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e-drums are allowing thousands to play drums while living in apartments or townhouses, the high end kits are amazing so in that respect they are amazing

I would take acoustic drums anyday of the week but i live in a apartment. So i need to stick to an electric.

You dont have to spend time tuning electric kits that's a big pro

Electronic drums could never replace acoustic kits... but are a great alternative for home practice and recordings .

You did not mention recording yourself. With an electronic kit it is really really really simple to record yourself. Of course you will not end up with the same result as if you recorded properly an accoustic drum, but recording an accoustic drum takes a lot of skills and unless you took the time to learn them (+ buy all the things needed to record the drum, and that's a lot of things to buy) you will have a better result recording on an electronic kit. If you have a very serious project and a lot of money it might seems not that big of a deal, but if you can't spend tons of money on your gears and have a little project with your friends it actually makes a difference.

Why not both Hybrid

There is no way I could play acoustic drums in my home. I'm thankful to be able to play with the next door neighbors hearing nothing.

Guitarist/songwriter perspective here: One CON of electronic drums that I’ve observed is that younger rock drummers do not learn dynamics and stick control. If they start out as “pounders,” an e-kit can exasperate that problem. I have always marveled at drummers who can play a tasty, solid groove at whisper volumes on an acoustic kit. It’s an important skill to have as a drummer, because at a live gig guitarists, bassists, and keys can trim their volume to proper room levels with a twist of a master volume knob, but an acoustic drummer who can’t do anything but pound will force everyone else to turn up, leading to an ear-splitting mess and no follow-up gigs at that venue. That said, a good e-kit married to an amazing sample platform like Superior Drummer solves so many problems with ease in a home studio that they are by far a better opinion for recording on a budget. Once you get a fantastic PERFORMANCE out of your drummer, as captured as a MIDI stream, then the world is open to you. Don’t like the kick? Audition ten others and pick the one that sits in the mix the best-in about 30 seconds. The level of sample control in SD is stupefying... you can control the level of MIC BLEED from one instrument to another, fer cryin’ out loud! You have sounds from the highest end kits, professionally tuned, recorded in world class studios, through high-end mics, into million dollar consoles. For what they ask for SD and the additional sample libraries, a project studio is leveraging million-dollar resources for the price on one three-hour session at a professional recording studio. Forget the cost of the drums themselves... just the additional costs of dedicating a big enough room to mic drums in, acoustically treating that room properly, and buying the mics and outboard gear to record it all, at least doubles or triples the price of a project studio. Heck, I can have a drummer play a song on his e-kit in California and email me his MIDI performance (a tiny file) that can be tweaked to perfection in post. The same can’t be done with an acoustic drum performance. I know that most drummers MUCH prefer to play the real thing: infinite dynamic nuance, tone, and feel. When you have unlimited resources, that’s obviously preferred. But in the real world e-kits represent an incredible value.

I’ve been on my drumming journey for allmost 40 years now..I played all over USA back in the 90s ‘country line dance craze’ road band for 6 years..and I’ve owned several accoustic kits and now I’m on my my 2nd Edrum kit..a Roland td17 kvx And this is a very impr7set..I paired it with a KC 400 Roland amp..And it sounds great the different sounds and easy adjustments are amazing and best of all a Volume knob for Times I can truly jam and time to play quietly....it depends on what you want the sets for....when I was on the road...definitely would cho7my Pearl session accoustic kit...but jamming around the house wit friends...it’s hard to beat the versatility of an Ekit.....happy drumming...Jim .hammond Louisiana..👍🥁🎼✌️

I had an acoustic set when I lived in a house with a basement. Now that I live in an apartment I have a high end E set. I actually love both. Both are incredible. Just depends on what the individual drummer is looking for.

Everything has its purpose that’s for sure. I started with a small entry level electric kit. It served its purpose and got me started. It didn’t help with some areas of technique but at least got some of the foundations of drumming laid down. I then moved next to an acoustic kit with drum mutes and cymbal mutes (cymbomute), which was so much better. With this I was sitting at a real kit, playing and developing muscle memory and getting used to playing a real sized kit. Finally I built a soundproof studio so I can now play as loud as I want, but fundamentally that little electric kit served as an introduction to the instrument. Sure the sizes and dynamics didn’t feel real, but I was playing drums and that kit had its place.

I don’t even play drums why am I watching this

The Acoustic drum v electric drum debate is about as frustrating to listen to as the android v apple phone debate, just try it out & see what you like, let it be that.

I just got modifying my 1965 Ludwig kit into one you can stack inside each drum. It sounds more 70s style. The only double headed drums are the hi tom and obviously the snare. I've got a body sized duffle bag for stands in the trunk and all the drums take up only one car seat. Kd has a built in muffle ring and flrTom has special head too. When they stack I've got round carboard in between each drum to prevent damage. Also have an electronic TD-20. So now both are just as easy to pack but I'm definitely enjoying the no wires thing. Great Video!!

This was a very well thought out, organized and informative video. I've been an acoustic set player for 50 years and am now toying around with getting an electronic kit so I can practice at home and not throw the household into an uproar.

As an avid player of acoustic and electric drum sets, I would say this video is Pure Accuracy! Both are great for their specific purposes. I always make sure I use my acoustic set when the music calls for that and my electronic set when my kids go to bed. My favorite aspects of each one : Electronic- tinkering around on sound modules can be addictively fun. Acoustic- Nothing beats the feel of real drum heads and the full sound that hits your face.Great Video!

Acoustic for live, e drums for home, simple as that.

1. Buy a used drum set 2. Buy Remo ambassador and Remo powerstroke drum heads 3 buy all cymbals in the Zildjan K-series Boom - Legend drumset

the combination of both is the ultimate experience

Thanks for the video. I’ve had a Roland TD17 kvx for about 18 months, and fortunately my wife has just bought me a new Pearl Export 6 piece drum kit with Sabian B8X cymbals, so I’m fortunate enough to have the best of both worlds. I also have an old barn in my garden with 18” walls I intend to put them in after some alterations so hopefully the neighbour’s will have some peace. Regards and Happy New Year to all drummers. Bob M. South Wales

Hey man super helpful I appreciate the links in the description. It's so hard to practice with out disturbing folks with the acoustic drums.

I started out on electronic drums in the early 90's the first thing I ever bought was a Roland SPD-8. I was in the Navy and I needed something ultra portable. I loved it at the time, it had some great sounds and if you had their "pedal" really just a foot switch with a spring you could either use it for the bass drum, or as long as you held the switch down you could alternated the sounds on the pads so you could open and close the hi-hat and have up to 17 sounds per kit. The biggest issue with that thing was the motherboard was directly underneath the pads. One day the motherboard cracked and that was the end of it. It lasted years though. The next thing I bought was a Yamaha DTXpress in the early 2000's I stayed electronic because I was apartment living. I had an Alesis DM5 module that I used for cymbal sounds because the one's that came with the Yamaha were super weak and quite. Also I added some extra cymbal and tom pads. It was very durable and solid for a long time. However, they don't last forever pads break, and the bass drum stand/pad wore out. Also because when you strike a pad you are creating an electrical signal, carbon will eventually build up on the plugs and the jacks so you need to keep them clean. It won't happen for a long time, but it will happen. I got tired of playing with headphones so I got some Yamaha 15" PA speakers and a couple of Alesis amps so I could play and hear myself. I played to music and it was just myself. Then one day my neighbor's boyfriend's band was looking for a drummer and she told him to ask me, he plays all the time. I was in my garage and I didn't know she sat outside and listened to me. I guess it wasn't too objectionable because he came over and said "Our band needs a drummer you wanna get together and jam?". Okay, so that weekend I met the band and they had a drum set already at their place so I didn't need to bring anything but sticks. So this was my first time playing with people, and playing on an acoustic drum kit. Somehow I made it through and got in, but I knew I had a lot to learn. I chose leave electronic drums behind because it just wasn't the same for me. I got myself a Yamaha oAk Custom shell pack 5 toms and a bass drum, and I've got 3 different snares a Steel Mapex Machete, a Gretsch hammered COB, and a Retro Mahogany. I have a mix of cymbals Paiste, Zildjians, Wuhan, and Dream Bliss. Most of my hardware is Yamaha medium or heavy. So I guess what I'm saying is electronic is a good way to start, but if you're playing with headphones quietly then electronic kits can restrict you in more ways than one, because no one can hear you.

I just use an electric kit, run through Superior Drummer. It works perfectly for every type of music I've tried to play on it so far. That helps in terms of the sound/samples problem, then it's just the setting up the velocity curve to the levels are more true to an acoustic kit and things like that. So it is possible to get a very real sound out of an electric kit, it just takes a fair amount of work to get it right. I'm still working on it, slowly but surely

I'm done playing acoustic kits after playing my td-17kv. I can get any sound i want and it feels amazing to play on a huge p.a system.

I bought an electric kit because I'm limited in space, and have neighbours living close. Its got a metronome so practice is easy (though it is limited in its function, it works fine for 4/4), I can put audio through it to play along to (though bluetooth occasionally has a hiccup and it skips a beat, throwing you off), and you can record yourself easy without needing expensive mics, bass traps and precise layouts. The sound of properly recorded acoustic drums can never be matched by electric kits, but for beginners like myself who only just got into playing, an electric kits serves my purposes. The downsides are, you are limited to the kit you bought. Now I invested in a mid-range Roland kit, so I do have some room to add onto the kit, but I have to buy Roland drum triggers and still I'm limited. Acoustic kits you can add what you like, where you like. And while my kit does support rim shots, 2 or 3 zone cymbals, mesh heads, and a hi-hat set up for a regular stand (as opposed to just a trigger and separate pedal), it cannot emulate every function. Brushes won't work, dynamics are limited especially ghost notes, and you can't hi-hat sizzle. But still, for a beginner like myself, they are perfect.

I play a Roland TD 4 kit. Bought it new it '09. I have since upgraded all the tom head to the Roland mesh heads. Used of course, curtesy of Ebay. I bought the third cymbal to have two crashes and the ride. I gig all the time with it, running it through our PA and the sound is fantastic. I've never had a stutter or skipped trigger while playing. In the last year I bought a bass guitar EQ pedal. I run the line out into it then out to the PA and my sound has really changed. Looking back, I can't believe I ever played without the EQ pedal. I'd love to polish off my Gretsch acoustic 4 piece set to gig with, but anymore when we tell the bar or club owner I have a volume controllable electric kit their eyes widen in curiosity and enthusiasm. I would like to upgrade to a mesh bass drum pad, I haven't found one at a reasonable price though.

I love my Roland td-25kv, tour kit, I also love my Ludwig drum kit I've had for year's but, a lot of maintenance, if you're a drummer get both and you'll see.

When I record and perform vdrums with loud live band, I have use a mini spot monitor just for my hihat because it's not loud enough like a real hihat normally cuts through loud guitars. I could turn my hat up but then it'd be way loud in the recording. It also makes the playing experience seem much more like an acoustic.

You've just wasted 10 days of me searching and watching videos on electronic kits. I was considering picking up the Roland TD 17kvx since I live in an apartment with peeps around all the time, but then you mention those silent cymbals and muffling at the end of your video (THANK YOU!). I've always wanted the real feel of Drums. I was going to sound proof the room even with an E-kit, so might as well go Acoustic with the parts that you mentioned. Awesome video man.

All very true & valid points & the only reason I'm thinking of buying an E Kit is because I stay in a small flat & I know for a fact I'd be hit by ASBO's left right & centre if I could by my favourite acoustic drum kit... When I was younger I started out on drums but i somehow got talked into playing bass, as back then no one wanted to play bass & it hadn't been brought forward as it has within a band environment & this all happened in the mid 70s & 80s & I'm so glad I moved to bass guitar as it is a very expressive instrument in the right hands... Hands down, any day of the week, I'd take acoustic drum kits over E Kits but my circumstances won't allow me to do this... I will say though that E Kits have grown so much since their early years but when you have a trained ear you can really hear the difference between the two & of course your physical interaction between them... I still do not think they've perfected a really great snare sound that could fool you but they are still good for what they built to do... I get why this gentleman is doing a Pros & Cons but your circumstances should tell & speak to on what type of kit you'll want to get... If you live in a detached home & have a garage/no brainer it's an Acoustic Kit, but if your in a flat with neighbours around you it has to be an E Kit & though they're not 100% realistic sounding as an acoustic they've come on a long way & can do the job for whatever your looking for... Beats the hell out of using your parents pots & pans & old used paint pots that I smacked on back in the day... lol In all seriousness I'll say again that think overall what you'll be using them for & can you play them without incurring the wrath of not just your neighbours but your family... Again for me & if I could I'd take acoustic but I think E Kits have become good enough to use them for what I need, as I'm not intending on playing with any bands or recording anymore as they're just for the fun of grooving along to a beat... Factor in everything that you'll need them for & if you'll be able to use them without hassle... I'd even suggest, if you have the money, an acoustic kit for during the day/early evening & an E Kit at night & that way you don't drive your family & neighbours nuts because of the sound... Have fun picking out what you'll use & above all enjoy the Instrument your playing, as it's all about the passion of music & finding your groove within whatever part of that band you want to be in... I was lucky as I picked up drums/bass & lead & rhythm guitar, so I can play around more & I'd suggest you try playing other instruments also as it all adds to the musical soup your cooking & if one day you want to go Pro you have a better chance at getting more work when you know how to play more than one instrument... Enjoy... .....

You made many great points! I love big loud expensive acoustic kits! Unfortunately I now live in an apartment. I went back to Electronic kit! Ive owned them all, from Alesis, Roland, and Yamaha with XP heads! 3 zone. Point is Noise control! Thanks for your input!

One thing my 1st drum instructor pointed out just before I picked up my 1st new drum set(Pearl Export in burgundy), was that, despite the disadvantage of being large and taking up some floor space, a decent acoustic drum set is similar to a piano, in that it's like an aesthetically pleasing piece of furniture.

I played out for many years with an electronic kit. It was so simple, I hated setting up and tearing down an acoustic kit. However, I used acoustic cymbals, hi-hat ,etc. So I guess I was mixed, but what I had was easy to set up and tear down. And it worked fine in the venues I played in.

This was a great video! We just moved from our lake cottage to a condo in a nearby city where I won’t be able to use my acoustic kits. I much prefer the acoustic kit, but I have no choice but to give the electronics a try. Thank you

This is more for recording....but my decision comes down to what sounds I'm wanting. Bigger sounds and natural reverb calls for an acoustic kit, and I like to use an electric kit when composing with custom recorded samples (even though a beat pad would work just as well.)

I play in a six-piece horn band, so size is an issue. Great comparison of both. I have two acoustic sets, that I can use for larger venues, but I really like my "Hybrid Kit." Real snare, real hats, real cymbals... Roland V-Drum toms and kick. I mic the snare and cymbals. The result is a super realistic sound, great "feel" and a ton of sound possibilities. I just added a Roland dual zone snare trigger so that I can add effects on the snare too (for certain songs). I use the Roland TD-20 brain, which lets me program individual drum sets, which I name with the title of the song. PS: VERY COOL TECHNIQUE for your snare. If you need to cut your snare volume, place a snare batter head up-side-down on your snare stand, then put your snare on the stand. It acts as a baffle, cutting the snare stage volume by 50%, without changing the playability of the top head. No deadening, just a volume cut. I started doing this when we played in an old factory/brewery (with very active brick walls) but now I do it all the time. I cuts the sound to me (saving what hearing I have left!), reduces stage volume (a big plus, let the front-end DO what' it's supposed to do) AND it has no effect on the "feel" of the snare (like laying a t-shirt over it). We have a "law" in the band... if you can't hear the horns, you're too loud! Anyway, I really enjoy these videos. Excellent down-to-earth advice.

The best of the best "(currently) is the mimic pro module. Buy atv hats, snare and ride and choose whatever mesh toms u like. Tried them all. This combo is killer. Greetings from professional drummer in Norway;)

thanks for the input! Covid has gotten me seriously learning about learning drums and am now convinced it is time to graduate from alesis E drums!

This is it . Iv been playing for 40 years and I'm so impressed by the approach of none glamorous playing..thanks my brother.

Thank you for bringing this up. My church had the idea to buy one to play live and I must tell you those were the worst days of my life. Electric will never be close to acoustic. I have one at home but all the hassle I went through at church made hate even my own kit.

I’ve been playing for 30 years. My acoustic kits are a five piece Yamaha stage custom and a five piece Ludwig. My E kit is a Roland V TD-12KX. I have nothing else to add here because I agree completely with your entire analysis.

E-drums have so much advantages over acoustic drums that I never miss them anymore. When playing my Roland 15 I get a real good and clean sound out of the PA. Further more the sound of my playing is much more distinct and powerful. For me the Roland 15 has by far good enough drum sounds even though it is a mid range kit. No one in the audience has ever complained at the sounds of my drums. Even my Roland 11 are good enough by far. Also the compact e-drums are so easy to tour with on smaller venues and real quick to get ready on stage. I'll never go back to acoustic drums again!!

Great job on the comparisons and the presentation of pros and cons. I have both, and I totally agree with you.

Been playing on an acoustic kit for over 15 years now - though with a cross country move I had to go TD17KVX due to noise. Going to be a learning curve but I'm excited.

A good quality electric kit is WAAAY nicer than having to play a muted / muffled acoustic kit in your house all the time. This is what I finally realized.... Whatever the shortcomings may be, an electric kit is better than freakin' Evans SoundOff pads (or even Aquarian Superpads) on an acoustic kit, and rubber mute pads on your cymbals. That just sucks. I found a nice deal on a top-line electric kit and solved so many headaches at once. I did keep one set of acoustic hi hats and a couple effects / splash cymbals, just for fun. Not hard to throw those up there to play once in awhile.

I converted an acoustic kit with UFO Drums ebridges and 3 ply mesh heads. I added Yamaha 3 zone cymbals and a hi-hat stand modified with a Hall effect sensor. The snare, hi-hat and ride are plugged into an eDrumin, the rest into a MegaDrum. I'm using Superior Drummer for the kits and dedicated Alto TS115a's behind the kit for monitoring. This cost way less than high end Roland kits, is very playable and sounds excellent. Perfect for rehearsals and recording but it's simpler to use an acoustic kit for gigs.

You also can convert an acoustic kit into an electric one with triggers an mesh heads plus using low volume cymbals (Zildjian L80, Arborea Mute)

From someone who bought a studio in the country mainly to have acoustic drums (ended up like the shining) , I would recommend you join a band and rent a room and you can keep all your stuff in the place and constant access. Or buy a 2box drum it.

I've played drums in general about 10 years and e-drums close to 5, so I think it's safe to say you left out 1 major pro with e-drums = drumsticks lasts forever! Well not forever but I've been using the same pair for years now. Have also an acoustic set and I've noticed (especially when playing metal) that pair of drumsticks wear out really quickly, even the more expensive ones, (mainly due to hitting cymbals). Maybe my technique isn't the best and it's not an issue with all drummers but I don't wanna buy pair of new Vic Firths every second week. Also playing with broken sticks can damage your drumheads really quickly. That's why It's good to replace them as soon as their tip breaks.

I have a modified td9 and it is great fun, especially for quick and cheap recording. Also, I like to build it into my acoustic kit.

I would love to have a acousic kit but my neighbours woudnt haha! I have a Roland TD-11-K and i LOVE the thing and the options it gives me, Greets from The Netherlands

That was very good info. I have been wrestling with this and I think am going to pull the trigger on acoustic. Thanks

I have a TD-30 and play live using two Mackie thump 15BST speakers plus a 15" EV Sub. The sound is awesome, plus the sound is adjustable. I also play with about 8 different kits that can give me that sound that replicates different songs although 80% of the time I just use the one kit.

I find it great to have an acoustic kit for performing, a Roland TD-4K for performing on a good P.A. and having portability, and a higher end elec kit for home recording/practicing. I'm good!

You resumed pretty well the pros and cons of each option. When I was younger, I hated electronic drums (the sound, feel etc...) but I've changed my mind by understanding the history behind it. I think electronic manufacturers wants to respond to a demand for kits that simulate acoustic kits with nuances (which is nice to practice etc... ). However the strength of electronic is... to play electronic sounds. It is a different culture, the first electronic kit was created from a modified groove box. Everyone knows the sound of the 80's just by hearing the Simmons drums. The trend for electronic kits, and electronic instruments in general, is to bring each time a new level of sensitivity/nuances which is interesting in a electronic way, but concerning the Drums, it will never represent at 100% the real touch of the drummer because there are too much variables in an acoustic setup/sound. So take the electronic drum kit for what it was created for at the start : an electronic instrument which purpose is to sound electronic with a more humanized interpretation of the beat than a groove box.

I'm surprised he never mentioned tuning as a con for acoustic drums. It can be tricky to get them sounding perfect. Not to mention, recording.. if you leave a part for a day or two, you come back to different sounding drums and it can be tricky to get the exact sound you had before. With that being said, acoustic drums for the win.

My wife has balked at letting me get am acoustic kit for years but when I started pitching an electronic kit and explained how quiet it is she finally relented and let me proceed. So far I only have a few pieces due to budgeting with two kids as well, but I'm happy I have something.

I agree totally with you on that one. I started with yamaha dtx532k which have that nice silicon snare and a "real" hh stand but hh is still a open close button and hitting everything other than snare gives you a hitting a plastic toy feel. Even if you crank up the volume that plastic sound will pass through anyway. And if you want to show someone what you`ve learned you`ll need some extra equipment (amp and speakers) But acoustic drums tend to get more expensive because you may look for a particular sound and getting that clean hihat or a vintage snare or that crisp bell ride will have you spending some serious money. I`ve tried a higher tier roland ($3k or so) in a guitar store and the hihat actually felt like real in terms of foot control. So at least there`s that. But its still plastic.

Great advice bro I really needed an opinion especially as a starter to buy a set cuz there tons of options to choose from

Stephen Clarke, when you were talking about the benefits of getting a cheap used $300 - 400 kit explaining that its sound could be modified by swapping out a snare or get new hardware, hoops, heads, etc., and get a good sound and I agree with that. But if one is going to trade up like that the cost could potentially rise to the same cost as a good electric set unless the equipment you swap out itself is used. I haven't been shopping in a long time but I remember a new double bass drum pedal ran between $200-$300, a new ride ran about $250, etc. Then I got a Roland TD20 when they came out spent $5000 and at the sixth year of playing that set it began to develop problems with the hardware and software from regular wear and tear. If I had kept my acoustic kit I would still be playing it now with little troubles. I was a little upset because I figured for $5000 the set should have lasted much much longer than it did. If I buy another electronic kit I won't buy the high end because Roland hasn't shown me that their kits last for the money you have to shell out. Just wanted to throw that in ...good vid, thanks

I have a Roland TDK -1DMK e-kit. It is a marvel and in my opinion it sounds so much better than any acoustic kit I've played in the same price bracket (£600--£800). It has so many advantages especially for a learner - you can play along to the pre-set songs, play the drum parts on your own favourite songs with drumless tracks, there are 15 pre-set kits (rock, pop, jazz, electronic, metal, percussion only etc). There is no question that I would have been a much better drummer and learnt so much more if I had started on an e-kit back in the day. Comparing an acoustic kit with an e-kit like judging an old analogue rotary phone versus a modern day smartphone. Which one would you rather have?

Drum-Tec Hand Hammered Diabolo 13" snare you can use brushes and with the new ATV cymbals and hi hat mallets works. Drum-Tec / ATV kits are great all around.

I used to have edrums, but I changed to acoustic with remo silent stroke and zildjan l80. But the funny thing is, my mum said that she heard the edrums more than my silent stroke kit when I play.

Two big cons of acoustic drums you did mention are tuning and cost of maintenance. Granted, every drummer should know how to tune their kit, but that doesn't mean it won't drive you up a wall when you've spent a half hour fine tuning a snare only for it to sound worse than when you started. Electric drums will never have to be tuned and will always sound perfect (in a sense). It is also a lot easier to break a stick on an acoustic set, and you have to replace your heads after a while, or cymbals when they start to crack. With that being said, the sound and feel of a real acoustic kit squander these cons tenfold.

Great vid! Happy Holidays

I've been really impressed with the combo of Alesis strike pre se, all mesh heads, and superior drummer 3, once I got the sensitivity set right it rocks and very easy to set up at a gig and get a awesome drum sound at the right levels.

I'm a beginner drummer and just got my first electric set. It was my only option if I wanted to learn with where I live. I hope to get an acoustic get when I buy a home in the next few years, but for now it's E drums. I fully expect there to be plenty of things I'll need to learn when I do get an acoustic kit.

I was expecting to have my first major disagreement with you on this one, but I totally agree. Any drummer just starting needs to play an acoustic kit. However, I do still have some slight disagreements. A few years ago I inherited some money and splashed out on the Roland TD-50. I didn't get the top end model, but the one with the smaller tom and BD pads and the cheaper hi-hat controller. I did pay extra for the better hi-hat controller though (the VH-11 & VH-13 respectively). It brought the kit to the best part of £5,000 (roughly $7,500, but bear in mind that UK prices are much higher than US). I absolutely love this kit. Like you said, the digital snare & ride pads really do have the nuances of the real thing. Also, you CAN play this kit with brushes. You do need to use the dedicated patches, but it does respond to swishes. Roland have also released a digital hi-hat controller, the VH-15, which I'd love to try/buy. The hi-hats are the biggest weakness of all e-kits. I don't know how much you've played around with the TD-50, but there are a mind-boggling number of parameters you can change: head type, BD beater type, mic placement, shell depth etc. Then there are the 30 built-in effects. Lastly, one of the features I really love is that you can assign two samples to each ‘instrument’. For example, I have gong drum samples for my toms, cross-faded between hard and soft hits and, for the rims I have octobans at two different pitches. I do the same for the crash cymbals, with different cymbals assigned to the edge. Lastly, I've configured one of the cymbal sounds, a finger-bell, so that the hi-hat changes its pitch. I have to admit that I've barely explored all the possibilities myself. I more or less stopped when I got a really good snare. I'm very proud of that actually. It reacts quite differently to the depth of rim shot, shallow ones producing more ring than the deeper, for example. Of course no electronic kit is ever going to produce as much nuance as an acoustic kit, but the TD-50 comes pretty damn close. I had a Yamaha DTX500K before I got the Roland and there's a world of difference between the two, more than between the Roland and an acoustic. I never really enjoyed playing the Yamaha anywhere near as much as my acoustic kit, but the Roland really is a joy to play, it's response is so good. It's reinvigorated ‘apartment’ playing and band rehearsals. One thing I will say for the Yamaha is that its training tools were really good, better than the Roland's. Which brings me to my final comment, the built-in metronome and songs. The metronome is fully customiseable with a number of pre-programmed (eg agogos, claves & woodblocks etc, but you can assign any sample to the different note values: 16th, 8th, 4tr plus triplet and dotted). The songs come in a number of genres and allow you to mute the drum part. You can also record your performance and the brain has a built-in mixer. On top of the 30 effects, any three of which can be assigned to each instrument, they also have separate compression, ambience (reverb, really) and EQ. If you can afford it and have a reasonable amount of experience on acoustic kits I wouldn't hesitate recommending this particular e-kit. It's like you said, Stephen, you have to cut the manufacturers some slack, but Roland really have gone to a lot of trouble, have done their research and listened to drummers and have gone deeply into the design. While I'm plugging Roland's drums, I also have their HPD-20 percussion pad. That has even more sounds than the TD-50 and the same attention to detail & performance. It's much more affordable too, having cost me about £600 (roughly $900). It includes kit sounds as well as just about every percussion instrument you've ever heard of and you can get a BD & hi-hat controller for it, so it can be used as a kit. It can be played with sticks or hands - there's a sensitivity switch - but it's not meant to be an electronic kit. What it's great at is percussion, especially congas and similar drums. For example, resting your hand on either of the two main pads will dampen/mute them both, much like a conga. I've sung their praises enough, I won't go into detail. You'd think they were paying me! 😄

Switch your camera to manual focus and pre-focus on where you usually sit (with medium to small aperture). Or sit still.

This video was helpful. For me, I love the feel of acoustic, but have pondered buying an electric for early morning or late night practice and not wanting to wake or disturb anyone. But for now though, it's just me and my loud acoustic in the basement. 😁

Just about everything you said is dead on, I absolutely love my Roland kit, can play whenever I want, and I actually love the sounds on it, don't get me wrong, a vst or the mimic pro sound way better, but for my current situation, vdrums are perfect. On the other hand, there is nothing like a real acoustic kit, I'm dying to setup my Yamaha Stage Custom Advantage, but it's just too loud. I guess it's really up to each person situation, great video bud, you have an awesome channel!!!!!

There needs to be a drumset where you can put it into brush mode where you can actually use brushes on it. Like a mode where you turn on/off brush emulation for each pad or cymbal, and a mode where you can turn on/off brush mode for all pads and cymbals as a whole. And the on/off buttons or whatever device of switching should be more like a hotkey so that it is very easy if you are a bit of a quick switch to drum sticks kind of person.

I got a Alesis dm light (second hand) it takes just a little space in apartment and I can record on the computer and then I can change how it sounds, the pedals don't seem right makes a plasic sound that I hoped would be more silent and the left one might have a problem cos I am having only a slight feeling weight to open close hi hat.

As an aspiring drummer, would it not be safe to say to truely master the instrument, investing in both an acoustic and an electric kit is the best route to go? Practice on your electric when noise is an issue, and the acoustic when it is not? Obviously this assumes you have the budget to do so.

Great advice on electronic kits. I’m in an apartment and don’t really expect to play in a band, so an electric kit is fine with me. Now my advice on getting rid of that annoying auto-focus. Learn how to do a manual crash focus and focus on that striped pillow with Hello embroidered on it (it’s about the same distance to the camera as your face) and then shut off the damned auto-focus.

I recently bought an Alesis Command Mesh kit and am very impressed. You do need to edit the settings to get the best sensitivity and I found that there are some high hat voices that perform very close to a real high hat. If you do not have a place to play acoustic drums then there is not much debate.

I just bought the Millenium MPS-850 as my first set at 29 YO. I figure I’ll start saving now and if I like it in 6 months I’ll buy a decent acoustic kit.

I played acoustic kits until about a year ago. I go to a small church and so they had a electric so as to control the volume. I found it frustrating because you have to hit so hard just to get the sounds. Cymbals were dismal. I brought in acoustic cymbals and high hats. Band director said it would be too loud. I said don't even acknowledge them, and no one complained. It made life better. So I brought in the rest of my kit. And went on vacation. I wanted people to just get used to them being there. I will never play electric again. They worried about volume, I said it's my job to control tempo and volume. Everyone has agreed it's better for the band's sound. And it challenges me to be a better player, controlled and more nuanced. The end.

With acoustic ones you need to spend time with tuning etc... and you need special earphones or IEM'S if you want to play to music

Great vid man, really informative :)

I've owned and played on both, Pearl acoustic and Roland E-Kit. I really like playing on both types of kits. On the Roland I can play all night and won't bother my neighbors also to record myself, I just plug the Roland module output, into the camera mic input, how easy is that! The Pearl kit with Zildjian cymbals, well... it's Pearl and Zildjian! The only con is recording acoustic the right way, you need a ton of extra equipment. If I could only have one or the other, I would choose the acoustic kit. I can't give you a real good reason why but if someone said "make a choice" I would choose acoustic!

Yeah I'm an acoustic drummer thru and thru.Micro kit now.Love it.Tried several drum machines,sold them.Just can't do electric after so many yrs.They do have they're advantages for recording that's for sure.

With the Rolland td 30 you can change the sounds of the stick on different drums so you could make a single drum sound like brushes

Miss my acoustic setup like crazy, but the hobby sorta died and I am doing #apartmentLife so need to look into e-kits. At least this way I can begin practicing again and not just program drums with a keyboard for my music. Great vid and subscribed.

I really missed acoustic kits, especially cymbals. Those days are long gone now. I must choose what suits my work best. Cheers! PS. Electric kits are really bad for jazz gigs.

I feel bad I reccently got an E-kit, but I practice on a real kit from time to time. I will upgrade to a real one eventually (Hopefully within a year) But for now as a beginner it's great

i have a v drum kit (td11) and i love it, bit nothing comes close to an acoustic kit. Feels like a more authentic experience

I love both. I learned on an acoustic set and now play more on e-sets. 2 different animals. Nowadays, I don’t think e-drum makers are trying to solely emulate acoustic drums anymore. I’m sure similar debates have happened when electric guitars and keyboards first came out.

Totally agree on the "mastering the art"-aspect. Being able to really control the finest details and nuances is key to developing a great drumsound. With electric kits, all you have control over is the velocity, but there's no way to control any of the other aspects, that have influence on the sound. Sure, they are great for practising rythm and timing, they are also great to lay down a beat for songwriting. But in terms of sound, an accoustic kit offers much more variety. It takes skill to get the kit to sound right (be it via tuning or playing) but it has much more potential to sound GREAT, which you don't get with an electric kit. It makes no tonal difference, if you get a drum guru or a student on a electric kit, the drum module will fire off the same sample, if both of them max out the midi-velocity on the e-kit. Get both of them on a real kit, and you see why that drum guru is a drum guru.

Love the Weber in the background.

I have both. Next topic maybe is to discuss about the best way to go hybrid

Bop kits are a nice compromise in size and with the right muffling, can be usable in place of electronic kits.

I play both but loooove acoustic more. My electric kit is a td3 hooked up to a lappy with addictive drums 2 which opens the kit up more than the internal sounds. Also to trigger great samples you can use the kit in ableton etc. All depends on your style and needs I guess. But I'll always be happier booking time in a practice room and luggin my kit up there to slap da skinz

Electronic drums vs acoustic drums is like a hand saw vs power saw. Both cut wood, both make drum sounds, but you can do so much more with an electronic kit. It's quiet so you can play at 3:00am with the baby sleeping in the next room, no problem. You not only have a metronome to keep time, but every kind of beat and tempo to choose from. You also have built in play along loops to practice grooves and fills against with adjustable tempo. Start out slow at 60 bpm and speed it up as you get better. You can also input your own songs to play against through the Aux in jack. You can record yourself playing the kit with just the push of a button and you have dozens of different customizable kits and hundreds of customizable sounds to choose from. You can even sample a kit or a sound and store it to use as needed. I just did that with the electronic drum sound on "Let the Good Times Roll" and put it on the rim of my 2nd tom. I love the sound of a really good acoustic drum kit well miked, but lets face it, unmiked in your family room leaves a lot to be desired!

I have an old v-drum kit (maybe 98/99) and you can change the setting for each kit to be sticks, mallets, brushes etc. I cannot see new versions dropping that feature.

I own a TD-25KV, it's probably the best drum purchase i've ever made. 've played many gigs with it and noone questions my choices after the first song. Sounds GREAT.

If you're looking for a good starter kit, get a SPL 5 piece unity . I've had my kit for 4 years and it still is in good condition.

Love the channel. I sold my Roland V-11 electronic kit for about 1/3 of what I paid. Ouch! Acoustic drums definitely hold their value far more. Also, I just really hated the e-drums. There is just something primal and satisfying about hitting an acoustic kit--maybe I'm just a gorilla walking around as a human. Playing an ekit is like playing a video game...it just doesn't feel real. To solve my sound problem, I actually ended up getting a Yamaha kit, with the RTOMs, and the Zildjian 80s. After everything, the price was about half of the V-11 new. I don't like the RTOM action for the snare, but for the rest of the kit, it's fine. It translates to well to my other acoustic kit (DW), which (when I have a band), I leave at rehearsal space. It's the best compromise. The Low Volume 80s are great with two caveats. The high hats don't respond quite like heavier hats. They just don't feel as crisp and responsive to me. Also, I just cracked one of my Low Volume crashes. Quelle drag! They are definitely not as durable as traditional cymbals. Still, I find that a welcome compromise over electronic drums.

Electric kits are indispensable for recording professional sounding records on a budget. The cost, time, effort, and access of facilities to record a world-class live drum sound is enormous, whereas with an electronic drum kit triggering a high quality sample library such as Superior Drummer 3, or GetGoodDrums etc... will get top quality results for a fraction of the price, with 1/10th of the effort and time involved, not to mention the tweak-ability after the fact in both the performance and the drum sound (even being able to exchange entire pieces of the kit) and mix. This is from the perspective of a non-drummer, so I appreciate the feel is not going to be quite the same, but I've heard some brilliant performances from world-class drummers on electronic kits that are indistinguishable audibly from a real acoustic kit.