Little drummer boy
December 1, 2016 7:35 AM Subscribe
I want to buy my partner a beginner's electronic drum kit. I know nothing. Please help.
My partner has wanted to get into music since he was in the womb. Since we've been together, I've been telling him he should get into drumming-he's constantly drumming to songs, and has great natural rhythm (I played melodic percussion for 6 years in school). The past few months he's finally started overcoming his anxiety about failing, and has been talking about really going for it. I think now is the perfect time, as the cold weather sets in, because he's also been looking for some physical hobby he can do other than basketball.
I want to get him a beginner's electronic drum kit. For beginner, I was thinking medium quality, just not a lot of extra stuff, as opposed to a full kit with 5 cymbals that's low quality. (This is mainly for cost reasons). Can you add on extra pieces as you go? Or does it not work that way?
I want to spend a ~couple hundred for this, I'm hoping for a sale. Please help, mefi!
My partner has wanted to get into music since he was in the womb. Since we've been together, I've been telling him he should get into drumming-he's constantly drumming to songs, and has great natural rhythm (I played melodic percussion for 6 years in school). The past few months he's finally started overcoming his anxiety about failing, and has been talking about really going for it. I think now is the perfect time, as the cold weather sets in, because he's also been looking for some physical hobby he can do other than basketball.
I want to get him a beginner's electronic drum kit. For beginner, I was thinking medium quality, just not a lot of extra stuff, as opposed to a full kit with 5 cymbals that's low quality. (This is mainly for cost reasons). Can you add on extra pieces as you go? Or does it not work that way?
I want to spend a ~couple hundred for this, I'm hoping for a sale. Please help, mefi!
I'm pretty sure you can add on pieces from the same manufacturer & model as you go, but if your partner is looking to learn how to play a drum kit (as opposed to, say, more formal lessons where the teacher would most likely start him on really basic rhythms on just a snare), then he would want a full set - otherwise it'd be kinda like learning to play guitar with half the strings missing.
A quick Google finds complete sets from Alexis, Simmons, and ddrum at $299. All three are reputable companies.
posted by soundguy99 at 9:18 AM on December 1, 2016
A quick Google finds complete sets from Alexis, Simmons, and ddrum at $299. All three are reputable companies.
posted by soundguy99 at 9:18 AM on December 1, 2016
I've been down the e-drum route and it's fun for awhile but pretty limiting, especially with the cymbals. If you've got the space and understanding neighbors I'd go full kit. They're cheap esp. on Craigslist. I used to also play a hybrid edrum + real cymbals setup, not as noisy -- that's one potential upgrade path. (to upgrade: buy cymbal stands, buy cymbals)
If you're still into edrums, Guitar Center has used kits. Make sure it comes with the bass drum pedal too.
posted by RobotVoodooPower at 9:45 AM on December 1, 2016
If you're still into edrums, Guitar Center has used kits. Make sure it comes with the bass drum pedal too.
posted by RobotVoodooPower at 9:45 AM on December 1, 2016
Response by poster: Hey y'all, two things -
1)"A quick Google finds complete sets from Alexis, Simmons, and ddrum at $299. All three are reputable companies.
posted by soundguy99 at 12:18 PM on December 1 [mark as best answer] [+] [!]"
Yes, that's totally reasonable! Sorry, i guess "couple hundred" was vague as hell. I was thinking around 350, with i see that drum kit is on Amazon w free shipping! So, definitely a contender.
2)He as explicitly expressed desire to own an electronic drum kit. Why? No idea. He knows way more about this stuff than I do, despite not playing any instruments he's been involved with the scene quite a while and can talk your head off. Part of it may be that I've expressed real desire to start making electronic music, and he wants to join me in that quest. But that's a question for another time!
posted by FirstMateKate at 10:18 AM on December 1, 2016
1)"A quick Google finds complete sets from Alexis, Simmons, and ddrum at $299. All three are reputable companies.
posted by soundguy99 at 12:18 PM on December 1 [mark as best answer] [+] [!]"
Yes, that's totally reasonable! Sorry, i guess "couple hundred" was vague as hell. I was thinking around 350, with i see that drum kit is on Amazon w free shipping! So, definitely a contender.
2)He as explicitly expressed desire to own an electronic drum kit. Why? No idea. He knows way more about this stuff than I do, despite not playing any instruments he's been involved with the scene quite a while and can talk your head off. Part of it may be that I've expressed real desire to start making electronic music, and he wants to join me in that quest. But that's a question for another time!
posted by FirstMateKate at 10:18 AM on December 1, 2016
Rock Band 3 and the pro drum kit sounds like it would be right up his alley. I'd expect the setup to be reasonably cheap now that it's all several years old. The PS3 version would probably be the way to go since it's all USB-based (and work as MIDI instruments, in the case of the "pro" instruments), so can be connected to a computer quite easily.
Unlike playing with the four button plastic guitars, you're literally playing the drums when you're playing on the highest difficulty with a full kit, so the skills transfer to actual instruments later down the line should he want to do that.
posted by wierdo at 11:16 AM on December 1, 2016
Unlike playing with the four button plastic guitars, you're literally playing the drums when you're playing on the highest difficulty with a full kit, so the skills transfer to actual instruments later down the line should he want to do that.
posted by wierdo at 11:16 AM on December 1, 2016
I don't think you should expect to be able to add on much to a low end kit, the heads they come with are set up for the number of pads that come with that set with maybe one extra input if you're lucky.
I bought this Roland set last year and am very happy with it. It's a little above your price range but the extra is worth it. You can really adjust the volume by how hard you hit the pads, and the cymbals have two zones for surface and edge sounds. You can even get a bell sound from the ride if you hit it hard enough, and the cymbals are chokeable (you can stop the ringing by grabbing the edge.) You can upgrade it to use a mesh snare (much more realistic) and add another cymbal.
Not sure if noise is an issue for you (I live in an apartment, so it was a big one for me), if so get a set with a beaterless kick drum pedal. That constant thumping is the loudest part. As a bonus you won't have to buy a kick drum pedal, which generally does not come with a low end kit.
posted by InfidelZombie at 3:03 PM on December 1, 2016
I bought this Roland set last year and am very happy with it. It's a little above your price range but the extra is worth it. You can really adjust the volume by how hard you hit the pads, and the cymbals have two zones for surface and edge sounds. You can even get a bell sound from the ride if you hit it hard enough, and the cymbals are chokeable (you can stop the ringing by grabbing the edge.) You can upgrade it to use a mesh snare (much more realistic) and add another cymbal.
Not sure if noise is an issue for you (I live in an apartment, so it was a big one for me), if so get a set with a beaterless kick drum pedal. That constant thumping is the loudest part. As a bonus you won't have to buy a kick drum pedal, which generally does not come with a low end kit.
posted by InfidelZombie at 3:03 PM on December 1, 2016
This thread is closed to new comments.
I recommend going to a music store, asking them to show you their least expensive set and try it out for yourself.
You might also consider just getting your partner some practice pads (again, check them out at a music store or buy them cheap on CL), and maybe pre-pay for a few lessons.
posted by soplerfo at 9:01 AM on December 1, 2016