Thinking of buying a drum kit? You may have several questions; What are all the different drums that make a complete set? How do I know if I have the right drums? What’s an acoustic drum kit? What’s a digital drum kit?
After reading this we hope you will have a clearer idea of the difference between the two and have a better idea of which will suit your needs…
There are a few considerations to make before choosing your drum kit. If you're not going to be able to get away with making a lot of noise, you don't have much space and the drums will be mainly used at home for practising - you're best bet is to go for a set of digital drums. Or if you're lucky enough to have lots of space, volume isn’t an issue then you should probably go for an acoustic drum kit.
Lets deal with acoustic drum kits first…here are a few reasons why an Acoustic Drum Kit may be more suitable.
1. Make some noise - acoustic drums are much louder and need no amplification. Their sound is also more natural and crisp. This is great if you're in a band and rehearsing as you can you can play along easier.
2. Set-Up - with acoustic drums, you can create your set-up according to preference and drumming ability. As you begin to progress and build your skill, you can add more drums such as cymbals and toms.
3. Dynamic - acoustic drums and cymbals have their own individual sound, but are more dynamic as you can use different brushes and mallets to create softer or harder sounds.
4. Realistic - Acoustic drums are also more realistic in that you can learn drum rolls, buzz rolls, cymbal swells and hi-hat techniques
5. Adjustable - acoustic drums and cymbals can be adjusted to different angles and heights to suit your specific set up, which again, is perfect for when you develop your skills and want to add more drums to your set-up.
You'll probably also notice the generic drum kit description when browsing our website, which will be something to the effect of a "5-piece drum kit" or a "4-piece drum kit”. Basically we are talking about the number of drums in a kit - the standard being a 5 piece including A bass drum, a snare drum and three tom toms.
If you're looking to buy a complete acoustic drum set, we have plenty at Rimmers Music for you to choose from. We have a selection of exceptional value entry level kits from brands such as Berkeley and Spur, which can provide many a year of enjoyment and reliable service.
So why should you buy a Digital Drum Kit?
1. Compact & Portable - digital drum kits are much more portable than acoustic kits. Aside from the benefit of digital kits generally being smaller than acoustic, once you've finished practising you can fold them up and pack them away.
2. Versatility - if you're a beginner and not sure which genre of music you're going to enjoy playing, a digital drum kit will let you switch from genre to genre.
3. Convenience - thanks to the near-silent pads on a digital drum kit, you can play quietly in a small venue, requirement most small stages require. That doesn't mean you can't play on a large stage with one - with a digital kit you can play freely without mics, reducing feedback! You also have more control over the sound sent to the house PA with built in effects and multiple audio outputs.
4. Flexibility – digital kits give you the ability to play and record your track whilst being able to edit individual notes or instruments to your liking. Perfect for recording.
5. Free to Practice - most models feature built in metronomes meaning you can analyse your playing to check the important things, like how in time you are. You can listen to yourself through headphones too, reducing noise.
Still confused? Don’t worry, call in at any of our Rimmers Music stores and our trained sales advisors are on hand to help you decide.
