My thoughts on 1st time purchase of E-drums

[Intruder]

[fulrmr(Daniel)]

I tend to agree with a lot if what you said here...but there are a few exceptions and I guess that's what brings on some of the questions and comparisons. Preconceived expectations really throw many folks off....especially when it come to "bang for the buck" to match their budget. Everyone wants the "The Best"....but there's a difference between "the best" and "the best you can afford". That's why so many folks seem to compromise when they purchase gear. That's one reason I started my DIY journey. I spent the bulk of my cash on the "best" module for my needs...and then built the rest around it. It's quite cost effective if you keep your build to a reasonable size(which I never did) However building 2z drum pads(4-6 pieces....and not necessarily cymbals & HH) for most modules is very easy and dollar for dollar you can come out with a very nice kit for a fraction of the cost of even the best "Factory Brand name" kit for said module.

As for the comment of "electric( electronic would be accurate..but that's just picking knits) is just too general because there is at least one module on the market that contains exquisite deep layered samples that sound exactly like acoustic drums because they are made from direct audio from acoustic drums. It would probly be more accurrate to say the most electronic drum "don't play" or "feel" quite like acoustic drums....especially the cymbals....but as has been said...it's all about informed expectations.


....and I agree...don't buy cheap crap if you want your gear to last. I always try to buy the best first(even if I have to do without for a while to save up enough for it)...that way I only have to buy it once. That line of thought does not account always for GAS though...which is a totally different discussion.

[KennyinDundee]

I agree with most of what you've said also. I saved up for a td4 initially but kept hearing how good the td9 was. I saved up for a td9kx and whilst it's not the best module out there it fits my needs just now and for the near future. If I'd got the td4, I might have gotten frustrated at its greater limitations than the td9. Then I would've spent even more money on a td9 module....or given up.

[Kenster]

I agree with a lot of the OP as well. Seems to me someone mentioned putting all this into a HUGE FLOWCHART and making it a sticky for ALL new Forum members to read, so when they first get here, they get good direction as to what they can and probably should be doing with their hard earned bitcoins.

I have always been telling people, buy your second boat or drum kit or whatever, FIRST. I learned a long time ago the hard way about going cheap all the time. Now it hurts cuz I always try for the top end model in most endeavors because they usually have the most features and generally I always need them lol.

Until the flowchart or other sticky shows up, there's always us diehards in the trenches, using the dark side of the force, to sway the buying decisions of the uninitiated!

K ;-)

[Oenone]

I agree. I did buy a really cheap crappy kit when I first decided to start playing. This was because I didn't want to spend thousands on something I might not even like. I actually started playing because of Rock Band and Guitar Hero, so I'm all for hooking up my kit and having a ball!

Once I decided that I was going to actually play I didn't know about all the options available, I researched, went to multiple music stores and asked for advice. That's where I decided on the TD-15KV. I just couldn't afford a TD-30. If I had known about all the options would have put my kit together bit by bit. To get what I'm happy with now I replaced the drum rack twice, added some Gen 16s, replaced the pickups, replaced the drum pads (the bass drum twice), replaced the monitor and I am almost there.

Music stores don't tell you about Diamond or Jobeky drums though, at least not in Australia. The Gen 16 rack, which I am really happy with, is not in any stores here. I discovered this forum by accident when looking up a problem that I was having with my Gen 16s. Since then I haven't bothered with in store research, it's all online.

Like everything else, you get what you pay for, it's hard to understand why people think cheap will be as good as expensive. Having said that, if you had never played before I wouldn't suggest going out and buying a TD-30, it would be sad to see one of those hit twice and end up in a garage somewhere gathering dust.

[EssKayKay]

Oh how I agree with everyone here. I purchased my TD-11KV thinking that was all I could afford (or justify) at the time. Well after many GAS pains, I have upgraded most all pads, cymbals. stand, and now am considering the module. In hindsight, I should have gone with the TD-15KV right away. Oh well, like many others, I learned. I like what Kenster says - "buy your second set first".

[kgoroway]

While I agree with everyone strongly (buy your second set first!), the saying doesn't work as well as it does for boats.

In my case, I bought my first set first, and my second set second. First, a TD-9KX2, and then the TD-30KV. So, a mistake, since there was only about a year in-between the two. However, unlike with boats, the first set can be COMBINED with the second set. It's very hard to use two boats at the same time...but combining two drum kits? Fun!

[sycle1]

I agree totally

[Outlaw21]

Some things are just worth spending a bit extra. As a teenager, one of the best pieces of advice was this.... Research the product and define your needs. Rationalize the differences in both performance and cost. (It might make sense for a few extra bucks). SAVE at least 50% before you purchase. By the time you save the money, you will either still want it, or you won't, but at least you will be motivated. Take the empties back to beer store or mow some lawns to raise the money. Earn it, and you will appreciate. Quality lasts, or the Manufacturer will stand behind it a bit more than a lower end models.
My 2 cents.

[Kenster]

Well Intruder, whaddya think?

K

[fulrmr(Daniel)]

Some things are just worth spending a bit extra. As a teenager, one of the best pieces of advice was this.... Research the product and define your needs. Rationalize the differences in both performance and cost. (It might make sense for a few extra bucks). SAVE at least 50% before you purchase. By the time you save the money, you will either still want it, or you won't, but at least you will be motivated. Take the empties back to beer store or mow some lawns to raise the money. Earn it, and you will appreciate. Quality lasts, or the Manufacturer will stand behind it a bit more than a lower end models.
My 2 cents.

Excellent advice.

[gradier]

Like EssKayKay, I bought the TD-11k (but the cheaper "KS" not the "KV" version) and upgraded. And, along similar lines, I have wondered if I should have just started with the TD-15KV. however, what has stopped me totally from thinking this way is my VST: Addictive Drums 2. It is a far far superior drumming experience than the stock kits. If I ever use the module kits for play-along songs, I use the VEX pack, but I mostly play the stand-alone AD2 (with an audio interface to reduce latency to something like 45 ms). So, now I have all the mesh pads and cymbals I need (using one drum splitter for the rack toms). I don't have a GAS attack about the TD-15KV module with its 100 kits and 500 sounds because I have far better sounds in my $119 AD2 (actually that was the AD1 price, but it came with a free upgrade to AD2). I don't have the Roland VH-11 hi-hat which comes with the TD-15KV, but I can live without that--or upgrade later on.

[Kenster]

If I ever use the module kits for play-along songs, I use the VEX pack, but I mostly play the stand-alone AD2 (with an audio interface to reduce latency to something like 45 ms).

Umm...was this a typo? 45ms is an eternity, how can you play like that? It should be below 10ms...unless you're not playing live and are monitoring differently than you are recording. Just curious.

K

[Intruder]

That would leave time to do a paradiddle diddle then go to the fridge for a cold one and come back and not get behind in the beat!
See, not all latency is a bad thing. LOL

[Kenster]

That would leave time to do a paradiddle diddle then go to the fridge for a cold one and come back and not get behind in the beat!
See, not all latency is a bad thing. LOL

Well when you put it that way, great use of time management!

K ;-)