Newbie needs suggestions for electronic kit

dontgetmestarted

Junior Member
First let me thank, in advance, anyone who responds to this question. I may be a newbie when it comes to drumming, but I probably know more than most newbies thanks to being a semi pro keyboard, guitar and bass player for several decades. I am fortunate to have worked with more than a few top notch drummers, but none who know the electronic drum equipment very well. What I seek is the proper 'jumping in point'.
My interest in electronic drums are based mostly on spacial limitations. I have a one car garage that has been converted into a studio and already houses a wide variety of keyboard, guitar, bass and computer equipment. There simply isn't any room for a full acoustic kit. The equipment I seek would take up a fairly small footprint. I would even consider table top equipment if it meets my needs.
I hope to obtain a somewhat practical setup. Realistic hi-hat, snare and kick drum emulation are the basic requirements. What would work for this, starting with the lowest price point?

Thanks, Lee
 
First off, welcome to the forums.

This is a long post but hang in there, it will all be covered.

I say if you want electronic drums, get Roland. They are of the best quality and wont break. I bought my set as a used floor model and beat the crap out of it at home and it is still working just fine.

Now by realistic do you want the "virtual high hats?" or just a cymbal pad with a foot pedal to control it. I have never used, or even seen a set of the VH's, but they would be nice. With the other choice basically you have a trigger pad and a control pedal on the floor. You can go all the way closed, open and half way in between, but it is very hard to find it and keep it at the half open spot. .

So what it your budget? I don't recommend the Roland HD-1. For what they are (and what your wanting) they aren't worth the time or money. So basically your starting point on the Roland drums is the TD4 series. There is also the TD9, TD12 and TD20 series, each one better than the last. The lowest you can go and get the VH's in the set is the TD9 series.

Rolands mesh heads are great. I haven't played on there rubber pads, but it's worth the extra money to get mesh. They have one kit that isn't all mesh. The lowest kit, the TD4K2. It has a mesh snare and then rubber for the toms. Then the TD4KX2 and up is all mesh. I have a TD4KX (it's an older model of the TD4KX2). There is the TD9K2 which has the same package as the TD4KX2, but it has a better drum "brain", basically it has a few more programmable kits and sounds. Then you get the TD9KX2 which comes with the VH11 (the virtual high hats) and a little bit better mesh pads. And then you get up into the high end TD12 kits and then the biggest and best kits at the TD20 level.

Here is how prices run, links will be at the bottom:

TD4K2 about $1000 new
TD4KX2 about $1500 new
TD9K2 about $1800 new
TD9KX2 about $2700 new

None of the kits come with a bass pedal or a throne, or sticks or head phones. And I doubt the TD9KX2 comes with a high hat stand. All of this is available separately on the same web site.

All of the kits have the dual trigger snare (so you can do normal and rim shots and clicks) and they all of the same bass trigger. The TD4K2 has CY8's for your crash and ride or second crash. The reset of em have a CY12 for you crash and a CY13R for your ride I believe. All of them have a CY5 for you high hat, except for the TD9KX2, it has the VH11.

Here is a link to muscians friend. It lists all the Roland kits they carry. Ignore the SPD-30 Octapad. Just click on any of the others to find out more. For some reason when they went to the G series (S series on the TD4K2) they lost all the extensive info they had on the kits. I have know idea what the G or the S mean.

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/elec...land&gP=1&pS=20&v=g&sB=bS&lP=c&catId=site1DBB

Hope this was of some help. If you have any questions just post a reply
 
My recommendation is the Yamahas DTXplorer kit which is a old kit of the DTX-series which includes many kits. The kit costs 600 euros in Europe which is around 580 dollars, although I think that the price is pretty much the same in US and Canada, if its not, then its probably cheaper. Now about the kit.

This is a very nice starting kit which includes tree toms, three cymbals, a classic Yamahas classic single bass pedal (YAMAHA FP-7210A) and a standard Hi-Hat pedal.The kit uses a DTXPLORER drum trigger module. The kit has also lots of customisation. It has 32 sound kits and 10 custom sound kits which you can make by yourself. It has also 22 songs, so you can practise. You need a headphone with 6,3 mm jack ( For example HD-205 Sennheiser which includes the 3,5mm jack (FOR IPHONE,IPOD ETC.) and a 6,3mm scroll-in jack.). You also can plug in your ipod or iphone to play along the music by aux in. ( You need for that a cable which includes on both tops 3,5mm jack). You can always buy a double pedal and set it to your kit. Every single pad of this kit is rubber. It is a small kit which is good for you.

Picture: http://www.google.com/imgres?um=1&h...9&tbnw=139&start=0&ndsp=18&ved=1t:429,r:0,s:0

This is a very nice starting kit and for experienced players. Although those kits which that person just mentioned are better but expensive. I have personally had this kit and its a great kit.

Highly recommended!

Love,

Me
 
The equipment I seek would take up a fairly small footprint. I would even consider table top equipment if it meets my needs.
I hope to obtain a somewhat practical setup. Realistic hi-hat, snare and kick drum emulation are the basic requirements. What would work for this, starting with the lowest price point?

Thanks, Lee
A Roland SPD-S might suit your needs. It's basic chassis is the size of a laptop, and it has 9 on board triggers. 3 edge triggers and 6 pad triggers. You can plug a kick trigger into it, so you can play the bass drum with your foot (or feet, if you want to go double-bass) ... or you can assign one of the on board triggers to be your kick, and trigger it with your stick. If all you want is bass, snare, and hats ... you can assign multiple pads to be your snare, and multiple pads to be your hats. Play with the on board effects to customize your snare and hats ... so you get a little variation. That way, your snare won't sound the same ... every time you hit it. Same with the hats.​
Typically, one of my SPD-S kits might have 3 pads, all assigned as hats. So, I can have a closed hat sound ... an open hat sound ... and a kinda slushy hat sound. Same for the snare. I might have 3 pads assinged for the snare, also tweaked, to sound different.​
That still leaves me 3 on board triggers. To do with what I want. I usually play the kick, with my foot (or feet), and usually a consistent sounding kick is what everyone is striving for, anyways.​
Roland has a newer SPD-SX, that runs $799 ... so you can find the older SPD-S for around $350. I've had mine for about 6 years, and really see no reason to upgrade. The unit is also a sampler, so it the factory Roland drums "ain't" your fancy, you can replace them with different drums.​
 

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The DTXplorer would be a good kit for the money, but it lacks somethings things to the Roland TD4K2. I looked at the DTXplorer or the DTX500 or what ever it is right beside the Roland TD4KX (the kit that I ended up getting) and talking to the guy at the shop here are some thing you lose if you go to the DTXplorer:

Everything is rubber
Single zone on all the cymbals, all of the ones on the Roland are 2 or 3 zone
Smaller bass pad, using double bass on the Yamaha doesn't work as well because it has a smaller kick pad.
You can't choke your cymbals, on the Roland kit you can.

Basically the cymbals and the mess pads are what led me to spend the extra on the Roland than the DTXplorer
 
http://www.jobekydrums.co.uk/index....ducts_id=197&zenid=lndt2ehcuqcu3m4ndkruis6bf4

i hate to keep posting these, but seriously roland is dogshit compared to the bang for buck you get from jobeky (+ great customer service).
sorry if i come across as rude, but i really do dislike roland.

So, what exactly ... is your point? I looked at the "Jobeky" link that you provided and Jobeky is using a Roland module ... and Roland cymbals. So what part of the Roland line is dogpoop? The module? The cymbals? The pads?​
Did you even read the OP's post? 'Cause you certainly didn't address his question ... he even states
My interest in electronic drums are based mostly on spacial limitations. I have a one car garage that has been converted into a studio and already houses a wide variety of keyboard, guitar, bass and computer equipment. There simply isn't any room for a full acoustic kit. The equipment I seek would take up a fairly small footprint. I would even consider table top equipment if it meets my needs.
And so what are you pitching, but an e-kit that's the size of an acoustic drum set ... that costs $2K (starts at).​
 
The DTXplorer would be a good kit for the money, but it lacks somethings things to the Roland TD4K2. I looked at the DTXplorer or the DTX500 or what ever it is right beside the Roland TD4KX (the kit that I ended up getting) and talking to the guy at the shop here are some thing you lose if you go to the DTXplorer:

Everything is rubber
Single zone on all the cymbals, all of the ones on the Roland are 2 or 3 zone
Smaller bass pad, using double bass on the Yamaha doesn't work as well because it has a smaller kick pad.
You can't choke your cymbals, on the Roland kit you can.

Basically the cymbals and the mess pads are what led me to spend the extra on the Roland than the DTXplorer

I agree with you. The small bass pad is sometimes a bit annoying when using double pedal but it still works fine. Its just wagging a bit but its fine.
 
So, what exactly ... is your point? I looked at the "Jobeky" link that you provided and Jobeky is using a Roland module ... and Roland cymbals. So what part of the Roland line is dogpoop? The module? The cymbals? The pads?​
Did you even read the OP's post? 'Cause you certainly didn't address his question ... he even states
And so what are you pitching, but an e-kit that's the size of an acoustic drum set ... that costs $2K (starts at).​

you can get a stealth kit which folds away (i have one).
you could use a module, or use an alesis i/o hooked up to superior drummer/BFD. you could get a 2box module.
the vh-11 by roland is a good hi-hat cymbal, which is why it is included.

i simply dislike their drums... get some hart magnums or some of the drum-tec line (heads).

like i said harry, i didn't mean to insult anybody. i will admit i didn't read the OP properly.
'twas foolish.

edit: appears they don't have the pics of their old stealth kits there anymore... i'll take a pic, it is very small (even the rack is tiny).
 
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