Best Electronic Drum Sets Under $1000: Top 5

With many popular artists like Tim Alexander, Nicholas Barker, Rob Bourdon, Warren Cann and others using electronic drums, it is not surprising that these drums have gotten hugely popular among the general population. Although in 1976, you would have the option to go for only the first commercial electronic drum set called the Pollard Syndrum, thankfully, these days there are many options. But, choosing a single one from among hundreds of products is not easy, not even when you view the bestselling drums. So, after considering a number of major aspects and going through customer reviews and specifications, we have decided that the following sets are the best ones you can get under $1000:

1. Yamaha DTX-450K Electronic Drum Kit

Up first on the list is an offering from Yamaha – the DTX-450K. This model features close to 300 different and unique sounds and samples, and a HH65 remote high hat that allows for hi-hat samples and sounds. On top of that, it also hosts the new 3-zone TP70S 3-Zone snare pad, 7.5-inch durable drum pads, 10 preset kits and 10 interactive training functions. To make things even more pleasing, you get voice guidance, 10 play-along songs, and the ability to download new songs via USB. It was not hard to choose it as the best, especially since the customer reviews are extremely positive. It is more popular than most of its direct rivals, too.

 

2. Roland TD-11K-S V-Compact Series Electronic Drum Set

We believe that this fantastic offering from Roland deserves to be on the second spot. This set features high-quality SuperNatural sound, and comes with acclaimed V-Cymbals. The addition of the Natural Feel kick pad is a nice touch. Moreover, to allow for added versatility, this set also boasts of 4 pad mounts and one high hat arm. It is regularly seen in the top 100 drum sets list too. We are not alone in loving this set, because the customer reviews are extremely positive as well. Just click on the picture to read the glowing user reviews.

 

3. Alesis DM10 Studio Kit 6-Piece Electronic Drum Set

This DM10 premium electronic drum set, with HD drum module, is proving to be extremely popular amongst keen drummers of all ages. It features dual-zone 8 and 10 inch pads, a HD sound library of a whole variety of different sounds, and samples from real drums and cymbals. Further, the ability to load third-party custom samples and sounds via USB make it cool. Other features are 12 inch high-hat and good value for money. Overall, we highly recommend it.

 

4. Roland HD-3 V-Drums Lite Electronic Drum Kit

This set is designed to be used by drummers of all ages and abilities. This set is extremely compact, but do not let that fool you, because it packs a real punch and sounds absolutely stunning. With 20 separate preset kits, all with unique dedicated select buttons, this one is truly user-friendly. Moreover, with the backlit LCD display screen, this set is extremely easy to operate. As far as external appearance goes, it looks pretty amazing. There is also a beater-less kick with a low acoustic noise for improved playing feel, as well as dual trigger pads to improve overall playability. However, it is not the best compared to the above models.

 

5. Yamaha DTX-430K Electronic Drum Set

In the fifth spot is this fantastic piece from Yamaha. This set comes with detailed instructions, and the build quality is good. The drum sticks are truly capable, and with 169 studio quality drum sounds and 127 instrument sounds, this is a real treat. You get 10 tracks that you can play along, too. All in all, this set has a little something for everybody, and it does not lack versatility. There are a number of configurations that allow you to follow a whole variety of different musical styles, from jazz and reggae, to rock and pop. But if you love popular items, avoid this.

 

(The above drum sets were picked only after comparing several factors, including price, newness, popularity and features, of over 28 well-known options.)

Electronic Drum Set Buying Guide

Electronic drums sets come with many features beyond the regular acoustic drum set. You get more variety when it comes to the sounds as well as the toms, snares and kicks. There are a few things that you need to look out for when buying an electronic drum set. But first let’s look at some of the benefits on an electronic drum set

You get an unlimited number of sounds on tap

It doesn’t matter what type of music you are playing; the electronic drum set provides you with such a huge range of sounds that they can work with any genre of music.

Indeed, drummers who are not limited to a single type of music will find this drum set highly convenient. Whether its R&B, Reggae or jazz, this equipment will do it all. Here, there is no need to capture the sound using microphones. This makes the set up much quicker. You also get to work without the clutter of many mics in front of you.

When working with an acoustic drum set, you have to deal with sound bleed where the mics are picking the sounds of other instruments. This is not the case with the electronic drum set. Also, you can manage the sound coming out of the drum set by reducing the volume unlike with the acoustic version.

There is greater versatility when it comes to songwriting

You are able to adjust sounds, volume, timing and perform edits with the electronic drum set. You can even concentrate in editing just a few notes and add percussions to sweeten the music.

With this drum set you can plug into a mixing board. You therefore do not need to set up a microphone to get the right sound. Just plug in and start playing.

Light weight and portable

You can easily fold up and transport the electronic drum set with way more ease compared to the traditional drum set. They are lighter and more compact meaning that they consume less space. In fact, all you need is a couple of bags and you are good to go.

Easier to practice with

Electronic drum sets come with preset patterns that you can use to practice how to play. When you play along with the patterns you can build muscle memory and better your coordination which makes you a better drummer in time. With a USB cable you can connect a computer, music players and iOS devices which allows you to practice with your favorite music.

How They Work

There are two main parts that come with electronic drum sets. The trigger pads also known as the transducers and the module or trigger face. The trigger pads may involve a playing surface that is made of rubber and has the transducer inside the component or may come with a shell which has a mesh and a trigger that is placed inside.

It doesn’t really matter the construction; the trigger pads work the same way. When you strike the pad, the resulting impulse is sent to the module which in turn plays the specific note for the channel. If you strike the pad with more effort, more of an impulse is created which results in more volume and vice versa.

The electronic drum set will come with parts that resemble those of the traditional acoustic drum set which includes the drum, mesh heads, cymbal pads and triggers.

The Drum Modules

This is the brain of the drum set. Drum modules will produce different quality sounds and will also vary in number and type. Most of the modules come with many special effects sounds as well as different instruments.

You can even customize your very own drum kit to suit the music that you are playing. With more advanced models, you can download sounds and build up on the options available.

When buying an electronic drum set, a few things to consider with regards to the drum module include:

The sounds

Like with most products, the higher the price the higher the quality. This is also true with the drum module. A high price tag will usually come with better sound quality and more variety.

With the best quality modules, you will not only get the usual sounds from the standard drum set, you will also get more instruments, special effects, blocks, and bells. You can also create new sounds.

Preset patterns

Modules will almost always come with preset patterns. This can prove highly beneficial when you are trying to learn how to use the electronic drum set. You will also be inspired to make your own parts. The bets modules will feature tracks that you can play along which will help build muscle memory.

Fast response

A high-quality module will have a fast response time which helps the drummer get as quick a feedback as he would get with an acoustic drum set. The response should also be accurate being able to highlight any nuances in your play.

Most of the times, you will be able to week the response time to achieve a more realistic experience with heightened sensitivity.

Look for positional sensing. This is how well the module is able to respond when you are dealing with triggers and cymbals. If it gets good marks for this, then its worth your consideration.

Connectivity

You may decide to expand the drum set with more components such as pads or triggers. This is why it is important that the module contains multiple ports for this. USB ports will allow you to connect to a computer and send data which allows you to access even more music software.

People who have been using the acoustic drum set for a long time may not find it easy to switch to the electronic drum set. They need something that provides them with the qualities of both to allow for a gradual transition. With acoustic triggers you can connect and be able to enjoy the best of both worlds.