Perfect for Practice: Best Electronic Drum Sets
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Alesis DM Lite Kit Collapsible Electronic Drum Set -
ddrum beta Electronic Drum Set -
DrumKat Turbo 4.5 Midi Percussion Controller Drum Set -
Yamaha Portable Electronic Drum Set -
Buyer's Guide
Because of their technological capabilities and the simple fact they’re quiet, electronic drum sets are becoming very popular. A drummer can plug in a pair of headphones and practice without disturbing neighbors or parents with a lot of noise. And with the added technological components, you’re buying not only a musical instrument but a mini-computer as well. Choosing the best electronic drum set doesn’t have to be complicated, especially after you’ve gone through our list of the best electronic drum sets in 2022 and our buyer’s guide provided below.
The Best Electronic Drum Set Models of 2022 in Detail
Alesis DM Lite Kit Collapsible Electronic Drum Set - Best Electronic Drum Set Overall
The Alesis DM Lite is a wonderful introductory electronic drum kit for the young drummer. It’s the least expensive electronic kit on this list but includes better hardware and more realistic foot pedals than the black boxes typically included with some inexpensive kits. This electronic drum set has a basic sound module designed to be a rhythmic coach, and it can be connected to a computer for access to more sounds. The high-hat pad can be opened and closed via the foot pedal and it’s more responsive than other low-budget kits. This kit also has a fun feature which lights up the pads when working with the rhythmic coach via LED. The Alesis DM Lite Kit is a great entry-level electronic drum set which works particularly well for young players because it’s easy to use and still responsive.
ddrum beta Electronic Drum Set - Runner Up
The DD1 by ddrum is a great low-budget electronic kit offering great features at a low price such as the standard four drum pads, two cymbal pads, high-hat pad, and high-hat pedal. It also has a mounted bass drum pad allowing the player to use a real bass drum pedal which creates better technique than an electronic pedal; an important feature not often available on budget electronic kits. The tone module features 30 kits which can be easily edited, a built-in metronome, midi outs, a headphone jack and the tone module even has adjustable reverb and gain.
This kit, like all of DDrum's drum sets, caters to the heavy hitters featuring pads which are a bit thicker and can take a real beating while its rack system is very durable allowing for better pad positioning than other budget kits. I find I can adjust this kit more easily than others and pads can be placed exactly where they’re needed. This kit is a great option if you can’t afford the large price tags found on high-end kits.
DrumKat Turbo 4.5 Midi Percussion Controller Drum Set - Honorable Mention
There’s been many situations where I haven’t had space on stage for a full set of electronic drums so I’ve used a DrumKat, an advanced midi controller and performance pad in one. This pad is very easy to play because of its clever layout designed to look like a cat (but it looks more like a mouse if you ask me.)
The design actually helps the player because the "ears" can be programmed to be cymbals and the rest of the pads are shaped like descending toms. All the pads are programmable with various drum sounds and even can be programmed to play back 8 different sounds in succession via different midi channels. Full songs can be played on this kit, not just the drums, but the guitar parts as well.
With the Drumkat Turbo 4.5, the sound possibilities are endless when it’s hooked up to a computer and used with a sequencer. It’s very easy to attach foot pedals to this drum pad for a kick drum and high-hat but these pedals can also be programmed to the tune of instrument you want. This kit is perfect for musical theater drummers who need to make quick changes with multiple instruments.
Yamaha Portable Electronic Drum Set - Consider
The DTX950K is Yamaha's top of the line electronic drum set. The pads feature a Textured Cellular Silicone (TCS) head which feels very similar to a real drum. The heads respond to bounces and buzz strokes and have a good dynamic range. The cymbals have three different playing zones and the
high-hat feels fairly realistic.
The 950 has an expandable rack system which makes setup and adjustments a piece of cake. It includes a 12" snare pad, two 10" tom pads, two 12" tom pads, three cymbal pads with multiple zones, a reinforced kick pad, and realistic high hat pad on a HS740A stand.
The tone module is what really sets this kit apart from competitors. It features midi in/out, USB connectivity, individual volume faders and optional sampling capabilities. The tone generator features 64 note polyphony and 1,115 preset drum voices, along with countless effects. Basically this module has more than any drummer could want and is ideal for individuals planning to use this kit live on stage. It’s important to note Yamaha's 700 series electronic kits feature the same pads and may be the cheaper option if you don’t need a powerful tone module.
Buyer's Guide
Drummers will often purchase an electronic drum set/kit because they live in a place where the noise created by an acoustic kit is prohibited. Other times, parents will purchase electronic kits for their student because they take up less space and aren’t as loud as acoustic kits.
Besides a kits musical capability, you also have to take its technical aspects into consideration. Higher end kits typically feature responsive pads which feel more like real drums as well as tone modules loaded with sounds and advanced sequencing capabilities. Fortunately, this buyer’s guide will help you understand a bit about the different elements behind these instruments and what separates the good kits from the bad.
Electronic Drum Parts
Drum Pads
Basic kits feature rubber pads with a feel similar to practice pads. More advanced models will have mesh or Mylar heads with a sound closer to real drums.
Bass Drum Pad
The bass drum pad is either free-standing or integrated into the kit. Some kits require a separate bass drum pedal to play the pad while others have electronic pedals included.
Cymbal Pads
Modern cymbal pads can feel and respond similar to actual metal cymbals. Cymbal pads are constantly being improved upon in terms of their quality and responsiveness
Tone Module
The tone module is the brain of the kit, providing you with a library of sound while some models are able to communicate with computers for advanced sequencing capabilities. A good tone module will have multiple options and a variety of pre-programmed sound kits. Some tone modules can also be customized to produce sounds which can then be edited and programmed.
Adjustable Hardware
Electronic drum sets have adjustable hardware similar to acoustic kits which keep the pads in place. Higher end kits come equipped with advanced hardware allowing for faster, more precise adjustments.
Features
Velocity Sensitive Pads
Most electronic kits have pads responsive to different playing velocities.
Realistic Playing Surface
The best electronic kits feature pads with mesh or Mylar heads, rims, and realistic cymbal pads. These heads can often be tuned and are responsive to bounces and buzz rolls.
Multiple Playing Areas
Some pads have multiple playing areas which react differently and create sounds similar to an acoustic kit. Snare drum pads can also generate rim shots and rim clicks based upon where they’re struck. Some cymbals pads will also react to playing on the “bell” or edge portion of the cymbals.
V-Drums
Roland is known for their game-changing V-drums featuring tunable mesh heads which feel like acoustic drums. Yamaha and Alesis also have models which are similar to V-drums in terms of quality and performance. V-drum style kits are drastically more expensive because they feel a lot better to play on.
Bass Drum Pad
Some electronic kits have freestanding bass drum pads which are played with a real bass drum pedal. Most players agree this feature provides a more realistic, acoustic feel but it will also raise a kits price tag considerably.
Realistic High-Hat
Some electronic kits (generally the most expensive) have fully functioning, electronic hi-hat pads mounted on a real high-hat stand to accurately simulate the feel of an acoustic high-hat.
Inputs/Outputs
Electronic kits should include headphone and speaker jacks as well as midi/USB inputs and outputs for connecting to a computer.
Performance
Higher end electronic kits have mesh or Mylar heads which provide a nice bounce and are responsive to rolls and rudimentary techniques. While the capabilities of modern tone modules are creating some amazing possibilities for sequencing and sound production, there will always be a slight difference in feel between electronic and acoustic kits.
Reliability
The physical portions of an electronic drum set are generally very reliable. The thick rubber pads usually don’t wear down enough to affect playability while mesh and Mylar heads don’t break as often as acoustic drum heads. Although certain electronic technologies can quickly become outdated, the best kits are advanced enough to use professionally for many years.
Price/Value
Electronic drum sets are available in a wide range of prices with kits priced anywhere between two hundred to eight thousand dollars. Fortunately, there are several affordable kits available which feature responsive pads and good tone modules. Many companies like Alesis, Roland, and Yamaha make the best overall electronic drum kits, while ddrum and Simmons have a reputation for their great low-budget options.
For the sake of convenience, we’ve divided our picks into two separate categories to accommodate different budgets. For high-end kits look at “Best Overall Electronic Drum Set” and for less expensive models you can refer to “Best Budget Electronic Drum Set.”
