Best Electronic Drum Set

The Alesis Forge Eight-Piece Electronic Drum Set is our best electronic drum set which uses a Forge Drum Module for its build. You can use various wav files for samples on your electronic drum set to fully customize your drum sounds and it also enables the user to record in real-time. You can also use the built-in metronome to improve your timing and performance and use it for practice and honing your drum skills and the backlit display of this electronic drum set measures 128 by 64 pixels with a monochrome scheme.

Our step-up pick is the Roland TD-11KV-S V-Compact Electronic Drum Set and this high quality electronic drum set is perhaps one of the most versatile and rewarding in its line of products. It uses Behavior Modeling to help you achieve a better and more natural drum response that makes every hit expressive also because of its SuperNATURAL enhanced sound engine and you also get a ton of natural sounds for each. The LCD interface helps you see what is going on inside the module to help you easily select the right drumming patterns and presets and the sound library of this Roland electronic drum set is very diverse.

The budget pick is the Alesis Nitro Kit Electronic Drum Set and this budget friendly electronic drum set comes with cymbals that measure 10 inches in its diameter plus a snare that measures 8 inches. The toms are all single zone and amount to 3 different toms and there is also a bass drum pedal along the kick pad tower that is included. Stability and flexibility is good because of the very solid build of the aluminum rack that is 4-post in its design. You can enjoy a fully dynamic range of tones using this awesome electronic drum set.

A Little Background

An electronic drum set is a kind of drum set in which it acts on its own without the need for external hardware and is usually just one set instead of piece by piece sets. Electronic drum sets are often found in clubs and sometimes for home practice or studio work.

Electronic drum sets are usually advantageous over acoustic drums because of the very fact that they are very flexible and do not just stick to one style of drum kit because of the fact that you can select from a wide range of drum kits electronically. This allows you to match the drum sounds accordingly to your chosen genre so it is very helpful in the long run compared to a stagnant and stationary sound from an acoustic drum set.

Moreover, electronic drum sets do not need to use microphones such as condensers and acoustic treatments in the recording room just to get a clear recording of the sound because electronic drum sets make it possible for you to isolate any part of the drum, whether it is just MIDI notes data or live from your electronic drum presets. This makes it an advantage when it comes to recording and music production as a helpful tool in arranging songs that require bands to play the drums.
Electronic drum sets also have the option to plug in a private headphone so that you can listen to what you are playing privately without the worry of disturbing the neighbors. Therefore electronic drum sets are very useful when it comes to playing the drums and learning them quietly and you also get a lot of privacy and play at your own pace even with mistakes.

The fact that electronic drum sets can be used for recording means that you can use your drum knowledge to arrange songs and the like. Having an electronic drum set adds life and vigor to your music piece and more so if you have an electronic drum set with neat presets.

How We Picked

Here are some of our criteria when it comes to the best electronic drum set so that we can assure you the best quality possible:
Portability – the electronic drum set should be space saving and easy to carry around to differentiate it from acoustic sets.
Multiple sound options – the set should be upgradable and you can also easily access or load user defined kits.
Feel and texture – an electronic drum set must offer a similar feel to a real drum set.

Our Pick

alesisforgekit

Alesis Forge Eight-Piece Electronic Drum Set

The Alesis Forge Eight-Piece Electronic Drum Set is our best electronic drum set which uses a Forge Drum Module for its build. It is capable of taking in samples loaded by the user using the built-in USB port and the electronic drum set contains 8 pieces of drums. The snare head is made from high quality rubber to protect it from wear and tear and there are 3 toms and all of which are single zone.

The snare drum has a dual zone capability which makes it dynamic and it measures 11 inches in diameter and there are three cymbals, all at 10 inches each – ride cymbal, crash and hi-hat and all of them have choke functions. You can use various wav files for samples on your electronic drum set to fully customize your drum sounds and you also get a whopping 600 sounds that is built-in with the Forge Drum Module. There are also over 50 factory drum kits plus 20 user-defined electronic drum kits to use, amounting to 70 kits in total. There is a bass drum pedal included in the set along with a kick pad tower.

A natural response is felt with the pads that are made from comfortable rubber that gives dynamics to your performance and you can perform on stage or record in real time with this amazing electronic drum set. It has a max polyphony of 64 voices at maximum and it also has a total of 9 standard general MIDI kits for you to use. There are also a total of 99 user loaded samples to choose from plus 628 sounds including percussion, drums and effect and there are also 14 hi-hat combinations to enjoy and to place onto your masterpiece.

With this awesome electronic drum set, you can enjoy up to 6800 notes per song more or less due to its awesome and powerful sequencer and you can also use up to 125 patterns in the sequencer with 120 preset songs plus five more user defined songs. You can also use a USB flash drive and store up to 99 user defined songs in one folder and each beat has 192 ticks on this electronic drum set.

The backlit display of this electronic drum set measures 128 by 64 pixels with a monochrome scheme and the .wav samples that you can assign to the drum pads will work on any of the zones. You can also use the built-in metronome to improve your timing and performance and use it for practice and honing your drum skills and the mounting rack has a total of four posts and has a chrome finish to give it durability and style in the long run and to also add to its stability.

The tempo can be set from 30 BPM up to 280 BPM due to its diversity as an electronic drum set and there is one cable snake (DB-25) plus a MIDI input and a MIDI output, both at standard 5 pins. With a USB MIDI port plus a USB host port, the TS crash and the TS tom connectors measure 1/4 inch each as well as the two TRS main outputs.
There is a 3.5 mm stereo headphone output plus a stereo auxiliary input and it is powered up using 9 volts DC at center positive with 500 mA. The module spans at 9 by 6 inches so it is just right for an electronic drum set and it also comes with drum pedals for the kick drum and the hi-hat. It is also highly compatible with Windows 7 and above or Mac OS X 10.7 and above and the bass drum uses a DMPad kick pad that measures 6 inches. It comes with all of the needed mounting hardware to get started and there are also two drum sticks included in this electronic drum set.

A drum key for tightening or adjusting the tightness of the drums is included and there is also a power adapter, a kit assembly guide, a module user guide plus a manual for safety and warranty information. Easily drum to your heart’s content without the fear of disturbing others.

Flaws but Not Dealbrakers

The Alesis Forge Eight-Piece Electronic Drum Set as the best electronic drum set has its own share of disadvantages but they are not very prominent so this is still our best electronic drum set. For example, some of its cons include the fact that the included sticks may not be as smooth as it is but you can optionally upgrade to a better set of sticks if you like.

Step-up Pick

rolandvcompact

Roland TD-11KV-S V-Compact Electronic Drum Set

With our step-up pick, the Roland TD-11KV-S V-Compact Electronic Drum Set, the sound module used is a TD-11. It also uses a V-hi-hat for its hi-hat for a versatile playing experience and the mesh head also adds to its quality and ease of use. The cymbal also has triple triggers in its system for a smooth performance and you can use it for playing along or for recording or even for live performances.

It uses Behavior Modeling to help you achieve a better and more natural drum response that makes every hit expressive also because of its SuperNATURAL enhanced sound engine. A drum mount and a cable harness come with the TD-11 module. There is also a coach function that helps you achieve your perfected drumming skills and a quick play feature plus a quick record.

With a CY-5 hat trigger, a KD-9 kick trigger, an FD-8 hat controller and an MDS-4V stand for holding everything in place, there are also 2 V-pad crash and ride cymbal triggers plus 4 V-pad drum triggers. The sound library of this Roland electronic drum set is very diverse and the sound engine of this amazing electronic drum set is also quite powerful and unique.

The LCD interface helps you see what is going on inside the module to help you easily select the right drumming patterns and presets and you also get a ton of natural sounds for each. The USB function helps you back up or store user defined files for the presets and you can enjoy a lot of backing songs to help you practice and all of these are in various musical styles, genres and offer depth and are also built-in within the drum sound module. A natural swinging motion is also achieved with this awesome electronic drum set and there is also a rim that measures 10 inches and is included in the PDX-8.

Budget Pick

alesisnitrokit
Alesis Nitro Kit Electronic Drum Set

This budget friendly electronic drum set, the Alesis Nitro Kit Electronic Drum Set, comes with cymbals that measure 10 inches in its diameter plus a snare that measures 8 inches. The toms measure 8 inches in diameter as well and the cymbal set also includes a hi-hat and a ride cymbal other than the crash cymbal and all of which have choke features. The toms are all single zone and amount to 3 different toms and the snare has a dual zone feature for diversity and tone and color as well as velocity.

Stability and flexibility is good because of the very solid build of the aluminum rack that is 4-post in its design. There is also a bass drum pedal along the kick pad tower that is included and it comes with MIDI in and MIDI out connection so you can use it to sequence music on your DAW or digital audio workstation. You can also use the drum set to adjust the levels of the backing tracks that are built-in within the unit and you can also adjust the backing track’s tempo, volume levels and many more options.

The type of pedal installed with the hi-hat system of the electronic drum set is a continuous variable type pedal and can help you produce splash and chick sounds. There is a snake cable input with 9 triggers and 25 pins in its connector. With a stereo L/R 1/4 inch main output, there are two trigger inputs for the crash cymbal and the floor tom. There are connectors at 1/8 inch for the auxiliary input and the headphones and a USB port will allow you to input user defined samples and the like.

You get up to 11 general MIDI kits in this highly dependable and usable and it has an optimum tempo from 30 BPM up to 280 BPM. The segmented LCD is backlit for your convenience when it comes to the display feature of the electronic drum set. There is also a unique equalizer with 3 bands plus a reverb effect to make recording sound smoothly and there are also 7 various combinations for the hi-hat function. There are over 24 preset kits plus 16 more that are user defined, amounting to a total of 40 kits in the system.

It has a max polyphony of 64 voices with a total of 385 sounds from percussion, drums to SFX. The sequencer allows you to make up to 80 songs in normal mode or 20 beats, 10 patterns and twelve rhythms in the learning mode and each quarter note gets 120 ticks for its resolution. You can store about 1,600 notes more or less in its storage for the sequencer. At only 1.1 pounds, it is a very compact electronic drum set to carry around.

It is powered up with a center positive 9-volt DC power source at 500 mA and the 4-post rack is made from high quality aluminum. With 3 tom pads at 8 inches each, the snare pad measures 8 inches while the hi-hat also measures 10 inches along with the crash and ride pads. A drum key is also included for easily adjusting the tightness of your drums. The needed power supply is also included with the pack and some cable wrap strips are also included in this package. A kit assembly guide plus a module user guide comes along with this electronic drum set.

Unique Electronic Drum Set Package with Headphones

yamahadrumset
Yamaha DTX400K 10-Inch Electronic Drum Set

The Yamaha DTX400K 10-Inch Electronic Drum Set uses 5A drumsticks from Vic Firth and comes with a convenient drum throne that is also adjustable. The stereo headphones included are JVC branded and are full sized to deliver you the best in private practicing and the ride, hi-hat and crash cymbals all measure at 10 inches each.
The module used is a DTX400 module which is built-in with over 297 sounds that are high quality and are easy to use. You get a total of 10 awesome and professional sounding drum sets in this electronic drum set that is very compact in its build. There is also a voice guidance system for those who are still learning how to play the drums properly. The snare drum has a total of 3 zones which adds to its advantages as an electronic drum set.

The steel rack system adds to its durability and stability as a drum set and the full size of this kit ensures that no matter what level you are playing, you will enjoy playing drums on this electronic drum set. The pedals and crash have a realistic feel while drumming and the drum throne is double braced for durability and comfort for long hours of playing.

There is also a silent kick unit for quiet practice when needed. Use the AUX input to play along backing tracks and practice songs and easily play and practice the chops you used to do on acoustic drums. The large size of cymbals helps you attain great skills and level of comfort and it is definitely a good entry level electronic drum set to consider.

Complete Electronic Drum Set with Drum Sticks

ddrumdd1
ddrum DD1 Complete Electronic Drum Kit

The ddrum DD1 Complete Electronic Drum Kit comes complete with 5A drumsticks from GoDpsMusic for your convenience and is also coupled with 2 cables by Chroma Cast, both of which are 10 feet in length. The drum set contains the DD1M module which helps you achieve the best performance possible and includes up to 50 preset songs that are built-in within the unit and it also enables you to access 20 preset kits and add 10 more user defined kits.

Easily connected via MIDI input and output as well as through USB connection, you can also easily play back songs from your mp3 player using the auxiliary input. There are also four drum pads that are single zoned plus the standards such as pads for hi-hats, ride and crash cymbal and there is also a kick drum plus a stand and a controller pedal for the hi-hat.

The rack system has a rock solid durability and feel despite the light weight construction of the electronic drum kit. You can also go for your custom groove or pick from a wide range of groove styles and genres using its selection buttons due to its onboard kits which are all editable at your disposal and you can even install a double bass pedal when you want to add more speed to your kicks, especially if you want to do hardcore genres or genres which require fast kicks.

Ideal Electronic Drum Set with a Compact Design

rolandtd1kv
Roland TD1KV V-Drum Compact Electronic Kit

The Roland TD1KV V-Drum Compact Electronic Kit is very compact in its design and it also has a unique silent kick for practice purposes. The durability of the drum head is good because of the mesh snare head construction that will last for a long time. With 3 helpful tom pads plus pads for the ride cymbal, the crash cymbal and the hi-hat pad, there is also a pedal for the hi-hat and a kick pedal without a beater. The snare pad is also included with the mesh head and there are also over 15 built-in and premade drum kits that are ready be used at your preferences.

The construction of this compact electronic drum kit comprises of sturdy metal alloy, rubber and plastic materials. The sound module used is the TD-1 percussion sound module with many presets and excellent built-in sounds and navigation. With a function for coaching you on how to be a better drum player, a recorder also allows you to make music or hear your recording over again.

A metronome also helps you keep in sync when it comes to playing the drums. You can also use your smartphone or external music player to play backing tracks and train yourself. You can also learn a lot of acoustic drum techniques due to its wide and diverse knowledge of genres, from EDM to jazz to rock and many others and you still get a realistic feel for the snare due to its design. The drum rack also provides a lot of stability and durability and kids and adults alike will enjoy this ergonomic and space saving design as an electronic drum set.

Electronic Drum Set with an Easy Setup

carlsbro
Carlsbro CSD130XXX Electronic Drum Set

The Carlsbro CSD130XXX Electronic Drum Set is powered up with a Digitron display so you can easily set up things with the buttons and the other controls. It comes pre-made with 20 preset drum kits to choose from and there are also over 250 percussion voices, all of which are of high quality for music production of just for playing and listening pleasure. To aid you in quiet practice, you also get a convenient headphone output. There is also an output for the line in and AUX input for external music players to go along with backing tracks of your choice.

There is also a MIDI in and out connection plus a USB interface for convenience and you can also use an amp for this awesome electronic drum set. It is highly compatible with the EZDrummer software for editing the MIDI notes you have just entered or recorded using the electronic drum set.

Ideal Electronic Drum Set with Choke Feature for Cymbals

ddbeta
ddrum DD Beta 5-Piece Electric Kit

The ddrum DD Beta 5-Piece Electric Kit has a total of 5 pieces in its build and there are four single zone pads that measure 8 inches. With 3 cymbal pads, all at 12 inches each, and all have choke features, there is also a set of headphones included for your listening pleasure and private practice. A hi-hat controller is also included with this package and a bass pedal also comes along with your purchase of this electronic drum set.

The drum pads may be single zone but are highly responsive and you can definitely fit this electronic drum set on bedrooms and small spaces due to the portability and compact design of this drum kit. You can use a myriad of drum styles, from Latin to symphonic genres and it also comes with convenient drum sticks for you to play with. It also comes with a MIDI input and output and is rated for use in 110 volts but can also work on other systems with a converter.

Best Illuminated Electronic Drum Set

ionaudiodrums
Ion Audio Redline Illuminated Electronic Kit

The Ion Audio Redline Illuminated Electronic Kit is unique because it is illuminated and backlit for night use so you can use it in the club or at a gig or at night practice due to its amazing lights. The lights are provided using LED under the pads so you absolutely know where to strike while playing in dark areas and you can also enjoy private practice using the headphone output so you do not disturb the neighbors as you practice your drums.

Use up to 30 songs in this electronic drum set as well as play-along and backing patterns. There is also a drum coach for beginners to hone their drum skills. With the drum sticks plus the headphones for easy listening, it also has an AUX 1/8 inch input for adding backing tracks from mp3 players or CD players.

It can also be connected to a USB port for more additional sounds and it comes complete with foot pedals as well. When assembled it stands at a height of about 3 feet so it can be good for both adults and children.

Ideal Electronic Drum Set with Dual Zone Drum Pads

kt3
Kat Percussion KT3 Electronic Drum Set

The Kat Percussion KT3 Electronic Drum Set has dual zone drum pads from its design of 6 pieces, all of which are 11 inches in diameter. The bass drum tower measures 9 inches in its diameter and is also compatible for double pedals for high intensity playing. Its dynamics is very good with this electronic drum set. The pads are also quite silent yet it gives a lot of rebound on the stick at a natural pace and feeling and the boom arms for the cymbal is very adjustable so it is quite flexible in its build as an electronic drum set. All of the pads are equipped with good sensitivity.

The Competition

Other electronic drum sets simply did not have a lot of capability when it comes to delivering a fluid and natural drum set feel that is comparable to a regular acoustic drum. Electronic drums should also be versatile with sound choices.

Other Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What tips should I consider when learning the electric drums?
A: According to Roland UK , drum lessons is a personal preference whether you want YouTube tutorials, DVDs, CDs, books or a real tutor. You should also choose an easy electronic drum set with a built-in metronome.

Q: What are the benefits of using electronic drum sets?
A: According to Remixing Planet , they are very convenient such that they allow you to choose from a wide selection of drum types and instruments. Electronic drum sets are also quite portable in their design.

Wrapping It Up

Overall, the Alesis Forge Eight-Piece Electronic Drum Set is our best electronic drum set for those who want to practice, perform or record without the additional hassle felt using an acoustic drum set.