5 Ways Electronic Drum Sets are BETTER THAN Acoustic Kits| Alesis Strike Kit
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- Опубліковано 27 тра 2024
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_______________ 5 Ways Electronic Drum Sets are BETTER THAN Acoustic Kits| Alesis Strike Kit
Check out the exact kit I'm playing over at Sweetwater's website here:
imp.i114863.net/OgPGP
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Almost every conversation I have with drummers about electronic drum kits have a negative slant to them. Why is that? Sure, 20 years ago, electronic drums SUCKED. That's just not the case any longer though. In many ways, e-kits are far SUPERIOR to acoustic drum sets.
In this video I teamed up with Sweetwater to talk about the 5 reasons why I think electronic drum sets are BETTER than acoustic drum sets.
I'm playing on an Alesis Strike Kit in this video. Really impressed with this thing. I have found myself multiple times losing track of time and just having fun. I also haven't been able to keep my kids off of it...and Kelli actually thinks it's the greatest invention EVER lol (she's put up with my drumming for over 17 years now).
Leave a comment below and let me know your thoughts on e-drum kits!
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Drums:
Alesis Strike Electronic Drum Set from Sweetwater
Sticks:
Vic Firth 5A
Alclair In Ear Monitors
Living in an apartment with the landlord always home, I find my E-Kit to be a necessity.
The Ego oh FOR SURE in that situation. I would have killed for one of these when I was in the apartment phase of my life.
@@seeafish I got the whole bottom floor of a house.
The landlord lives above me.
@@seeafish Tennis ball platform
Good point
Yep the same case plus two little kids in the house!
you know what Electronic Drum kits are better for? not getting the cops called on you when you want to practice at 3 in the morning.
Truth!
Once, I was playing my edrums and the neighbor downstairs complained: the regular kick beating made the lamp swing...
That's why I got one
@Alfred Smochina Then they go even crazier when you use an acoustic kit and then they get mad again when you move back to an ekit
@@MatthieuBrucher You need a drum riser.
The first thing I did when I got my e-kit was stayed up to play it at 3AM without pissing off the neighbors (or family)
It was an epic moment.
Shane Graham hahah, I love that
My dad was on his death bed in 2001. I saw him in hospital at 7pm wondering should I stay or go as he was very near the end. I left then intending to come back the next morning. Before crashing out, I called the place 4 hours later at 11pm that night only to be told he had just died. I went there, saw him and later went home and played my Roland TD10 kit through my Mackie 1604 mixer and headphones until 7am in the morning which really helped me relax at the time.
No one cheesed off with the ekit sounds then as the Roland had mess heads and rubber cymbal pads and hence hardly any acoustic sound.
Jim Lassen, Marlow, Bucks, UK
@@jimlassen9422 that's what drums do man its amazing if something happing you can play drums and basically forget about its amazing
Can I just tell you that I've been drumming for 45 years, and just picked up my very 1st electronic kit, and it is life-changing! My wife went to sleep and I stayed up rocking to Zeppelin at 1:30am and didn't disturb a soul. For the acoustic drummer who grew up having to end playing when dad came home, or couldn't play because it was too loud for the kids, or the cats, or the dog who would run and hide under a bed; this has opened up a whole new world of practice and playing possibility I would have otherwise been shut-out of. Is it the same as an acoustic? Of course not, but it serves an amazing purpose and the technology has come so far! Cymbals that choke when grabbed, and a snare that knows when you want to cross-stick? Amazing! It took me 57 years to do it, but I'm glad I did!
I know I have insomnia and if I can’t sleep I’m playing
Cymbals suck on all of em!
What kit did you get?
@@jlucasreyes TD-27K
I love my E-Drum but it's not completly silent. Enough to not disturb my neighbors but my girl couldn't sleep in the next room. How you handeling this ?
I am 58 totally blind and had my first drum lesson last week, never held a set of drumsticks in my hands before this… My teacher said to me if I can hit the sweet spot on an E kit then I would have absolutely no issue on a 14 inch acoustic snare… going out to bands and listening to the acoustic kit for me sounds much better although probably because all the years of listening to that is what my ears are attuned to although I am sure they will eventually get used to the E kit… Thank you for the explanation and it makes great sense❤️🤗😘
Don’t forget recording is a lot easier with an electric kit and you don’t have to have a bunch of mics and cords and all of that to not only control but the cost of them
@@mustangjusty3772 actually, you can also simply use your electronic drum kit as a midi controller. This way you get to program how every single drum sounds in a really detailed way, and use your kit to play those sounds
@@OfficialBARM Use mine with Addictive drums 2. Alesis Nitro Mesh with an added bass tower and pedal, split with the original one on the tom 4 input so I can double bass as fast as I can without skipping hits. That kit is not great on the kick channel input for some reason it`s the only one that has a very low note resolution. So in the module I set the tom 4 to output the kick drum note, in Addictive it will pick up the correct one then.
@@mustangjusty3772 wtf, they sound perfect unless your using shit software and some 50 dollar e kit homie
The album I just recorded with an Ekit sounds bad ass. You just buy a drum plug in and boom. Any sound you want. I used chas smiths snare sound for my drums on our album
I love that. I dont have the space and means to set up this elaborate recording stuff to lay down my drum tracks. Im no expert drummer or musician in general and while id love to have this dope 8 shell drum kit im unfortunately broke af with no band and do it all myself so its super convenient. I dont have an electric myself but ive used my friends a few times and im super exited to go get my oen
As someone whos rockstar dreams died along time ago, but who's drumming journey is really just beginning. I may never have the space, money or need to have an acoustic kit again, but thanks to electronic drums, I will always get to enjoy and experience the magic that is making music 🤘🏼😝🤘🏼
Out of curiosity mate, what was your friends band called?
@@jstazza9296 We started as "Bovine industries" became "Platform 8" finished as "Depleted"
Chills
I play piano n as much as I wish I had a baby grand or upright idk how I'd play if I didn't have my digital piano bc it has a volume control where I can practice without my parents hearing much ( still a teen) but now i'm tryna get into drums but wud kinda be in the same situation as before unless I get the e kit
@@tradvanderflip8615 I think "Depleted" might have been a bad name choice, like a harbinger of doom. I'm right there with you on the eDrums. I use my pad controller the same way, and it saves me a ton of space, ambient noise and schlepping.
I was at a music shop about to buy microphones for a drum kit and noticed the electronic drum kit was the same price.
I haven't subscribed yet and now my cymbals are gone?
Nate D I hope you’ve learned a lesson here...
I've always loved the Keyboard vs Baby Grand Piano anology. It's just a different tool that you can choose to use
Tell him how you really feel about the Strike kit ☺
Immediately he said it I had a flashback to all the times you have used that example in your videos
Hi Justin!
Hi Justin, glad to see you chiming in on this video. I have mention you over in the members under our electronic drum subjects. Hopefully you got a few subscribers out of it.
this is such a bad analogy, because with a piano, the only way you can alter the sound is by adjusting your playing velocity.
with a drumset, you have so many factors that all contribute with varying degrees, yet I've only wittnessed two or three of them to be picked up by E-kits:
velocity, position on the head (one-dimensional) and rim. That's it. What about, stick weight, angle of attack, shape of the tip, the time the head remains in contact with the stick?
Those can have tremendous impact on the sound as well.
Reason 6: Recording becomes so much easier. If engineered properly, you can’t hear a difference between an acoustic kit and an electric kit when it’s mixed in the song. And it’s soooooo much easier to record an electric kit. You don’t have to deal with mics in every drum, kick mic placement, area mic placement. Plug it in, dial in the sound.
It’s an important thing to consider.
Ive been playing for about 12 years and this year i converted my acoustic ludwigs over to triggers and mesh heads. I kept my acoustic cymbals as i dont have to worry about volume. I go to alot of open jams in my town and their is alot of old school guys there. I notice everytime i go to one of these gigs the drums are tuned poorly and the mix is way off. When they ask what kind of kit i play at home i get the same negativity. Well recently I was asked to fill in for a well known band of my area at the same location where the open jams are held in my town. I took my ludwig evolution kit with mesh heads, dt50 yamaha triggers, dtx502 with a 400 watt pa and two 12 in speakers. I used my meinl aa customs cymbals as well. Sound check took 5 minutes and i was ready to rock before the guitar players haha. After the show all the oldschool guys and spectators came up to me and said that was the best looking and sounding kit they have heard in years. Once i showed them my setup and how easy it is to do they all wanted to know where to buy everything and if I would teach them about it lol. Although i did have one guy say " those are a toy and it takes no talent as it does everything for ya". I handed him my stick and told him to try it. 5 minutes later the dude was still playing them and it blew his mind how real the feel was and the sound quality. I love acoustic and e drums. With todays technology I can literally have the best of both worlds. Real feel and looks with great sound quality and easy setup. I think i made an impact on the negative drummers who hate e drums in my area. Recently stumbled upon your channel and I love the lessons and content. Thanks for all you do. I'm subbing
Heavy Pedal Productions yea, I love them both. They give options and expand our sound pallete. Glad to have ya hanging with us on here!
Absolutely, I think acoustic cymbals with good electronic drums (and good samples) is the sweet-spot of the technologies right now.
I did the same and ignored the haters. I have an old 90s Rockstar kit I've had since I was a teenager, I don't play large gigs so never any real sound man, I have a family and drama queen neighbors, can't afford a practice space or to make my own studio, so converting made the most sense. I'd never buy a good kit and I wanted a better sound without the hassle or price so mesh heads and triggers on the real deal made sense. A good module later and upgrading things over time turned into a killer combo. I swap out my cymbals for the Roland ones and I can practice and record without agitating people. Come gig time I put the real cymbals on and the drums are perfect in the mix almost instantly. Roland module plus Superior Drummer means I got pretty much any sound I want and saves money experimenting with splash cymbal setups, gong drum, chimes, percussion, whatever.
If you really think about it, E drums are the equivalent to the electric guitar. Acoustic drums were louder then acoustic guitars and upright bass guitars back in the days so cue in the electric guitar to level up with the loud acoustic drums. Sure simmons came in and had the blippy bloop sounds that new wave bands embraced in the 80's but also keep in mind the electric guitarists had effect pedals. Naturally acoustic drummers are against E drums but are being accepted more and more for their versatility.
@@Kris_P._Bey_Ken It’s no the same, since the sound coming from an electric guitar is the sound of the strings vibrating as the sound coming from an acoustic drum set comes from the skin vibrating. The equivalent would be a MIDI guitar since both use MIDI.
for me it's the cymbals, they just feel BAD
Alex Hancock I totally agree. They feel so cheap. Also, if I ever want to open the hi hat for a split second, the open sound won’t register for me, and it bugs me.
You can buy metal electronic cymbals from Pintech, Jobeky, Field, ect.
Well cheer them up, then.
@@65Drums or take a cheap L80 clone with some moongel, and put a trigger on them...
@@objoyful989 yeah you can do that, but the triggering isnt always the best. I've tried it
Besides changing drum kit sounds on the fly, the thing I like about edrums is that you can plug right in to the PA system, unlike acoustic drums which have to be miked.
Just use triggers
@@juulblom649 Just spend twice as much money and spend twice as much time setting it up?
@@jordank5975 Yes, that is definitely worth it. And besides, you dont have to buy an expensive drumkit if you're going to use triggers anyway.
Juul Blom mics are just as expensive as triggers. Plus you still have to have a loud acoustic kit. If you’re gonna go with samples, you need an ekitx
Electric drums through live PA sucks because you have no separation over what goes to subs and the tops...
i prefer playing the drums on a guitar
Hush
Same bro
Alpha af
Pfft guitarists
ngl, I use my guitar as a drum because I don't know how to play it
I'm a new drummer at 55 years old. I have the Alesis DM10 mkII studio kit. I really enjoyed this video as well as your others videos. Your are an inspiring and great teacher.
Thank you!! I chose a an E-kit so I wouldn't distract the neighbors and my family. I really enjoy it but I'm wishing I could play around on an acoustic kit as well.
It's a no braner when you consider being able to play at home without pissing the neighbours off. That's why I have one. Also you can mix the levels in the headphones with accompaniment.
It sucks when you have a sister though
James that was cringe
You’re also a no braner
I have the alesis strike pro. Setup exactly like my acoustic kit. I live in a house with my wife and one year old son. This kit allows me to play any chance I get and allows me to record and import even better samples from superior drummer 3. To me it’s like having a work station. It’s awesome.
Very similar situation with wife, a 3 yr old and baby on the way. Is superior drummer 3 a website? I have the mk2 studio kit.
Same here
Strike pro to practice during the week. Setup like my acoustic kit. Minus a few cymbals
hi man, can you give the feedback of how your alesis setup aged ? are the reliable and durable ? are they worth it over roland or yamaha?
how you download Superior drummer to module? Tell us more😅
I've been using an eDrum kit for a few years.
They're not as quiet as the marketing dept. would have you think. Especially if you live upstairs. You may still have to work out times with neighbors.
One really great thing that can be done on an eDrum kit, is that you can record your entire performance as MIDI. This allows you to break out each instrument into it's own track, and then you can record the audio for each drum separately, even if you only have a stereo set of outputs on your module. You can also change instruments without having to performing the part over.
Sometimes a finished mix will have a mixture of plug-in from the DAW and the sounds from the module.
Hell yeah, edrums are not silent... at all ! Just way more than an acoustic one (obviously)
I'm upstairs too, and I have to deal with my neighbor because (and I can understand), he suffers quite a lot when I playand he's home... and no it has nothing to do with my drumming skills you punk ! :D
But they are so great anyway ! No tuning, changing sounds instantly, playing on songs, recording, etc... etc...
edrums should not be seen as a competitor to acoustic drums but as a great addition ! And they are
100% agreed, I would never play into the night with roommates or in an apartment. And even during the day if you're playing a lot you may still bother people. But it is waaay better than acoustic drums.
Thank you for this! I'm a drummer with nearly 30 years behind a kit, the last decade exclusively electronic for "grown up" and practical reasons. I too once thought of them as hokey or "80"s", so when I built my home studio I basically told Sweetwater "moneys not an issue, get me the best kit and some great recording gear". Now, my channel focuses on bridging that gap between both worlds, I perform covers, with the added twist of replicating the original sound by changing the physical settings of the drum, the EQ, compression, and even the simulated studio environment settings. I also use a usb multitrack mixer to basically treat the signals as analog and convert to digital in my DAW. It's a hybrid technique of a little old school mixing with some modern applications to use all my gear to it's full potential! I am aware they are not exactly the same as acoustic, but I treat all samples from module as the raw "mic'd kit" and continue the processing stages as one normally would. I also found a way to get the cymbals to sound close to a studio recorded acoustic recording. So thank you again! And please, for anyone who might not like my comment because of their dislike of electronic drums, please know I wasn't acustic drummer for 20 years before that and I do miss it dearly but like many of you, I have to make the best with what I have. I would trade it all in any day for a ginormous acoustic it but that is going to be unlikely oh, I respect everybody's opinion and this one is mine :-)
Another great thing is your practice space won’t look like a sawmill.
I thought I was the only one lmao 😂
Stephen, as a drummer of 10 years and a hardcore hater of electric kits (aside from the Roland kits, which I could never afford) I have to say you've opened my mind more to eKits. The comparison between an electric piano and upright piano or between using 2 different tools is a genius way to think of it. It still always drives me crazy that the eKits don't have the same feel as an acoustic kit, but I'm convinced there's something out there for me. Thanks for the advice brother!
It was easier for me to accept E drums when I realized: I play electric guitar, why not electric drums too?
As a sound guy I love e kits for small rooms that are hard to keep the sound at a comfortable level, also great for rooms with bad acoustics
Yep. Trying to mix everything around the damn snare drum is a chore. Unless of course the drummer is the one in fifty that knows how to take it easy. The problem with the drummers is that they are in the absolute worst position to hear the mix so how would they know how hard to hit? With the ekit you can dial in your mix and the sound guy can simply deal with the volume to get it into the mix.
The feel of an actual drum kit it waay better than an electric.
Humming I don’t think anyone will argue that point for sure
Acoustic kits require more chop outs and pertains more to the art of recording when the time comes. Gotta love the process of recording. I’d hate to plug in L/R and call it a day.
Have you played a high-end kit like the Roland TD-50?
@@azimuth361 nah, some day maybe
Testify ! I concur 100% ♥ :D
Personally I prefer to use an acoustic over an electrics because I personally think that acoustics have more of an authentic sound to them but that’s just my opinion
Acoustic over electric all day. But I live in an apartment, so playing an acoustic kit would can get me evicted.
That is very true acoustics are always going to have better sound than digital drums and acoustics feel better to play on
That's not 100% the point of e-kits
Well no shit, they're real
@@TronciM you know you don't have to be rude
Great video. Glad to see that you're enjoying the Strike, Stephen! 🤘🥁
AlesisVideo thanks so much! And yes, I’m digging it for sure
Hi Stephen. I absolutely love the strike! Started to figure out the settings recently. Just wanted to thank you for your videos as it has helped me allot! I started drumming in my early years, held sticks for first time doing rudiments at 11 years old, I only practiced on a drum pad and did not understand much what i was doing, i played very little off and on in my early 20's for a short while, filling in for other players, really doing simple stuff. A year ago my knee cap slipped out of joint and tore everything up and last october, I told my wife i wanted to seriously play drums, not just for the knee therapy after surgery, but for the enjoyment, and what was a home hobby, turned into having the opportunity to play at church with the worship team and could not be happier! I practice daily maybe 2-5 hours after work. I want to be better! I thank people like you who contribute to youtube that helps people like me to understand their instrument better, you are a blessing sir! I started out with a Yamaha DTK400 last october, (I still have it so the grandkids can play on it) december 2018 an Alesis Command Kit, which is now at the Church .... you recent video for the Strike sold me and had it now 3 weeks .... Again i thank you, i follow your teachings, feel free to critic me lol >>>> here is a recent video of playing some Matt Redman I was practicing for this weekend. ua-cam.com/video/y1xBjm96TVI/v-deo.html
I just got a Yamaha DTX532K because I moved into a duplex with my wife. It’s been so great in prepping for recording and practicing between rehearsals with the band. It’s great to be able to actually practice at home, and I like the pads on the Yamaha a lot more than the mesh on some other kids. Just know that they’re not quite as quiet as you’d hope. Still can’t play at 1 AM.😂
I'm a drum corp drummer and percussionist who picked up the drum set about 2 years ago. Giving electronics drums a chance was the best single decision I've made. My progress once on the electronic kit was night and day. I went from learning like a snail waiting for my neighbors (cost is clear) , now I can jump on and everyday and learn something almost every day. Just in the 6 months that I've had it I probably learn 4x over what i did in a year in a half. So if you want lots of practice time to get great quicker, this is the go option. Helpful tip don't shrink the spaces by keeping the pads as close together as possible. Instead keep them as far apart as they would be on your acoustic kit that way when you jump back on your not hitting rims cause it will throw your muscle memory off a bit.
Thank you for this, Stephen. I’m a rhythm guitarist who’s always wanted to try drums. Messed around on friends’ kits once in a while. Have been thinking about e-drums pretty seriously for a couple of years, as I live in a condo with neighbors. Have watched a ton of videos, but most were really just demos of a certain kit. This video really gets to the heart of what e-drums actually are. Thanks! Now I just have to decide which one I want!
You're more than welcome. I've also heard good things about the efnote kits, although I haven't tried them myself.
I have been drumming since I was about 9, I was about 14 when I got my first kit and I loved it, just coming home after school and jamming out even though my parents were glad I liked it, they didn't know how much it meant to me, at band practice in school I could look at the drum kits they had and know that I could play it. And that gote through highschool up until my junior year, when I basically dropped everything with band and school and switched to online classes and by now my kit was all beaten up and I ended up getting rid of it, I sold it and have only played a few times at guitar center. Now I'm 18 years old living on my own getting married in August, and I have mentioned to my fiance a few times that I wanted to get back into drumming, and once we had the money I would get a basic eKit and I thought it'd be a while before then. She surprised me with the EXACT kit I wanted 3 days ago and omg I am having so much fun and realizing just how much drumming can help with overall mood and exercise!
Playing in a 14 piece corporate and wedding band has always been a challenge for me on my acoustic kits volume wise. I picked up a Roland TD-50KVX a few months ago and I’ve fallen in love with them. So has the band. The versatility of different drum sets in one instrument have been incredible. I’m constantly surprising my band mates with how accurately we can mimic prerecorded sounds and switch back to a normal acoustic kit within the same song. Truly a superior product.
Fourteen piece?! Yeeeesh! I can barely stand TWO band mates! Heh, just kidding. They are closer than my actual brothers. Anywho, I just had to give you respect; corporate and wedding gigs are not NEARLY as straightforward as most people seem to think! Ask me how I know 😏
E kits are great. I bring 2 pads with me to every gig, it replaced my bag full of cowbells, tambourines etc etc. Now i just load the samples i need and we're on our way!
I have always been a purist favoring acoustic drums. That said, I agree with your assessments here. Years ago, I would not even consider eDrums. The sound samples sucked, they were tiny, they were basically practice pads with no feel, there was too much delay, there were no dynamics, and they weren't durable.
FAST FORWARD to about 3 years ago.... I tried a Roland TD-30kv kit at a music store while I was on a business trip. The only reason I sat behind it was that it looked more like an acoustic kit rather than a bunch of pads. Curiosity for me was why they could demand so much money ($6500 USD) for a "fake kit." Before they even turned it on, I tapped around it and noted that while the cymbals still felt odd, the drums themselves had a much better response with mesh heads. As they turned it on, I fully expected it to sound like the old MIDI, 1980s new-wave sounds I heard before. Hearing that, the employee set the kit to a factory-loaded heavy metal kit while grinning at me. Headphones on... I filled into my standard hard-rock beat #1. Holy crap! These things sounded real enough that I had to listen really hard to hear the "fake" part! Additionally, I could use dynamics...and the trigger could pick up if I was ghosting near the rim or powering into the center of the head.
Gets better... What I noted to the staff was the "fake" sound basically didn't resonate the same and you don't get the effect of the room acoustics. They then showed me the individual drum tweaks and "ambience" controls... and in 5 minutes I had changed the bland, drum machine-like thud to sound nearly identical to hitting my 14x6.5 snare in a large room..... OK, I still can't afford them, but I certainly wouldn't shy away from the TD-30 or TD-50 Roland kits anymore!
My brother bought me an Alesis Nitro Mesh kit for Christmas. I'm 58 and just starting and love it. Listening to the kit and music simultaneously is sweet and is helping me learn. My wife would probably leave if I was beating on an acoustic kit. I woke up in the middle of the night and decided to go up and play while my family was sleeping. No problems. Also I'm adjusting the included acoustic sounding set and it sounds pretty decent.
Thank you for this video Stephen. Great perspective and finally a better conversation than the typical E-Drum vs acoustic drums that we normally hear. They are indeed two different tools with different uses. I have a Roland TD-25KV that I use for practice because of where I live but I always use acoustic kits when I gig out. Alesis has stepped up their game as well and I just purchased an Alesis Strike MultiPad and I have been very impressed with the quality (and quantity) of the included factory sounds. Makes me wanna try out a Strike module with my Roland kit now. Alesis sampling is incredibly easy as well. Great stuff man!
And yes, Sweetwater is the bomb as well. That is where my Strike multipad came from as well as a lot of my gear.
Agreed...e-kits are awesome, even my little Roland TD-1KV that I bought for less than $400 from B&H. I'm actually super impressed with the features I got for this price. The pads are very sensitive, the cymbals will choke, and the built-in kits, while limited to only 15 or so, offer enough variety to keep things interesting. It was very easy to plug my laptop into the brain via an AUX input. Now I can play along with any song I want to OR better yet, play along with online drum lessons. I've also played it through some drum emulators, which is sweet because you can access a ton of other drums sounds. My only issues with this particular e-kit is that it's tiny and a bit cramped. It's made to be compact so I can't fault Roland (and the small head sizes force you to practice accuracy), but I had to build three inch extensions for the legs to raise the whole thing up and plan on making an extension so I can mount the ride cymbal further away from me. I also added a third cymbal pad and bass drum pad. It shipped with a pedal that controlled the bass drum (no beater, just a pedal), but I really like have an actually bass pedal to kick against a pad. Well that got long...I didn't intend on reviewing my e-kit. Just wanted to offer a little e-kit praise of my own. The Strike kits sounds amazing, by the way. If I upgrade, maybe it'll be what I go to. Oh, one more thing. I totally agree with you that Sweetwater is a fantastic company. They've worked with me on prices and I love that they call to follow up with me after I receive my order. Also, they include candy with their shipments.
The greatest thing in this comment is finding an e kit under 500 dollars
LOL I just got my new sticks from Sweetwater along with a bag of candy.
Great video, and excellent points. I have both acoustic and e-drums, and practicing to learn new material (covers) is so much easier with e-drums. I prefer acoustic for live shows, but sometimes in a small venue, the e-drums are the better choice, for volume control and real estate limitations. I get so tired of people coming up to me and bashing (no pun intended) on e-drums. Of course, they always have little to no (or severely outdated) experience, but nonetheless very strong negative opinions regarding e-drums. Stop being so close-minded. But, people react with their eyes and don't use their ears or their brains, and that's the real issue. Oh, and +1 for Sweetwater. Best customer service I've ever experienced in 35 years as a musician!
Some of my favorite times playing was using electronic kits performing musicals. In NYC, It was fun sitting with the music and seeing what samples and instruments I can add to my kit for each specific song. The kit made it easy to switch from a drum set to a percussion set to a timpani set up with the click of a button. When I moved to Nashville, having a electronic kit helped with the noise living in the apartment practicing for road gigs and artists downtown. Now I live in Arkansas and have a family of my own, even though they know me as the professional drummer, it is still respectful of their space and privacy in the home and I can pracgice anytime I want to and not disturb their own personal time. Great videos bud! - Joey G
I just ordered a Roland kit a few weeks ago for my 40th birthday! Haven't played my acoustic kit for a couple years because I didn't have a place to play. Now I'm moving to a condo and can no longer keep without playing drums so I plunged into the e drum world. Super stoked to get back into playing!! The shipment from Sweetwater arrived today. Had never used them before but had a great experience with the service team, 5 stars all around and was very unexpected to get an old school personal vibe from them.
I hope you do some eDrum lessons/technique vids in the future that take advantage of those differences.
Not only would it be enlightening for someone like me, it would also expand YOUR pedagogical powers.
It's clearly a win-win ☺
I have an acoustic kit converted to an ekit which is triggering Addictive Drums 2. I love it and I love Sweetwater!!
Same.
Works for me
I also trigger AD2 in all of my covers that you can find in my channel, if you want to take a look :)
4 years ago, when I started drum lessons at the age of 50, I lamented over acoustic versus electronic for weeks. it was when I was trying to decide on what acoustic kit type to start with, rock, jazz, mixed ... (ugh) at that point my teacher introduced me to his e-kit. as he explained then, "all those kit types are in here". I was sold, and then find out the noise level was a major plus with the family and neighbors. I will likely, at some point in the future, buy an acoustic kit of some kind, but not to replace my e-kit, to do as you suggest and add to my set of tools. thanks Stephan
PERFECT! I haven't played since the 70s. Around 1995 I bought a set of e-drums, played them about a month, and out they went. Was thinking for my 68th, I might try again, but wasn't really ready to get an acoustic set. This vid has convinced me to give the electronic sets another try. THANKS!
I’m not sure if he’s mentioned this yet cause I’m only half way through the video, but my favourite part about an electric kit is that you can plug in your phone via AUX and can play along with music. You can do this with acoustic but you’ll have to either use headphones which would muffle out the drums / music would be too loud or you have REALLY loud speakers that would disturb people
6:22 I love the little immersion noises you make with your voice! I thought I was the only one!!!!!! I recorded myself once with a headset on and when I played the video I was shocked with the noises that came out of my mouth
I was lucky enough to find an abandoned
E kit last week. The brain was attached to the back but 4 of the buttons we're stuck and not working. I took the top cover off and found that the plastic inserts that originally pushed down on button selecter to change
E-kits, sounds, tempo, effects, menu settings etc. Had failed.
Usually I would order new inserts to replace all broken ones. This time I decided to repair them by adding back the brocken off pieces to the inserts.
Then after putting back together and plugging it in, the lights came on.
I tested my repair and was checking out all the different drum kits it has approximately 34 different options.
The coolest thing about this E-kit is,
I am not limited to one accoustic sound in drum kit.
I have approx. 30 sets already setup in one!.
That is assume!
I’ve had a Roland TD17 for about a week and I’m in love with it. For me, a guitarist and someone who could always play drums well enough to get through basic rock songs this is the perfect match since I decided I was going to teach myself to get much much better. UA-cam is priceless too.
Just like how the electric guitar never replaced the acoustic guitar... most guitarists have both for reasons that I don't need to explain. I have both e-drums and acoustic drums because it gives me more types of sounds and effects to play with - and the e-drums are nice for quiet practice... But I do agree with most people that the good old fashion acoustic drums are more of a pleasure to hit than e-drums...
Awesome video brother!! I play both acoustic and ekit, and there are some major advantages to owning both. Sometimes even hybrid kits that I have used the ekit simultaneously with my acoustic drums. Use a pad to trigger a patch or a sample, etc. So many applications!! Very good video, and I agree... Change the conversation!! 👍👊🤘 (Oh, and Sweetwater customer service is outstanding!!)
I used to have a beautiful pearl acoustic kit with Paiste rude cymbals in high school. I sold it when I joined the Marines in 2008 and I really miss it. (Not spoiled, I worked hard for it.) I took piano lessons for about a decade, but it always felt like work. I sucked at drums and could only play when no one was home, but It always put a big smile on my face. I haven't had a drum set since, partially because I couldn't see getting something I wouldn't love as much as my first kit. The electric drum kits appeal to me since I can play anytime, because noise isn't an issue, and I can play with the profiles to find just what I want out of my next acoustic kit someday. I think the quality of a TD-25KV is phenomenal for the price and the ease of access back into learning. I won't get burnt out trying to set up the drum kit. I can focus primarily on learning to play, rather than trying to tune and find the right heads, etc...
I used to buy from musician's friend back in the day. Is it not popular anymore?
Countless drum kits are available by triggering drum sample software such as: Superior Drummer 3, Addictive Drums 2, Steven Slate Drums 5, Abbey Road Drummer series, etc. And these kits are recorded in renown working recording studios.
Thank you Stephen it's good to see your support for this instrument.
ekits have come a long way from the table top feel and monotone sounds of the hexagonal Simmons drums I had back in the 1980s.
I've played for the past 11 years Roland V-Drums TD-12 pads with TDW-20 module and it got me through living in an apartment and I was able to sell drum tracks to clients around the world. Advantage: it's easy to record. I've made over 650 videos that are on my YT channel using this kit.
Recently I converted a Gretsch Catalina jazz kit to an ekit using external triggers, Remo Silent Stroke heads going through a V-Drum TD-12 module. I am digging this the most because it has all the advantages of an ekit but with the feel of an acoustic kit.
I used to dabble in drums, going as far as buying an older Roland V kit, I forget which. But I rarely had time to use it, so I sold it. Maybe I'll get one once I move to see if certain young'ns I'll be living with will take to it. :)
My younguns have asked me to leave it set up at the house over an acoustic kit. They spend hours on the thing.
halaluja! you're so right. Imagine buying a new set of toms or cymbals for every time you'd want a different sound on your kit.
I own a td30 set and loving it. especially in combination with sampling software. Possibilities are endless. thanks a lot for your video and new insides on comparing the acoustical and electronic instruments
First of all, don’t worry about a collaboration with a company. The content in your channel is priceless.
Second is that you’re not just an amazing drummer, the way you teach and the secrets you reveal really helped me with my drumming. You debunked a lot for me.
Thank you so much, the teacher i once had couldn’t explain anything. Keep up the good work!
Thank you😎 I've had an e kit for years the ability to play anytime and the endless options for sound at the push of a button without having tuning time is priceless... one day I would love acoustic kit as well but the space and set up time ETC is not an option for many... it's about time this conversation was addressed.. it's exactly as you stated a whole world of options that I'm still learning about my kit... lots to learn about and immediate drumming capabilities.. thank you so much for the information.
I'm sure Alesis makes a great kit, but my Roland TD11 is my baby. The look, feel, and sound, is unbeatable IMO.
Mike Jones
Second that.
Is it much better than a TD10?
Yeah boy! I find it had everything I wanted, I can midi out to SD, choke cymbals, uses an actual hi-hat stand and the kick pad fits double kick. All mesh heads too 👍🏻
how much in us dollars?
Td11 it‘ one of the great modern Roland modules, the súpernatural tecnology so good... but, Roland td17 module beat td11 so far away...
when the neighbours tell you to keep it down, you actually can.
Gig with a high end electric set and real cymbals. I was very well known in Mid Michigan. I played an acoustic 32 piece studio set including some electric pads and roto toms. Everyone loved watching me play. I always felt like i was missing the big stage sound and feel like you hear at a big concert. Then one day I was watching another band play and they had a high end electric set with real cymbals. The sound, the power, the kick in your chest was unbelievable! This was at a venue I've played multiple times. That thing put the hurt to my set and i had well over 15k into it.
Thanks Stephen. I play both, and you’re exactly right. They are different tools for different jobs. I use the e-kit when volume control is really important. We use a TD 50 at church but if we’re playing out where volume is not an issue I love my acoustic kit.
I love my ekits as much as my acoustics. Need a new china 22-inch cymbal? Dial it in on the ekit! Need a 24-inch bass drum with a 20-inch shell? Dial it in! Overall they cost you a lot less in the long run.
Stephen....I'm going through your program using a Roland 1DMK....it is my only option...and I'm loving it! They sound great with earphones and neighbors in the condo HAVE NO IDEA!!
TheChicagoTodd that’s a great kit. And I agree, I have had a blast playing on this kit the past couple of weeks. I. Going to be leaving it set up at the house in a spare room because the family likes it so much.
@@StephenTaylorDrums thx...its just a beginner kit at a mid price point and doesn't have all the features as the one you have there, but if u r just starting out, I think its awesome. I did the research and this seemed like the one for me. Also got mine from Sweetwater....those folks are fantastic!!
The best drum kit is the one you have in front of you to play. I've watched guys play on the bottom of buckets, table tops and wood blocks - all of them absolutely blew me away. Whatever kit you have to practice on is the best. Took delivery of my Alesis Nitro Mesh two days ago and I am just tickled. Great budget kit and that 2AM session with your wife sleeping nearby is fantastic.
I am blessed to be able to have a complete electronic setup of my acoustic setup. I often have very limited time to learn and go over new songs. And my free time is often late at night. It is awesome to be able to work things out quietly. Do not underestimate muscle memory in aiding to memorizing a song or pattern. I very often bring the module and a few pads for percussion samples and special sounds for an awesome hybrid kit. Some gigs can have such limited space or crazy sound issues/limitations that an acoustic kit would not fit space-wise or volume-wise where the e-kit is ideal.
7:20 sounds like a freestyle
I use an Alesis Strike Pro in my pro recording sessions. Amazing instrument
I love the way you consolidate information into something interesting and without leaving out the important stuff. Great work, keep it coming! I'm actually saving to get a set of e-drums and found this video to be helpful with that but I also like what you've mentioned regarding the way we talk about acoustic v's electric. Good point mate. 👍
Back in 2010 I did the unthinkble... I began going live gigs, with industry professionals, on a Roland TD-6 e-kit. And, by the end of the night, all those guys actually ENJOYED playing with them. I've been playing e-kits, off and on, since 2000.
I always had gotten innuendo, and smirking smiles when I showed up with them. But, when they actually give it a fair shake, they walked away feeling different.
The big hangup is the asthetics. The small pads...the lack of circumference of the cymbals....ect.. just the overall lack of stage presence that inspires panic. But, with proper signal processing and monitoring, they can provide a range/quality of sound that many players rarely get to experience, ESPECIALLY on a smaller stage.
Other's mileage may very. Cheers!
It is amazing how they created these e kits and how far they have come along, they are truly amazing. But there is no replacement for the good old acoustic.
Yeah I got to agree with you: e-drums are superior to acoustic drums in many ways. HOWEVER I will say that money is an factor. Cheap e-drum kits make drumming feel unnatural and uncomfortable and unpleasant. If cost isn't an issue, then I will passionately defend e-drums as those 5 thousand dollars e-drum kits are magnificent!
How many kits have you actually played recently? You can get kits with mesh heads for around $300 these days and while I won't claim they feel exactly like acoustic drums I don't think they're bad or unnatural. Running the midi out to some sample software on your computer is a must though because they do sound like garbage, but there's some halfway decent software out there.
Hi-hat control does seem to kind of suck even on nicer kits though.
Acoustic all day... we have a soundproof exterior room... it’s freakin awesome to play my kit back there
@@flarfatron2190 Super jealous haha I have been stuck on electronic for a few years. They are a life savor, very good for recording and for quiet fun but Acoustic Drums are better in my opinion. Nothing beats the real thing!
Excellent video Steve. I've been an e-kit user since the late 80s, and am still using some of my old Simmons pads in my current setup. For me the No1 advantage of e-kits is the control it gives me over the sound, and especially the on-stage volume. Acoustic kits tend to set levels of attack and volume that the rest of the band have to come up to, and this can often be too loud. With my current TD-17 setup I can have a great, clear sound at any volume. (All I gotta do now is get the guitar player to turn down!). It also means that, through monitoring, the whole band can always hear the kit, so I don't have to setup in the middle like an acoustic kit, but instead setup off to the side, like The Dave Clark Five. Still sounds great. The only disadvantage I've experienced was years ago when I was playing an outdoor festival and the electricty was from generators. The kit I used then (An Alesis DM-10) kept cutting out and our bass player (a tech head) said it was due to the inconsistencies in the generated power. Do you know if this is still an issue, or have manufacturers fixed this now?
Hi! Love that someone dares to stand up for the edrums! Personally I practice at home on my Alesis DM 10,mesh studio kit.
I'm not professional drummer. I play in a concert band in Norway, so most of my drumming is classical (Standing snare drum, timpanis, mallet percussions..)
We had to play a rather heavy piece some years ago for the national championship, and during that period I moved all my triggers, so I could have a 5timpani set with all the small percussion instruments (djembe, triangel, cymbal...) at home for practice. For the places I needed to tune timps I made "new drumkit" to fit the new notes.
Got young kids at home.
Electronic is my favorite. Most people just aren't used to the feel and don't want to adapt. I call them lazy amateurs.
Agreed...seems like bad drummers are always making excuses for not being able to play.I played accoustic drums for over 40 years and just recently got into electric drums and i love em.😁
I was really against e-drum kits because the only I had played before was years ago and my experience really wasn't good. It sounded weak, the pads weren't sensitive to touch, the cymbals sounded awful. When the pandemic started though, we were forced to stay at home, so if I wanted to practice or record something for my band, I'd either have to buy microphones and my family would listen to me jam all day long or I had to buy an electronic kit and be able to record "for free" and practice without annoying anyone. I was a bit reluctant at first but after searching online I ended up ordering a TD-1 DMK kit from Roland. I can't possibly express how satisfied I am with the kit. It's definitely not one of those super expensive kits. Costed about 600€. But it literally does everything I'd do on am acoustic kit. Literally. There are some built-in exercises to help practice, the mesh are sensitive to touch, meaning you'll get different sounds for playing louder and softer, the cymbals sound good. Hell you can even hold the cymbal right after crashing into it and it'll respond perfectly. Overall I'm mind blown and even though I can play on my acoustic kit at home since people already started working again, I still prefer playing the e-drum kit. Really solid experience.
Thanks for another great video, I am an adult beginner drummer and live in an apartment and struggle playing on mute pads... I've been looking into hiring practice spaces as I really haven't liked cheap eDrums but after watching this I'm inspired to research eDrums rather than making expensive mods to my acoustic kit! Thanks!! I'm in Melbourne, Australia and resources here for drummers are a little sparse! Cheers, Kate
Great video Stephen. I just picked up a Roland V drum kit and I absolutely love it. So close to real drums, my snare has rim shot and cross stick. I was rocking the hell out last night at an hour that would have pissed everyone off! They truly kick ass.
I live in an apartment so an acoustic drum set is out of the question for me. I practice with my Roland TD-11k every day. And I'm very happy I don't bother the neighbors hahaha
0:47 my goodness that that speech is awesome
Love all the information you put forth. Concise and on point. I have the Command Mesh. I needed to rehearse remotely for a gig and an e-kit was the way to go. The build quality,sounds,module navigation,and overall ergonomics, the set is a joy to play. Strike Pro SE will be my next kit for sure!
Hi Steve. I enjoyed your presentation about electronic kits. I am 63 and had one of the early Simmons SDS5 kits in 1981 plus a SDS9 later and a Roland TD10 in 1998 (bought from Sam Ash in New York for about £2,700 then and top of the range) which I still have. They were all great in their time and are useful practice kits and have many different sounds. I even took the Roland TD10 kit to Switzerland in 1999 when I was constructing the wiring for a recording studio for Mutt Lange (producer for AC/DC, Def Leppard etc) for 3 months.
Acoustic kits still rule for dynamics though and I enjoy playing the two different types for different purposes. Most of the electronic tom sounds still sound false to me although the kick and snare sounds are much better these days.
Regards from Jim Lassen, Marlow, Bucks in the UK
In an acoustic world, 100 kits = 100 drum sets tuned up and ready to go
In an electric world, 100 kits = 1 module
actually in electric world 1 e drum= infinite kits
I feel like soon there’s gonna be electronic marching drums.
Williams Variety oh god I’ll be so upset if that happens. I can’t imagine electronic marching snares
There’s electronic xylophones. Blew my fucking mind
There are.Yamaha dtx kits have marching drum corps kits.
Thats kinda dumb and defeats the purpose of marching drums...
@@alexkistermusic4701 sounds kinda sick as an addition rather than a replacement
I'd like to commend you for raising this issue in the drumming world the way it's been going on in the piano world for the last decade or so. There are a lot of piano purists out there who will not touch a digital piano, as well as some who tried a low-end one a few years ago, and have been down on all digital pianos ever since. I like to think of digital and virtual pianos as the acoustic piano's "way more fun cousin", for pretty much all the reasons you list here for liking eDrums. You also did a great job of demonstrating how useful and versatile eDrums are nowadays. Digital music tools give us all a great set of tools for overcoming a lot of space, noise and cost barriers to make music on our terms. Well done!!
For sure, totally agree. Two different instruments with different strengths
Steve loved this vid. I bought a cheap e kit on craigslist just to practice in my store with. I wasn;t useing it at gigs, but started to use it at an open mic I do twice a month so I don;t have people slamming on my good acoustic kit. That worked out great. After playing a bunch of gig's in very tight spaces and cutting down the size of my kit, I just ordered a Simmons SD 1200 e Kit to gig in those places. It won't replace my acoustic kit but will work very well when I'm stuck in a 4 foot square space. I can't wait to get it tomorrow and set it up and jam.
Sweetwater customer service is top notch and the bag of candy with your drumstick order rocks!
For me it's about lifestyle and practicality. I find when your younger u have time for lock ups and jams and parties etc, as u get older it just ain't practical. Nice vid!
Another advantage is that I can hook up my Alesis kit to the computer and use a drum learning app, which tells me exactly when I hit the pad too early or late. The instant feedback makes practicing more interesting and rewarding. I can also record then create note-sheets or share the midi files
I used to play an acoustic kit, but I hardly ever got to play because it was just too loud. I’d get home from work, spend time with the family, then when the kids go to bed, it was just to loud to play. I got an electronic kit, & I already had EZDrummer, & so now I find that I play a lot more often. It is also nice to be able to easily record to a DAW using MIDI. I also play Bass & Guitar, so I can easily create something at low volume without having to mic stuff up.
I love the sound Rick Allen has on his set for the Hysteria album. I would like to find the sample for that...
There is the Hysteria kit file in the Alesis strike owners FB group...and many more free kits members have "built" and made available to load into the strike module...
Stephen, your tutorial has convinced me to get a strike kit through Sweetwater. Loved all 5 reasons! Thanks man!!!!
Myles Matisse says the guy at Sweetwater who wrote the commercial.
Hey Steven!! Thanks for ALL You Do!!! Really enjoyed your video on E Drums. I Play an acoustic set at church with "NO" Practice time.My Alessis Strike Pro is on its way will be here Monday....Really looking forward to getting into E Drums...Thanks Again!!
I play the Roland TD-50 and I am in love with that kit!! Amazing response, very low latency and the factory sounds are incredible. If you are an acoustic drummer thinking about going electric I would say it’s worth it to do your research on all the different kits out there because there are major differences depending on what you’re looking to do.
Thanks for this video, Stephen. As someone who has been a proponent of edrums for a long time, it's really refreshing to see a primarily acoustic-drum-based channel like yours championing the benefits and positive differences. This is the kind of video that is needed to try and get rid of some of the negative stereotypes involved with electronic kits.
Subscribe or I'll steal your cymbals: bit.ly/2AyH1Fb
Check out the exact kit I'm playing over at Sweetwater's website here: imp.i114863.net/OgPGP
Almost every conversation I have with drummers about electronic drum kits have a negative slant to them. Why is that? Sure, 20 years ago, electronic drums SUCKED. That's just not the case any longer though. In many ways, e-kits are far SUPERIOR to acoustic drum sets.
In this video I teamed up with Sweetwater to talk about the 5 reasons why I think electronic drum sets are BETTER than acoustic drum sets.
I'm playing on an Alesis Strike Kit in this video. Really impressed with this thing. I have found myself multiple times losing track of time and just having fun. I also haven't been able to keep my kids off of it...and Kelli actually thinks it's the greatest invention EVER lol (she's put up with my drumming for over 17 years now).
Leave a comment below and let me know your thoughts on e-drum kits!
I subbed🤟🤟
Flashbacks to music in primary schools where everyone would tune it to the coughing sounds
People compare E-drums to Acoustic drums, and then say E-drums suck.
Would they think E-drums suck if, hypothetically, acoustic drums didn't exist?
They're not meant to be compared.
Because there is no comparison.
I’ve got an old Roland kit, but I only use the acoustic sound.
The Ego exactly.
Stephen, I’m glad I happened upon your channel. I’m getting Roland Td17 edrums for Christmas present. I’ve never drummed before in my life.
I am a musician to a point, play guitar and keys and uke to a proficient level but I’m super excited to learn from you.
Glad to have ya hanging here...and Merry Christmas!
I made a switch to V-Drums about 10 years ago. It was the best decision I ever made. Made recording easier, practicing and even jamming. Already then the quality of sound, dynamics customization were amazing. And the tech is being improved on constantly.
One of the things that absolutely wins me over to the electronic side is how easy is to experiment. You want a 80s deep snare and aggressive china and a gong? Sure! You want some lo-fi weird processed drums? Sure! You want some super tight jazz set, with a rain stick and two different triangles? Sure!
I got the Roland TD 50 and it’s a freakin tank and I love it
Not sure they will ever truly replace acoustic drums but I love my Roland set I have for home since my pearls are at my church.
They are not meant to, nor will they ever replace acoustic drums.
Yeaaah that is never going to happen
the Visual smith I agree but never say never bc you can’t possibly no the future.
The Ego in a way and certain situation they do replace drums but yea I agree I don’t see it ever happening but you never should say never!
@@jroark101 perhaps E-drums will one day gain consciousness and take over planet Earth!🤖
My wife and I are in a 3 story walk-up apartment and my Alesis Nitros are a GOD send! The mesh heads are great feeling and you can tighten up the feel to whatever you like. Great show.
For me, since I live in an apartment, E-Kits give me the opportunity to play whenever I wanna play without receiving any noice complaints whatsoever. Also the variety of different drum options makes it convenient for me to pick which drum sounds suits well with the song/backing track that I’m playing to.