Buying your first electric drum kit - what you need to consider
Buying a musical instrument can be a challenge, especially when you are a beginner. This blog article will help you buy your first drum set and help you avoid the most prominent pitfalls.
Especially when children express a desire to learn to play the drums, many parents are faced with deafening noise and initially dismiss the idea. Couldn't the child perhaps decide in favour of the flute - and therefore much quieter sounds? Unless you have a soundproof cellar at your disposal, you think you'll have to make a choice. But that's not the case at all. In recent years, more and more manufacturers of so-called e-drums, i.e. electronic drums, have been making a name for themselves and they represent a serious alternative. If this is the first time you've heard of electric drums as an alternative to classical drums, you probably have a lot of questions in your head. Even as a beginner, you can benefit a lot from it yourself. You may have been toying with the idea of getting into percussion for some time and have been put off by the noise and lack of space. This article is intended to give you an initial overview.
Which electric drum kit do you want to buy?
An electric drum kit, also known as an e-drumset, is basically constructed in the same way as a classic drum kit. The difference is that instead of the instruments of a drum kit, i.e. instead of drums and cymbals and the optional other percussion instruments, so-called pads are attached, which you then play on.
These pads are usually smaller than the drums of the drum kit and therefore not only produce less noise, but also take up less space for your e-drums. The pads themselves do not produce any sounds. They are electronically assigned the corresponding sound. The pads are touch-sensitive, comparable to the touchscreen of your smartphone. Depending on how hard you hit them, you can produce louder or softer sounds or different sound effects.
You can connect your e-drums to headphones for practising and if you really want to play loudly, you can create a sound on a par with classic drums by connecting them to an amplifier. Incidentally, the development of electric drums dates back to the 1970s.
Buying your first electric drum kit
When you buy a classic drum kit, you have a certain idea of how this instrument should sound. You should proceed in exactly the same way with your electric drums.
What sound do you want to create? First and foremost, pay attention to these criteria:
Sensitivity of the drum pads: The pads require a certain amount of velocity, similar to the touch dynamics on an electric piano. So if you only hit the pad gently, you should get a soft sound. If you hit it harder, the sound should be the same.
Adaptivity of the drum pads: With very inexpensive electric drums, you have hardly any options to expand the instrument later. It makes more sense if this option at least exists. Otherwise, you will have to buy a completely new instrument with the associated higher costs if you want more.
Sound quality: The sound of an instrument is of course the most important factor. Very cheap sets in particular disappoint with a weak and, above all, narrow sound. The difference here lies above all in the electronics. Listen to your gut feeling, but if you are unsure, ask your teacher.
Programmable sounds: Another point that also lies in the electronics is the programmability of the pads. How many sounds can you play? Is this selection expandable? This is usually possible within the same provider and in this respect, it is worth having an overall view of what is on offer.
What should you look out for when buying your first electric drum kit?
In addition to these aspects, there are also other things you can think about:
the finish: will the pads hold in the place where you've attached them? You should be able to hit them well without having to worry about having to redo the entire setup every time.
The space: How are the pads arranged? Is a certain basic size mandatory or are you variable here?
The feel: This refers to the surface material of the pads, which makes for a good or not-so-good playing experience. Basically, you have the choice between rubber, silicone and mesh fabric. Rubber is cheap and lasts a long time, but doesn't offer you any particularly "real" rebound. The feel is not particularly original. Silicone feels much more realistic, but is also more expensive. The durability is similar to that of rubber, but the surfaces cannot usually be replaced. Mesh fabric is the most expensive of the variants, which is not quite as durable as the other two options, but offers an extremely realistic feel. These surfaces can be replaced quite easily and professionals in particular favour these coverings, which are very similar to real drumheads.
Visual extras: Some e-drums come with visual effects. This is nice for starters, but not absolutely necessary. When buying your first electric drum kit, concentrate on the quality aspects and not so much on the special features.
If you are very unsure, you can also ask your teacher or someone who has more expertise than you.
Should you buy or rent your first electric drum kit?
Admittedly, at around CHF 800, even the entry-level models of electric drums are no real bargains. So if you have the feeling that you would like to try out the instrument first, you should opt for a hire. We are happy to work with a provider who rents out high-quality instruments. This gives you or your child a realistic feeling of whether you can cope with the instrument or not. The clear advantage is that the final decision is postponed and part of the rent paid is credited towards the purchase of the instrument. This could make it easier for you to make a purchase decision if you stay with this instrument.
However, if you want to buy directly, orientate yourself on the entry-level models. As with the vast majority of instruments, there is hardly any upper limit in terms of cost in the professional sector and these high-end instruments will usually not meet your requirements as a beginner. If you decide in favour of a model that is easy to expand, you can add more and more sounds later on.
Buying second-hand is rarely worthwhile, because hardly anyone who is passionate about playing electric drums will simply sell their instrument. You have to be really lucky to get hold of a good instrument. If in doubt, you can ask your teacher which model they would recommend.
Decision according to age
Younger children are often unable to play electric drums simply because of their arm span. However, as soon as this is possible, you can also opt for a good beginner's set. Generally speaking, however, electric drums are slightly smaller than acoustic drums and may be better suited to smaller children. If you don't want to buy outright, you should consider renting. You shouldn't accept significantly more compromises than the entry-level models, otherwise the electronics will lack finesse or the pads will sound too weak. Then your child may lose the courage to learn an instrument, which would be a shame.
Decide according to skill level
As a beginner, you can opt for so-called beginner sets. This makes perfect sense in our eyes. After all, you won't be able to play the large and often expensive sets in their entirety and then you may be annoyed by the high costs. Make sure that you can expand your existing set and do so with increasing skills.
Are there any other costs?
Of course, it's not just the rack, pads and sticks. There are also a few other items that you can invest in:
Electronics / amplifier: To get any sound at all from your electric drum kit, you need electronics. These are either included with your set or you should purchase them separately.
Cables: You should have your own cables with you, especially if you're playing on the road. Never rely on an organiser who doesn't know your set. In the end, your great instrument won't produce more than a little scratchiness because it's not connected to the electronics.
Headphones: The main advantage of your electric drums is that you can play without disturbing others. If you listen through headphones, you can also adjust the volume to suit your ears. Nevertheless, you get a great feeling and you can also make good use of the touch dynamics.
Pedals: As your skills grow, you may no longer want to use the standard pedals in your set. Then you can influence the sound with other pedals. Seek advice on site or from your teacher.
Additional stands: If your set itself cannot be expanded, some musicians also work with additional stands and holders. Weigh this up carefully. It is really ideal if everything is connected to the rack. It may be worth rummaging around here, because everything else will be a DIY solution that will frustrate you in the long run. You can really regulate one or two individual elements using separate stands, similar to percussion stands moved to the back.
Where should you buy?
Some people take advantage of good local advice to then buy cheaply online. We don't think that's particularly fair. You can buy good starter sets online and there are now also great advice functions. However, if you prefer to get advice and try out a set in store, you should also buy it there. Ask your teacher, who will certainly be able to give you some good pointers, or ask someone in your circle of friends who is familiar with this instrument.
Do you have any other questions?
We hope that this article has given you some initial pointers and offered you, as a fan of this great instrument, an opportunity to play the drums even if you don't have a soundproof room available. If you have any further questions, simply get in touch with a teacher or contact us directly. We look forward to hearing from you.
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