extra sounds

[Chippy569]

i don't like the yammies 'cuz i can't get their damn MIDI to work!

[bobby__johnny]

your failing doesnt make it bad :p

[ace76543]

Just buy mesh pads and those cymbal mufflers? Should be cheaper and more realistic than an electric kit.

Unless of course you don't have the space for an acoustic kit.

[sdmfinada]

Just buy mesh pads and those cymbal mufflers? Should be cheaper and more realistic than an electric kit.

Unless of course you don't have the space for an acoustic kit.

so can you explain or elaborate on this idea here...im not sure i understand what you mean?

[Cheungman]

you can buy mesh heads to go on your acoustic drums and cymbal mutes to simulate actual drums. Downside is that is no sound.

[sdmfinada]

you can buy mesh heads to go on your acoustic drums and cymbal mutes to simulate actual drums. Downside is that is no sound.

wow that sounds good but i think i definitely need some sound and i really don't want to buy anything that is over $600...i found some cheaper models of electric kits here are the models with prices, let me know what you guys think...

YAMAHA DTXplorer - $599

Alesis DM5Kit - $449

OSP DD502 EDrum Set - $498

here is a link where im finding em if it helps...
http://www.musiciansbuy.com/OSP-DD502-EDrum-Set-wFREE-Throne-Headphones-Cable-OSP-DD-502-DD502-DD-502-DD502KIT.html

[Cheungman]

actually what you could do is use your existing drums, buy the mesh heads and cymbals mutes, and get triggers and a brain so you have a true drum feel and adjustable sound. Though this method is not expensive but not cheap, it also requires you to actually wire and set up the triggers and brain.

[sdmfinada]

im gettin really itchy about buying the yamaha dtxplorer...any one have any objections please let me know what you guys have to say so i can make a wise decision. Once again I am not a recording drummer or anything I am primarily buying it because this summer I am moving and I will be in an apartment complex where my acoustic drums probably won't work out???

:chug:

[ace76543]

Mesh heads don't completely eliminate the sound =/

[sdmfinada]

Mesh heads don't completely eliminate the sound =/

awesome i think i might try them...now you think there will be adequate sound just for practicing??? I hope your not wrong I don't want to spend a lot of money and be wrong...?? just be real about the sound i need some sound, or i will lose my mind for three months.

[Happy_Squirrel]

awesome i think i might try them...now you think there will be adequate sound just for practicing??? I hope your not wrong I don't want to spend a lot of money and be wrong...?? just be real about the sound i need some sound, or i will lose my mind for three months.

Depends on what you mean by "adequate sound for practicing". I live in an apartment at the moment and I have a 4-pc kit set up with mesh heads & plastic cymbals & mutes for practice. You're probably wondering why I have mutes on top of the plastic cymbals, right? Well, even plastic practice cymbals are pretty loud in a small apartment with thin walls.

Even with all this, I definitely don't have a problem with too little sound for practice. I actually stuffed the drum shells with foam and I still wish that I could reduce the volume of both the drums and cymbals as it can get pretty noisy when I really get into it.

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c399/rcpolk/032108_00241.jpg

[sdmfinada]

after giving this some thought and listening to all the replies here is my conclusion:

mesh heads would be nice, but, I think i will get the Roland TD-SW V set of electric drums for several reasons.
1.) all the awesome features and sounds it has and that i will be able to utilize should i need recording capability etc.
2.) light weight-easy to setup-easy to move around etc.
3.) it would just be awesome to be able to have two sets, electric and acoustic for what ever reasons imaginable.

so each one of those 3 reasons could be broke down into even more subdivisions...I think it would just be a great investment overall and a great learning experience + this thing has some sweet practicing features in place that would be great for getting better overall...

I will probably buy one next month...the only bad side is that it is a little pricey, about $1000...so i guess the 12 month no payments/no interests option will be a life saver...
any objections/suggestions from anyone??? thanks in advance

:chug: cheers

[carlh2003]

any objections/suggestions from anyone???

Don't buy it until you can afford it; that's always been my advice.

[stevensonmat2]

I live in an apartment complex and I play an un-muffled acoustic set. I just don't play after 9 pm and everyone is cool. Just talk to your neighbors about it and save yourself some cash.

[fishbulb]

Same here except for the apartment complex. My parents have a rule that i shouldn't play past 9PM and it doesn't bother me at all and none of the neighbors have ONCE ever talked to me about my playing annoying them.

[Harrow]

In reality drums aren't THAT loud. If you have a muffled bass drum and don't smash the **** out of your crashes when you are practicing it shouldn't be that big of a deal even if you are living in an apartment. Trumpet players are wayyyyyy louder than drummers and I've heard plenty of people playing the trumpet horribly through apartments.

[NPYYZ]

[QUOTE=DxRocker;16120977]

No electric kit, no matter how much cash you spend, is going to be as "usable" as a normal acoustic kit.

QUOTE]

That may have been true when you posted it, but as of yesterday it is no longer true. I just got the new Yamaha DTXREME ll kit and it is every bit as good, even better then any acoustic kit I've ever played. I'll never play acoustic drums again, they are no match for this kit.

[Chippy569]

well, we won't go there. there's the DTX 3 now, so yours is old. and it's not a roland, so there's that. however the carpal tunnel syndrome from the rubber pad shocks and the not-quite-acoustic sounds are turnoffs for a majority of drummers.

though it can also depend on what you're doing, and to a larger extent, where you're doing it.

[some jive turkey]

actually what you could do is use your existing drums, buy the mesh heads and cymbals mutes, and get triggers and a brain so you have a true drum feel and adjustable sound. Though this method is not expensive but not cheap, it also requires you to actually wire and set up the triggers and brain.

I'm thinking about doing, exactly ^that with one of my acoustic kits. The trouble is I'm not sure what kind of triggers to get? Some triggers are pretty cheap, but I know that there are drawbacks. Does anyone have any experience with using triggers on mesh heads on acoustic drums? I'd like to know what some reputable gear is before I just start buying sh*t and slapping it together.

so far this is the best resource I've found on the subject:
http://www.drumjunction.com/drum_trigger.html

[Iodus]

I'm thinking about doing, exactly ^that with one of my acoustic kits. The trouble is I'm not sure what kind of triggers to get? Some triggers are pretty cheap, but I know that there are drawbacks. Does anyone have any experience with using triggers on mesh heads on acoustic drums? I'd like to know what some reputable gear is before I just start buying sh*t and slapping it together.

so far this is the best resource I've found on the subject:
http://www.drumjunction.com/drum_trigger.html

You'dreally you want one of the triggers at the bottom of that page, roland, pintech, or ddrum. yes they're more expensive than the stick on peizo ones, but there's a good reason for that, you get what ya pay for really.

The little peizo stick on triggers double trigger alot and are very delicate, but with the roland and ddrum at least (i havent tried a pintech) theres much less double triggering, and the metal caseing protects them.

[DxRocker]

That may have been true when you posted it, but as of yesterday it is no longer true. I just got the new Yamaha DTXREME ll kit and it is every bit as good, even better then any acoustic kit I've ever played. I'll never play acoustic drums again, they are no match for this kit.

With all due respect, that's the biggest load of crap I have ever read on this forum.

Let's debunk this right away shall we...

I can get dozens (if not: hundreds) of sounds out of my snaredrum by hitting it differently. How much can you get out of it?

Good luck with buzzrolls as well (on any part of the kit)

Not to mention that the feel of the kit is completely different compared to real drums.

[dairyairman]

while i love my yamaha dtxpress III e-kit and i think it's a great practice tool, i'll be the first to tell you it's not even close to sounding as good as my acoustic kit. no matter how you hit each trigger, the sound is basically the same except for the volume. the cymbals especially are nothing like real cymbals. real cymbals are incredibly expressive, but the electronic cymbals pretty much make the same sound no matter how you hit them.

[some jive turkey]

The best way to think about it is just like keyboard synthesizer vs. an acoustic piano. the synth clearly doesn't have the acoustic presence or the touchy-feelyness of the acoustic instrument, but yet you can practice on it, and make all sorts of other sounds with it. It's the same bag with electronic drums.


You'dreally you want one of the triggers at the bottom of that page, roland, pintech, or ddrum. yes they're more expensive than the stick on peizo ones, but there's a good reason for that, you get what ya pay for really.

Thanks for the info. I figured, like most things the "get-what-ya-pay-for" factor applied to drum triggers. I'm thinking about trying the ddrum ones on some mesh heads on my acoustic kit. Not sure what I'm going to do for cymbals yet though.
This hi hat trigger looks decent, it works on a real stand:
http://item.express.ebay.com/Electronic-Hi-Hat-kit-Variable-for-Roland-TD-Modules_W0QQitemZ320239063533QQihZ011QQtrZexpQQcmd ZExpressItem