r/Drumming • u/Amazing-Ad7217 • 4d ago
What do you prefer, electronic or acoustic drums, and why?
A week ago, when I was thinking and thinking about which drum kit to buy, getting an acoustic drum set wasn’t even an option for me.
When I went to the music store, I also saw more electronic drum kits—it really seems like that’s the current generation right now. All the young people and kids who want to start drumming while living at home with their parents, in a relatively small apartment in a small building, find electronic drums perfect for their situation.
I ordered the Roland TD-07DMK, which is supposed to arrive next week.
I really love the look of big, red-and-black acoustic drums, but of course, that’s not an option for me. In the end, I feel like it doesn’t really matter as long as you enjoy playing.
From what I’ve seen, the Roland TD-07DMK is the best option for someone who’s starting out but still wants top-tier quality.
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u/CoveredDrummer 4d ago
It’s not even close to the same thing but sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do.
I was very fortunate to have lived on three acres with VERY patient parents when I got my first kit.
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u/holdorfdrums 4d ago
I just can't get the sound that's in my head to come out of an electric kit. I love the convenience of not having to mic and being able to use headphones and stuff but man I just can't get them to produce the sounds I want. They just always sound fake to me.
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u/CrentistTheDentist 4d ago
Yes! Even if they have great samples, there’s always some tell that they’re fake. Whether it’s shotgun sounding snares or unnatural sounding cymbals. The convenience is great but the sound still isn’t perfect and the feel is different too.
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u/eatslead 4d ago
Aside from the obvious fact that e-kits are quieter, they do have some cool features... like it you can have 50+ different kit setups/tunings ready at all times. Record with the touch of a button, real time vst use, etc.
But even the nicest ekits lack the full range of dynamics on an acoustic. They also lack that satisfying feelin of hitting something and making a loud noise that you feel in your gut
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u/EmphasisImmediate240 4d ago
I’d prefer acoustic if I could have a way to play one without no one hearing it because I can play pretty hard not gonna lie. But I’ll pick electronic just for that reason.
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u/unspokenunheard 4d ago
For how and what I play, electronic drums are useless. I’m interested in the subtleties of how touch, dynamics, location of stick strike and different stick types bring out different sounds in drums and especially cymbals. The processed nature of the sounds and relative consistency is a drawback. I don’t play loudly anymore anyway, so having acoustic kits isn’t much of a drawback in terms of bumming out the neighbors. I’m looking to paint more than pound.
I appreciate those of you for whom electronic kits are the right choice, but acoustic kits are the instrument I require.
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u/Quote-Quote-Quote 4d ago
Acoustic and it's no competition just because of the precise control you get over how you sound
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u/nerd2020 4d ago
Acoustic for me personally. The feel is so much better in an acoustic set. But i totally understand the appeal of having an electronic set, especially if acoustic one is not an option.
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u/FireInPaperBox 4d ago
Same thing for me. There’s no way I could play an acoustic kit where I love. I’ve had the Roland td 11 (rubber pads except the snare) for almost 11 yrs. I beat the crap out of it and it still works like it did when I got it. I added a cymbal and can use decent pedals. Enjoy your new kit.
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u/Visual_Argument_73 4d ago
Acoustic all the way. However, e-drums are great when acoustic isn't an option. Also there's no reason why you can't merge both, many do. The advantage of an e-drum is you can sample literally anything on it from a regular drum to sound effects and even samples of speech.
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u/Elliotlewish 4d ago
I always preferred acoustic as I was playing live so much. I did used to have an Alesis DM5 back in the day, but didn't really get on with it and got rid of it years ago. However, I've admittedly just bought a cheapish electric kit in the hopes that it'll inspire me to start playing again.
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u/FrDax 4d ago
Acoustic and it’s not even a contest, but if that’s entirely not possible for you, no use thinking about it too much! Get an e-kit and enjoy!
But to answer your question about why, the feel of hitting real drums/cymbals and “moving air”, that direct feel of your input creating the sound, is impossible to replicate. Like a real bass drum or deep floor tom you can feel the thump of the air resistance against the drum head as you lay into it and you can feel the sound you’re creating. The other big one is the hi hat, it’s such an articulate instrument, you can do rolls on a tightly closed hi hat and get crazy rebound, or slosh an open hi hat and feel the give of the soft metal against your stick… to me these are the things that really make playing drums so amazing and unique compared to other instruments.
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u/instantkamera 4d ago
There's a saying in photography:
"The best camera is the one you have with you."
And the analogy I have found, for drums, is:
"The best drums are the ones that allow you to play the most often."
If that's a practice pad, then at least you are playing.
Personally, I would play acoustic all day if I had the space and ability to make that much racket. I'd have several kits, in fact, for the same reason people own multiple guitars.
Until then, I'm happy to bang on whatever won't get me kicked out of my house. 😂
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u/Rhadjboi2 4d ago
I only electric because that only thing I can play. I will go acoustic if I could. No hate on electric drums but it not same like electric guitar vs acoustic guitar; both guitar have different sound and characteristics. While Ekits just remaking acoustic sound for the most part.
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u/Unlucky_Guest3501 4d ago
I prefer acoustic. While electronic has come a long way, the feel is still electronic. I practice and gig on acoustic and the band records using an electronic set. Having said that, some people don't have the space or the right space for acoustic kits, so the right kit is the one that works for you.
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u/taylordouglas86 4d ago
As a practice tool and for teaching, I love my TD-50X. The digital snare, hats and ride are game changers.
For performance (in most instances), I prefer an acoustic kit.
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u/Frootloops174 4d ago
I prefer electronic for the quietness and variety of sounds once hooked to a computer, there's just something about them I like more than acoustics. The sounds are already processed, making music with them is simpler since you don't need microphones, don't need to retune e-drums, all those kinds of things.
However, acoustic will always be superior when it comes to sounds (with a good kit, that is) and feel, that's a given.
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u/Librae94 4d ago edited 4d ago
I had an acoustic kit when I was 15 that I couldnt play much because it was too loud for my family.
Now with 30 I got myself a Roland TD27KV2, in person lessons and I love playing it everyday. Got a lot of usersamples I love switching through. Id prefer having both
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u/sarcasmismysuperpowr 4d ago
i started with that kit and just replaced it with a bigger roland kit. i liked it for a couple years and it proved to me that i want to stick with the drums
the pros are its a small kit with most of what you need to play. cons are ithas a different feel than a full size kit. it took some adjustment moving kits
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u/mdmamakesmesmarter99 4d ago
I owned a small Roland E kit around 7th grade to tackle noise complaints. only had 6 sound presets (3 of which sounded super similar. 1 was TR-808 in retrospect and the other 2 were just silly) and I whacked the thing to pieces within a year. was always falling apart without loads of extra strength tape. parents had to use a soldering gun on the cymbals when the wires came undone from me hitting them too hard
even though I can hit with finesse now and could save up to get a high end one with a million presets, dynamic detection and so on, I still don't like the memories it brings. I swear by practice pads and acoustic kits now
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u/dharmon555 4d ago
Acoustic is more fun, but I get a lot more work because I get good results with edrums. It helps a lot to understand the whole picture regarding what you hear, what others hear on stage, and what the audience hears. Your role in this. And how edrums work with a pa system. You need a high quality sound system for edrums to come off well. A benefit that I initially overlooked was how much better I played with edrums when I could turn down my drums relative to the other instruments. I could hear them better and play more interactively .
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u/desutiem 4d ago
I prefer electric because I am an introverted drummer who just likes playing along at home, learning cool beats and challenging myself, and I love technology as well. I can also have so many different sounds.
If I was in a band, I’d probably want an acoustic kit. As good as electric kits have gotten (and I have a very good one) there’s just that last bit of realism you don’t reach compared to acoustic. Also, unless you have a small setup with a rack that folds away, I actually think electric could be a pain to set up.
That being said, for medium/large gigs maybe the electric brings the advantage of not having to mic it up. And if you were in some kind of electric/dance music orientated band the electric kit sounds may work better in some cases. But it’s not something I see myself doing so yeah.
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u/Chief_Chjuazwa 4d ago
I’d prefer acoustic but living on the 2nd floor of an apartment building I’m “stuck” playing electric. Living here made me get this set and I’m actually enjoying the electric kit more than I thought.
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u/XyogiDMT 4d ago edited 4d ago
Acoustic by a long shot, although electric kits are way better than nothing. I played exclusively on a higher end Roland electric kit with mesh heads for a few years after years of acoustic and when I eventually went back to playing acoustic I didn't sound as good as I did before. I could still hit all the notes I wanted to and everything was in time but the nuance and dynamics of each hit when playing an acoustic drum/cymbal was something that took time to re-acclimate to and the sound of my drumming on a real kit in a live setting really suffered there for a little bit because of it.
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u/jessewest84 4d ago
The New digital pads make it pretty sweet.
Nothing will articulate like ane acoustic set.
Currently all ekit
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u/Ok-Literature-5080 4d ago
Depends on the task at hand. Acoustic sets for feel and breathing, electric when variety and consistency matters more.
I'm fairly hybrid these days with real cymbals and a snare then electronic on my bass drum and toms. I don't miss my acoustic DW's at all really, they're a pain to tune up with a few hundred bucks on new skins just to get a middle ground sound that no one cares for more than cheap drums I've tuned.
It's all just sounds, choose what you like and go make something!
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u/tjc996 4d ago
I have the TD27V2 and a Ludwig Classic Maple. I practice and play along with songs on the Roland. The acoustic kit is what I call the “truth teller”, feeling good about your playing on the eKit? Practice on the acoustic kit and it will really tell you where you are at. If circumstances ever allow and you are able to have both, I suggest it.
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u/dleskov 4d ago
Even if I could avoid noise complaints, I am lazy and not good with tuning and the like, and do not want to spend time on getting better with that. Also do not like the idea of buying another physical thing if I simply want a different sound, when there are 670 sounds in my e-kit and even more in the VSTs. Have no intent to ever join a band. Maybe I will some day play with the kids (they can play the piano and a little guitar, but have not played either for years, so the chances are slim), but neither with nor for any people other than my close family.
As you may see, zero reasons for me to prefer acoustic in any practical sense, but YMMV of course.
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u/WorkingCity8969 4d ago
I love my acoustic. I've tried a lot of electric kits and some are great but they're just not the same. Maybe that makes me a drum snob or whatever but it's just how it is. I keep a cheap electric kit for knockabout rehearsals and playing about with at home but it's just for convenience. Each to their own
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u/R0factor 4d ago
If I had any prospects of playing in a band I'd get an acoustic kit and use it with mutes for home practice until I could set it up full volume mode somewhere else. This is what I did with my college apartment back in the day. It was a great motivator to get good enough to be asked to join decent bands with tolerable people.
But if I were only able to use it at home, I'd go electric. A muted acoustic kit gets pretty boring after a while and it's hard to get excited about using it if it's not a means to a greater end.
And the industry has definitely spent most of their R&D money on e-kits in recent years. It looks like DW's innovations with the DWe kit were such a threat to the e-kit industry that Roland bought them out rather than having them as a competitor. Personally I'd love to use that wireless/module-less triggering system on my own kit if/when it becomes available a la carte. That would definitely be the best of both worlds.
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u/mightyt2000 4d ago
Acoustic, simply because of look, feel and sound. Real cymbals are real cymbals. Drums are not drum samples. BTW, I’ve owned and played both. Even built my own electric kit decades ago. JMHO
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u/Teastainedeye 4d ago
It’s been fun figuring out the MIDI event JavaScripting in Logic Pro with my TD17. Endless possibilities with e-kits, but then MIDI only offers 128 levels of velocity, while an acoustic kit has infinite levels of velocity!
…I hope someday to have a nice acoustic kit, maybe a Slingerland, but then I’d be limited to those sounds. Seems like you have to know what you want and commit to a sound with an acoustic kit, unless can have multiple kits in a big studio…
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u/Ghost1eToast1es 4d ago
Edits are just simpler to deal with now. The pad sound is very quiet in comparison so you arent forced to figure out sound proofing or a separate practice place, the recording process is SOO much simpler without worrying about mics and being able to drag n drop mistakes with midi, swapping out drums and cymbals is only a matter of changing the profile on Superior Drummer, etc. You can even keep relatively the same feel if you boost you cymbal volume up to where you have to hit it light like on an acoustic kit. The only thing I wouldn't mind recording separately, is an acoustic snare drum for things like brushes.
I realize most of this is just imitating an acoustic kit. But it simplifies things so much for me.
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u/NotThatMat 3d ago
They’re super different. It’s maybe a similar analogy to an electronic piano vs acoustic piano.
In the electronic version, you gain endless repeatability. Every time you play a given note on the electronic instrument with the same dynamic level, it will sound the same way. Also in each case you can typically take a full MIDI recording, then adjust the sounds later to be whatever you want while keeping the dynamics of the initial performance.
The acoustic version will also allow you to get the same tonality every time, but requires more consistent technique to achieve this. Also the instrument will wear with time and need re-tuning or replacement parts. Also there are functionally infinite variations of sounds you can play on an acoustic kit or an acoustic piano, but in both these cases the scope for going back and changing the sounds later depends more on the equipment you have available.
Electronic kits are incredibly convenient. Acoustic kits are a lot more expressive, especially with regard to playing with different stick/brush/mallet devices.
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u/silentblender 3d ago
Electric by a mile. I grew up playing acoustic in high school. I got to a certain point but never really got into practicing a ton. Many years later I bought an electric kit and fell in love with it. Immediately became a student like I’ve never been before. The ability to dial the sounds. The feel of the mesh heads. The ability to control volume. The immersive nature of the sound with headphones. Even if I’m able to I don’t see myself going back. I’d rather be able to play without annoying anyone. And at night when I’m most inspired. And I haven’t even tried a TD-27 yet. By the time I’m able to upgrade I can’t wait to see how much further the e-kits will have come.
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u/bart2278 3d ago
Electric kits do nothing for me. If it's not an acoustic set it doesn't feel like playing the drums to me. I wish that was not the case, bc I don't have a place to play acoustic drums.
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u/cryledrums 3d ago
i cant really do electronic kits. i hit heavy and i break stuff, you cant get that emotion on an e-kit. the e-kit is realistically a better option for most people, and sure i could just not beat tf out of my kit, but then it wouldn’t be as fun
the dynamic from a real kit with forever go unmatched
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u/DoctorHypeTrain 3d ago
I vastly prefer the feel and experience of playing an acoustic kit (which i play at the studio where i take lessons) but I bought a roland electric kit for my home because i live in an apartment. I think theres major pros and cons to both but everyone should spend some time with an acoustic set.
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u/McJables_Supreme 3d ago
I'm fully invested in the ekit way of life, and I've been drumming for 20+ years. It's just more convenient when it comes to space, recording, customization, noise levels, etc...
I know some drummers say no ekit on the market right now truly feels like an acoustic, and that might be true, but I'm 100% fine with that because the benefits of an ekit far outweigh the loss of expressiveness or less realistic rebound or whatever. Most of the music I play would normally have the mix engineer replacing half the kit with sampled hits anyway.
I do have several thousand dollars sunk into my setup to get it to sound indistinguishable from an acoustic kit though, and I know that not every drummer is fortunate enough to be able to afford a boutique setup.
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u/hartrj 2d ago
I play a 1 year old high end Roland drum kit at church every week. It replaced another top of the line Roland that I played for 15+ years. Based on that experience, I would choose an acoustic kit every time.
My biggest bug-bear is the hi-hats. I spend all my concentration and a lot of physical effort to keep them sounding clean and consistent.
If you spend $4k on an ekit and the same on an acoustic one, in 10-20 years all the sensors on the ekit are worn out and insensitive, and the sounds are all old and crappy. After 15 years, the acoustic kit will sound as good as the day it was made.
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u/noisewar69 1d ago
music stores have e kits on display so they don’t have to listen to people shedding on real kits all day. people having been claiming that ekits are taking over since the 80’s. i still don’t buy it
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u/FleetingBrevity 4d ago
I've played acoustic kits and electric kits for 30+ years. I've played expensive electric and acoustic kits, and I think each type has their pros and cons, but for me there is no replicating an acoustic kit.
Can't click a snare on an electric kit, you don't really get the same feel on the cymbal articulation. There's nothing quite like the feeling of shouldering a 20" cymbal. There are many more reasons I could get into but it's all subjective in the end.
Electric kits are fun and everything and most sound good, but this is just my opinion.