Buying an e-kit piece by piece

[Castell]

Hi all

I'm a long time guitarist who decided to give learning drums a go. I live in an apartment building, so I can't get an acoustic drum kit. I've been looking at e-kits, and I understand that you probably get what you pay for in these instruments as well. But all the sub-1000$ kits seem to be pretty "big" kits, with three toms, several cymbals etc. What I wanted to ask is would it be possible (or a good idea) to buy a very basic kit of higher end models, to end up in the same sub-1000$ category. I'm thinking of just a bass drum, a snare and a hihat, to get started. Maybe one tom and a ride and a crash added later or something. Also what is the situation with the sound "engine" part; can you get it cheaper is it only has a few sounds? Does this make any sense? I really don't now anything about this, so I apologize if this is a silly question.

Thanks!

 

[No Way Jose]

I don't think the Yamaha electronic drum kits are big. You might look up the compact electronic drum kits such as the Yamaha dd75.

Even the inexpensive drum modules have about 20 to 40 drum kit sounds in them. You'll likely use two or 3 drum kit sounds.

If I was starting out I'd get drum sticks and a mouse pad and practice rudiments.

 

[electrodrummer]

No ekit is "big" - they can be made as "big" or small as you want. Nothing wrong with buying in bits, esp if you get 2nd hand. Note it's generally easiest (less faff!!) if you get gear from the same manufacturer (experiment later when you get used to drumming)

So- let's start with the usual daily questionnaire, before we can get into any specifics.

Usual daily response to this daily question.

1. Budget?
2. What have you played and enjoyed?
3. What features are you interested in?
4. Where are you?
5. ....and... budget

To which I'll add...

• Download and read the manuals of anything you're interested in to get a grip on usability and features.
• Hit some things. Buy what YOU like the feel of.
• Look for expansion flexibility
• Look for multi-zoned pads (pref 3-zone snare as a minimum)
• Avoid propriety cable snakes.
• Avoid cheapo Medeli-badged stuff.
• Get 2nd user for more for your money.

No - go and test-drive

---

(all this won't stop people shouting out specific kit models or shouting VST at you... )

 

[Castell]

1. 1000€
2. I've played my practice pad
3. Playability and touch would be most important
4. Finland
5. That grand is tops... but cheaper is better always.

 

[Woolwich]

I know nothing about e Kits, however if you're looking at buying new in Finland then a good starting point is the Thomann website. There are any amount of their own branded Millenuium kits with mesh pads priced way below 1000 euros as well as many other brands.
My opinion, bearing in mind I'm not an e kit user, is that it will be far easier to buy a full kit as opposed to building it up bit by bit. A new kit comes with all cabling and a rack to attach everything to. Buying individually you'll need to buy cables as well as a rack or conventional stands. Most new kits come as snare, bass, 3 toms and 2 cymbals which is only two toms and 1 cymbal more than you intend to expand to. If you don't want to use these elements then perhaps an idea is to keep them boxed and don't wire them up

 

[electrodrummer]

3. Playability and touch would be most important

You NEED to go and hit some pads on that basis. Try some Roland meshy stuff. Definitely try some Yamaha silicone. If you don't like how any kit "feels" then you'll hate playing it. Budget is fine for a kit.

 

[Castell]

Thanks guys. I'll head over to the local music dealer the coming Saturday to test stuff out.

 

[electrodrummer]

Thanks guys. I'll head over to the local music dealer the coming Saturday to test stuff out.

Enjoy!

 

[doggyd69b]

I don't think the Yamaha electronic drum kits are big. You might look up the compact electronic drum kits such as the Yamaha dd75.

Even the inexpensive drum modules have about 20 to 40 drum kit sounds in them. You'll likely use two or 3 drum kit sounds.

If I was starting out I'd get drum sticks and a mouse pad and practice rudiments.

As a self taught drummer (who knows and understands rudiments) if you would've told me that when I started I would have given up. now some 35 years later I am still playing and didn't feel the need to practice any rudiments to play mostly anything I want. I have also never owned a practice pad.
But I guess I am kind of the strange kind of person that can learn music in my head, pick a guitar and pretty much play it close enough without looking at the notes, a lot easier for me to do that with drums since I actually play them. I have tested that theory with other instruments, if I listen to the music for a little bit I can figure out on keys of course we are not talking virtuoso playing on keys or guitar but I can figure out some decently complicated stuff. Not everyone needs rudiments and not all of us learn the same way.