Here comes the discussed topic before considering your Drum Instrument. Acoustic Drums vs Electronic Drums (Digital Drums) !! Which one to go for??
To be very Precis, you need modern day solution to this modern day query. You have to move forward with a very new perspective.
Hi! My name is Deepak Tripathi from Roland India. It’s upto you for which Drum you will opt for. But before that, let me take you to a small brief and comparison between Acoustic Drums & Electronic Drum (Digital Drums)
Introduction
A traditional Drum Kit is called an Acoustic Kit. The magnificent looking, wood finished drums that you’ve seen in your local store. Yes, that!
Acoustic Drums permanently require no wiring at all! That’s what makes them, well, Acoustic!
Back in the day, the concept of “Electronic Drums (Digital Drums)” was unheard. As time passed and technology advanced, we saw the Digital age in music – a lot of computer-based, Digital elements have become a crucial part of music production. Then came the discovery of Digital or Electronic drums.
Electronic Drums have a brain of its own called the “module”. The module is where all the sounds come to generate. And all the parts of the Drums in Digital Drums connected to the module via wires. Digital Drums are great for late-night practice as once you plug in your headphones, only you can hear the sounds coming from the drums! Pretty cool, right?
Acoustic Drums vs Electronic drums
The parts of the Acoustic Drums are its wooden shells of all drums, various cymbals made of metal alloys, metal stands, five drums and pedals. Also, acoustic drums can be LOUD. So, it is not preferred for home practice.
In contrast, Electronic Drums can be heard only using headphones and have considerably fewer parts that can be affected by temperature and weather conditions. For example, the metallic cymbals of Acoustic Drums could get damaged and catch rust if not maintained-especially in humid conditions.
Electronic Drums still have all Drums but without wooden shells and cymbals made of rubber pads. Instead of needing so many parts and materials, Electronic Drums are comparatively more compact. In most Electronic Drums, all the Drums part mounted on a single and robust stand which can be dismantled and can do not take much space at home.
Important: Not all Digital Drums are the same and not all Digital Drums have the same’ touch or feel’ as acoustic drums. So, do your homework thoroughly if you decide digital drums best suits your needs.
Digital Drums have come of age in much the same way that Digital Cameras have. Initially, Digital Cameras were not widely accepted. After all, how could a Digital Camera take better photos than our trusty 35 mm Kodak camera, right? Like most other digital products, new technologies were developed and offer better performance. It includes new features, better quality, and Digital Cameras became more comfortable and more fun to use, more affordable, and now they are globally accepted as the ‘norm.’ Digital drums have evolved in much the same way.
Features of Acoustic Drums
- Acoustic Drums are very dynamic. What I mean by this is that one can play as loud or soft as one likes.
- They generally come as a 5-piece kit and are significant. The main parts are Bass drum, Snare drum, Hi-Tom, Mid-Tom and Low-Tom. Apart from this, an Acoustic Drum will also have three cymbals: Hi-Hat, Crash and Ride.
- Acoustic Drums have an unmatched realistic feel while playing on them.
- Usually, when purchasing an Acoustic Kit, some additional products are needed to reduce the resonance of individual drums. By mean of this, there are some home-based items, which we can use for the same purpose, cost-free!
- There is a limitation for the different sounds you can create on an Acoustic Kit.
- Different kinds of music require different sounds coming from the drums. E.g., Rock music has a punchy bass drum sound, so a big bass drum works well. On the other hand, Jazz music mainly is driven by the ride cymbal, so the bass drum is usually smaller.
Features of Electronic Drums
- The sound level of the Drum Kit can be adjusted easily through the volume knob on the module.
- These too usually come as a 5-piece kit. Electronic Drums come with Drum Pads mounted on a stand.
- With improving technology, the playing surface of the Drum Pads is coming as close as possible to a real acoustic feel.
- Electronic Drums occupy very less space. The stands used are light and sturdy.
- Many different instruments sound come pre-set with Digital Drums. This great feature allows one to play along to different types of music with just the push of a button!
- Digital Drums are hushed. When headphones plugged into the module, the sounds generated from the kit are heard only by you. It makes the Digital Kit an excellent Drum Kit for late-night jams!
Should I go for Acoustic Drums or Electronic Drums (Digital Drums) Kit?
Check to see if you answer ‘YES’ to any of the following questions. If so, it would indicate that your needs are more suited to digital drums rather than an acoustic.
Do you live in an Apartment?
If you stay in an apartment, the chances are that you have a couple of neighbours who could be disturbed by the loud sound of the acoustic drums. In this case, digital drums are the way to go.
Do you have space restrictions?
Acoustic drums take up quite a bit of space where they placed. Digital drums are best suited for home/studio use in this regard as they do not take much space and can easily carry around the house! However, if the area is not an issue, then an acoustic kit would look great in your room!
Related Post : Learning the Drums at Home
Do you want to be able to practice at any time of the day/night?
In Digital drums, you can use headphones as well, which makes it perfect for late-night practise without disturbing your neighbours! It is tough to keep the volume of an acoustic kit low enough so that neighbours aren’t bothered at night.
Related Post : Benefits of learning on Digital Drums
Do you want to have access to many different sounds?
Most digital drums nowadays come with a lot of in-built sounds to play any music. These include all kinds of drum sounds as well as other percussive sounds like Cajon, Djembe, Congo, clap sound etc. These sounds can be changed easily with the press of a button! It is impossible to get multiple instruments sounds out of an acoustic kit. However, if differently tuned drums are what you need, you can optimize your acoustic kit to your liking!
CONCLUSION
In the end, I would like to say that you should do your research well before deciding whether you want to go for an acoustic or digital drum set. While acoustic drums have a touch and feel of their own. But if you are a beginner and want to be able to play the drums at any time of the day/night.
Also want to play along to Bollywood as well as other styles, do not have much space in your house, or want to record yourself playing along to your favourite song, I would recommend digital drums for you! Just like all of us prefer to dress differently. Similarly, every drummer has his/her preference. I would encourage you to think about the purpose behind you purchasing a drum kit before taking a decision.
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