Advice on Budget Electronic Drumkit (Alesis DM5 Pro?)

George · Post by **George** » Mon Oct 25, 2010 11:32 am

I'm thinking of selling up some gear and buying an electronic drumkit on a budget of around Â£400. I'm wondering if anyone has any experience or knowledge so can point me in the right direction, and if it's possible to get a half decent one at that price? I've been looking so far at the Alesis DM5 Pro which seems to tick all the boxes but gets some mixed reviews.

As far as requirements go:
- Decent response on triggers
- Non-rubber pads on the toms (cymbals are okay)
- Drum sound quality is not important as I will run it primarily as a MIDI trigger with Toontrack
- Module is not that important either I suppose
- A five piece with room for expansion would be great

Any suggestions?

George · Post by **George** » Mon Oct 25, 2010 11:34 am

By the way, I'm not a drummer at all. This is for me to learn the basics on and have people over for jams etc. It will also never leave the one room so portability isn't an issue.

Sloan · Post by **Sloan** » Sun Nov 14, 2010 10:37 am

CHEAP
buy a bunch of drum triggers and put them on random shit and just trigger software drum machines on your pc (fuck a mac if you have one).

CHEAPER
you can buy a lot of small contact mics, put them no random shit, then trigger a midi signal from the mic input and have that midi go to your software drum machine.

CHEAPEST
program that shit with mouse+keyboard

George · Post by **George** » Mon Nov 15, 2010 6:12 pm

This sounds relevant to my interests!

I like the first option; I'm all up for setting up some triggers straight into Cubase or something. I don't need a module anyway.

Does the first option involve getting cheap drum heads like this

And attaching them to these?

What sort of MIDI interface thing would connect these triggers to my PC? I need to look into this.

NickS · Post by **NickS** » Mon Nov 15, 2010 10:42 pm

Alesis Trigger IO is what my son used with his home-built triggers. That's around UKP100.

George · Post by **George** » Mon Nov 15, 2010 10:57 pm

Nice. Does your son use pads or proper acoustic drums (or something else I have no idea about)?

Sloan · Post by **Sloan** » Tue Nov 16, 2010 1:31 am

you can put the triggers on ANYTHING and then hit them to produce a signal. contact mics are cheaper and the same thing without the fancy package.

put them on buckets !

http://www.ehow.com/how_6818937_making- ... ggers.html

Sloan · Post by **Sloan** » Tue Nov 16, 2010 1:34 am

George · Post by **George** » Tue Nov 16, 2010 9:13 am

Awesome! I'm tempted to get this going as a project instead of waiting to afford a full on kit. I'm picturing a load buckets cut to the bottom, mousemats, contact mics and some kind of 2nd hand drum rack. Sounds like the most expensive bit will be getting the midi converter which can be had off ebay. I might even take a cue from that video and cover some cheap cymbals in rubber.

THANKS FOR HELPZ!

NickS · Post by **NickS** » Tue Nov 16, 2010 9:14 am

Matt has a real kit that he stuck them on. He used the inside of a piezo sounder from Maplin as a piezo transducer. I don't know why, as they sell piezo transducers.

George · Post by **George** » Tue Nov 16, 2010 9:37 am

Christ, so really I don't even need to buy a contact mic, just a transducer? I don't know what the difference is there but it seems a transducer is 20p and a sounder is Â£1.20. Will either/both pick up different hitting strengths?

NickS · Post by **NickS** » Tue Nov 16, 2010 2:00 pm

Probably worth buying a couple to experiment.

I'll try and get a picture up of a transducer built by Simon Pitchers of the original Mysteronz (and then The Diagram Brothers) using acrylic sheet and a small loudspeaker. I did a little electronic circuit to make a Syndrum type sound. I don't think we ever used it in anger.

George · Post by **George** » Thu Dec 23, 2010 9:58 pm

Sorry, but after badgering you all for ages on the subject I just picked this up for Â£45 off gumtree with stool, headphones and everything. It's very entry level but I'm learning paradiddles and shit so it suits me fine. It's got midi out so I can set up with Toontrack and other stuff, and it actually sounds pretty decent. HAPPY!

Ion Audio iED01

Reliable and favourable review

hotrodperlmutter · Post by **hotrodperlmutter** » Thu Dec 23, 2010 10:13 pm

that looks swell. do a demo!

24HRS2MDNT · Post by **24HRS2MDNT** » Thu Dec 23, 2010 11:19 pm

That looks great. For anyone else considering tinkering.

something like this with maybe a fewt peadel input?

Sloan · Post by **Sloan** » Fri Dec 24, 2010 12:37 am

hlysht that's cheap:
http://www.ionaudio.com/prosessiondrums

George · Post by **George** » Fri Dec 24, 2010 8:51 am

The guy listed it as the module name (iDM02), so maybe that's why he undersold it?

You can tell where they skimped on quality: the wires are thin and the frame isn't giggable but it's staying in my study.

I'd do an demo but I can't play the drums for SHIT (I don't even know how to set it up). And I'm left footed and right handed so that's all messed up as well.

This guy gets it...

[youtube][/youtube]

lorez · Post by **lorez** » Fri Dec 24, 2010 9:02 am

bloody hell george that was a steal, i'm sure you'll sort out setting it up and be rocking it soon. And when you are ready to upgrade/get bored i'll call first dibs at that price

George · Post by **George** » Fri Dec 24, 2010 10:38 am

Cool, it's a deal but it will take me a long time to outgrow it I think.

Dingus · Post by **Dingus** » Wed Dec 29, 2010 2:47 pm

I'm sure it's past relevant now, but Musician's Friend has the Simmons SD5K as their stupid deal of the day for $299. I know nothing about it though and if it's remotely quality or not, but incase anyone else is looking for an e-drum set on the cheap:

http://drums-percussion.musiciansfriend ... D&ZYXSEM=0