Auditioning Drummers - E-kits

[SactoBass]

A good drummer knows how to control dynamics and I’d be Leary of anyone who only plays e-kits.

^^^THIS^^^

One of the bands I was in many years ago had a drummer that played an e-kit. To me it always sounded fake. I much prefer the real deal. I think @Core Creek nailed it. If a drummer is worth his/her salt, he/she will know how to play an acoustic set of drums dynamically in a way that serves the song and the venue in the best way.

 

[EvilJ]

Most E-Kit onboard sounds are pretty meh to horrible, unless you get up to the higher end Roland, EFnote, Zildjian etc @ 5k+
If you have a good PC/laptop,I would recommend using Superior Drummer to run it through.

 

[EricOnTheBass]

I’m a drummer as well and I’ve played some e-kits, but wouldn’t want to play any of them except for home practice. Drums have a huge dynamic range, and the feel and tactile feedback changes significantly with the drummer’s playing. I’ve yet to play an electronic drum that can come close to an acoustic in terms of feel and responsiveness. I find myself eventually beating the hell out of them and still feeling unsatisfied.

 

[dmt]

I used to drum until a knee issue shut me down. Not that I was a great drummer, but yeah, an e-kit totally stifles the player’s dynamics. Dynamics can be simulated with round robin samples, but that’s not the player’s dynamics, that’s different tones from different hits being cycled through the drummer’s actual hits as a substitute for the different sounds he would be generating through his playing dynamics (strength and position of each hit, plus the interaction of that with the already vibrating drum head from previous hit(s)) on an acoustic head. Machine gunning on tom rolls — ugh. The cymbal sounds and dynamics; a weak point.

That said, I’ve owned and enjoyed three different e-kits, a high end (for back in the day) Alesis, a low end Roland, and then, like an upgrading ship of Theseus, gradually a high end Roland ($$$). They were all fun in their own way, and can be used to trigger samples for recording (literally the sounds of real recorded drums) and even live. I haven’t kept up with it, but I remember one smaller company was building a module dedicated to playing samples live — that would sound great, but for the player, it’s still just a facsimile of one’s own dynamics.

As for the onboard Roland sounds, I’m not a big fan (yes, including tweaking, and including buying two packages of highly acclaimed pro tweaks).

"Stick noise" (the sound of the sticks physically hitting the pads can be louder than the amplified electronic sound) can be significant at low playing volumes, especially for apartment neighbors or housemates for home practice, but also for very quiet playing situations.

Anyway, I’ve played in a band (in which half of the time I was playing bass, the other half playing guitar) with an e-drummer and it was fine. Not my ideal sound, but it was what was practical and the band was fun. But not my ideal sound. But the band (hang, music) was fun anyway, and the drummer himself was good.

I could easily see someone not being happy with edrums, especially depending on the particular implementation involved (the sounds being used, and also the sensitivity/capability of the module being used, whether any acoustic elements like real cymbals are being integrated, and finally the look of the kit). Not all edrums are the same. Prices vary wildly, from "Christmas toy for a kid" to "You’ve got to be kidding me", as do sounds and looks.

Lastly, regarding looks, edrums can be implemented with an acoustic kit’s shells, using either triggers attached to damped real drum heads, or using electronic drum mesh heads on regular (i.e., acoustic) drum shells. There are even ways to get real looking cymbals, including using metal (but then the stick noise). So, they don’t have to look like an 70s/80s space ship, though of course they still can if that is desired. Oh, and of course ekits are great for classic Roland 808 and "pew pew"-type e-drum sounds, and also even outright sound effects (triggering a duck quacking, a fart noise, etc., lol).

Overall, my experience with e-drums is: ymmv

 

[DanAdams]

I can really only speak as a music fan.
Unless I'm seeing a show that's overtly modern, intentionally weird or theatrical, making e-drums a requirement, an e-kit feels cheap, and I'm likely to feel a bit cheated. (assuming that I paid to see the band)
If the shows are free, and no-one really cares, then whatevs.

If a space is too small for drums, the band can play a different kind of set to match the environment.

I think e-kits are great for when you are driving your family nuts with your noise... and little else.

 

[Swamp_Ronin]

I have strong feelings about this and they do tend to upset drummers. Sorry in advance.

First - electronic drums have come a long way in the last 5-7 years, especially the cymbal sounds and how the pads feel. I’m talking about those. I’m not talking about e-kits from the 2000s or the Simmons pads from the 80s we saw Neil Peart playing on the p/g tour or the ones from the Kajagoogoo video.

OK here we go.

For most of us who play in small clubs, acoustic drums kits are the scourge of good sound. Mostly they are too loud; especially the snare. They make so much volume that even if you have a FOH you can’t do much to overcome it. I appreciate drummers who can play with dynamics, believe me. But a drummer deliberately holding back 70% of his/her energy in order not to overcome the mix is not what I need on a high energy Prince tune.

Next. When we hear drums on a record, we’re hearing them captured with purpose-designed microphones in sonically superior environments, and then they add all sorts of processing in post. On the other hand, when you walk into a club, what you hear is a dude who brought his drum kit to, more or less, a garage. It very frequently sounds like ass. And again, the drums are so loud that nothing can be done in production.

You only get one sound out of an acoustic drum kit, which is the sound of ass that I mentioned above. With an e-kit you can go from a rock kit to an 808 thing to something would fit in a Bruno Mars tune, all with the turn of a dial in the seconds between tunes. What’s not to like about that?

Back to stage volume for my big finish. Club bands are almost always too loud. Usually it’s because one or both of the drummer and the guitarist rate competing for stage volume. The guitarist can turn his amp down if you can convince him to. A guy playing a drum kit cannot, unless he backs off his attack a lot which affects feel. With an e-kit and everyone else running no stage amps (a key requirement I haven’t mentioned until now), you have complete control over volume. A huge advantage.

I get that drummers don’t like the way the e-drums feel. I also don’t like not having an amp 18 inches behind me that I can feel, and it took me a minute to get where IEMs didn’t seem weird. I made the transition because it was what I had to do in order deliver a better quality product to the audience. Drummers can do it too.

As goes the sound - I’m not suggesting people hit the studio with their e-kits. I am saying that however bad you think e-kits sound, they sound better than unaffected stage volume from an acoustic kit in a garage-sized room with hard surfaces everywhere.

Disclaimer: I am not talking about jazz. In that music everything is acoustic or is trying hard to sound like it is (like the Roland JC120 guitar sound). Everything can be acoustic in those situations.

OK, come at me, yo.

I hate e-drums (I'm still kinda mad that someone invented the Wheel), but you're one of the best posters on this forum and have made a great case.

 

[buldog5151bass]

With any instrument, you have to remember where you are playing to get the sound you want, just like a bassists bedroom tone won't work on stage. I play in one band where the drummer small kits I think 16" kick drum. Tuned properly, it gives a sound much deeper than you would think, and since it isn't as large as most sets, he can play a full range of dynamics without overpowering the band.

 

[Altitude]

What I’m hearing here is:

1. Drummers are asserting that it’s more important to play with dynamics. I SO agree and appreciate that sentiment. But this is something else. Acoustic instruments - all acoustic instruments - by their nature sound different when you play them hard than when you play them soft. To play an acoustic drum kit quietly enough in a club room results in an untenable feel sacrifice. Meanwhile, electric instruments, also by their nature, can be turned up and down to deliver the same sound at different volumes. That is what is needed here.

2. You guys don’t like the way e-drums feel. I can understand that. My argument is that to make the band sound good in certain room situations, it’s a worthwhile sacrifice to be made. I’m not a drummer, so I can’t make an informed comparison between moving from acoustic drums to e-drums on the one hand and moving out my SVT 810 in favor of a set of IEMs on the other - but I can say that transition was unpalatable to me too at first. Now I’m used to it and it makes sense.

For the record I realize I’m waging an unwinnable argument against a lot of preference and habit.

 

[telejojo5]

I tried out for a band at the BL house, and he had a very nice studio in a separate building. He had an e-kit that I had to use, as he told me not to bring my kit.I don't like ekits, but it was a good one, so I played with them for a couple of hours, and I just didn't like it. He wanted me to use his kit for gigs, but I passed on it,the sound and feel were not there for me, they wanted to play way more gigs than I wanted to.

 

[pbass2]

Pro drummer here. I studied drums and it was my man instrument for 30+ years…

At my level, electronic drums are toys. I’ve owned a few and played around with them, but imagine having to play through a midi bass all night long. Drums are exceptionally dynamic and no e-kit is on par. I’ve tried top of the line DW e-drums and they still don’t come close.

So maybe at your level that’s not an issue. But as a drummer, e-drums are stifling and I’d lose about half of my feel right off the bat. A good drummer knows how to control dynamics and I’d be Leary of anyone who only plays e-kits.

This right here. Unless you're talking playing electronic drum sounds--live playing of drum machine sounds, samples, etc--then E-drums are still at best simply a necessary evil in some situations IMO.
I had a weird one recently at a sub gig--funk/various worldbeat vibes---the whole kit was acoustic except for the kick. I could hear it in my monitoring but it was weird and just did not feel integrated with...anything really. No idea why the guy insisted on that.
EDIT: and honestly--drummers disagree here if you want --but to me, "He told us that he plays on an E-kit and no longer plays on an acoustic kit so warned us that he might be a bit loud since he's used to bashing his E-kit" is total red flag territory. Does not sound like a pro ready for anything.

 

[dbflats]

In a long ago reggae band, in which we really did over time play with 26 different drummers, one guy played e kit, don't recall the make. We tried to make it work but for who and where in music we were at the time, it wasn't happening.

Were this or similar to occur today, things might be different.

 

[LowTorque]

When my drummer got his E-kit I was initially glad so that he could practice at night, but that never happened (and he needed it). When it came to actually playing live with him I really missed the feel of 'moving air' that comes with acoustic drums. I suppose if there is a really beefy PA support it could be OK, but based on my limited experience I prefer the sound and feel of acoustic drums.

100% agree

 

[erratick]

What I’m hearing here is:

1. Drummers are asserting that it’s more important to play with dynamics. I SO agree and appreciate that sentiment. But this is something else. Acoustic instruments - all acoustic instruments - by their nature sound different when you play them hard than when you play them soft. To play an acoustic drum kit quietly enough in a club room results in an untenable feel sacrifice. Meanwhile, electric instruments, also by their nature, can be turned up and down to deliver the same sound at different volumes. That is what is needed here.

2. You guys don’t like the way e-drums feel. I can understand that. My argument is that to make the band sound good in certain room situations, it’s a worthwhile sacrifice to be made. I’m not a drummer, so I can’t make an informed comparison between moving from acoustic drums to e-drums on the one hand and moving out my SVT 810 in favor of a set of IEMs on the other - but I can say that transition was unpalatable to me too at first. Now I’m used to it and it makes sense.

For the record I realize I’m waging an unwinnable argument against a lot of preference and habit.

Started as a drummer. And pretty much agree.

Only the high end Roland mesh e-drums feel even vaguely like a drum. But man for gigs these days- e-kit can really do it.

It's like any musical advancement, turntables, samplers, midi, drum machines, electric instruments, it's going to polarize. But they're all capable of making great art.

 

[pbass2]

Started as a drummer. And pretty much agree.

Only the high end Roland mesh e-drums feel even vaguely like a drum. But man for gigs these days- e-kit can really do it.

It's like any musical advancement, turntables, samplers, midi, drum machines, electric instruments, it's going to polarize. But they're all capable of making great art.

Of course. I think context is key. If it's a band playing otherwise "organically" and that's what they're trying to present, the E-drums are often pretty....cringe. It takes a lot more effort and tech to get them to not be cringe than just having a drummer who can play an acoustic kit appropriately for the gig.
I think when you try and shoehorn something into a scenario where it doesn't really fit just because of convenience is when you're pushing your luck.

 

[silky smoove]

EDIT: and honestly--drummers disagree here if you want --but to me, "He told us that he plays on an E-kit and no longer plays on an acoustic kit so warned us that he might be a bit loud since he's used to bashing his E-kit" is total red flag territory. Does not sound like a pro ready for anything.

This struck me as odd too and my experience was the opposite of the OP. I found that after prolonged periods of playing on an electronic kit I would play far too softly on an acoustic kit, particularly on cymbals. So much so that certain cymbals wouldn’t even open up with how my sticking would default coming off an electronic kit.

 

[sean_on_bass]

i guess if they were acceptable and wise to use for professionals, then why do literally all the remotely popular bands in my area not use them? how come my favorite international acts don't use them? how come even my local hobbyists don't use them? why have i played countless gigs in a variety of styles and the drummer never used them? are they all stupid?

If a drummer is known to use an e-kit they are looked at as amateur by most musicians. it will limit their potential to get hired IMO.

 

[Ostie]

You can’t beat the sound of acoustic drums. E-drums are easier pack, tote, and set up, but they don’t sound as good. Also have a smaller footprint. Granted that it’s easier for some drummers to control their volume on e-drums, but I view that as a failure on their part. All things being equal, I’ll take acoustic drums any day.

 

[Iristone]

I've been a drummer long before I ever touched a bass, and I started out on a Roland kit. They don't exactly trigger like acoustic kits, but the dynamics are mostly translatable - if anything I find an acoustic kit easier to control, as long as you don't "saturate" the electronic triggers by hitting them extremely hard.
In today's (early 2026) world, the best e-kit by a mile is Roland's new Vx1 series, and I currently play a V51 kit with aftermarket Lemon pads. Zildjian Alchem-E may not be bad, either, but it's priced like the Alembic of e-kits. Other makes such as Yamaha, Medeli, Alesis and Efnote are mostly solid and at least as good as earlier Roland TD series with similar prices, but the Vx1 series is just so much better.

 

[Iristone]

To me Yamaha pads feel better than Roland, but the newest Roland modules sound and trigger better than Yamaha. Also I'd rather play a proper e-kit than a pancake acoustic kit for a small stage, but on a big stage I prefer a proper acoustic kit and add electronic triggers where I need them.

 

[Iristone]

Looks wise, I'm a fan of the earlier Simmons hex pads that screams retro-futuristic. Unfortunately no one makes them anymore, not even Simmons themselves. I'm not a fan of e-kits with acoustic-like wooden shells that are the worst of both worlds: for an e-kit it's expensive and not portable, for an acoustic kit it looks cheap and don't play as natural.